The Sailor's Word-Book Part 72

DAWK-BOAT. A boat for the conveyance of letters in India; _dawk_ being the Hindostanee for _mail_.

DAY. The astronomical day is reckoned from noon to noon, continuously through the twenty-four hours, like the other days. It commences at noon, twelve hours after the civil day, which itself begins twelve hours after the nautical day, so that the _noon_ of the civil day, the _beginning_ of the astronomical day, and the _end_ of the nautical day, occur at the same moment. (_See the words_ SOLAR and SIDEREAL.)

DAY-BOOK. An old and better name for the log-book; a journal [Fr.]

DAY-MATES. Formerly the mates of the several decks--now abolished.

(_See_ SUB-LIEUTENANT.)

DAY-SKY. The aspect of the sky at day-break, or at twilight.

DAY'S WORK. In navigation, the reckoning or reduction of the s.h.i.+p's courses and distances made good during twenty-four hours, or from noon to noon, according to the rules of trigonometry, and thence ascertaining her lat.i.tude and longitude by _dead-reckoning_ (which see).

D-BLOCK. A lump of oak in the shape of a D, bolted to the s.h.i.+p's side in the channels to reeve the lifts through.

DEAD-ANGLE. In fortification, is an angle receiving no defence, either by its own fire or that of any other works.

DEAD-CALM. A total cessation of wind; the same as _flat-calm_.

DEAD-DOORS. Those fitted in a rabbet to the outside of the quarter-gallery doors, with the object of keeping out the sea, in case of the gallery being carried away.

DEADEN A s.h.i.+P'S WAY, TO. To r.e.t.a.r.d a vessel's progress by bracing in the yards, so as to reduce the effect of the sails, or by backing minor sails. Also, when sounding to luff up and shake all, to obtain a cast of the deep-sea lead.

DEAD-EYE, OR DEAD MAN'S EYE. A sort of round flattish wooden block, or oblate piece of elm, encircled, and fixed to the channels by the chain-plate: it is pierced with three holes through the flat part, in order to receive a rope called the laniard, which, corresponding with three holes in another dead-eye on the shroud end, creates a purchase to set up and extend the shrouds and stays, backstays, &c., of the standing and top-mast rigging. The term _dead_ seems to have been used because there is no revolving sheave to lessen the friction. In merchant-s.h.i.+ps they are generally fitted with iron-plates, in the room of chains, extending from the vessel's side to the top of the rail, where they are connected with the rigging. The dead-eyes used for the stays have only one hole, which, however, is large enough to receive ten or twelve turns of the laniard--these are generally termed _hearts_, on account of their shape. The _crowfeet dead-eyes_ are long cylindrical blocks with a number of small holes in them, to receive the legs or lines composing the crow-foot. Also called _uvrous_.

DEAD-FLAT. The timber or frame possessing the greatest breadth and capacity in the s.h.i.+p: where several timbers are thrown in, of the same area, the middle one is reckoned a dead-flat, about one third of the length of the s.h.i.+p from the head. It is generally distinguished as the mids.h.i.+p-bend.

DEAD-FREIGHT. The sum to which a merchant is liable for goods which he has failed to s.h.i.+p.

DEAD-HEAD. A kind of _dolphin_ (which see). Also, a rough block of wood used as an anchor-buoy.

DEAD-HEADED. Timber trees which have ceased growing.

DEAD-HORSE. A term applied by seamen to labour which has been paid for in advance. When they commence earning money again, there is in some merchant s.h.i.+ps a ceremony performed of dragging round the decks an effigy of their fruitless labour in the shape of a horse, running him up to the yard-arm, and cutting him adrift to fall into the sea amidst loud cheers.

DEAD-LIFT. The moving of a very inert body.

DEAD-LIGHTS. Strong wooden shutters made exactly to fit the cabin windows externally; they are fixed on the approach of bad weather. Also, luminous appearances sometimes seen over putrescent bodies.

DEAD-LOWN. A completely still atmosphere.

DEAD-MEN. The reef or gasket-ends carelessly left dangling under the yard when the sail is furled, instead of being tucked in.

DEAD-MEN'S EFFECTS. When a seaman dies on board, or is drowned, his effects are sold at the mast by auction, and the produce charged against the purchasers' names on the s.h.i.+p's books.

DEAD-MONTHS. A term for winter.

DEAD-ON-END. The wind blowing directly adverse to the vessel's intended course.

DEAD-PAY. That given formerly in shares, or for names borne, but for which no one appears, as was formerly practised with _widows' men_.

DEAD-RECKONING. The estimation of the s.h.i.+p's place without any observation of the heavenly bodies; it is discovered from the distance she has run by the log, and the courses steered by the compa.s.s, then rectifying these data by the usual allowance for current, lee-way, &c., according to the s.h.i.+p's known trim. This reckoning, however, should be corrected by astronomical observations of the sun, moon, and stars, whenever available, proving the importance of practical astronomy.

DEAD-RISING. In s.h.i.+p-building, is that part of a s.h.i.+p which lies aft between the keel and her floor-timbers towards the stern-post; generally it is applied to those parts of the bottom, throughout the s.h.i.+p's length, where the sweep or curve at the head of the floor-timber terminates, or inflects to join the keel. (_See_ RISING-LINE.)

DEAD-ROPES. Those which do not run in any block.

DEAD-SHARES. An allowance formerly made to officers of the fleet, from fict.i.tious numbers borne on the complement (_temp._ Henry VIII.), varying from fifty shares for an admiral, to half a share for the cook's mate.

DEAD-SHEAVE. A scored aperture in the heel of a top-mast, through which a second top-tackle pendant can be rove. It is usually a section of a lignum-vitae sheave let in, so as to avoid chafe.

DEAD-TICKET. Persons dying on board, those discharged from the service, and all officers promoted, are cleared from the s.h.i.+p's books by a dead-ticket, which must be filled up in a similar manner to the _sick-ticket_ (which see).

DEAD UPON A WIND. Braced sharp up and bowlines hauled.

DEAD-WATER. The eddy-water under the counter of a s.h.i.+p under way; so called because pa.s.sing away slower than the water alongside. A s.h.i.+p is said to _make much dead-water_ when she has a great eddy following her stern, often occasioned by her having a square tuck. A vessel with a round b.u.t.tock at her line of floatation can have but little dead-water, the rounding abaft allowing the fluid soon to recover its state of rest.

DEAD WEIGHT. A vessel's lading when it consists of heavy goods, but particularly such as pay freight according to their weight and not their _stowage_.

DEAD WOOD. Certain blocks of timber, generally oak, fayed on the upper side of the keel, particularly at the extremities before and abaft, where these pieces are placed upon each other to a considerable height, because the s.h.i.+p is there so narrow as not to admit of the two half timbers, which are therefore scored into this dead wood, where the angle of the floor-timbers gradually diminishes on approaching the stem and stern-post. In the fore-part of the s.h.i.+p the dead wood generally extends from the stemson, upon which it is scarphed, to the loof-frame; and in the after-end, from the stern-post, where it is confined by the knee, to the after balance frame. It is connected to the keel by strong spike nails. The dead wood afore and abaft is equal in depth to two-thirds of the depth of the keel, and as broad as can be procured, not exceeding the breadth of the keel, _i.e._ continued as high as the _cutting-down_ line in both bodies, to afford a stepping for the heels of the cant timbers.

DEAD-WOOD KNEES. The upper foremost and aftermost pieces of dead wood; being crooked pieces of timber, the bolting of which connects the keel with the stem and stern posts.

DEAD WORKS. All that part of the s.h.i.+p which is above water when she is laden. The same as _upper work_, or _supernatant_ (which see).

DEAL BEACH. This coast consists of gravelly s.h.i.+ngle; and a man who is pock-marked, or in galley-cant cribbage-faced, is figuratively said to have been rolled on Deal beach.

DEAL-ENDS. Applied to deal-planks when under 6 feet in length.

DEATH OR MONEY BOATS. So termed from the risk in such frail craft. They were very long, very narrow, and as thin as the skiffs of our rivers.

During the war of 1800-14 they carried gold between Dover and Calais, and defied the custom-house officers.

DEATH-WOUND. A law-term for the starting of a b.u.t.t end, or springing a fatal leak. A s.h.i.+p had received her death-wound, but by pumping was kept afloat till three days after the time she was insured for: it was determined that the risk was at an end before the loss happened, and that the insurer was not liable.

DEBARK, TO. To land; to go on sh.o.r.e.

DEBENTURE. A custom-house certificate given to the exporter of goods, on which a bounty or drawback is allowed. Also, a general term for a bill or bond.

DEBOUCHE. The mouth of a river, outlet of a wood, defile, or narrow pa.s.s. In military language, troops defile or march out from.

DECAGON. A plane geometrical figure that has ten equal sides, and as many equal angles.

DECAMP, TO. To raise the camp; the breaking up from a place where an army has been encamped.

DECEPTIO VISUS. Any extraordinary instance of deception to the sight, occasioned by the effects of atmospheric media. (_See_ TERRESTRIAL REFRACTION and MIRAGE.)

DECIMATION. The punis.h.i.+ng every tenth soldier by lot, was truly _decimatio legionis_.

DECIME. A small copper coin of France, equal to two sous, or one-tenth of a franc.