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. (_See_ LEAD.)
HANDLES OF A GUN. The dolphins.
HAND-LINE. A line bent to the hand-lead, measured at certain intervals
with what are called _marks_ and _deeps_ from 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. (_See_ GUNNER'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.
(_See_ JIGGER.)
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 to _sny_ (which see).--_To hang._ Said of a
mast that inclines; _it hangs forward_, if too much stayed; _hangs aft_,
if it requires 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 man[oe]uvre.
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, being much 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 hanks_ are more generally used now that stays are made
of wire.--_Hank_ is 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 Luebeck, Hamburg, and Bremen.
HAPPY-GO-LUCKY. A reckless indifference as to danger.
HAQUE. A little hand-gun of former times.
HAQUEBUT. A form of spelling _arquebuse_. A bigger sort of hand-gun than
the _haque_.
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. _See_ PORT-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.