The Sailor's Word-Book Part 5

AFTERNOON-WATCH. The men on deck-duty from noon till 4 P.M.

AFTER-ORDERS. Those which are given out after the regular issue of the daily orders.

AFTER-PART. The locality towards the stern, from dead-flat; as, in the _after-part_ of the fore-hold.

AFTER-PEAK. The contracted part of a vessel's hold, which lies in the run, or aftermost portion of the hold, in contradistinction to _fore-peak_. Both are the sharp ends of the ship.

AFTER-RAKE. That part of the hull which overhangs the after-end of keel.

AFTER-SAILS. All those on the after-masts, as well as on the stays between the main and mizen masts. Their effect is to balance the head-sails, in the manner that a weather-c.o.c.k or vane is moved, of which the main-mast must be considered the pivot or centre. The reverse of _head-sails_. "Square the after-yards," refers to the yards on the main and mizen masts.

AFTER-TIMBERS. All those timbers abaft the midship section or bearing part of a vessel.

AFTMOST. The same as _aftermost_.

AFTWARD. In the direction of the stern.

AGA. A superior Turkish officer.

AGAINST THE SUN. Coiling a rope in the direction from the right hand towards the left--the contrary of _with the sun_. This term applies to a position north of the sun; south of the sun it would be reversed.

AGAL-AGAL. One of the sea fuci, forming a commercial article from the Malay Isles to China, where it is made into a strong cement. The best is the _Gracilaria spinosa_. Agal-agal derives its name from Tanjong Agal on the north coast of Borneo; where it was originally collected. It is now found in great abundance throughout the Polynesian Islands, Mauritius, &c. It is soluble, and forms a clear jelly--used by consumptive patients. It fetches a high price in China. It is supposed that the sea-swallow derives his materials for the edible bird's nests at Borneo from this fucus.

AGATE. The cap for the pivots of the compa.s.s-cards, formed of hard siliceous stone, a chalcedony or carnelian, &c.

AGAVE. The American aloe, from which cordage is made; similar to the pina of Manila. The fruit also, when expressed, affords the refreshing drink "pulque."

AGE. In chronology, a period of a hundred years.--_Ship's age_, one of the stipulations of contracts at Lloyd's.--_Age of the moon_, is the interval of time or number of days elapsed since the previous conjunction or new moon.

AGENCY. Payment _pro opera et labore_, fixed by the prize act at five per cent. as a fair average, but it gives nothing where the property is restored; in such cases it is usual for the agent to charge a gross sum.

AGENCY, NAVAL. A useful cla.s.s of persons, who transact the monetary affairs of officers, and frequently help them to the top branches of the profession. They are paid for their services by a percentage of 2-1/2.

AGENT. In physics, expresses that by which a thing is done or effected.--_Navy agent_ is a deputy employed to pa.s.s accounts, transact business, and receive pay or other monies, in behoof of the officers and crew, and to apply the proceeds as directed by them.--_Agent victuallers_, officers appointed to the charge of provisions at our foreign ports and stations, to contract for, buy, and regulate, under the authority of the commissioners of the navy. (_See_ NEGLIGENCE.)--_Prize agent_, one appointed for the sale of prizes, and nominated in equal numbers by the commander, the officers, and the ship's company.

AGENTS TO LLOYD'S. _See_ LLOYD'S AGENTS.

AGGRESSION. The first act of injury in provoking warfare.

AGIO. An Italian word, applied to denote the profit arising from discounting bills; also the difference between the value of bank-stock and currency.

AGISTMENT. An embankment against the sea or rivers, or one thrown up to fence out a stream.

AGON. A Chinese kind of metal cymbal. (_See_ GONG.) It is singular that Gower, _circa_ 1395, using this old word for _gone_, thus metallicizes--

"Of bra.s.se, of silver, and of golde, The world is pa.s.sed, and _agon_."

AGONIST. A champion; prize-fighter.

AGREEMENT. Except vessels of less than eighty tons register, the master of a ship must enter into an agreement with every seaman whom he carries from any port in Great Britain as one of his crew; and that agreement must be in the form sanctioned by the Board of Trade. (_See_ RUNNING AGREEMENT.)

AGROUND. The situation of a ship or other vessel whose bottom touches or rests upon the ground. It also signifies stranded, and is used figuratively for being disabled or hindered.

AGUA-ARDIENTE [Sp.] Corrupted into _aguardiente_,--the adulterated brandy of Spain supplied to ships.

AGUADA. The Spanish and Portuguese term for a watering-place.

AGUGLIA. A common name for sharp-pointed rocks. From the Italian for needle; written _agulha_ in Spanish and Portuguese charts.

AHEAD. A term especially referable to any object farther onward, or immediately before the ship, or in the course steered, and therefore opposed to _astern_.--_Ahead of the reckoning_, is sailing beyond the estimated position of the ship.--_Ahead_ is also used for progress; as, _cannot get ahead_, and is generally applied to forward, in advance.

AHOLD. A term of our early navigators, for bringing a ship close to the wind, so as to hold or keep to it.

AHOO, OR ALL AHOO, as our Saxon forefathers had it; awry, aslant, lop-sided. (_See_ ASKEW.)

AHOY! _See_ HO!

A-HULL. A ship under bare poles and her helm a-lee, driving from wind and sea, stern foremost. Also a ship deserted, and exposed to the tempestuous winds.

AID, TO. To succour; to supply with provisions or stores.

AID-DE-CAMP. A military staff officer, who carries and circulates the general's orders; and another cla.s.s selected as expert at carving and dancing. In a ship, flag-lieutenant to an admiral, or, in action, the quarter-deck midshipmen to a captain.

AIGRE. The sudden flowing of the sea, called in the fens of Lincolnshire, _acker_. (_See_ BORE.)

AIGUADE [Fr.] AGUADA [Sp.] Water as provision for ships.

AIGUADES. Watering-places on French coasts.

AIGUILLE _aimantee_, magnetic needle. ---- _de carene_, out-rigger. ---- _d'inclinaison_, dipping needle. ---- _de tre_, or _a ralingue_, a bolt-rope needle.

AIGUILLES. The peculiar small fishing-boats in the Garonne and other rivers of Guienne.

AIGULETS [Fr. _aiguillettes_]. Tagged points or cords worn across the breast in some uniforms of generals, staff-officers, and special mounted corps.

AILETTES. Small plates of steel placed on the shoulders in mediaeval armour.

AIM. The direction of a musket, cannon, or any other fire-arm or missile weapon towards its object.--_To take aim_, directing the piece to the object.

AIR. The elastic, compressible, and dilatable fluid encompa.s.sing the terraqueous globe. It penetrates and pervades other bodies, and thus animates and excites all nature.--_Air_ means also a gentle breath of wind gliding over the surface of the water.--_To air_, to dry or ventilate.

AIR-BLADDER. A vesicle containing gas, situated immediately beneath the spinal column in most fish, and often communicating by a tube with the gullet. It is the h.o.m.ologue of the lungs of air-breathing vertebrates.

AIR-BRAVING. Defying the winds.

AIR-CONE, in the marine engine, is to receive the gases which enter the hot-well from the air-pump, where, after ascending, they escape through a pipe at the top.

AIRE. A name in our northern islands for a bank of sand.