some of her sails aback, to oppose the force of those which are full. To come to is sometimes used with the same meaning; although, more generally, it means to let go the anchor.

Bring up, to cast anchor.

Broach to, is when, by the violence of the wind, or a heavy sea upon the quarter, the ship is forced up to windward of her course or proper direction in defiance of the helm.

Bulkheads, partitions in the ship.

Bumkin, a short boom or beam of timber projecting from each bow of a ship, to extend the clew or lower edge of the foresail to windward.

Cable, a large rope by which the ship is secured to the anchor.

Cable's length, a measure of 120 fathoms, or 240 yards.

Cap, a thick block of elm, with a round hole in the fore part for the topmast to enter, and a square one abaft to receive the lowermast head.

Capstan, a machine by which the anchor is weighed.

Cat-head, a strong projection from the forecastle on each bow, furnished with sheaves or strong pulleys, and to which the anchor is lifted after it has been hove up to the bow by the capstan.

Cat's paw, a light air perceived by its effects on the water, but not durable.

Chains, or channels, of a ship, those strong projections from the sides below the quarterdeck and forecastle ports, in large ships, but above the guns in small ones, to which the shrouds or rigging of each of the lowermasts are secured, by means of wooden blocks, or deadeyes, strongly chained and bolted to the ship's side.

Chess-tree, a piece of wood bolted perpendicularly on each side of the ship near the gangway, to confine the clew of the mainsail ; for which purpose there is a hole in the upper part, through which the tack passes, that extends the clew of the sail to windward.

Clew garnet, fore or main, is a rope running double from nearly the centre of the fore or main yard, to the clews or corners of the sail, where the tack and sheet are affixed, and is the principal means of clewing up or taking in the sail.

Close hauled, the arrangement or trim of a ship's sails when she endeavours to make a progress in the nearest direction possible towards that point of the compass from which the wind blows.

Club-hauling tacking by means of an anchor.*

Coamings, the borders of the hatchway, which are raised above the deck.

Conning the ship, the directions given to the steersman by a superior seaman, termed the quartermaster, or by the captain, master, or pilot, as the case may be.

Courses, a name by which the fore and main sails, and driver, are usually distinguished.

Crank, the quality of a ship which, for want of a sufficient quantity of ballast or cargo, is rendered incapable of carrying sail, without being exposed to the danger of upsetting.

Cutwater, the knee of the head.

Davit, a piece of timber used as a crane to hoist the flooks of the anchor to the top of the bow: it is called fishing the anchor.

Driver, a large sail suspended to the mizen gaff: called also spanker.

Edge away, as, when a ship changes her course, by sailing larger, or more afore the wind than she had done before.

Fill, is to fill the sail that has been shivered or hove aback, to bring the ship to.

Fleet, an assemblage of ships of war, to the number of ten and upwards.

Flooks, the broad parts or palms of the anchors.

Flotilla, a fleet of small vessels of war.

* The very best description of this manoeuvre is to be found in Captain Marryat's "Peter Simple."

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