"Auberk, sketoun, and scheldWas mani to-broken in that feld."
AUDIT. The final passing of accounts.
AUDITORS OF THE IMPREST. Officers who had the charge of the great accounts of the royal customs, naval and military expenses, &c.; they are now superseded by the commissioners for auditing the public accounts.
AUGES. An astronomical term, synonymous withapsides.
AUGET. A tube filled with powder for firing a mine.
AUGMENTATIONof the Moon's Diameter. The increase of her apparent diameter occasioned by an increase of altitude: or that which is due to the difference between her distance from the observer and the centre of the earth.
AUGRE,or Auger. A wimble, or instrument for boring holes for bolts, tree-nails, and other purposes.
AUK,or Awk. A sea-bird with short wings. The great auk or gair-fowl (Alca impennis) was formerly common on all the northern coasts, where they laid their eggs, ingeniously poised, on the bare rocks. They were very good eating, and having been taken in great numbers by the Esquimaux, and by European sailors on whaling voyages, the species is now supposed to be exterminated.
AULIN. An arctic gull (Cataractes parasiticus), given to make other sea-birds mute through fear, and then eat their discharge—whence it is termeddirty aulinby the northern boatmen.
AUMBREY. An old north-country term for a bread and cheese locker.
AUNE. Contraction ofulna. French cloth measure: at Rouen it is equal to the English ell—at Paris 0·95—at Calais 1·52 of that measure.
AURIGA. A northern constellation, and one of the old 48 asterisms; it is popularly known as theWaggoner: α Auriga, Capella.
AURORA. The faint light which precedes sunrising. Also the mythological mother of the winds and stars.
AURORA AUSTRALISor Borealis. The extraordinary and luminous meteoric phenomenon which by its streaming effulgence cheers the dreary nights of polar regions. It is singular that these beautiful appearances are nowhere mentioned by the ancients. They seem to be governed by electricity, are most frequent in frosty weather, and are proved to be many miles above the surface of the earth, from some of them being visible over 30° of longitude and 20° of latitude at the same instant! In colour they vary from yellow to deep red; in form they are Proteus-like, assuming that of streamers, columns, fans, or arches, with a quick flitting, and sometimes whizzing noises. The aurora is not vivid above the 76th degree of north latitude, and is seldom seen before the end of August. Cook was the first navigator who recorded the southern lights.
AUSTER. The south wind of the ancients, gusts from which quarter are calledautan.
AUSTRAL. Relating to the south.—Austral signs, those on the south side of the equator, or the last six of the zodiac.
AUTHORITY. The legal power or right of commanding.
AUTOMATIC BLOW-OFF APPARATUS.SeeBlow-off-pipe.
AUTUMNAL EQUINOX. The time when the sun crosses the equator, under a southerly motion, and the days and nights are then everywhere equal in length. (SeeLibra.)
AUTUMNAL POINT. That part of the ecliptic whence the sun descends southward.
AUTUMNAL SIGNS. Libra, Scorpio, and Sagittarius.
AUXILIARIES. Confederates, an assisting body of allies; or, physically speaking, vessels using steam as an auxiliary to wind.
AUXILIARY SCREW. A vessel in which the screw is used as an auxiliary force. Such a vessel is usually fully masted for sailing purposes.
AVANIA. The fine or imposition imposed on Christians residing under Turkish governors, when they break the laws.
AVANT-FOSSE. In fortification, an advanced ditch without the counterscarp, and stretching along the foot of the glacis.
AVAST. The order to stop, hold, cease, or stay, in any operation: its derivation from the Italianbastais more plausible thanhave fast.
AVAST HEAVING! The cry to arrest the capstan when nippers are jammed, or any other impediment occurs in heaving in the cable, not unfrequently when a hand, foot, or finger, is jammed;—stop!
AVENTAILE. The movable part of a helmet.
AVENUE. The inlet into a port.
AVERAGE. Whethergeneralorparticular, is a term of ambiguous construction, meaning the damage incurred for the safety of the ship and cargo; the contribution made by the owners in general, apportioned to their respective investments, to repair any particular loss or expense sustained; and a small duty paid to the master for his care of the whole. Goods thrown overboard for the purpose of lightening the ship, are so thrown for the good of all, and the loss thus sustained must be made up by a general average or contribution from all the parties interested. (SeeGeneral Average.)
AVERAGE-ADJUSTER. A qualified person engaged in making statements to show the proper application of loss, damage, or expenses in consequence of the accidents of a sea adventure.
AVERAGE-AGREEMENT. A written document signed by the consignees of a cargo, binding themselves to pay a certain proportion of general average that may from accident arise against them.
AVERAGE-STATER.SeeAverage-adjuster.
AVIST. A west-country term for "a fishing."
AVVISO. An Italian advice-boat. [Aviso, Sp.] Despatch-boat or tender.
AWAFT,or Awheft. The displaying of a stopped flag. (SeeWheft.)
AWAIT. Ambush; cutting off vessels by means of boats hidden in coves which they must pass in their course.
AWARD. A judgment, in maritime cases, by arbitration; and the decision or sentence of a court-martial.
A-WASH. Reefs even with the surface. The anchor just rising to the water's edge, in heaving up.
AWAY ALOFT. The order to the men in the rigging to start up.
AWAY OFF. At a distance, but in sight.
AWAY SHE GOES. The order to step out with the tackle fall. The cry when a vessel starts on the ways launching; also when a ship, having stowed her anchor, fills and makes sail.
AWAY THERE. The call for a boat's crew; as, "away there!barge-men."
AWAY WITH IT. The order to walk along briskly with a tackle fall, as catting the anchor, &c.
AWBLAST. The arbalest, or cross-bow.
AWBLASTER. The designation of a cross-bowman.
A-WEATHER. The position of the helm when its tiller is moved to the windward side of the ship, in the direction from which the wind blows. The opposite ofa-lee.
A-WEIGH. The anchor beinga-trip, or after breaking out of the ground.
AWK.SeeAuk.
AWKWARD SQUAD. A division formed of those men who are backward in gaining dexterity. (SeeSquad.)
AWL. A tool of a carpenter, sail-maker, and cobbler.
AWME. A tierce of 39 gallons. A Dutch liquid measure.
AWNING. A cover or canvas canopy suspended by a crow-foot and spread over a ship, boat, or other vessel, to protect the decks and crew from the sun and weather. (SeeEuphroe.) Also that part of the poop-deck which is continued forward beyond the bulk-head of the cabin.
AWNING-ROPES. The ridge and side ropes for securing the awning.
AXE. A large flat edge-tool, for trimming and reducing timber. Also an Anglo-Saxon word forask, which seamen still adhere to, and it is difficult to say why a word should be thought improper which has descended from our earliest poets; it may have become obsolete, but without absolutely being vulgar or incorrect.
AXIOM. A self-evident truth or proposition, that cannot be made plainer by demonstration.
AXIS. The imaginary line upon which a planet revolves, the extremities of which are termed the poles,—therefore a line joining the north and south poles. The real or imaginary line that passes through the centre of any cylindrical or spherical body on which it may revolve. Also a right line proceeding from the vertex of a cone to the middle of its base. Also, an imaginary right line passing through the middle of a ship perpendicularly to its base, and equally distant from its sides;—an imaginary line passing through the centre of a gun's bore, parallel with its position.—Axis of a telescope.(SeeCollimation, Line of.)
AXLE-TREES. The two cross-pieces of a gun-carriage, fixed across and under the fore and hinder parts of the cheeks. The cylindrical iron which goes through the wheel of the chain-pump, and bears the weight of it.
AYE, AYE, SIR. A prompt reply on receiving an order. Also the answer on comprehending an order.Aye-aye, the answer to a sentinel's hail, from a boat which has a commissioned officer on board below the rank of captain. The name of the ship in reply from the boat indicates the presence of a captain. The word "flag," indicates the presence of an admiral.
AYLET. The sea-swallow.
AYONT. Beyond.
AYR. An open sea-beach, and also a bank of sand. (SeeAire.) The mediæval term foroar.
AYT.SeeEyght.
AZIMUTH. A word borrowed from the Arabic. The complement ofthe amplitude, or an arc between the meridian of a place and any given vertical line.
AZIMUTHAL ERROR.SeeMeridian Error.
AZIMUTH CIRCLES.SeeVertical Circles.
AZIMUTH COMPASS. A superior graduated compass for ascertaining the amount of magnetic variation, by amplitude or azimuth, when the sun is from 8° to 15° high, either after its rising or before its setting. (SeeMagnetic Azimuth.) It is fitted with vertical sight vanes for the purpose of observing objects elevated above the horizon.
AZOGUE. [Sp.] Quicksilver.
AZOGUES. Spanish ships fitted expressly for carrying quicksilver.
AZUMBRE. A Spanish wine-measure, eight of which make an arroba.
AZURE. The deep blue colour of the sky, when perfectly cloudless.
BAARD. A mediæval transport.
BAARE-Y-LANE. The Manx or Gaelic term for high-water.
BAAS. An old term for the skipper of a Dutch trader.
BAB. The Arabic formouthorgate; especially used by seamen for the entrance of the Red Sea,Bab-el-mandeb.
BABBING. An east-country method of catching crabs, by enticing them to the surface of the water with baited lines, and then taking them with a landing net.
BABBLING. The sound made by shallow rivers flowing over stony beds.
BAC. A large flat-bottomed French ferry-boat. In local names it denotes a ferry or place of boating.
BACALLAO [Sp.] A name given to Newfoundland and its adjacent islands, whence the epithet is also applied to the cod-fish salted there.
BACCHI. Two ancient warlike machines; the one resembled a battering-ram, the other cast out fire.
BACK.To back an anchor.To carry a small anchor ahead of the one by which the ship rides, to partake of the strain, and check the latter from coming home.—To back a ship at anchor.For this purpose the mizen top-sail is generally used; a hawser should be kept ready to wind her, and if the wind falls she must be hove apeak.—To back and fill.To get to windward in very narrow channels, by a series ofsmart alternate boards and backing, with weather tides.—To back a sail.To brace its yard so that the wind may blow directly on the front of the sail, and thus retard the ship's course. A sailing vessel is backed by means of the sails, a steamer by reversing the paddles or screw-propeller.—Toback astern.To impel the water with the oars contrary to the usual mode, or towards the head of the boat, so that she shall recede.—To back the larboardorstarboard oars. To back with the right or left oars only, so as to round suddenly.—To back out.(SeeBack a Sail.) The term is also familiarly used for retreating out of a difficulty.—To back a rope or chain, is to put on a preventer when it is thought likely to break from age or extra strain.—To back water.To impel a boat astern, so as to recede in a direction opposite to the former course.—Backing the worming.The act of passing small yarn in the holidays, or crevices left between the worming and edges of the rope, to prevent the admission of wet, or to render all parts of equal diameter, so that the service may be smooth.—Wind backing.The wind is said to back when it changes contrary to its usual circuit. In the northern hemisphere on the polar side of the trades, the wind usually changes from east, by the south, to west, and so on to north. In the same latitudes in the southern hemisphere the reverse usually takes place. When it backs, it is generally supposed to be a sign of a freshening breeze.
BACK. The outside or convex part of compass-timber. Also a wharf.
BACK,of a Ship. The keel and kelson are figuratively thus termed.
BACK,of the Post. An additional timber bolted to the after-part of the stern-post, and forming its after-face.
BACK-BOARD. A board across the stern sheets of a boat to support the back of passengers; and also to form theboxin which the coxswain sits.
BACK-CUTTING. When the water-level is such that the excavation of a canal, or other channel, does not furnish earth enough for its own banks, recourse is had toback-cutting, or the nearest earth behind the base of the banks.
BACK-FRAME. A vertical wheel for turning the three whirlers of a small rope-machine.
BACK-HER. The order, in steam-navigation, directing the engineer to reverse the movement of the cranks and urge the vessel astern.
BACKING. The timber behind the armour-plates of a ship.
BACK-O'-BEYOND. Said of an unknown distance.
BACK OFF ALL. The order when the harpooner has thrown his harpoon into the whale. Also, to back off a sudden danger.
BACK-ROPE. The rope-pendant, or small chain for staying the dolphin-striker. Also a piece long enough to reach from the cat-block to thestem, and up to the forecastle, to haul the cat-block forward to hook the ring of the anchor—similarly also for hooking the fish-tackle. (SeeGaub-line.)
BACKS. The outermost boards of a sawn tree.
BACK-STAFF. A name formerly given to a peculiar sea-quadrant, because the back of the observer was turned towards the sun at the time of observing its zenith distance. The inventor was Captain Davis, the Welsh navigator, about 1590. It consists of a graduated arc of 30° united to a centre by two radii, with a second arc of smaller radius, but measuring 6° on the side of it. To the first arc a vane is attached for sight,—to the second one for shade,—and at the vertex the horizontal vane has a slit in it.
BACKSTAY-PLATES. Used to support the backstays.
BACKSTAYS. Long ropes extending from all mast-heads above a lower-mast to both sides of the ship or chain-wales; they are extended and set up with dead eyes and laniards to the backstay-plates. Their use is to second the shrouds in supporting the mast when strained by a weight of sail in a fresh wind. They are usually distinguished into breast and after backstays; the first being intended to sustain the mast when the ship sails upon a wind; or, in other terms, when the wind acts upon a ship obliquely from forwards; the second is to enable her to carry sail when the wind is abaft the beam; a third, or shifting backstay, is temporary, and used where great strain is demanded when chasing, chased, or carrying on a heavy pressure of canvas: they are fitted either with lashing eyes, or hook and thimble with selvagee strop, so as to be instantly removed.
BACKSTAY-STOOLS. Detached small channels, or chain-wales, fixed abaft the principal ones. They are introduced in preference to extending the length of the channels.
BACKSTERS. Flat pieces of wood or cork, strapped on the feet in order to walk over loose beach.
BACK-STRAPPED. As a ship carried round to the back of Gibraltar by a counter-current and eddies of wind, the strong currents detaining her there.
BACK-SWEEP. That which forms the hollow of the top-timber of a frame.
BACK-WATER. The swell of the sea thrown back, or rebounded by its contact with any solid body. Also the loss of power occasioned by it to paddles of steamboats, &c. The water in a mill-race which cannot get away in consequence of the swelling of the river below. Also, an artificial accumulation of water reserved for clearing channel-beds and tide-ways. Also, a creek or arm of the sea which runs parallel to the coast, having only a narrow strip of land between itand the sea, and communicating with the latter by barred entrances. The west coast of India is remarkable for its back-waters, which give a most useful smooth water communication from one place to another, such as from Cochin to Quilon, a distance of nearly 70 miles.
BACON,To save. This is an old shore-saw, adopted in nautical phraseology for expressing "to escape," but generally used inpejus ruere; as in Gray'sLong Story. (SeeFoul Hawse.)
BAD-BERTH. A foul or rocky anchorage.
BADDERLOCK. TheFucus esculentus, a kind of eatable sea-weed on our northern shores. Also calledpursill.
BADDOCK. A name from the Gaelic for the fry of theGadus carbonarius, or coal-fish.
BADGE. Quarter badges. False quarter-galleries in imitation of frigate-built ships. Also, in naval architecture, a carved ornament placed on the outside of small ships, very near the stern, containing either a window, or the representation of one, with marine decorations.
BADGE,Seaman's.SeeGood-conduct Badge.
BADGER,To. To tease or confound by frivolous orders.
BADGER-BAG. The fictitious Neptune who visits the ship on her crossing the line.
BAD-NAME. This should be avoided by a ship, for once acquired for inefficiency or privateer habits, it requires time and reformation to get rid of it again. "Give a dog a bad name" most forcibly exemplified. Ships have endured it even under repeated changes of captains—one ship had her name changed, but she became worse.
BAD-RELIEF. One who turns out sluggishly to relieve the watch on deck. (SeeOne-bell.)
BAESSY. The old orthography of the gun since calledbase.
BAFFLING. Is said of the wind when it frequently shifts from one point to another.
BAG. A commercial term of quantity; as, a bread or biscuitbag, a sand-bag, &c. An empty purse.—To bag on a bowline, to be leewardly, to drop from a course.
BAG,of the Head-rails. The lowest part of the head-rails, or that part which forms the sweep of the rail.
BAG,The. Allowed for the men to keep their clothes in. Theditty bagincluded needles and needfuls, love-tokens, jewels, &c.
BAGALA. A rude description of high-sterned vessel of various burdens, from 50 to 300 tons, employed at Muskat and on the shores of Oman: the word signifyingmuleamong the Arabs, and therefore indicative of carrying rather than sailing.
BAG AND BAGGAGE. The whole movable property.
BAGGAGE. The necessaries, utensils, and apparel of troops.
BAGGAGE-GUARD. A small proportion of any body of troops on the march, to whom the care of the whole baggage is assigned.
BAGGETY. The fish otherwise called the lump or sea-owl (Cyclopterus lumpus).
BAGGONET. The old term for bayonet, and not a vulgarism.
BAGNIO. A sort of barrack in Mediterranean sea-ports, where the galley-slaves and convicts are confined.
BAGPIPE.To bagpipe the mizenis to lay it aback, by bringing the sheet to the mizen-shrouds.
BAG-REEF. A fourth or lower reef of fore-and-aft sails, often used in the royal navy.—Bag-reef of top-sails, first reef (of five in American navy); a short reef, usually taken in to prevent a large sail from bagging when on a wind.
BAGREL. A minnow or baggie.
BAGUIO. A rare but dreadfully violent wind among the Philippine Isles.
BAHAR. A commercial weight of a quarter of a ton in the Molucca Islands.
BAIDAR. A swift open canoe of the Arctic tribes and Kurile Isles, used in pursuing otters and even whales; a slender frame from 18 to 25 feet long, covered with hides. They are impelled by six or twelve paddles. (SeeKayak.)
BAIKIE. A northern name for theLarus marinus, or black-backed gull.
BAIKY. The ballium, or inclosed plot of ground in an ancient fort.
BAIL. A surety. The cargo of a captured or detained vessel is not allowed to be taken on bail before adjudication without mutual consent. It was also a northern term for a beacon or signal.
BAIL-BOND. The obligation entered into by sureties. Also when a person appears as proxy for the master of a vessel, or, on obtaining letters of marque, he makes himself personally responsible. In prize matters, however, the bail-bond is not a mere personal security given to the individual captors, but an assurance to abide by the adjudication of the court.
BAIL'D. This phrase "I'll be bail'd" is considered as an equivalent to "I'll be bound;" but it is probably an old enunciation for "I'll be poisoned," or "I'll be tormented," if what I utter is not true.
BAILO. A Levantine term for consul.
BAILS,or Bailes. The hoops which bear up the tilt of a boat.
BAIOCCO. An Italian copper coin, about equal to our halfpenny. Also a generic term for copper money or small coin.
BAIRLINN. A Gaelic term for a high rolling billow.
BAIT. The natural or artificial charge of a hook, to allure fish.
BAITLAND. An old word, formerly used to signify a port where refreshments could be procured.
BALÆNA. The zoological name for the right whale.
BALANCE. One of the simple mechanical powers, used in determining the weights and masses of different bodies. Also, one of the twelve signs of the zodiac, called Libra. Balance-wheel of a chronometer—seeChronometer.
BALANCE,To. To contract a sail into a narrower compass;—this is peculiar to the mizen of a ship, and to the main-sail of those vessels wherein it is extended by a boom. The operation of balancing the mizen is performed by lowering the yard or gaff a little, then rolling up a small portion of the sail at the peak or upper corner, and lashing it about one-fifth down towards the mast. A boom main-sail is balanced by rolling up a portion of the clew, or lower aftermost corner, and fastening it strongly to the boom.—N.B. It is requisite in both cases to wrap a piece of old canvas round the sail, under the lashing, to prevent its being fretted by the latter.
BALANCE-FISH. Thehammer-headed shark(which see).
BALANCE-FRAMES. Those frames or bends of timber, of an equal capacity or area, which are equally distant from the ship's centre of gravity.
BALANCE OF TRADE. A computation of the value of all commodities which we import or export, showing the difference in amount.
BALANCE-REEF. A reef-band that crosses a sail from the outer head-earing to the tack diagonally, making it nearly triangular, and is used to contract it in very blowing weather. (2) A balance reef-band is generally placed in all gaff-sails; the band runs from the throat to the clew, so that it may be reefed either way—by lacing the foot or lower half; or by lacing the gaff drooped to the band: the latter is only done in the worst weather.—This is a point on which seamen may select—but the old plan, as first given, affords more power; (2) is applicable to the severest weather.
BALANCING-POINT. A familiar term for centre of gravity. (SeeGravity.)
BALANDRA. A Spanish pleasure-boat. A lighter, a species of schooner.
BALANUS. The acorn-shell. A sessile cirriped.
BALCAR.SeeBalkar.
BALCONY. The projecting open galleries of old line-of-battle ships' sterns, now disused. They were convenient and ornamental in hot climates, but were afterwards inclosed within sash windows.
BALDRICK. A leathern girdle or sword-belt. Also the zodiac.
BALE. A pack. This word appears in the statute Richard II. c. 3, and is still in common use.
BALE,To. To lade water out of a ship or vessel with buckets (whichwere of old calledbayles), cans, or the like, when the pumps are ineffective or choked.
BALEEN. The scientific term for the whalebone of commerce, derived frombalæna, a whale. It consists of a series of long horny plates growing from each side of the palate in place of teeth.
BALE GOODS. Merchandise packed in large bundles, not in cases or casks.
BALENOT. A porpoise or small whale which frequents the river St. Lawrence.
BALESTILHA. The cross-staff of the early Portuguese navigators.
BALINGER,or Balangha. A kind of small sloop or barge; small vessels of war formerly without forecastles. The name was also given by some of the early voyagers to a large trading-boat of the Philippines and Moluccas.
BALISTES. A fish with mailed skin. File-fish.
BALIZAS. Land and sea marks on Portuguese coasts.
BALK. Straight young trees after they are felled and squared; a beam or timber used for temporary purposes, and under 8 inches square. Balks, of timber of any squared size, as mahogany, intended for planks, or, when very large, for booms or rafts.
BALKAR. A man placed on an eminence, like the ancient Olpis, to watch the movements of shoals of fish. In our early statutes he is calledbalcor.
BALL. In a general sense, implies a spherical and round body, whether naturally so or formed into that figure by art. In a military view it comprehends all sorts of bullets for fire-arms, from the cannon to the pistol: also those pyrotechnic projectiles for guns or mortars, whether intended to destroy, or only to give light, smoke, or stench.
BALLAHOU. A sharp-floored fast-sailing schooner, with taunt fore-and-aft sails, and no top-sails, common in Bermuda and the West Indies. The fore-mast of the ballahou rakes forward, the main-mast aft.
BALL-AND-SOCKET. A clever adaptation to give astronomical or surveying instruments full play and motion every way by a brass ball fitted into a spherical cell, and usually carried by an endless screw.
BALLARAG,To. To abuse or bully. Thus Warton of the French king—
"You surely thought toballaragusWith your fine squadron off Cape Lagos."
BALLAST. A certain portion of stone, pig-iron, gravel, water, or such like materials, deposited in a ship's hold when she either has no cargo or too little to bring her sufficiently low in the water. It is used to counter-balance the effect of the wind upon the masts, and give the ship a proper stability, that she may be enabled to carry sail withoutdanger of overturning. The art of ballasting consists in placing the centre of gravity, so as neither to be too high nor too low, too far forward nor too far aft, and that the surface of the water may nearly rise to the extreme breadth amidships, and thus the ship will be enabled to carry a good sail, incline but little, and ply well to windward. A want of true knowledge in this department has led to putting too great a weight in ships' bottoms, which impedes their sailing and endangers their masts by excessive rolling, the consequence of bringing the centre of gravity too low. It should be trimmed with due regard to the capacity, gravity, and flooring, and to the nature of whatever is to be deposited thereon. (SeeTrim.)
BALLAST. As a verb, signifies to steady;—as a substantive, a comprehensive mind. A man is said to "lose his ballast" when his judgment fails him, or he becomes top-heavy from conceit.
BALLASTAGE. An old right of the Admiralty in all our royal rivers, of levying a rate for supplying ships with ballast.
BALLAST-BASKET. Usually made of osier, for the transport and measure of shingle-ballast. Supplied to the gunner for transport of loose ammunition.
BALLAST-LIGHTER A large flat-floored barge, for heaving up and carrying ballast.
BALLAST-MARK. The horizontal line described by the surface of the water on the body of a ship, when she is immersed with her usual weight of ballast on board.
BALLAST-MASTER. A person appointed to see the port-regulations in respect to ballast carried out.
BALLAST-PORTS. Square holes cut in the sides of merchantmen for taking in ballast. But should be securely barred and caulked in before proceeding to sea.
BALLAST-SHIFTING. When by heavy rolling the ballast shifts in the hold.
BALLAST-SHINGLE. Composed of coarse gravel.
BALLAST-SHOOTING. (SeeShoots.) In England, and indeed in most frequented ports, the throwing of ballast overboard is strictly prohibited and subject to fine.
BALLAST-SHOVEL. A peculiar square and spoon-pointed iron shovel.
BALLAST-TRIM. When a vessel has only ballast on board.
BALLATOON. A sort of long heavy luggage-vessel of upwards of a hundred tons, employed on the river between Moscow and the Caspian Sea.
BALL-CARTRIDGE. For small arms.
BALL-CLAY. Adhesive strong bottom, brought up by the flukes of the anchors in massy lumps.
BALLISTA. An ancient military engine, like an enormous cross-bow, for throwing stones, darts, and javelins against the enemy with rapidity and violence. Also, the name of the geometrical cross called Jacob's staff.
BALLISTER. A cross-bow man.
BALLISTIC PENDULUM. An instrument for determining the velocity of projectiles. The original pendulum was of very massive construction, the arc through which it receded when impinged on by the projectile, taking into account their respective weights, afforded, with considerable calculation, a measure of the velocity of impact. Latterly the electro-ballistic pendulum, which by means of electric currents is made to register with very great accuracy the time occupied by the projectile in passing over a measured space, has superseded it, as being more accurate, less cumbrous, and less laborious in its accompanying calculations.
BALLIUM. A plot of ground in ancient fortifications: called alsobaiky.
BALLOCH. Gaelic for the discharge of a river into a lake.
BALLOEN. A Siamese decorated state-galley, imitating a sea-monster, with from seventy to a hundred oars of a side.
BALL-OFF,To. To twist rope-yarns into balls, with a running end in the heart for making spun-yarn.
BALLOON-FISH (Tetraodon). A plectognathous fish, covered with spines, which has the power of inflating its body till it becomes almost globular.
BALLOW. Deep water inside a shoal or bar.
BALL-STELL. The geometrical instrument nameddella stella.
BALLY. A Teutonic word for inclosure, now prefixed to many sea-ports in Ireland, as Bally-castle, Bally-haven, Bally-shannon, and Bally-water.
BALSA,or Balza. A South American tree, very porous, which grows to an immense height in a few years, and is almost as light as cork. Hence the balsa-wood is used for the surf-boat calledbalsa. (SeeJangada.)
BALTHEUS ORIONIS. The three bright stars constituting Orion's Belt.
BALUSTERS. The ornamental pillars or pilasters of the balcony or galleries in the sterns of ships, dividing the ward-room deck from the one above.
BAMBA. A commercial shell of value on the Gold Coast of Africa and below it.
BAMBO. An East Indian measure of five English pints.
BAMBOO (Bambusa arundinacea). A magnificent articulated cane, which holds a conspicuous rank in the tropics from its rapid growth and almost universal properties:—the succulent buds are eaten freshand the young stems make excellent preserves. The large stems are useful in agricultural and domestic implements; also in building both houses and ships; in making baskets, cages, hats, and furniture, besides sails, paper, and in various departments of the Indianmateria medica.
BAMBOOZLE,To. To decoy the enemy by hoisting false colours.
BANANA (Musa paradisiaca). A valuable species of plantain, the fruit of which is much used in tropical climates, both fresh and made into bread. Gerarde named it Adam's apple from a notion that it was the forbidden fruit of Eden; whilst others supposed it to be the grapes brought out of the Promised Land by the spies of Moses. The spikes of fruit often weigh forty pounds.
BANCO [Sp.] Seat for rowers.
BAND. The musicians of a band are called idlers in large ships. Also a small body of armed men or retainers, as the band of gentlemen pensioners; also an iron hoop round a gun-carriage, mast, &c.; also a slip of canvas stitched across a sail, to strengthen the parts most liable to pressure.—Reef-bands, rope-bands or robands;rudder-bands(which see).
BANDAGE. A fillet or swathe, of the utmost importance in surgery. Also, formerly, parcelling to ropes.
BANDALEERS,or Bandoleers. A wide leathern belt for the carriage of small cases of wood, covered with leather, each containing a charge for a fire-lock; in use before the modern cartouche-boxes were introduced.
BANDECOOT. A large species of fierce rat in India, which infests the drains, &c.
BANDED-DRUM.SeeGrunter.
BANDED-MAIL. A kind of armour which consisted of alternate rows of leather or cotton and single chain-mail.
BANDEROLD,or Banderole. A small streamer or banner, usually fixed on a pike: frombanderola, Sp. diminutive ofbandera, the flag or ensign.
BAND-FISH,or Ribbon-fishes. A popular name of theGymnetrusgenus.
BANDLE. An Irish measure of two feet in length.
BANG. A mixture of opium, hemp-leaves, and tobacco, of an intoxicating quality, chewed and smoked by the Malays and other people in the East, who, being mostly prohibited the use of wine, double upon Mahomet by indulging in other intoxicating matter, as if the manner of doing it cleared off the crime of drunkenness. This horrid stuff gives the maddening excitement which makes a Malay runamok(which see).—To bangis colloquially used to express excelling or beating rivals. (SeeSuffolk Bang.)
BANGE. Light fine rain.
BANGLES. The hoops of a spar. Also, the rings on the wrists and ankles of Oriental people, chiefly used by females.
BANIAN. A sailor's coloured frock-shirt.
BANIANORBANYAN DAYS. Those in which no flesh-meat is issued to the messes. It is obvious that they are a remnant of the maigre days of the Roman Catholics, who deem it a mortal sin to eat flesh on certain days. Stock-fish used to be served out, till it was found to promote scurvy. The term is derived from a religious sect in the East, who, believing in metempsychosis, eat of no creature endued with life.
BANIAN-TREE.Ficus indicaof India and Polynesia. The tendrils from high branches extend 60 to 80 feet, take root on reaching the ground, and form a cover over some acres. Religious rites from which women are excluded are there performed.
BANJO. The brass frame in which the screw-propeller of a steamer works, and is hung for hoisting the screw on deck. This frame fits between slides fixed on the inner and outer stern-posts; resting in large carriages firmly secured thereto. The banjo is essential to lifting the screw.—Also, the rude instrument used in negro concerts.
BANK. The right or left boundary of a river, in looking from its source towards the sea, and the immediate margin or border of a lake. Also, a thwart,banco, or bench, for the rowers in a galley. Also, a rising ground in the sea, differing from a shoal, because not rocky but composed of sand, mud, or gravel. Also, mural elevations constructed of clay, stones, or any materials at hand, to prevent inundations.
BANK,To. Also, an old word meaning to sail along the margins or banks of river-ports: thus Shakspeare in "King John" makes Lewis the Dauphin demand—