The Sailor's Word-Book Part 54

CHESS-TREE. A piece of oak fastened with iron bolts on each top-side of the ship. Used for boarding the main-tack to, or hauling home the clues of the main-sail, for which purpose there is a hole in the upper part, through which the tack pa.s.ses, that extends the clue of the sail to windward. Where chain has been subst.i.tuted of late for rope, iron plates with thimble-eyes are used for chess-trees.

CHEST OF CHATHAM. An ancient inst.i.tution, restored and established by an order in council of Queen Elizabeth, in 1590, supported by a contribution from each seaman and apprentice, according to the amount of his wages, for the wounded and hurt seamen of the royal navy, under the name of smart-money.

CHEST-ROPE. The same with the guest or gift rope, and is added to the boat-rope when the boat is towed astern of the ship, to keep her from sheering, _i.e._ from swinging to and fro. (_See_ GUESS-WARP.)

CHEVAUX DE FRISE. An adopted term for pickets pointed with iron, and standing through beams, to stop an enemy: this defence is also called a turn-pike or pike-turn.

CHEVENDER. An old name for the chevin or chub.

CHEVILS. _See_ KEVELS.

CHEVIN. An old name for the chub.

CHEVRON. The distinguishing mark on the sleeves of sergeants' and corporals' coats, the insignia of a non-commissioned officer. Also, a mark recently inst.i.tuted as a testimony of good conduct in a private.

Further, now worn by seamen getting good-service pay.

CHEWING OF OAk.u.m OR PITCH. When a ship suffers leakage from inefficient caulking. (_See_ SEAM.)

CHEZ-VOUS. A kind of "All Souls" night in Bengal, when meats and fruits are placed in every corner of a native's house. Hence _shevoe_, for a ship-gala.

CHICO [Sp. for small].--_Boca-chica_, small mouth of a river.

CHIEF. _See_ COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF. A common abbreviation.

CHIEF MATE, OR CHIEF OFFICER. The next to a commander in a merchantman, and who, in the absence of the latter, acts as his deputy.

CHIGRE, CHAGOE, CHIGGRE, OR JIGGER. A very minute insect of tropical countries, which pierces the thick skin of the foot, and breeds there, producing great pain. It is neatly extricated with its sac entire by clever negroes.

CHILLED SHOT. Shot of very rapidly cooled cast-iron, _i.e._ cast in iron moulds, and thus found to acquire a hardness which renders them of nearly equal efficiency with steel shot for penetrating iron plates, yet produced at about one-quarter the price. They invariably break up on pa.s.sing through the plates, and their fragments are very destructive on crowded decks; though in the attack of iron war vessels, where the demolishment of guns, carriages, machinery, turrets, &c., is required, the palm must still be awarded to steel shot and sh.e.l.l.

CHIMBE [Anglo-Saxon]. The prominent part or end of the staves, where they project beyond the head of a cask.

CHIME. _See_ CHINE.

CHIME IN, TO. To join a mess meal or treat. To chime in to a chorus or song.

CHINCKLE. A small bight in a line.

CHINE. The backbone of a cliff, from the backbones of animals; a name given in the Isle of Wight, as Black Gang Chine, and along the coasts of Hampshire. Also, that part of the water-way which is left the thickest, so as to project above the deck-plank; and it is notched or gouged hollow in front, to let the water run free.

CHINE AND CHINE. Casks stowed end to end.

CHINED. Timber or plank slightly hollowed out.

CHINGLE. Gravel. (_See_ SHINGLE.)

CHINGUERITO. A hot and dangerous sort of white corn brandy, made in Spanish America.

CHINSE, TO. To stop small seams, by working in oak.u.m with a knife or chisel--a temporary expedient. To caulk slightly those openings that will not bear the force required for caulking.

CHINSING-IRON. A caulker's tool for chinsing seams with.

CHIP, TO. To trim a gun when first taken from the mould or castings.

CHIPS. The familiar soubriquet of the carpenter on board ship. The fragments of timber and the planings of plank are included among chips.--_Chip of the old block_, a son like his father.

CHIRURGEON. [Fr.] The old name for surgeon.

CHISEL. A well-known edged tool for cutting away wood, iron, &c.

CHIT. A note. Formerly the note for slops given by the officer of a division to be presented to the purser.

CHIULES. The Saxon ships so called.

CHIVEY. A knife.

CHLET. An old Manx term for a rock in the sea.

CHOCK. A sort of wedge used to rest or confine any weighty body, and prevent it from fetching way when the ship is in motion. Also, pieces fitted to supply a deficiency or defect after the manner of filling.

Also, blocks of timber latterly subst.i.tuted beneath the beams for knees, and wedged by iron keys. (_See_ BOAT-CHOCKS.)--_Chock of the bowsprit._ _See_ BEND.--_Chocks of the rudder_, large accurately adapted pieces of timber kept in readiness to choak the rudder, by filling up the excavation on the side of the rudder hole, in case of any accident. It is also choaked or chocked, when a ship is likely to get strong stern-way, when tiller-ropes break, &c.--_To chock_, is to put a wedge under anything to prevent its rolling. (_See_ CHUCK.)

CHOCK-A-BLOCK, OR CHOCK AND BLOCK. Is the same with _block-a-block_ and _two-blocks_ (which see). When the lower block of a tackle is run close up to the upper one, so that you can hoist no higher, the blocks being together.

CHOCK-AFT, CHOCK-FULL, CHOCK-HOME, CHOCK-UP, &c. Denote as far aft, full, home, up, &c., as possible, or that which fits closely to one another.

CHOCK-CHANNELS. Those filled in with wood between the chain-plates, according to a plan introduced by Captain Couch, R.N.

CHOCOLATE-GALE. A brisk N.W. wind of the West Indies and Spanish main.

CHOGSET. _See_ BURGALL.

CHOKE. The nip of a rocket.

CHOKED. When a running rope sticks in a block, either by slipping between the cheeks and the shiver, or any other accident, so that it cannot run.

CHOKE-FULL. Entirely full; top full.

CHOKE THE LUFF. To place suddenly the fall of a tackle close to the block across the jaw of the next turn of the rope in the block, so as to prevent the leading part from rendering. Familiarly said of having a meal to a.s.suage hunger; to be silenced.

CHOKEY. An East Indian guard-house and prison.

CHOMMERY. _See_ CHa.s.sE MAREES, for which this is the men's term.

CHOP. A permit or license of departure for merchant ships in the China trade. A Chinese word signifying quality. Also, an imperial chop or mandate; a proclamation.

CHOP, OR CHAPP. The entrance of a channel, as the Chops of the English Channel.

CHOP-ABOUT, TO. Is applied to the wind when it varies and changes suddenly, and at short intervals of time.