KALI. _Salsola kali_, a marine plant, generally burned to supply soda
for the glass manufactories. Sub-carbonate of potass.
KAMSIN. A south-westerly wind which blows over Egypt in March and April,
generally not more than three successive days at a time. Its name
signifies the wind of fifty days, not as blowing for such a period, but
because it only occurs during fifty days of March and April.
KANJIA. A passage-boat of the Nile.
KANNA. A name for _ginseng_ (which see).
KARAVALLA. _See_ CARAVEL.
KARBATZ. A common boat of Lapland.
KAT. A timber vessel used on the northern coasts of England.
KATABATHRA. Subterraneous passages in certain mountains in Greece,
through which the superfluous waters are discharged.
KATAN. A Japanese sword, otherwise _cattan_.
KATTAN. A corruption of _yataghan_ (which see).
KATTY. _See_ CATTY.
KAULE. A license for trade, given by the authorities in India to our
early voyagers.
KAVA. A beverage, in the South Sea Islands, made by steeping the _Piper
inebrians_ in water.
KAVER. A word used in the Hebrides for a gentle breeze.
KAY, OR KEY [probably from the Dutch _kaayen_, to haul]. A place to
which ships are hauled. Knoll or head of a shoal--_kaya_, Malay.
KAYAK. A fishing-boat in all the north polar countries; most likely a
corrupted form of the eastern _kaique_ by our early voyagers.
KAYNARD. A term of reproach amongst our early voyagers, probably from
_canis_.
KAYU-PUTIH, OR CAJEPUTI OIL. From the Malay words _kayu_, wood; and
_putih_, oil; the useful oil obtained from the _Melaleuca leucadendron_.
KAZIE. A Shetland fishing-boat.
K.C.B. Sigla of Knight Commander of the most honourable military order
of the Bath.
KEAVIE. A coast name for a species of crab that devours cuttle-fish
greedily.
KEAVIE-CLEEK. In the north a crooked piece of iron for catching crabs.
KECKLING, OR CACKLING. Is covering a cable spirally (in opposition to
_rounding_, which is close) with three-inch old rope to protect it from
chafe in the hawse-hole.
KEDELS. _See_ KIDDLES.
KEDGE, OR KEDGER. A small anchor used to keep a ship steady and clear
from her bower-anchor while she rides in harbour, particularly at the
turn of the tide. The kedge-anchors are also used to warp a ship from
one part of a harbour to another. They are generally furnished with an
iron stock, which is easily displaced for the convenience of stowing.
The old English word _kedge_ signified brisk, and they are generally run
in to a quick step. (_See_ ANCHOR, WARP.)--_To kedge._ To warp a ship
ahead, though the tide be contrary, by means of the kedge-anchor and
hawser.
KEDGER. A mean fellow, more properly _cadger_; one in everybody's mess,
but in no one's watch. An old term for a fisherman.
KEDGE-ROPE. The rope which belongs to the kedge-anchor, and restrains
the vessel from driving over her bower-anchor.
KEDGING. The operation of tide-working in a narrow channel or river, by
kedge-hauling.
KEEL. The lowest and principal timber of a ship, running fore and aft
its whole length, and supporting the frame like the backbone in
quadrupeds; it is usually first laid on the blocks in building, being
the base of the superstructure. Accordingly, the stem and stern-posts
are, in some measure, a continuation of the keel, and serve to connect
the extremities of the sides by transoms, as the keel forms and unites
the bottom by timbers. The keel is generally composed of several thick
pieces placed lengthways, which, after being scarphed together, are
bolted and clinched upon the upper side. In iron vessels the keel is
formed of one or more plates of iron, having a concave curve, or limber
channel, along its upper surface.--_To give the keel_, is to
careen.--_Keel_ formerly meant a vessel; so many "keels struck the
sands." Also, a low flat-bottomed vessel used on the Tyne to carry coals
(21 tons 4 cwt.) down from Newcastle for loading the colliers; hence the
latter are said to carry so many keels of coals. [Anglo-Saxon _ceol_, a
small bark.]--_False keel._ A fir keel-piece bolted to the bottom of the
keel, to assist stability and make a ship hold a better wind. It is
temporary, being pinned by stake-bolts with spear-points; so when a
vessel grounds, this frequently, being of fir or Canada elm, floats and
comes up alongside.--_Rabbets of the keel._ The furrow, which is
continued up stem and stern-post, into which the garboard and other
streaks fay. The butts take into the gripe ahead, or after-deadwood and
stern-post abaft.--_Rank keel._ A very deep keel, one calculated to keep
the ship from rolling heavily.--_Upon an even keel._ The position of a
ship when her keel is parallel to the plane of the horizon, so that she
is equally deep in the water at both ends.
KEELAGE. A local duty charged on all vessels coming into a harbour.
KEEL-BLOCKS. Short log ends of timbers on which the keel of a vessel
rests while building or repairing, affording access to work beneath.
KEEL-DEETERS. The wives and daughters of keelmen, who sweep and clean
the keels, having the sweepings of small coal for their trouble.
KEEL-HAULING. A severe punishment formerly inflicted for various
offences, especially in the Dutch navy. The culprit was suspended by a
rope from one fore yard-arm attached to his back, with a weight upon his
legs, and having another rope fastened to him, leading under the ship's
bottom, and through a block at its opposite yard-arm; he was then let
fall into the sea, when, passing under the ship's bottom, he was hoisted
up on the opposite side of the vessel to the other yard-arm. Aptly
described as "under-going a great hard-ship."
KEELING. Rolling on her keel. Also, a sort of cod-fish; some restrict
the term to the _Gadus morhua_, or large cod.