The Sailor's Word-Book Part 120

HAG'S TEETH. (_See_ HAKE'S TEETH.) Those parts of a matting or pointing interwoven with the rest in an irregular manner, so as to spoil the uniformity. (_See_ POINTING.) In soundings, _see_ HAKE'S TEETH.

HAIK. _See_ HIKE UP.

HAIL, TO. To hail "from a country," or claim it as a birthplace. A ship is said to _hail_ from 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?"--"_Pa.s.s 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 pa.s.ses 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 bl.u.s.ter 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 called _haar_ in 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 fish _Gadus 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 sh.e.l.l-fish, being the _Dentalium_, the presence of which is a valuable guide to the Channel pilot in foggy weather.

HALBAZ. _See_ KALBAZ.

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 floating nest 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 for _haul_ (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. (_See_ FORK-BEAMS.)

HALF-BREADTH OF 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 as _floor-plan_.

HALF-c.o.c.k. To go off at half-c.o.c.k is an unexpected discharge of a fire-arm; hurried conduct without due preparation, and consequently failure.

HALF-DAVIT. Otherwise _fish-davit_ (which see).

HALF-DECK. A s.p.a.ce 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 the _half-deck_, and is usually the habitation of the crew.

HALF-DROWNED LAND. Sh.o.r.es which are rather more elevated and bear more verdure than _drowned land_ (which see).

HALF-FLOOD. _See_ FLOOD.

HALF-GALLEY. _See_ GALLEY.

HALF-HITCH. Pa.s.s the end of a rope round its standing part, and bring it up through the bight. (_See_ THREE HALF-HITCHES.)

HALF-LAUGHS AND PURSER'S GRINS. Hypocritical and satirical sneers.

HALF-MAN. A landsman or boy in a coaster, undeserving the pay of a _full-man_.

HALF-MAST. The lowering a flag in respect for the death of an officer.

HALF-MINUTE GLa.s.s. _See_ GLa.s.s.

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 a.s.sault of boarders, and hence frequently termed a _boarding-pike_.

HALF-POINT. A subdivision of the compa.s.s 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. (_See_ FULL SPEED!)

HALF-TIDE ROCKS. Those showing their heads at half-ebb. (_See_ TIDE.)

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. (_See_ TURN AHEAD!)

HALF-WATCH TACKLE. A luff purchase. (_See_ WATCH-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 compa.s.s, 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. (_See_ JEERS.)

HALO. An extensive luminous ring including, the sun or moon, whose light, pa.s.sing through the intervening vapour, gives rise to the phenomenon. Halos are called _lunar_ or _solar_, 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 for _hawser_.