SCHOOL. A term applied to a shoal of any of the cetacean animals.
SCHOONER. Strictly, a small craft with two masts and no tops, but the
name is also applied to fore-and-aft vessels of various classes. There
are two-topsail schooners both fore and aft, main-topsail schooners,
with two square top-sails; fore-topsail schooners with one square
top-sail. Ballahou schooners, whose fore-mast rakes forward; and we
also have three-masted vessels called schooners.
SCHOUT. A water-bailiff in many northern European ports, who
superintends the police for seamen.
SCHRIVAN. An old term for a ship's clerk.
SCHULL. _See_ SCHOOL.
SCHUYT. A Dutch vessel, galliot rigged, used in the river trade of
Holland.
SCIMETAR. An eastern sabre, with a broad, very re-curved blade.
SCOBS. The scoria made at the armourer's forge.
SCONCE. A petty fort. Also, the head; whence Shakspeare's pun in making
Dromio talk of having his sconce ensconced. Also, the Anglo-Saxon for a
dangerous candle-holder, made to let into the sides or posts in a ship's
hold. Also, _sconce of the magazine_, a close safe lantern.
SCOODYN. An old word to express the burring which forms on vessels'
bottoms, when foul.
SCOOP. A long spoon-shaped piece of wood to throw water, when washing a
ship's sides in the morning. _Scooping_ is the same as _baling_ a boat.
SCOPE. The riding scope of a vessel's cable should be at least three
times the depth of water under her, but it must vary with the amount of
wind and nature of the bottom.
SCORE. Twenty; commercially, in the case of certain articles, six score
went to the hundred--a usage thus regulated:
"Five score's a hundred of men, money, and pins:
Six score's a hundred of all other things."
Also an angular piece cut out of a solid. Also, an account or reckoning.
SCORE OF A BLOCK, OR OF A DEAD EYE. The groove round which the rope
passes.
SCORPIO. The eighth sign of the zodiac, which the sun enters about the
22d of October. {a} Scorpii, _Antares_; a nautical star.
SCOT, OR SHOT. Anglo-Saxon _sceat_. A share of anything; a contribution
in fair proportion.
SCOTCHMAN. A piece of stiff hide, or batten of wood, placed over the
backstays fore-swifter of the shrouds, &c., so as to secure the standing
rigging from being chafed. Perhaps so called from the scotch or notch
where the seizing is passed.
SCOTCH MIST. Mizzle, or small soaking rain.
SCOTCH PRIZE. A mistake; worse than no prize, or one liable to hamper
the captors with heavy law expenses.
SCOTIA. Carved mouldings and grooves.
SCOUR A BEACH, TO. To pour a quick flanking fire along it, in order to
dislodge an enemy.
SCOURER, OR SCOURING-STICK. Spring-searcher. An implement to clean the
interior of musket barrels.
SCOURGE. A name of the boatswain's cat.
SCOUR THE SEAS, TO. To infest the ocean as a pirate.
SCOUSE. A dish made of pounded biscuit and salt beef cut into small
pieces, boiled up with seasoning. (_See_ LOBSCOUSE.)
SCOUTS. Small vessels of war for especial service. (_See_ SKOUTS.) Also,
intelligent men sent in advance to discover the enemy, and give an
account of his force.
SCOW. A large flat-bottomed boat, used either as a lighter, or for
ferrying.
SCOW-BANKER. A manager of a scow. Also, a contemptuous term for a
lubberly fellow.
SCOWRING. The cleansing and clearing a harbour by back-water, or
otherwise. Also an old term for tropical flux or dysentery.
SCRABBLE. A badly written log. This term is used by the translators of
the Bible at David's feigned madness, when he "scrabbled on the doors of
the gate."