PATALLAH. A large and clumsy Indian boat, for baggage, cattle, &c.
PATAMAR. An excellent old class of advice-boats in India, especially on
the Bombay coast, both swift and roomy. They are grab-built, that is,
with a prow-stern, about 76 feet long, 21 feet broad, 11 feet deep, and
200 tons burden. They are navigated with much skill by men of the Mopila
caste and other Mussulmans.
PATAMOMETER. An instrument for measuring the force of currents.
PATAXOS. A small vessel formerly used by the Spaniards as an
advice-boat.
PATCH. The envelope used with the bullet in old rifles.--_Muzzle-patch_
is a projection on the top of the muzzle of some guns, doing away with
the effect of dispart in laying.
PATELLA. The limpet, of which there are 250 known species.
PATERERO. A kind of small mortar sometimes fired for salutes or
rejoicing, especially in Roman Catholic countries on holidays.
PATERNOSTER-WORK. The framing of a chain-pump.
PATH. The trajectory of a shell.
PATOO-PATOO. A formidable weapon with sharp edges, used by the
Polynesian Islanders and New Zealanders as a sort of battle-axe to
cleave the skulls of their enemies.
PATROL. The night-rounds, to see that all is right, and to insure
regularity and order.
PATRON, OR PADRONE. The master of a merchant vessel or coaster in the
Mediterranean. Also, a cartridge-box, _temp._ Elizabeth.
PAUL BITT. A strong timber fixed perpendicularly at the back of the
windlass in the middle, serving to support the system of pauls which are
pinned into it, as well as to add security to the machine.
PAULER, THAT IS A. A closer or stopper; an unanswerable or puzzling
decision.
PAUL RIM. A notched cast-iron capstan-ring let into the ship's deck for
the pauls to act on.
PAULS, OR PAWLS. A stout but short set of bars of iron fixed close to
the capstan-whelps, or windlass of a ship, to prevent them from
recoiling and overpowering the men. Iron or wood brackets suspended to
the paul-bitts of a windlass, and dropping into appropriate scores, act
as a security to the purchase. To the windlass it is vertical; for
capstans, horizontal, bolted to the whelps, and butting to the deck-rim.
PAUL THERE, MY HEARTY. Tell us no more of that. Discontinue your
discourse.
PAUNCH-MAT. A thick and strong mat formed by interweaving sinnet or
strands of rope as close as possible; it is fastened on the outside of
the yards or rigging, to prevent their chafing.
PAVILION. A state tent.
PAVILLON [Fr.] Colours; flag; standard.
PAVISER. Formerly a soldier who was armed with a pavise or buckler.
PAWK. A young lobster.
PAWL. _See_ PAULS.
PAY. A buccaneering principle of hire, under the notion of plunder and
sharing in prizes, was, _no purchase no pay_.
PAY, TO [from Fr. _poix_, pitch]. To pay a seam is to pour hot pitch and
tar into it after caulking, to defend the oakum from the wet. Also, to
beat or drub a person, a sense known to Shakspeare as well as to seamen.
PAY A MAST OR YARD, TO. To anoint it with tar, turpentine, rosin,
tallow, or varnish; tallow is particularly useful for those masts upon
which the sails are frequently hoisted and lowered, such as top-masts
and the lower masts of sloops, schooners, &c.
PAY A VESSEL'S BOTTOM, TO. To cover it with tallow, sulphur, rosin, &c.
(_See_ BREAMING.)
PAY AWAY. The same as _paying out_ (which see). To pass out the slack of
a cable or rope.--_Pay down._ Send chests or heavy articles below.
PAYING OFF. The movement by which a ship's head falls off from the wind,
and drops to leeward. Also, the paying off the ship's officers and crew,
and the removal of the ship from active service to ordinary.
PAYING OUT. The act of slackening a cable or rope, so as to let it run
freely. When a man talks grandiloquently, he is said to be "paying it
out."
PAYMASTER. The present designation of the station formerly held by the
purser; the officer superintending the provisioning and making payments
to the crew.
PAY ROUND, TO. To turn the ship's head.
PAY-SERJEANT, IN THE ARMY. A steady non-commissioned officer, selected
by the captain of each company, to pay the subsistence daily to the men,
after the proper deductions.
PEA-BALLAST. A coarse fresh-water sand used by ships in the China trade
for stowing tea-chests upon.
PEA OR P.-JACKET. A skirtless loose rough coat, made of Flushing or
pilot cloth.
PEAK. The more or less conical summit of a mountain whether isolated or
forming part of a chain. Also, the upper outer corner of those sails
which are extended by a gaff.
PEAK, TO. To raise a gaff or lateen yard more obliquely to the mast. _To
stay peak_, or _ride a short stay peak_, is when the cable and fore-stay
form a line: a long peak is when the cable is in line with the
main-stay.
PEAK DOWN-HAUL. A rope rove through a block at the outer end of the gaff
to haul it down by.
PEAK HALLIARDS. The ropes or tackles by which the outer end of a gaff is
hoisted, as opposed to the _throat-halliards_ (which see).
PEAK OF AN ANCHOR. The bill or extremity of the palm, which, as seamen
by custom drop the _k_, is pronounced pea; it is tapered nearly to a
point in order to penetrate the bottom.
PEAK PURCHASE. A purchase fitted in cutters to the standing
peak-halliards to sway it up taut.
PEARL. A beautiful concretion found in the interior of the shells of
many species of mollusca, resulting from the deposit of nacreous
substance round some nucleus, mostly of foreign origin. The _Meleagrina
margaritifera_, or pearl oyster of the Indian seas, yields the most
numerous and finest specimens.
PECTORAL FINS. The pair situated behind the gills of fishes,
corresponding homologically to the fore limbs of quadrupeds and the
wings of birds.
PEDESTAL-BLOCKS. Synonymous with _plumber-blocks_ (which see).
PEDESTAL-RAIL. A rail about two inches thick, wrought over the
foot-space rail, and in which there is a groove to steady the heel of
the balusters of the galleries.
PEDRO. An early gun of large calibre for throwing stone-balls.
PEDRO-A-PIED [_Pedro-pee_]. The balance on one leg in walking a plank as
a proof of sobriety. A man placed one foot on a seam and flourished the
other before and behind, singing, "How can a man be drunk when he can
dance Pedro-pee," at which word he placed the foot precisely before the
other on the seam, till he proved at least he had not lost his
equilibrium. This was an old custom.
PEECE. An old term for a fortified position.
PEEGAGH. The Manx or Erse term for a large skate.
PEEK. _See_ PEAK.
PEEL. A stronghold of earth and timber for defence. Also, the wash of an
oar.
PEGASUS. One of the ancient northern constellations, of which the lucida
is Markab.
PEKUL. A Chinese commercial weight of about 130 or 132 lbs.
PELAGIANS. Fishes of the open sea.
PELICAN. A well-known water-bird. Also, the old six-pounder culverin.
PELL [from the British _pwll_]. A deep hole of water, generally beneath
a cataract or any abrupt waterfall. Also, a large pond.
PELLET. An old word for shot or bullet.
PELLET-POWDER. Has its grains much larger and smoother, and is intended
to act more gradually than service gunpowder, but by the English it is
at present considered rather weak.
PELTA. An ancient shield or buckler, formed of scales sewed on skins.
PEMBLICO. A small bird whose cry was deemed ominous at sea as presaging
wind.
PEMMICAN. Condensed venison, or beef, used by the hunters around
Hudson's Bay, and largely provided for the Arctic voyages, as containing
much nutriment in a small compass. Thin slices of lean meat are dried
over the smoke of wood fires; they are then pounded and mixed with an
equal weight of their own fat. It is generally boiled and eaten hot
where fire is available.
PEN. A cape or conical summit. Also, the Creole name for houses and
plantations in the country. Also, an inclosure for fishing on the
coast.
PENA, OR PENON. High rocks on the Spanish coasts.
PENANG LAWYER. A cane, with the administration of which debts were wont
to be settled at Pulo-Penang.
PENCEL. A small streamer or pennon.
PENDANT. _See_ PENNANT.
PENDANT. A strop or short piece of rope fixed on each side, under the
shrouds, upon the heads of the main and fore masts, from which it hangs
as low as the cat-harpings, having an iron thimble spliced into an eye
at the lower end to receive the hooks of the main and fore tackles.
There are besides many other pendants, single or double ropes, to the
lower extremity of which is attached a block or tackle; such are the
fish-pendant, stay-tackle-pendant, brace-pendant, yard-tackle-pendant,
reef-tackle-pendant, &c., all of which are employed to transmit the efforts
of their respective tackles to some distant object.--_Rudder-pendants._
Strong ropes made fast to a rudder by means of chains. Their use is to
prevent the loss of the rudder if by any accident it should get
unshipped.
PENDULUM. A gravitating instrument for measuring the motion of a ship
and thereby assisting the accuracy of her gunnery in regulating
horizontal fire.
PENGUIN. A web-footed bird, of the genus _Aptenodytes_, unable to fly on
account of the small size of its wings, but with great powers of
swimming and diving: generally met with in high southern latitudes.
PENINSULA. A tract of land joined to a continent by a comparatively
narrow neck termed an isthmus.
PENINSULAR WAR. A designation assigned to the Duke of Wellington's
campaigns in Portugal and Spain.
PENKNIFE ICE. A name given by Parry to ice, the surface of which is
composed of numberless irregular vertical crystals, nearly close
together, from five to ten inches long, about half an inch broad, and
pointed at both ends. Supposed to be produced by heavy drops of rain
piercing their way through the ice rather than by any peculiar
crystallization while freezing.
PENNANT. A long narrow banner with St. George's cross in the head, and
hoisted at the main. It is the badge of a ship-of-war. Signal pennants
are 9 feet long, tapering from 2 feet at the mast to 1 foot. They denote
the vessels of a fleet; there are ten pennants, which can be varied
beyond any number of ships present. When the pennant is half mast, it
denotes the death of the captain. When hauled down the ship is out of
commission. Broad pennant denotes a commodore, and is a swallow-tailed
flag, the tails tapering, and would meet, if the exterior lines were
prolonged; those of a cornet could not.
PENNANT-SHIP. Generally means the commodore, and vessels in the employ
of government. It is also an authority delegated by the commander of
convoy to some smart merchant ship to assist in the charge, and collect
stragglers.
PENNOCK. A little bridge thrown over a water-course.
PENNY-WIDDIE. A haddock dried without being split.
PENSIONERS. Disabled soldiers or sailors received into the superb
institutions of Chelsea and Greenwich, or, "recently if they choose,"
receiving out-pensions.
PENSTOCK. A flood-gate to a mill-pond. Also used in fortification, for
the purpose of inundating certain works.
PENTAGON. A right-lined figure of five equal sides and angles.
PENUMBRA. The lighter shade which surrounds the dark shadow of the earth
in an eclipse of the moon. Also, the light shade which usually encircles
the black spots upon the sun's disc.
PEON-WOOD. _See_ POON-WOOD.
PEOTTA. A craft of the Adriatic, of light burden, propelled by oars and
canvas.
PEPPER-DULSE. _Halymenia edulis_; a pungent sea-weed, which, as well as
_H. palmata_, common dulse, is eaten in Scotland.
PER-CENTAGE. A proportional sum by which insurance, brokerage, freight,
del credere, &c., are paid.
PERCER. A rapier; a short sword.
PERCH. A pole stuck up on a shoal as a beacon; or a spar erected on or
projected from a cliff whence to watch fish.
PERCUSSION. The striking of one body by another.
PERDEWS. A corruption from _enfans perdus_, to designate those soldiers
who are selected for the _forlorn hope_ (which see).
PERIGEE. That point in the moon's orbit where she is nearest to the
earth; or the point in the earth's orbit where we are nearest to the
sun.
PERIHELION. That point in the orbit of a planet or comet which is
nearest to the sun.
PERIKO. An undecked boat of burden in Bengal.
PERIL, OR PERIL OF THE SEA. Does not mean danger or hazard, but
comprises such accidents as arise from the elements, and which could not
be prevented by any care or skill of the master and crew. (_See_ ACT OF
GOD.)
PERIMETER. The sum of all the sides of a geometrical figure taken
together.
PERIODICAL WINDS. _See_ MONSOON and TRADE-WINDS.
PERIODIC INEQUALITIES. Those disturbances in the planetary motions,
caused by their reciprocal attraction in definite periods.
PERIODIC TIME. The interval of time which elapses from the moment when a
planet or comet leaves any point in its orbit, until it returns to it
again.
PERIPHERY. The circumference of any curved figure.
PERISHABLE MONITION. The public notice by the court of admiralty for the
sale of a ship in a perishable condition, whose owners have proved
contumacious.
PERIWINKLE. The _win-wincle_ of the Ang.-Sax., a favourite little
shell-fish, the pin-patch, or _Turbo littoreus_.
PERMANENT MAGNETISM. The property of attraction and repulsion belonging
to magnetized iron. (_See_ INDUCED MAGNETISM.)
PERMANENT RANK. That given by commission, and which does not cease with
any particular service.
PERMIT. A license to sell goods that have paid the duties or excise.
PERPENDICLE. The plumb-line of the old quadrant.
PERPENDICULAR. A right line falling from or standing upon another
vertically, and making the angle of 90 deg. on both sides.
PERRY. An old term for a sudden squall.
PERSONNEL. A word adopted from the French, and expressive of all the
officers and men, civil and military, composing an army or a naval
force.
PERSPECTIVE. The old term for a hand telescope. Also, the science by
which objects are delineated according to their natural appearance and
situation.
PERSUADER. A rattan, colt, or rope's end in the hands of a boatswain's
mate. Also, a revolver.
PERTURBATIONS. The effects of the attractions of the heavenly bodies
upon each other, whereby they are sometimes drawn out of their elliptic
paths about the central body, as instanced by the wondrous discovery of
Neptune.
PESAGE. A custom or duty paid for weighing merchandise, or other goods.
PESETA, OR PISTOREEN. A Spanish silver coin: one-fifth of a piastre.
PESSURABLE, OR PESTARABLE, of our old statutes, implied such merchandise
as take up much room in a ship.
PETARD. A hat-shaped metal machine, holding from 6 to 9 lbs. of
gunpowder; it is firmly fixed to a stout plank, and being applied to a
gate or barricade, is fired by a fuse, to break or blow it open. (_See_
POWDER-BAGS.)
PETARDIER. The man who fixes and fires a petard, a service of great
danger.
PET-COCK. A tap, or valve on a pump.
PETER. _See_ BLUE PETER.
PETER-BOAT. A fishing-boat of the Thames and Medway, so named after St.
Peter, as the patron of fishermen, whose cross-keys form part of the
armorial bearings of the Fishmongers' Company of London. These boats
were first brought from Norway and the Baltic; they are generally short,
shallow, and sharp at both ends, with a well for fish in the centre, 25
feet over all, and 6 feet beam, yet in such craft boys were wont to
serve out seven years' apprenticeship, scarcely ever going on shore.
PETER-MAN, OR PETERER. A fisherman. Also, the Dutch fishing vessels that
frequented our eastern coast.
PETITORY SUITS. Causes of property, formerly cognizable in the admiralty
court.
PETREL. The _Cypselli_ of the ancients, and _Mother Cary's chickens_ of
sailors; of the genus _Procellaria_. They collect in numbers at the
approach of a gale, running along the waves in the wake of a ship;
whence the name _peterel_, in reference to St. Peter's attempt to walk
on the water. They are seen in all parts of the ocean. The largest of
the petrels, _Procellaria fuliginosa_, is known by seamen as Mother
Cary's goose.
PETROLEUM. Called also rock, mineral, or coal, oil. A natural oil widely
distributed over the globe, consisting of carbon and hydrogen, in the
proportion of about 88 and 12 per cent. It burns fiercely with a thick
black smoke; and attempts, not yet successful, have been made to adapt
it as a fuel for steamers.
PETRONEL. An old term for a horse-pistol; also for a kind of carbine.
PETTAH. A town adjoining the esplanade of a fort.
PETTICOAT TROWSERS. A kind of kilt formerly worn by seamen in general,
but latterly principally by fishermen. (_See_ GALLIGASKINS.)
PETTY AVERAGE. Small charges borne partly by a ship, and partly by a
cargo, such as expenses of towing, &c.
PETTY OFFICER. A divisional seaman of the first class, ranking with a
sergeant or corporal.
PHALANX. An ancient Macedonian legion of varying numbers, formed into a
square compact body of pikemen with their shields joined.
PHARONOLOGY. Denotes the study of, and acquaintance with, lighthouses.
PHAROS. A lighthouse; a watch-tower.
PHASELUS. An ancient small vessel, equipped with sails and oars.
PHASES. The varying appearances of the moon's disc during a lunation;
also those of the inferior planets Venus and Mercury, as they revolve
round the sun.
PHILADELPHIA LAWYER. "Enough to puzzle a Philadelphia lawyer" is a
common nautical phrase for an inconsistent story.