Some lie-to best under a foresail, and this, I believe, is the sail most usually employed.

Large square-rigged vessels have sails for the express purpose, called storm-staysails.
But the jib is occasionally employed by itself,--sometimes the jib and foresail, or a double-reefed foresail, and not unfrequently the after-sails, are made use of.

Foretopsails are very often found to answer the purpose better than any other species of sail.

The Grampus was generally laid-to under a close-reefed foresail.
When a vessel is to be laid-to, her head is brought up to the wind just so nearly as to fill the sail under which she lies when hauled flat aft, that is, when brought diagonally across the vessel.

This being done, the bows point within a few degrees of the direction from which the wind issues, and the windward bow of course receives the shock of the waves.
In this situation a good vessel will ride out a very heavy gale of wind without shipping a drop of water, and without any further attention being requisite on the part of the crew.