NORTH-WESTER. This wind in India usually commences or terminates with a
violent gust from that quarter, with loud thunder and vivid lightning.
Also, gales which blow from the eastern coast of North America in the
Atlantic during the autumn and winter.
NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. By Hudson's Bay into the Pacific Ocean has been more
than once attempted of late years, but hitherto without success. Some
greatly doubted the practicability of such an enterprise; but the
north-west passage, as far as relates to the flow of the sea beneath the
ice, was satisfactorily solved by H.M.S. _Investigator_, Sir R. Maclure,
reaching the western end of Barrow's Straits. The former question, up to
Melville Island, which Sir R. Maclure reached and left his notice at in
1852, having been already thoroughly established by Sir E. Parry in
1820.
NORTH WIND. This wind in the British seas is dry and cold, and
generally ushers in fair weather and clear skies. The barometer rises
with the wind at north, and is highest at N.N.E.; the air forming this
wind comes from colder latitudes, and has therefore lost most of its
moisture.
NORWAY SKIFF. A particularly light and buoyant boat, which is both swift
and safe in the worst weather.
NORWAY YAWL. This, of all small boats, is said to be the best calculated
for a high sea; it is often met with at a distance from land, when a
stout ship can hardly carry any sail. The parent of the _peter-boat_.
NOSE. Often used to denote the stem of a ship. Also, a neck of land:
_naes_, or _ness_.
NOTARY. The person legally empowered to attest deeds, protests, or other
documents, in order to render them binding.
NOTCH. The gaffle of a cross-bow.
NOTCH-BLOCK. _See_ SNATCH-BLOCK.
NOTCH-SIGHT OF A GUN. A sight having a V-shaped notch, wherein the eye
easily finds the lowest or central point.
NOTHING OFF! A term used by the man at the conn to the steersman,
directing him to keep her close to the wind; or "nothing off, and very
well thus!" (_See_ THUS.)
NOTIONS. An American sea-term for a cargo in sorts; thus a notion-vessel
on the west coast of America is a perfect bazaar; but one, which sold a
mixture--logwood, bad claret, and sugar--to the priests for sacrament
wine had to run for it.
NOUD. A term in the north for fishes that are accounted of little value.
NOUP. A round-headed eminence.
NOUS. An old and very general term for intelligent perception, evidently
from the Greek.
NOUST. A landing-place or indent into the shore for a boat to be moored
in; a term of the Orkney Isles.
NOZZLE-FACES. Square plates of brass raised upon the cylinder; one round
each of the steam-ports, for the valve-plates to slide upon.
NOZZLES. In steamers, the same as steam-ports; they are oblong passages
from the nozzle-faces to the inside of the cylinder; by them the steam
enters and returns above and below the piston. Also pump nozzles.
NUBECULAE, MAJOR AND MINOR. The _Magellanic clouds_ (which see).
NUCLEUS OF A COMET. The condensed or star-like part of the head.
NUDDEE. A Hindostanee word for a river.
NUGGAR. A term in the East Indies for a fort, and also for an alligator.
NULLAH. A ravine or creek of a stream in India.
NUMBER. The number on the ship's books is marked on the clothing of
seamen; that on a man's hammock or bag corresponds with his number on
the watch and station bill. The ships of the royal navy are denoted by
flags expressing letters, and when passing or nearing each other the
names are exchanged by signals.--_Losing the number of the mess_, is a
phrase for dying suddenly; being killed or drowned.
NUMERARY OR MARRYAT'S SIGNALS. A useful code used by the mercantile
marine, by an arrangement of flags from a cypher to units, and thence to
thousands. (_See_ SIGNALS.)
NUN-BUOY. A buoy made of staves, somewhat in the form of a double cone;
large in the middle, and tapering rapidly to the ends; the slinging of
which is a good specimen of practical rigging tact.
NURAVEE YAWL. A corruption of _Norway yawl_ (which see).
NURSE. An able first lieutenant, who in former times had charge of a
young boy-captain of interest, but possessing no knowledge for command.
Also, a small kind of shark with a very rough skin; a dog-fish.
NUT. A small piece of iron with a female screw cut through the middle of
it, for screwing on to the end of a bolt.
NUTATION. An oscillatory motion of the earth's axis, due chiefly to the
action of the moon upon the spheroidal figure of our globe.
NUTS OF AN ANCHOR. Two projections either raised or welded on the square
part of the shank, for securing the stock to its place.
NYCTALOPIA. _See_ MOON-BLINK.