There is no class of books which it more behoves future compilers
of glossaries to consult, than those which treat of geography,
navigation, military and naval economy, and the science of warfare
both on shore and afloat. As far as the technical terms have been used
by poets and dramatists, much valuable illustration may be found in
the annotated editions of their works, but much more is required for
general purposes, and I could point out some fifty volumes which would
enable an industrious student, possessing a competent acquaintance
with those subjects in their modern state, to produce a most useful
supplement to our existing glossaries.
With very small pretensions to the amount of information which [Greek:
S] ascribes to me, I will at once answer his query on the meaning of
_grummett_.
GRUMETE is pure Spanish. It also occurs as a Portuguese word. I shall
transcribe the explanations of it as given by the best authorities on
those languages:--
"GRVMETE.--El muchacho que sirue en el nauio, y sube por el
mastil, o arbol, y por la antena, y haze todo {338} lo demas
que le mandan con gran presteza."--Sebastian de Couarruuias,
1611.
"GRUMETE.--El mozo que sirve en el navío para subir á la
gavia y otros usos. _Tirunculus nauticus_."--La real academia
Española.
"GRUMETE.--Grumete he o moço que serve como de criado
aos marinheiros, sobindo pellos mastros atè à gavea,
etc."--Raphael Bluteau.
We have a statement of the rank and ratings of the officers and men
of a ship of war in the _Sea grammar_ of captain Smith, 1627. 4to. The
word in question, as a _rating_, had then become obsolete. The duties
of the seamen are thus described:
"The _sailers_ are the ancient men for hoising the sailes,
getting the tacks aboord, haling the bowlings, and steering
the ship.
"The _younkers_ are the young men called fore-mast men, to
take in the top-sailes, or top and yard, for furling the
sailes, or slinging the yards, bousing or trising, and take
their turnes at helme."
Now, a comparison of the definitions of the Spanish and Portuguese
_gromete_, and the English _younker_, leads me to infer that the
latter term had been substituted for _grummett_ or _gromet_, and
that the duties of both classes were nearly the same.
If the above information should seem less precise than might be
expected, I must make my apology in the words which Edward Jorden
addressed to captain Smith on the publication of his _Sea grammar_:
"Who can
Deriue thy words, is more grammarian
Than Camden, Clenard, Ramus, Lilly were:
Here's language would haue non-plust Scaliger!"
Bolton Corney.
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