"Groping for trouts in a peculiar river."
GROSETTA. A minute coin of Ragusa, somewhat less than a farthing.
GROUND,To. To take the bottom or shore; to be run aground through ignorance, violence, or accident.—To strike ground.To obtain soundings.
GROUNDAGE. A local duty charged on vessels coming to anchor in a port or standing in a roadstead, asanchorage.
GROUND-BAIT,or Groundling. A loach or loche.
GROUND-GRU.SeeAnchor-ice.
GROUND-GUDGEON. A little fish, theCobitis barbatula.
GROUND-ICE.SeeAnchor-ice.
GROUNDING. The act of laying a ship on shore, in order to bream or repair her; it is also applied to runnings aground accidentally when under sail.
GROUND-PLOT.SeeIchnography.
GROUND-SEA. The West Indian name for the swell calledrollers, or in Jamaica thenorth sea. It occurs in a calm, and with no other indication of a previous gale; the sea rises in huge billows, dashes against the shore with roarings resembling thunder, probably due to the "northers," which suddenly rage off the capes of Virginia, round to the Gulf of Mexico, and drive off the sea from America, affecting the Bahama Banks, but not reaching to Jamaica or Cuba. The rollers set in terrifically in the Gulf of California, causing vessels to founder or strike in 7 fathoms, and devastating the coast-line. H.M.S.Lilyfoundered off Tristan d'Acunha in similar weather. In all the latter cases no satisfactory cause is yet assigned. (SeeRoller.)
GROUND-STRAKE. A name sometimes used forgarboard-strake.
GROUND-SWELL. A sudden swell preceding a gale, which rises alongshore, often in fine weather, and when the sea beyond it is calm. (SeeRoller.)
GROUND-TACKLE. A general name given to all sorts of ropes and furniture which belong to the anchors, or which are employed in securing a ship in a road or harbour.
GROUND-TIER. The lowest water-casks in the hold before the introduction of iron tanks. It also implies anything else stowed there.
GROUND-TIMBERS. Those which lie on the keel, and are fastened to it with bolts through the kelson.
GROUND-WAYS. The large blocks and thick planks which support the cradle on which a ship is launched. Also, the foundation whereon a vessel is built.
GROUP. A set of islands not ranged in a row so as to form a chain, and the word is often used synonymously withcluster.
GROUPER. A variety of the snapper, which forms a staple article of food in the Bermudas, and in the West Indies generally.
GROWEN.SeeGrown-sea.
GROWING. Implies the direction of the cable from the ship towards the anchors; as, the cablegrowson the starboard-bow,i.e.stretches out forwards towards the starboard or right side.
GROWING PAY. That which succeeds thedead-horse, or pay in prospect.
GROWLERS. Smart, but sometimes all-jaw seamen, who have seen some service, but indulge in invectives against restrictive regulations, rendering them undesirable men. There are also too many "civil growlers" of the same kidney.
GROWN-SEA. When the waves have felt the full influence of a gale.
GRUANE. The Erse term for the gills of a fish.
GRUB. A coarse but common term for provisions in general—
"In other words they toss'd the grubOut of their own provision tub."
GRUB-TRAP. A vulgarism for the mouth.
GRUFF-GOODS. An Indian return cargo consisting of raw materials—cotton, rice, pepper, sugar, hemp, saltpetre, &c.
GRUMBLER. A discontented yet often hard-working seaman. Also, the gurnard, a fish of the blenny kind, which makes a rumbling noise when struggling to disengage itself on reaching the surface.
GRUMMET.SeeGrommet.
GRUNTER. A name of thePogoniasof Cuvier (a fish also termed the banded drum and young sheepskin); and several other fish.
GRYPHON. An archaic term for the meteorological phenomenon now calledtyphoon. (SeeTyphoon.)
GUANO. The excrement of sea-birds, a valuable manure found in thick beds on certain islets on the coast of Peru, indeed, in all tropical climates. The transport of it occupies a number of vessels, calledguaneros. It is of a dingy yellow colour, and offensive ammoniacal effluvium. Captain Shelvocke mentions it in 1720, having taken a small bark laden with it.
GUARA. The singular and ingenious rudder by which the rafts or balzas of Peru are enabled to work to windward. It consists of long boards between the beams, which are raised or sunk according to the required evolution. A device not unlike the sliding-keels or centre-boards lately introduced.
GUARANTEE. An undertaking to secure the performance of articles stipulated between any two parties. Also, the individual who so undertakes.
GUARD. The duty performed by a body of men stationed to watch and protect any post against surprise. A division of marines appointed to take the duty for a stated portion of time. "Guard, turn out!" the order to the marines on the captain's approaching the ship. Also, the bow of a trigger and the hilt of a sword.
GUARDA-COSTA. Vessels of war of various sizes which formerly cruised against smugglers on the South American coasts.
GUARD-BOARDS. Synonymous withchain-wales.
GUARD-BOAT. A boat appointed to row the rounds amongst the ships of war in any harbour, &c., to observe that their officers keep a good look-out, calling to the guard-boat as she passes, and not suffering her crew to come on board without previously having communicated the watch-word of the night. Also, a boat employed to enforce the quarantine regulations.
GUARD-BOOK. Report of guard; a copy of which is delivered at the admiral's office by the officer of the last guard. Also, a full set of his accounts kept by a warrant-officer for the purpose of passing them.
GUARD-FISH. A corruption of the wordgar-fish.
GUARDIANof the Cinque Ports. Otherwiselord warden(which see).
GUARD-IRONS. Curved bars of iron placed over the ornaments of a ship to defend them from damage.
GUARDO. A familiar term applied equally to a guard-ship or any person belonging to her. It implies "harbour-going;" an easy life.
GUARDO-MOVE. A trick upon a landsman, generally performed in a guard-ship.
GUARD-SHIP. A vessel of war appointed to superintend the marine affairs in a harbour, and to visit the ships which are not commissioned every night; she is also to receive seamen who are impressed in time of war. In the great ports she carries the flag of the commander-in-chief. Each ship takes the guard in turn at 9A.M.; the vessel thus on duty hoists the union-jack at the mizen, and performs the duties afloat for twenty-four hours. The officer of the guard is accountable to the admiral for all transactions on the water during his guard.
GUBB,or Gubben. The Erse term for a young sea-gull.
GUBBER. One who gathers oakum, driftwood, &c., along a beach. The word also means black mud.
GUDDLE,To. To catch fish with the hands by groping along a stream's bank.
GUDGE,To. To poke or prod for fish under stones and banks of a river.
GUDGEON. TheGobio fluviatilis, a well-known river-fish, 6 or 7 inches in length.
GUDGEONS. The metal braces with eyes bolted upon the stern-post for the pintles of the rudder to work in, as upon hinges. Also, the notches made in the carrick-bitts for receiving the metal bushes wherein the spindle of a windlass works.
GUEBRES. Fire-worshippers. (SeeParsees.)
GUERDON. A reward or recompense for good service.
GUERILLA. Originally an irregular warfare, but now used mostly for the irresponsible kind of partisan who carries it on.
GUERITE,or Galita. In fortification, a projecting turret on the top of the escarp, whence a sentry may observe the outside of the rampart.
GUERNSEY-FROCK.SeeJersey.
GUESS-WARP,or Guest-rope. A rope carried to a distant object, in order to warp a vessel towards it, or to make fast a boat. (SeeChest-rope.)
GUESTLINGS. The name of certain meetings held at the Cinque Ports.
GUEST-WARP BOOM. A swinging spar (lower studding-boom) rigged from the ship's side with a warp for boats to ride by.
GUFFER. A British sea-fish of the blenny tribe, common under stones at low-water mark, remarkable as being ovo-viviparous.
GUIDE.SeeFloor-guide.
GUIDE-RODS. The regulators of the cross-head of an engine's air-pump.
GUIDES. Men supposed to know the country and its roads employed to direct a body of men on their march. The French and Belgians have "corps de guides."
GUIDON. The swallow-tailed silk flag in use by dragoon regiments, instead of a standard. Also, the sergeant bearing the same.
GUIDOR. A name in our old statutes synonymous withconder(which see).
GUILLEM. A sea-fowl. (SeeLavy.)
GUILLEMOT. A web-footed diving sea-bird allied to the auks.
GUIMAD. A small fish of the river Dee.
GUINEA-BOAT. A fast-rowing galley, of former times, expressly built for smuggling gold across the Channel, in use at Deal.
GUINEAMAN. A negro slave-ship.
GUINEA-PIGS. The younger midshipmen of an Indiaman.
GUIST. The same asguessorguest(which see).
GULDEN. A name for a water-fowl.
GULF,or Gulph. A capacious bay, and sometimes taking the name of a sea when it is very extensive; such are the Euxine or Black Sea, otherwise called the Gulf of Constantinople; the Adriatic Sea, called also the Gulfof Venice; the Mediterranean is itself a prodigious specimen. A gulf is, strictly speaking, distinguished from a sea in being smaller, and from a bay in being larger and deeper than it is broad. It is observed that the sea is always most dangerous near gulfs, from the currents being penned up by the shores.
GULF-STREAM. Is especially referable to that of Mexico, the waters of which flow in a warm stream at various velocities over the banks between Cuba and America, past the Bermudas, touch the tail of the great bank of Newfoundland, and thence in a sweep to Europe, part going north, and the other southerly down to the tropics again.
GULF-WEED. TheFucus natans, considered to belong to the Gulf Stream, and found floating in the Sargasso Sea in the North Atlantic. Many small crustacea live amongst it, and assume its bright orange-yellow hue.
GUL-GUL. A sort of chunam or cement made of pounded sea-shells mixed with oil, which hardens like a stone, and is put over a ship's bottom in India, so that worms cannot penetrate even when the copper is off.
GULL. A well-known sea-bird of the genusLarus; there are many species. Also, a large trout in the north. The name is, moreover, familiarly used for a lout easily deceived or cheated; thus Butler inHudibras—
"The paltry story is untrue,And forg'd to cheat such gulls as you."
It is also applied to the washing away of earth by the violent flowing of water; the origin perhaps of the Kentish gull-stream.
GULLET. A small stream in a water-worn course.
GULL-SHARPER. One who preys upon Johnny Raws.
GULLY. The channels worn on the face of mountains by heavy rains. Also, a rivulet which empties itself into the sea.
GULLY SQUALL. Well known off tropical America in the Pacific, particularly abreast of the lakes of Leon, Nicaragua, &c. Monte Desolado gusts have dismantled many stout ships.
GULPIN. An awkward soldier; a weak credulous fellow [from the Gaelicgolben, a novice].
GUM. "Shaking the gum out of a sail" is said of the effect of bad weather on new canvas.
GUMPUS. A fish, called alsonumscull, for allowing itself to be guddled.
GUN. The usual service name for acannon(which see); it was originally called great gun, to distinguish it from the small or hand guns, muskets, blunderbusses, &c. The general construction for guns of cast metal is fairly represented by the old rule that the circumference at the breech ought to measure eleven calibres, at the trunnions nine, and at the muzzle seven, for iron; and in each instance two calibres less for brass guns. But the introduction of wrought-iron guns, built up with outer jackets of metal shrunk on one above another, is developing other names and proportions in the new artillery. (SeeBuilt-up Guns.) The weight of these latter, though differently disposed, and required not so much for strength as formodifying the recoil or shock to the carriage on discharge, is not very much less, proportionally, for heavy guns of full power, than that of the old ones, being about 11⁄4cwt. of gun for every 1 lb. of shot; for light guns for field purposes it is about3⁄4cwt. for every 1 lb. of shot. Guns are generally designated from the weight of the shot they discharge, though some few natures, introduced principally for firing shells, were distinguished by the diameter of their bore in inches; with the larger guns of the new system, in addition to this diameter, the weight in tons is also specified.—Gun, in north-country cant, meant a large flagon of ale, andson of a gunwas a jovial toper: the term, owed its derivation to lads born under the breast of the lower-deck guns in olden times, when women were allowed to accompany their husbands. Even in 1820 the best petty officers were allowed this indulgence, about one to every hundred men. Gunners also, who superintended the youngsters, took their wives, and many living admirals can revert to kindness experienced from them. These "sons of a gun" were tars, and no mistake.—Morning gun, a signal fired by an admiral or commodore at day-break every morning for the drums or bugles to sound the reveillé. A gun of like name and nature is generally in use in fortresses; as is also theevening gun, fired by an admiral or commodore at 9P.M.in summer, and 8P.M.in winter, every night, on which the drums or bugles sound the retreat.
GUN AND HEAD MONEY. Given to the captors of an enemy's ship of war destroyed, or deserted, in fight. It was formerly assumed to be about £1000 per gun.
GUNBOAT. A light-draught boat fitted to carry one or more cannon in the bow, so as to cannonade an enemy while she is end-on. They are principally useful in fine weather, to cover the landing of troops, or such other occasions. They were formerly impelled by sails and sweeps but now by steam-power, which has generally increased their size, and much developed their importance. According to Froissart, cannon were fired from boats in the fourteenth century.
GUN-CHAMBERS. In early artillery, a movable chamber with a handle, like a paterero, used in loading at the breech. In more recent times the name has been used for the small portable mortars for firing salutes in the parks.
GUN-COTTON. An explosive compound, having some advantages over gunpowder, but so irregular hitherto in its action that it is at present used only for mining purposes. It consists of ordinary cotton treated with nitric and sulphuric acid and water, and has been named by chemists "pyroxylin," "nitro-cellulose," &c.
GUN-DECK.SeeDecks.
GUN-FIRE. The morning or evening guns, familiarly termed "the admiral falling down the hatchway."
GUN-GEAR. Everything pertaining to its handling.
GUN-HARPOON.SeeHarpoon.
GUN-LADLE.SeeLadle.
GUN-LOD. A vessel filled with combustibles, but rather for explosion than as a fire-ship.
GUN-METAL. The alloy from which brass guns are cast consists of 100 parts of copper to 10 of tin, retaining much of the tenacity of the former, and much harder than either of the components; but the late improved working of wrought-iron and steel has nearly superseded its application to guns.
GUNNADE. A short 32-pounder gun of 6 feet, introduced in 1814; afterwards termed the shell-gun.
GUNNEL.SeeGunwale.
GUNNELL. A spotted ribbon-bodied fish, living under stones and among rocks.
GUNNER,of a Ship of War. A warrant-officer appointed to take charge of the ammunition and artillery on board; to keep the latter properly fitted, and to instruct the sailors in the exercise of the cannon. The warrant of chief-gunner is now given to first-class gunners.—Quarter-gunners.Men formerly placed under the direction of the gunner, one quarter-gunner being allowed to every four guns. In the army, gunner is the proper title of a private soldier of the Royal Artillery, with the exception of those styled drivers.
GUNNER-FLOOK. A name among our northern fishermen for thePleuronectes maximus, or turbot.
GUNNER'S DAUGHTER. The name of the gun to which boys weremarried, or lashed, to be punished.
GUNNER'S HANDSPIKE. Is shorter and flatter than the ordinary handspike, and is shod with iron at the point, so that it bites with greater certainty against the trucks of guns.
GUNNER'S MATE. A petty officer appointed to assist the gunner.
GUNNER'S PIECE. In destroying and bursting guns, means a fragment of the breech, which generally flies upward.
GUNNER'S QUADRANT.SeeQuadrant.
GUNNER'S TAILOR. An old rating for the man who made the cartridge-bags.
GUNNER'S YEOMAN.SeeYeoman.
GUNNERY. The art of charging, pointing, firing, and managing artillery of all kinds.
GUNNERY-LIEUTENANT. "One who, having obtained a warrant from a gunnery ship, is eligible to large ships to assist specially in supervising the gunnery duties; he draws increased pay."
GUNNERY-SHIP. A ship fitted for training men in the practice of charging, pointing, and firing guns and mortars for the Royal Navy. (SeeSeamen-gunners.)
GUNNING. An old term for shooting; it is now adopted by the Americans. After the wreck of theWager, on hearing the pistols fired at Cozens, "it was rainy weather, and not fit for gunning, so that we could not imagine the meaning of it."—Gunning a ship.Fitting her withordnance.—Gunning, in mining, is when the blast explodes and does not rend the mass.—Gunning, signals enforced by guns.
GUNNING-BOAT,or Gunning-shout. A light and narrow boat in which the fen-men pursue the flocks of wild-fowl.
GUNNY. Sackcloth or coarse canvas, made of fibres used in India, chiefly of jute.
GUNNY-BAGS. The sacks used on the India station for holding rice, biscuit, &c.; often as sand-bags in fortification.
GUN-PENDULUM.SeeBallistic Pendulum.
GUN-PORTS.SeePorts.
GUNPOWDER. The well-known explosive composition which, for its regularity of effect and convenience in manufacture and use, is still preferred for general purposes to all the new and more violent but more capricious agents. In England it is composed of 75 parts saltpetre to 10 sulphur and 15 charcoal; these proportions are varied slightly in different countries. The ingredients are mixed together with great mechanical nicety, and the compound is then pressed and granulated. On the application of fire it is converted into gas with vast explosive power, but subject to tolerably well-known laws.
GUN-ROOM. A compartment on the after-end of the lower gun-deck of large ships of war, partly occupied by the junior officers; but in smaller vessels it is below the gun-deck, and the mess-room of the lieutenants.
GUNROOM-PORTS. In frigates, stern-ports cut through the gun-room.
GUN-SEARCHER. An iron instrument with several sharp-pointed prongs and a wooden handle: it is used to find whether the bore is honey-combed.
GUN-SHOT. Formerly, the distance up to which a gun would throw a shot direct to its mark, without added elevation; as the "line of metal" (which see) was generally used in laying, this range was about 800 yards. But now that ranges are so greatly increased, with but slight additions to the elevation, the term will include the distances of ordinary "horizontal fire" (which see); as between ships, with rifled guns, it will not quite reach two miles: though when the mark is large, as a town or dockyard, it is still within long range at five miles' distance.
GUN-SIGHT.SeeDispart, orSights.
GUN-SLINGS. Long rope grommets used for hoisting in and mounting them.
GUN-STONES. An old term for cannon-balls, from stones having been first supplied to the ordnance and used for that purpose. Shakspeare makes Henry V. tell the French ambassadors that their master's tennis-balls shall be changed to gun-stones. This term was retained for a bullet, after the introduction of iron shot.
GUN-TACKLE PURCHASE. A tackle composed of a rope rove through two single blocks, the standing part being made fast to the strop of one of the blocks. It multiplies the power applied threefold.
GUNTEN. A boat of burden in the Moluccas.
GUNTER'S LINE. Called also theline of numbers, and theline of lines,is placed upon scales and sectors, and named from its inventor, Edmund Gunter. It is a logarithmic scale of proportionals, wherein the distance between each division is equal to the number of mean proportionals contained between the two terms, in such parts as the distance between 1 and 10 is 10,000, &c.
GUNTER'S QUADRANT. A kind of stereographic projection on the plane of the equinoctial; the eye is supposed in one of the poles, so that the tropic, ecliptic, and horizon form the arches of the circles, but the hour-circles are all curves, drawn by means of several altitudes of the sun, for some particular latitude, for every day in the year. The use of this instrument is to find the hour of the day, the sun's azimuth, and other common problems of the globe; as also to take the altitude of an object in degrees.
GUNWALE,or Gunnel. Nearly synonymous withplank-sheer(which see); but its strict application is that horizontal plank which covers the heads of the timbers between the main and fore drifts. Thegunwale of a boatis a piece of timber going round the upper sheer-strake as a binder for its top-work.—Gunwale-to.Vessels heeling over, so that the gunwale is even with the water. When a boat sails with a free wind, and rolls each side, or gunwale, to the water's edge, she rolls gunwale-to.
GURGE. A gulf or whirlpool.
GURNARD. A fish of the genusTrigla, so called from its peculiar grunt when removed from the water. Falstaff uses the term "soused gurnet" in a most contemptuous view, owing to its poorness; and its head being all skin and bone gave rise to the saying that the flesh on a gurnard's head is rank poison.
GURNET-PENDANT. A rope, the thimble of which is hooked to the quarter-tackle of the main-yard; it is led through a hole in the deck, for the purpose of raising the breech of a gun, when hoisting in, to the level required to place it on its carriage.
GUSSOCK. An east-country term for a strong and sudden gust of wind.
GUST,or Gush. A sudden violent wind experienced near mountainous lands; it is of short duration, and generally succeeded by fine breezes.
GUT. A somewhat coarse term for the main part of a strait or channel, as the Gut of Gibraltar, Gut of Canso.
GUTTER [Anglo-Saxongéotan, to pour out or shed]. A ditch, sluice, or gote.
GUTTER-LEDGE. A cross-bar laid along the middle of a large hatchway in some vessels, to support the covers and enable them the better to sustain any weighty body.
GUY. A rope used to steady a weighty body from swinging against the ship's side while it is hoisting or lowering, particularly when, there is a high sea. Also, a rope extended from the head of sheers, and made fast at a distance on each side to steady them. The jib-boom is supported by its guys. Also, the name of a tackle used to confine a boom forward, when a vessel is going large, and so prevent the sail from gybing, which would endanger the springing of the boom, or perhaps the upsetting of the vessel.Also, a large slack rope, extending from the head of the main-mast to the head of the fore-mast, and sustaining a temporary tackle to load or unload a ship with.
GYBING. Another form forjibing(which see).
GYE. A west-country term for a salt-water ditch.
GYMMYRT. The Erse or Manx for rowing with oars.
GYMNOTUS ELECTRICUS. An eel from the Surinam river, several feet in length, which inflicts electrical shocks.
GYN. A three-legged machine fitted with a windlass, heaving in the fall from a purchase-block at the summit, much used on shore for mounting and dismounting guns, driving piles, &c. (SeeGibraltar Gyn.)
GYP. A strong gasp for breath, like a fish just taken out of the water.
GYVER. An old term for blocks or pulleys.
GYVES. Fetters; the old word for handcuffs.
HAAF. Cod, ling, or tusk deep-sea fisheries of the Shetland and Orkney islanders.
HAAF-BOAT. One fitted for deep-water fishing.
HAAFURES. A northern term for fishermen's lines.
HAAK.SeeHake.
HAAR. A chill easterly wind on our northern coasts. (SeeHarr.)
HABERDDEN. Cod or stock-fish dried and cured on board; that cured at Aberdeen was the best.
HABERGEON. A coat of mail for the head and shoulders.
HABILIMENTSof War. A statute term, for arms and all provisions for maintaining war.
HABLE. An Anglo-Norman term for a sea-port or haven; it is used in statute 27 Henry VII. cap. 3.
HACKATEE. A fresh-water tortoise in the West Indies; it has a long neck and flat feet, and weighs 10 to 15 lbs.
HACKBUSH. A heavy hand-gun. (SeeHagbut.)
HACKLE,Heckle, or Hetchel. A machine for teazing flax. Also, a west-country name for the stickleback.
HACK-SAW. Used for cutting off the heads of bolts; made of a scythe fresh serrated.
HACK-WATCH,orJob-watch(which see).
HACOT. From the Anglo-Saxonhacod, a large sort of pike.
HADDIE. A north-coast diminutive of haddock.
HADDO-BREEKS. A northern term for the roe of the haddock.
HADDOCK. TheGadus æglefinus, a species of cod fabled to bear the thumb-mark of St. Peter.
HÆVER.SeeEaver.
HAFNE. An old word for haven, from the Danish.
HAFT. (SeeHeft.) The handle of a knife or tool.
HAG-BOAT.SeeHeck-boat.
HAGBUT. A wall-piece placed upon a tripod; the arquebuse.
HAGBUTAR. The bearer of a fire-arm formerly used; it was somewhat larger than a musket.
HAGG. An arquebuse with a bent butt. Also, a swampy moss.
HAG'S TEETH. (SeeHake's Teeth.) Those parts of a matting or pointing interwoven with the rest in an irregular manner, so as to spoil the uniformity. (SeePointing.) In soundings,seeHake's Teeth.
HAIK.SeeHike Up.
HAIL,To. To hail "from a country," or claim it as a birthplace. A ship is said tohailfrom the port where she is registered, and therefore properly belongs to. When hailed at sea it is, "From whence do you come?" and "where bound?"—"Pass within hail," a special signal to approach and receive orders or intelligence, when boats cannot be lowered or time is precious. One vessel, the senior, lies to; the other passes the stern under the lee.—Hail-fellows, messmates well matched.
HAILING. To call to another vessel; the salutation or accosting of a ship at a distance.
HAILING-ALOFT. To call to men in the tops and at the mast-head to "look out," too often an inconsistent bluster from the deck.
HAIL-SHOT. Small shot for cannon.
HAILSHOT-PIECE. A sort of gun supplied of old to our ships, with dice of iron as the missile.
HAIR. The cold nipping wind calledhaarin the north: as in Beaumont and Fletcher,
"Here all is cold as the hairs in winter."
HAIR-BRACKET. The moulding at the back of the figure-head.
HAIR-TRIGGER. A trigger to a gun-lock, so delicately adjusted that the slightest touch will discharge the piece.
HAKE. An old term for a hand-gun. Also, the fishGadus merluccius, a well-known gregarious and voracious fish of the cod family, often termed sea-pike.
HAKE'S TEETH. A phrase applied to some part of the deep soundings in the British Channel; but it is a distinct shell-fish, being theDentalium, the presence of which is a valuable guide to the Channel pilot in foggy weather.
HALBAZ.SeeKalbaz.
HALBERT. A sort of spear formerly carried by sergeants of infantry, that they, standing in the ranks behind the officers or the colours, should afford additional defence at those important points.
HALCYON PISCATOR,or King-fisher. This beautiful bird's floatingnest was fabled to calm the winds and seas while the bird sat. This occurring in winter gave rise to the expression "halcyon days."
HALE. An old word forhaul(which see).
HALF AN EYE,Seeing with. Discerning instantly and clearly.
HALF-BEAMS. Short timbers, from the side to the hatchways, to support the deck where there is no framing. (SeeFork-beams.)
HALF-BREADTHof the Rising. A ship-builder's term for a curve in the floor-plan, which limits the distances of the centres of the floor-sweeps from the middle line of the body-plan.
HALF-BREADTH PLAN. In ship-building, the same asfloor-plan.
HALF-COCK. To go off at half-cock is an unexpected discharge of a fire-arm; hurried conduct without due preparation, and consequently failure.
HALF-DAVIT. Otherwisefish-davit(which see).
HALF-DECK. A space between the foremost bulk-head of the steerage and the fore-part of the quarter-deck. In the Northumberland colliers the steerage itself is called thehalf-deck, and is usually the habitation of the crew.
HALF-DROWNED LAND. Shores which are rather more elevated and bear more verdure thandrowned land(which see).
HALF-FLOOD.SeeFlood.
HALF-GALLEY.SeeGalley.
HALF-HITCH. Pass the end of a rope round its standing part, and bring it up through the bight. (SeeThree Half-hitches.)
HALF-LAUGHSand Purser's Grins. Hypocritical and satirical sneers.
HALF-MAN. A landsman or boy in a coaster, undeserving the pay of afull-man.
HALF-MAST. The lowering a flag in respect for the death of an officer.
HALF-MINUTE GLASS.SeeGlass.
HALF-MOON. An old form of outwork somewhat similar to the ravelin, originally placed before the salients of bastions.
HALF-PIKE. An iron spike fixed on a short ashen staff, used to repel the assault of boarders, and hence frequently termed aboarding-pike.
HALF-POINT. A subdivision of the compass card, equal to 5° 37′ of the circle.
HALF-PORTS. A sort of one-inch deal shutter for the upper half of those ports which have no hanging lids; the lower half-port is solid and hinged, having a semicircle cut out for the gun when level, and falling down outwards when ready for action; the upper half-port fits loosely into rabbets, and is secured only by laniards.
HALF-SEA. The old term for mid-channel.
HALF SEAS OVER. Nearly intoxicated. This term was used by Swift.
HALF-SPEED! An order in steam navigation to reduce the speed. (SeeFull Speed!)
HALF-TIDE ROCKS. Those showing their heads at half-ebb. (SeeTide.)
HALF-TIMBERS. The short timbers or futtocks in the cant-bodies,answering to the lower futtocks in the square-body; they are placed so as to give good shiftings.
HALF-TOP. The mode of making ships' tops in two pieces, which are afterwards secured as a whole by what are termed sleepers.
HALF-TOPSAILS,Under. Said of a chase about 12 miles distant, the rest being below the horizon.
HALF-TURN AHEAD! An order in steam navigation. (SeeTurn Ahead!)
HALF-WATCH TACKLE. A luff purchase. (SeeWatch-tackle.)
HALIBUT. A large oceanic bank fish,Hippoglossus vulgaris, weighing from 300 to 500 lbs. particularly off Newfoundland; it resembles plaice, and is excellent food, nor does it easily putrefy.
HALLEY'S CHART. The name given to the protracted curves of the variation of the compass, known as the variation chart.
HALLIARDS,Halyards, or Haulyards. The ropes or tackles usually employed to hoist or lower any sail upon its respective yards, gaffs, or stay, except the cross-jack and spritsail-yard, which are always slung; but in small craft the spritsail-yard also has halliards. (SeeJeers.)
HALO. An extensive luminous ring including, the sun or moon, whose light, passing through the intervening vapour, gives rise to the phenomenon. Halos are calledlunarorsolar, according as they appear round the moon or sun. Prismatically coloured halos indicate the presence of watery vapour, whereas white ones show that the vapour is frozen.
HALSE,or Halser. Archaic spelling forhawser.
HALSTER. A west-country term for a man who draws a barge along by a rope.
HALT! The military word of command to stop marching, or any other evolution. A halt includes the period of such discontinuance.
HALVE-NET. A standing net used in the north to prevent fishes from returning with the falling tide.
HALYARDS.SeeHalliards.
HAMACS. Columbus found that the inhabitants of the Bahama Islands had for beds nets of cotton suspended at each end, which they calledhamacs, a name since adopted universally amongst seamen. (SeeHammock.)
HAMBER,or Hambro'-line. Small line used for seizings, lashings, &c.
HAMMACOE. Beam battens. (SeeHammock-battens.)
HAMMER. The shipwright's hammer is a well-known tool for driving nails and clenching bolts, differing from hammers in general.
HAMMER,of a Gun-lock. Formerly the steel covering of the pan from which the flint of the cock struck sparks on to the priming; but now the cock itself, by its hammer action on the cap or other percussion priming, discharges the piece. Whether the hammer will be superseded by the needle remains to be determined.
HAMMER-HEADED SHARK. TheZygæna malleus, a strange, ugly shark. The eyes are situated at the extremities of the hammer-shapedhead. They seldom take bait or annoy human beings. They are for the most part inert, live near the surf edge, and are frequently found washed up on sandy beaches. Chiefly found on the coasts of Barbary.
HAMMERING. A heavy cannonade at close quarters.
HAMMOCK. A swinging sea-bed, the undisputed invention of Alcibiades; but the modern name is derived from the Caribs. (SeeHamacs.) At present the hammock consists of a piece of canvas, 6 feet long and 4 feet wide, gathered together at the two ends by means of clews, formed by a grommet and knittles, whence thehead-clueandfoot-clue: the hammock is hung horizontally under the deck, and forms a receptacle for the bed on which the seamen sleep. There are usually allowed from 14 to 20 inches between hammock and hammock in a ship of war. In preparing for action, the hammocks, together with their contents, are all firmly corded, taken upon deck, and fixed in various nettings, so as to form a barricade against musket-balls. (SeeEngagement.)
HAMMOCK-BATTENSor Racks. Cleats or battens nailed to the sides of a vessel's beams, from which to suspend the seamen's hammocks.
HAMMOCK-BERTHING. Forecastle-men forward, and thence passing aft, foretop-men, maintop-men, mizentop-men, waisters, after-guard, and boys. Quartermasters in the tiers.
HAMMOCK-CLOTHS. To protect them from wet while stowed in the nettings on deck.
HAMMOCK GANT-LINES. Lines extended from the jib-boom end around the ship, triced up to the lower yard-arms, for drying scrubbed hammocks.
HAMMOCK-NETTINGS. Take their distinguishing names according to their location in the ship, as forecastle, waist, quarter-deck.
HAMMOCK-RACKS.SeeHammock-battens.
HAMPER. Things, which, though necessary, are in the way in times of gale or service. (SeeTop-hamper.)
HAMPERED. Perplexed and troubled.
HAMRON. An archaic term, meaning the hold of a ship.
HANCES. Spandrels; the falls or descents of fife-rails. Also, the breakings of the rudder abaft. (SeeHaunch.)
HAND. A phrase often used for the word man, as, "a hand to the lead," "clap more hands on," &c.—To hand a sail, is to furl it.—To lend a hand, to assist.—Bear a hand, make haste.—Hand in the leech, a call in furling sails. To comprehend this it must be understood that the leech, or outer border of the sail, if left to belly or fill with wind, would set at naught all the powers of the men. It is therefore necessary, as Falconer has it, "the tempest to disarm;" so by handing in this leech-rope before the yard, the canvas is easily folded in, and the gasket passed round.
HAND-GRENADE. A small shell for throwing by hand. (SeeGrenade.)
HAND-GUN. An old term for small arms in the times of Henry VII. and VIII.
HANDLASS. A west-country term for a small kind of windlass.
HANDLE. The title prefixed to a person's name.—To handle a ship well, is to work her in a seamanlike manner.
HAND-LEAD. A small lead used in the channels, or chains, when approaching land, and for sounding in rivers or harbours under 20 fathoms. (SeeLead.)
HANDLES OF A GUN. The dolphins.
HAND-LINE. A line bent to the hand-lead, measured at certain intervals with what are calledmarksanddeepsfrom 2 and 3 fathoms to 20.
HAND MAST-PIECE. The smaller hand mast-spars.
HAND MAST-SPAR. A round mast; those from Riga are commonly over 70 feet long by 20 inches diameter.
HANDMAID. An old denomination for a tender; thus, in Drake's expedition to Cadiz, two of Her Majesty's pinnaces were appointed to attend his squadron as handmaids.
HAND-OVER-HAND. Hauling rapidly upon any rope, by the men passing their hands alternately one before the other, or one above the other if they are hoisting. A sailor is said to go hand-over-hand if he lifts his own weight and ascends a single rope without the help of his legs. Hand-over-hand also implies rapidly; as, we are coming up with the chase hand-over-hand.
HAND-PUMP. The common movable pump for obtaining fresh water, &c., from tanks or casks.
HAND-SAW. The smallest of the saws used by shipwrights, and used by one hand.
HAND-SCREW. A handy kind of single jack-screw.
HANDSOMELY. Signifies steadily or leisurely; as, "lower away handsomely," when required to be done gradually and carefully. The term "handsomely" repeated, implies "have a care; not so fast; tenderly."
HANDSPIKE. A lever made of tough ash, and used to heave round the windlass in order to draw up the anchor from the bottom, or move any heavy articles, particularly in merchant ships. The handle is round, but the other end is square, conforming to the shape of the holes in the windlass. (SeeGunner's Handspike.)
HANDS REEF TOP-SAILS! The order to reef by all hands, instead of the watch, or watch and idlers.
HAND-TIGHT. A rope hauled as taut as it can be by hand only.
HAND-UNDER-HAND. Descending a rope by the converse of hand-over-hand ascent.
HANDY-BILLY. A small jigger purchase, used particularly in tops or the holds, for assisting in hoisting when weak-handed. A watch-tackle. (SeeJigger.)
HANDY-SHIP. One that steers easily, and can be worked with the watch; or as some seamen would express it, "work herself."
HANG. In timber, opposed tosny(which see).—To hang.Said of a mast that inclines;it hangs forward, if too much stayed;hangs aft, if itrequires staying.—To hang the mast.By some temporary means, until the mast-rope be fleeted.—To hang on a rope or tackle-fall, is to hold it fast without belaying; also to pull forcibly with the whole weight.—To hang aback.To be slack on duty.
HANGER. The old word for the Persian dagger, and latterly for a short curved sword.
HANG-FIRE. When the priming burns without igniting the cartridge, or the charge does not rapidly ignite after pulling the trigger. Figuratively,to hang fire, is to hesitate or flinch.
HANGING. A word expressive of anything declining in the middle part below a straight line, as the hanging of a deck or a sheer. Also, when a ship is difficult to be removed from the stocks, or in manœuvre.
HANGING-BLOCKS. These are sometimes fitted with a long and short leg, and lash over the eyes of the top-mast rigging; when under, they are made fast to a strap. The topsail-tye reeves through these blocks, the tye-block on the yard, and the standing part is secured to the mast-head.
HANGING-CLAMP. A semicircular iron, with a foot at each end to receive nails, by which it is fixed to any part of the ship to hang stages to, &c.
HANGING-COMPASS. A compass so constructed as to hang with its face downwards, the point which supports the card being fixed in the centre of the glass, and the gimbals are attached to a beam over the observer's head. There is usually one hung in the cabin, that, by looking up to it, the ship's course may be observed at any moment; whence it is also termed a tell-tale.
HANGING HOOK-POTS. Tin utensils fitted for hanging to the bars before the galley-grate.
HANGING-KNEES. Those which are applied under the lodging-knees, and are fayed vertically to the sides.
HANGING-STAGE. Any stage hung over the side, bows, or stern, for painting, caulking, or temporary repairs.
HANGING STANDARD-KNEE. A knee fayed vertically beneath a hold-beam, with one arm bolted on the lower side of the beam.
HANGING-STOVES. Used for ventilating or drying between decks.
HANGING THE RUDDER. So as to allow the pintles to fall into their corresponding braces, constantly in boats, and frequently also in whaling vessels, but seldom in other ships: the rudder after being shipped is generally secured by wood-locks to prevent its unshipping at sea.
HANG ON HER! In rowing, is the order to stretch out to the utmost to preserve or increase head-way on the boat.
HANK FOR HANK. In beating against the wind each board is thus sometimes denoted. Also, expressive of two ships which tack simultaneously and make progress to windward together in racing, &c.
HANKS. Hoops or rings of rope, wood, or iron, fixed upon the stays, to seize the luff of fore-and-aft sails, and to confine the staysails thereto, at different distances. Those of wood are used in lieu of grommets, beingmuch more convenient, and of a later invention. They are framed by the bending of a rough piece of wood into the form of a wreath, and fastened at the two ends by means of notches, thereby retaining their circular figure and elasticity; whereas the grommets which are formed of rope are apt to relax in warm weather, and adhere to the stays, so as to prevent the sails from being readily hoisted or lowered.—Iron hanksare more generally used now that stays are made of wire.—Hankis also a skein of line or twine.—Getting into a hank, irritated by jokes.
HANSE-TOWNS. Established in the 13th century, for the mutual protection of mercantile property. Now confined to Lübeck, Hamburg, and Bremen.
HAPPY-GO-LUCKY. A reckless indifference as to danger.
HAQUE. A little hand-gun of former times.
HAQUEBUT. A form of spellingarquebuse. A bigger sort of hand-gun than thehaque.
HARASS,To. To torment and fatigue men with needless work.
HARBOUR. A general name given to any safe sea-port. The qualities requisite in a good harbour are, that it should afford security from the effects of the wind and sea; that the bottom be entirely free from rocks and shallows, but good holding ground; that the opening be of sufficient extent to admit the entrance or departure of large ships without difficulty; that it should have convenience to receive the shipping of different nations, especially those which are laden with merchandises; and that it possess establishments for refitting vessels. To render a harbour complete, there ought to be good defences, a good lighthouse, and a number of mooring and warping buoys; and finally, that it have plenty of fuel, water, provisions, and other materials for sea use. Such a harbour, if used as a place of commercial transactions, is called a port.
HARBOUR-DUES.SeePort-charges.
HARBOUR-DUTY MEN. Riggers, leading men, and others, ordered to perform the dockyard or port duties, too often superannuated, or otherwise unfit.
HARBOUR-GASKETS. Broad, but short and well-blacked gaskets, placed at equal distances on the yard, for showing off a well-furled sail in port: there is generally one upon every other seam.
HARBOUR-GUARDS. Men detached from the ordinary, as a working party.
HARBOUR-LOG. That part of the log-book which consists solely of remarks, and relates only to transactions while the ship is in port.
HARBOUR-MASTER. An officer appointed to inspect the moorings, and to see that the ships are properly berthed, and the regulations of the harbour strictly observed by the different ships frequenting it.
HARBOUR-REACH. The reach or stretch of a winding river which leads direct to the harbour.
HARBOUR-WATCH. A division or subdivision of the watch kept on night-duty, when the ship rides at single anchor, to meet any emergency.
HARD. A road-path made through mud for landing at. (SeeArd.)
HARD-A-LEE. The situation of the tiller when it brings the rudder hard over to windward. Strictly speaking, it only relates to a tiller which extendsforwardfrom the rudder-head; now many extendaft, in which case theorderremains the same, but the tiller and rudder are both brought over to windward. Also, the order to put the tiller in this position.
HARD AND FAST. Said of a ship on shore.
HARD-A-PORT! The order so to place the tiller as to bring the rudder over to the starboard-side of the stern-post, whichever way the tiller leads. (SeeHard-a-lee.)
HARD-A-STARBOARD. The order so to place the tiller as to bring the rudder over to the port-side of the stern-post, whichever way the tiller leads. (SeeHard-a-lee.)
HARD-A-WEATHER! The order so to place the tiller as to bring the rudder on the lee-side of the stern-post, whichever way the tiller leads, in order to bear away; it is the position of the helm as opposed tohard-a-lee(which see). Also, a hardy seaman.
HARD BARGAIN. A useless fellow; a skulker.
HARD FISH. A term indiscriminately applied to cod, ling, haddock, torsk, &c., salted and dried.
HARD GALE. When the violence of the wind reduces a ship to be under her storm staysails, No. 10 force.
HARD-HEAD. TheClupea menhaden, orAlosa tyrannus, an oily fish taken in immense quantities on the American coasts, insomuch that they are used for manuring land. Also, on our coasts the father-lasher or sea-scorpion,Cottus scorpius, and in some parts the grey gurnard, are so called.
HARD-HORSE. A tyrannical officer.
HARDING. A light kind of duck canvas made in the north.
HARD UP. The tiller so placed as to carry the rudder close over to leeward of the stern-post. Also, used figuratively for being in great distress, or poverty-struck; obliged to bear up for Poverty Bay; cleared out.
HARD UP IN A CLINCH,and no Knife to cut the Seizing. Overtaken by misfortune, and no means of evading it.
HARDS.SeeAcumba.
HARLE. Mists or thick rolling fogs from the sea, so called in the north. Also, a name of thegoosander(which see).
HARMATTAN. A Fantee name for a singular periodical easterly wind which prevails on the west coast of Africa, generally in December, January, and February; it is dry, though always accompanied by haze, the result of fine red dust suspended in the atmosphere and obscuring the sun; this wind is opposed to the sea-breeze, which would otherwise blow fresh from the west on to the land.
HARNESS. An old statute term for the tackling or furniture of a ship.
HARNESS-CASK. A large conical tub for containing the salt provisions intended for present consumption. Alluding to the junk, which is oftencalled salt-horse, it has been described as the tub where the horse, and not the harness, is kept.
HARP-COCK. An old modification of the harpoon.
HARPENS.SeeHarpings.
HARPER-CRAB.SeeTommy Harper.
HARPINGS,or Harpens. The fore-parts of the wales which encompass the bow of a ship, and are fastened to the stem, being thicker than the after-part of the wales, in order to strengthen the ship in that place where she sustains the greatest shock of resistance in plunging into the sea, or dividing it, under a great pressure of sail. Also, the pieces of oak, similar to ribbands, but trimmed and bolted to the shape of the body of the ship, which hold the fore and after cant bodies together, until the ship is planked. But this term is mostly applicable to those at the bow; hence arises the phrase "clean and full harpings." Harpings in the bow of a vessel are decried as rendering the ship uneasy.—Cat harpings.The legs which cross from futtock-staff to futtock-staff, below the tops, to girt in the rigging, and allow the lower yards to brace sharp up.
HARPOON,or Harpago. A spear or javelin with a barbed point, used to strike whales and other fish. The harpoon is furnished with a long shank, and has at one end a broad and flat triangular head, sharpened at both edges so as to penetrate the whale with facility, but blunt behind to prevent its cutting out. To the other end a fore-ganger is bent, to which is fastened a long cord called the whale-line, which lies carefully coiled in the boat in such a manner as to run out without being interrupted or entangled. Several coils, each 130 fathoms of whale-line (soft laid and of clean silky fibre) are in readiness; the instant the whale is struck the men cant the oars, so that the roll may not immerse them in the water. The line, which has a turn round the bollard, flies like lightning, and is intensely watched. One man pours water on the smoking bollard, another is ready with a sharp axe to cut, and the others see that the lines run free. Seven or eight coils have been run out before the whale "sounds," or strikes bottom, when he rises again to breathe, and probably gets a similar dose.—Gun harpoon.A weapon used for the same purpose as the preceding, but it is fired out of a gun, instead of being thrown by hand; it is made entirely of steel, and has a chain or long shackle attached to it, to which the whale-line is fastened. Greener's harpoon-gun is a kind of wall-piece fixed in a crutch, which steps into the bow-bollard of the whale-boat. The harpoon projects about four inches beyond the muzzle. It consists of its barbed point attached to a long link, with a solid button at its opposite end to fit the gun; on one rod of this link is a ring which runs to the muzzle, and is there attached to the whale-line by a thong of seal or walrus hide, wet. The gun being fired, the harpoon is projected, the ring sliding up to the button, when the line follows. Some of these harpoons or other engines have grenades—glass globules with prussic acid or other chemicals—which sicken the whale instantly, and little trouble ensues.
HARPOONER,Harponeer, or Harpineer. The expert bowman in a whale-boat, whose duty it is to throw or fire the harpoon.
HARP-SEAL. ThePhoca grœnlandica, a species of seal from the Arctic seas; so called from the form of a dark-brown mark upon its back.
HARQUEBUSS,or Arquebuss. Something larger than a musket. Sometimes called caliver. (SeeArquebuss.)
HARR,or Harl. A sea-storm, from a northern term for snarling, in allusion to the noise. Also, a cold thick mist or fog in easterly winds; thehaar.
HARRY-BANNINGS. A north-country name for sticklebacks.
HARRY-NET. A net with such small meshes, and so formed, as to take even the young and small fish.
HARVEST-MOON. The full moon nearest the autumnal equinox, when for several successive evenings she rises at the same hour; and this name is given in consequence of the supposed advantage of the additional length of moonlight to agriculture.
HASEGA. A corruption ofasseguay(which see).
HASK. An archaism for a fish-basket.
HASLAR HAGS. The nurses of the naval hospital Haslar.
HASLAR HOSPITAL. A fine establishment near Gosport, for the reception and cure of the sick and wounded of the Royal Navy.