Hell Around the Horn

Glossary

AB – Able seaman, able to hand, reef and steer.

Amidships – the middle section of the ship.

Anchor, catting – to secure the anchor to the cathead, typically for a short or coastal voyage. For longer voyages, the anchor would be hoisted onto the deck and lashed securely.

Apprentice – a young man who signs on for a four year training period, a ship's officer in training.

Armstrong Patent – slang, a ship with few winches or other mechanical labor-saving devices, where the strong arms of the crew were all that raises, lowers and trims the sails.

Articles – short for Articles of Agreement, a contract between the captain of a ship and a crew member regarding stipulations of a voyage, signed prior to and upon termination of a voyage.

Athwartships – perpendicular to the centerline of the ship, across the width of the ship.

Barometer – a device to measure the barometric pressure. A rising barometer suggests good weather whereas a falling barometer indicates increasing storms.

Barque – a sailing ship of three or more masts having the foremasts rigged square and the aftermast rigged fore-and-aft.

Beam – the breadth of a ship.

Before the mast – traditionally sailors lived forward of the main mast while officers berthed aft. Sailing before the mast was sailing as an able or ordinary seaman.

Best bib and tucker – slang, one's best clothes.

Binnacle – a stand or enclosure of wood or nonmagnetic metal for supporting and housing a compass.

Body and soul lashings – lashings of twine around the waist, pant legs and wrists to prevent the wind from blowing open or up a sailor's oilskins.

Bogie stove – also bogy and bogey, a small cabin stove.

Bolt-rope – a line sewn into the edges of a sail.

Bowsprit – a large spar projecting forward from the stem of a ship.

Brace, Braces – on a square-rigged ship, lines used to rotate the yards around the mast, to allow the ship to sail at different angles to the wind.

Brassbounder – a ship's apprentice, from the row or rows of brass buttons on an apprentice's dress jacket.

Bulwark – plating along the sides of a ship above her gunwale that provides some protection to the crew from being washed overboard by boarding seas.

Bunt – the middle part of the sail. When furling the sail, the last task is to "roll the bunt," which is hauling the furled bunt on the top of the yard and tying it with gaskets.

Buntlines – small lines used to haul up the bottom of the sail prior to furling. There are usually four to eight buntlines across the foot of the sail. When a sail is to be furled, the buntlines and the clewlines are hauled, gather up the sail. When the sail is supported by the buntlines and clewlines, the sail is said to be hanging in its gear.

Burgoo – a porridge of coarse oatmeal and water.

Bute Dock – a dock built in Cardiff, Wales by John Crichton-Stuart, 2nd Marquess of Bute opened in October 1839.

Capstan – a vertical windlass used for raising yards, anchors and any other heavy object aboard ship.

Cardiff, Wales – the capital and largest city in Wales and the tenth largest city in the United Kingdom. In the early twentieth century, Cardiff was the largest exporter of coal in the world.

Clew – the lower corners of a square sail or the lower aft corner of a fore and aft sail.

Clewlines – lines used to haul up the lower corners of a sail prior to furling. See also, buntlines.

Clipper ship – a very fast sailing ship of the mid 19th century that had three or more masts and a square rig. The clipper ship era began the 1830s and ended around 1870.

Close-hauled – when a ship is sailing as close to the wind as it can. A square-rigged ship could usually sail no closer than five to seven points to the wind.

Compass Points – the compass is divided into 32 points. Each point is 11.25 degrees.

Course – In navigation, the course is a direction that the ship is sailing, often also called a compass course. In sails, a course is the lowest square sail on a mast. The main course is often called the main sail and the fore course is often referred to as the fore sail.

Coxcombing – a variety of different styles of decorate knot work using hitches and whipping. French Whipping is a common style of coxcombing.

Cringle – an eye through which to pass a rope, a small hole anywhere a sail, rimmed with stranded cordage. Similar to a grommet.

Cro'jack – the mizzen course. See Course

Crosstrees – two horizontal struts at the upper ends of the topmasts used to anchor the shrouds from the topgallant mast.

Davits – frames used to store ships boats which can be quickly swung over the side to allow the boats to be lowered.

Deal planks – A softwood plank, often fir or pine.

Dogwatch – a work shift, between 1600 and 2000 (4pm and 8pm). This period is split into two, with the first dog watch from 1600 to 1800 (4pm to 6pm) and the second dog watch from 1800 to 2000 (6pm to 8pm). Each of these watches is half the length of a standard watch. Effect of the two half watches is to shift the watch schedule daily so that the sailors do not stand the same watch every day. See Watches.

Doldrums – region of the ocean near the equator, characterized by calms, light winds, or squalls.

Donkey boiler – A steam boiler on a ship deck used to supply steam to deck machinery.

Donkey's breakfast – a thin sailor's mattress typically filled with straw.

Downhaul – A line used to pull down a sail or yard

Fife rail – a rail at the base of a mast of a sailing vessel, fitted with pins for belaying running rigging. See Pin rail.

Figurehead – a carved wooden decoration, often of person, at the prow of a ship. While figureheads are often carvings of women, they can also be of men as well as animals or mythological creatures.

Flying jib – a sail outside the jib on an extension of the jibboom.

Fo'c'sle house, or fo'c'sle – the accommodation space for sailors. At one time in merchant ships, sailors were berthed in the raised forward part of the ship referred to as the fo'c'sle. Later when the accommodations were moved to a cabin on the main deck the deck house continued to be referred to as the fo'c'sle.

Footropes – a rope of cable secured below a yard to a provide a place for a sailor to stand while tending sail.

Fore-reaching – a form of heaving-to in which the ship continues to slowly sail forward on a close reach rather than losing ground and drifting backward.

Foremast – the forward-most mast.

Foresail – the fore course, the lowest square sail on the foremast.

Forestay – stay supporting the foremast.

Freeboard – the amount of ship's hull above the water, the distance from the waterline to the deck edge.

Freeing port – in a steel bulwark, a heavy hinged flap that allows water on deck to flow overboard.

French leave – slang, departing without permission, explanation or leave.

Furious Fifties – the name given to strong westerly winds found in the Southern Hemisphere, generally between the latitudes of 50 and 60 degrees.

Futtock shrouds – shrouds running from the outer edges of a top downwards and inwards to a point on the mast or lower shrouds, and carry the load of the shrouds that rise from the edge of the top. See Shroud.

Gammoning band – The lashing or iron band by which the bowsprit of a vessel is secured to the stem to opposite the lifting action of the forestays.

Gantline – a line rove through a block for hoisting rigging, spars, provisions or other items.

Gaskets – gaskets are lengths of rope or fabric used to hold a stowed sail in place, on yachts commonly called sail ties.

Gunwale – also gunnel, the upper deck edge of a ship or boat.

Half-deck – the cabin where the apprentices are lodged. The location of the half-deck can vary between ships, from the cabin to the tween deck to a separate cabin on deck. The half-deck refers not to a specific location but to its function as home to the apprentices.

Halyards – a line used to raise a sail or a yard. Originally from "haul yard.”

Harriet Lane – slang for canned meat. Harriet Lane was a murder victim, who was chopped up by her killer around 1875. Merchant sailors came to call any canned meat, Harriet Lane.

Hatch – an opening in the deck of a ship. The main deck hatches are the main access for loading and discharging ship's cargo.

Hatch coaming – A raised frame around a hatch; it forms a support for the hatch cover.

Hatch cover – planks usually held together by metal strapping which form a rectangular panel. These were supported over a hatch by hatch beams. The hatch covers were then made watertight by stretching a tarpaulin across the hatch which was held tight by wedges.

Hatch wedges – wedges used to secure the hatch tarpaulin

Hawser – a thick cable or rope used in mooring or towing a ship.

Heave to, hove to – in extreme weather conditions, to heave to allows the ship to keep a controlled angle to the wind and seas by balancing effects the reduced sail and and a lashed helm, to wait out the storm. The ships drifts backwards slowly generally under control without the need for active sail-handling.

Jackstay – an iron rod, wooden bar, or wire rope along a yard to which the sails are fastened.

Jarvis Patent brace winch – a manual winch invented by Captain John Charles Barron Jarvis that drastically reduced the number of sailors required to brace the sails. The winch also improved crew safety as it moved the sailors toward centerline and away from the ship's rail, decreasing the chance of sailors being swept overboard or injured by boarding waves. Notwithstanding that the winches were very successful, they were never adopted on British or American ships.

Jib – a triangular staysail that sets ahead of the foremast

Jib-boom – a spar used to extend the length of a bowsprit on sailing ships.

Latitude – a measure of the north-south position on the Earth's surface. Lines of latitude, or parallels, run east–west as circles parallel to the equator. Latitude ranges from 0° at the Equator to 90° at the poles.

Lazarette – a below deck storage area in the stern of the ship

Leeward – the direction away from the wind.

Lee rail – The deck edge on the side of the ship away from the direction from which the wind is blowing. The weather rail is the on the other side of the ship.

Limey – slang for a British sailor or ship. Also called lime juicers. From the British policy of issuing lime or lemon juice to sailors to prevent scurvy on long passages.

Liverpool deck – on some of the later windjammers, an accommodations cabin/deck amidships which spanned the entire beam of the ship.

Liverpool pantiles – slang for hard bread said to resemble roofing tile in shape, consistency and flavor.

Local Apparent Noon – the moment when the sun is observed to be at its highest point in its travel across the sky. By measuring the altitude (the angular distance from the horizon) and noting the time difference between Local Apparent Noon and Greenwich time, a ship's officer can determine the ship's latitude and longitude. See Sun Sight and Sextant.

Longitude – a measurement of the east-west position on the Earth's surface, an angular measurement, usually expressed in degrees. Points with the same longitude lie in lines running from the North Pole to the South Pole. By convention, one of these, the Prime Meridian, which passes through the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, England, establishes the position of zero degrees longitude. The longitude of other places is measured as an angle east or west from the Prime Meridian, ranging from 0° at the Prime Meridian to +180° eastward and –180° westward.

Lying a-hull – similar to being hove to except that no effort is made to maintain control of the ship's hull in relation to the wind and sea. Sails are furled and the ship is allowed to drift, generally sideways to the seas.

Madame Cashee – a brothel keeper in Callao, Peru immortalized in a sea shanty.

Main mast – the largest mast on a sailing ship. The middle mast on a three masted ship.

Main sail – the main course, the lowest square sail set on the main mast.

Mainstay – stay supporting the main mast leading forward on the centerline of the ship.

Marline – a small, usually tarred, line of two strands twisted loosely left-handed that is used especially for seizing and as a covering for wire rope.

Marlinspike – A marlinspike is a polished iron or steel spike tapered to a rounded or flattened point, usually 6 to 12 inches long, used in ropework for unlaying rope for splicing, for untying knots, opening or closing shackles and a variety of related tasks.

Marlinspike sailor – a sailor who become proficient at knot tying, splicing, ropework, sewing, and use of a marlinspike.

Meridian or line of longitude – half of an imaginary great circle on the Earth's surface terminated by the North Pole and the South Pole, connecting points of equal longitude.

Mizzen – the aftermost mast and smallest mast, the third mast on a three masted ship.

Mooring lines – lines or hawsers used to hold the ship fast against a dock.

Official Log Book – the official record of the voyage, listing crew signing on and off. A record is also kept of discipline, injuries, births or deaths that occur on the vessel, as well musters and drills.

Ordinary, ordinary seaman – a less experienced sailor not rated Able. Not trusted for tasks such as steering without supervision.

Outhaul – a line used to haul or stretch a sail on a yard or boom.

Pannikin – a small metal pan or cup.

Peggy – a sailor assigned to menial tasks.

Pierhead jumpers – the last sailors brought aboard a ship before she sails, often purchased from boarding house masters or crimps.

Pin rail – a strong wooden rail or bar containing holes for pins to which the running rigging is belayed fastened on sailing vessels usually along the ship's rail.

Pisagua, Chile – a port on the Pacific Ocean which was a major nitrate exporter from the 1870s through the early part of the 20^th century.

Point of sail – a sailing vessel's course in relation to the wind direction. When the wind is astern the ship is on a "run." When the the wind is coming across the side, the ship is on a "reach." When the wind is more from aft it is a "broad reach." When the wind is on the beam, it is a "beam reach" and when the wind is forward of the beam, it is a close reach. When a ship is sailing as course as close to the wind as possible it is "beating" or "going to weather.”

Poop deck – the raised afterdeck. The helm is aft on the poop deck.

Port Stanley – a port in the Falkland Islands that is the last port of refuge before rounding Cape Horn to the West.

Preussen – a German steel-hulled five-masted ship-rigged windjammer built in 1902 for the F. Laeisz shipping company. Until 2000, the Preussen was the only 5 masted ship-rigged ship ever built. She had a reputation for speed. Captain Barker bragged that he had sailed past the Preussen, although records suggest that the tow ships never crossed paths.

Ratlines – small lines secured horizontally to the shrouds of a ship every 15 or 16 inches forming rungs, allowing sailors to climb aloft.

Reach – a point of sail in which the wind is blowing across the side of the ship. When the wind is more from aft it is a "broad reach." When the wind is on the beam, it is a "beam reach" and when the wind is forward of the beam, it is a close reach.

Reef – to reduce the size of a sail by tying in ropes or gaskets in cringles in the reef-bands which are parallel to the top of the sail.

Río de la Plata – the river of silver, the Spanish name for the River Plate, so named because of the gray color of the silt in the river/estuary.

River Plate – a large estuary between between Argentina and Uruguay formed by the confluence of the Uruguay River and the Paraná River.

Roaring Forties – the name given to strong westerly winds found in the Southern Hemisphere, generally between the latitudes of 40 and 50 degrees.

Robands – small plaited lines used to tie the square sails to the yards

Rogue wave – a large and spontaneous ocean surface wave that occurs well out to sea, and is a threat even to large ships. Rogue waves have been known to reach over 100 feet in height.

Rolling hitch – (or Magnus hitch) is a knot used to attach a rope to a rod, pole, or other rope.

Rolling the bunt – when furling a sail, rolling the middle section of the sail up on the yard to be secured with gaskets.

Royals, Royal sails – the traditionally, the highest sails on any mast. Some ships set skysails above royals.) The sails in order from the lowest to the highest – course, topsail (usually upper and lower topsail), topgallant sail (often upper and lower t'gallant sails) and the royals. Some ships set skysails above royals.

Run – the point of sail in which the wind is directly behind the ship.

Running rigging – rigging used in the raising, lowering and trimming of sails and other gear aboard ship. Running rigging is intended to move, whereas standing rigging is not.

Sailor's palm – a tool of leather and metal which fits on a sailor's hand so that he can use his palm to push a heavy sewing needle through tough material such as rope, leather and canvas.

Salt horse – sailor slang for salted beef.

Scupper – opening in the side of a ship at deck level to allow water to run off.

Serving and parceling – to protect rigging again chafe, the wrapping of canvas (parceling) over the rigging followed by tightly wound marline (serving). The rigging is them usually tarred over.

Sextant – an instrument used to measure the angle between any two visible objects. When used to navigate at sea, the sextant is used primarily to determine the angle between a celestial object and the horizon.

Shanty – a sailor's working song used when handing sail, pumping or using the capstan.

Shantyman – a sailor who leads the singing of the shanty.

Sheet – a line used to control a sail, secured to the sail clew.

Ship-rigged – a vessel with at least three masts square-rigged on all masts.

Shroud – standing rigging supporting the mast from side to side.

Slop chest – store of clothing and personal goods carried on merchant ships for issue to the crew usually as a charge against their wages.

Sou'wester - a waterproof hat having a very broad rim behind, favored by seamen.

Spanker – a gaff rigged fore-and-aft sail set from and aft of the after most mast.

Square sail – a sail, usually four sided secured to a yard rigged square or perpendicular to the mast.

Standing rigging – the fixed rigging that supports the masts, yards and spars of a sailing ship. Standing rigging includes stays and shrouds and unlike running rigging is not intended to move.

Starboard – the right side of a ship, nautical term for the right.

Stays – standing rigging used to support the masts along the centerline of the ship. Each mast has backstays and forestays.

Staysail – a fore and aft sail set on a stay, either between the masts or between the bowspriat and the foremast

Sun sight – the most common sight taken in celestial navigation. A ship's officer with a sextant can determine the ship's latitude by measuring the sun's altitude (height above the horizon) at Local Apparent Noon. With an accurate chronometer, the officer can also determine latitude observing the time of Local Apparent Noon as compared to the time in Greenwich, England.

Square-rigged – A ship or a mast with sails set on yards rigged square, or perpendicular to the centerline of the ship.

Susannah, Susanna – a German four-masted ship that took 99 days to round Cape Horn on a passage of two hundred and seven days from Port Talbot to Iquique, Chile in 1905 - the longest rounding on record.

T'gallant fo'c'sle – the space beneath the raise deck on the bow of the ship. The space could be used for stores and gear or as an accommodations space for the crew.

T'gans'ls, t'gallant, top gallant sails – the sails set above the topsails. In many windjammers the t'gallant sails were split, like the topsails, into upper and lower t'gallant yards and sails to make sail handling easier.

Tiger Bay – an area around Butetown and the Cardiff Docks in Cardiff, Wales. Tiger Bay had a reputation for being a tough and dangerous area. Merchant seamen arrived in Cardiff from all over the world, staying only for as long as it took to discharge and reload their ships. Consequently the area became the Red-light district of Cardiff. The name "Tiger Bay" became used in a number of port cities to refer to any rough and boisterous "sailor town."

Top – a platform on each mast at the upper end of the lower mast section whose main purpose is to anchor the shrouds of the topmast that extends above it. The top is larger and lower on the masts but performs the same function as the cross trees.

Top-hamper – slang for the sails, masts and rigging of a ship. Can also refer to only the light upper sails and rigging.

Topping lift – a line used to support the yards when the yard is lowered or the sail is furled. Depending on the rigging of the ship the lifts can also be used to adjust the angle of the yards when under sail.

Topsail – the sail above the course. A large and powerful sail, after 1850s most topsails were split into upper and lower topsails to make sail-handing easier. Windjammers tended to have upper and lower topsails.

Turk's head – an ornamental knot that resembles a small turban.

Vang – A line used to swing a boom or yard.

Watches – regular periods of work duty aboard a ship. The watches kept on sailing ships usually consisted of 5 four-hour periods and 2 two-hour periods. On many merchant ships the watches were divided into the captain's and the mate's watch or starboard and port watches. The captain did not stand a watch so the Second Mate stood the watch in his stead. By tradition, the captain's watch stood the first watch on the sailing of the ship from its home port, while the mate's atch took the first watch on sailing on the return voyage.

Weather rail – The deck edge on the side of the ship in the direction from which the wind is blowing. The lee rail is the on the other side of the ship.

Wet dock – A wet dock is a dock in which the water is impounded either by dock gates or by a lock, allowing ships to remain afloat at low tide in places with high tidal ranges. The level of water in the dock is maintained despite the raising and lowering of the tide. This makes transfer of cargo easier. It works like a lock which controls the water level and allows passage of ships.

Wharfinger – an owner or manager of a wharf.

Windward – the direction from which the wind is blowing.

Windbound – ship that is becalmed, incapable of moving due to lack of wind.

Windjammer – a large square rigged sailing ship common in the later portion of the 19^th and early 20^th century, often built of steel or iron, designed for maximum cargo capacity.

Worming – wrapping a thin line in a cable's strands before serving and parcelling.

Yard – a spar rigged horizontally, perpendicular or "square" to a ship's mast, used to set a square sail.

Yard Arm – the extreme outer end of the a yard.