Note 66 — Chapter XXXIV
Reading edition
The traffic in timber alone must be considerable, as there is none found in the neighbourhood adapted for ship-building; and the fine large spars which are required for the masts of junks, are all brought from the northward. The size of some of these spars may be judged of by the following measurements which were taken of the mainmast of one of the largest junks. It was eleven feet six inches in circumference a little above the deck, and one hundred and forty-one feet long; and the main yard was one hundred and eleven feet in length. Very strong spars indeed are necessary, for they carry an enormous sail, without any shrouds or stays to support them.