The Sailor's Word-Book Part 144

KNAPSACK. A light water-proof case fitted to the back, in which the foot-soldier carries his necessaries on a march.

KNARRS. Knots in spars. (_See_ GNARRE.)

KNECK. The twisting of rope or cable as it is veering out.

KNEE. Naturally grown timber, or bars of iron, bent to a right angle, or to fit the surfaces, and to secure bodies firmly together, as hanging knees secure the deck-beams to the sides. They are divided into _hanging-knees_, _diagonal hanging-knees_, _lodging-knees or deck-beam knees_, _transom-knees_, _helm-post transom-knees_, _wing transom-knees_ (which see).

KNEE OF THE HEAD. A large flat piece of timber, fixed edgeways, and fayed upon the fore-part of a s.h.i.+p's stem, supporting the ornamental figure. (_See_ HEAD.) Besides which, this piece is otherwise useful as serving to secure the boom or b.u.mkin, by which the fore-tack is extended to windward, and by its great breadth preventing the s.h.i.+p from falling to leeward, when close-hauled, so much as she would otherwise be liable to do. It also affords security to the bowsprit by increasing the angle of the bobstay, so as to make it act more perpendicularly on the bowsprit. The _knee of the head_ is a phrase peculiar to s.h.i.+pwrights; by seamen it is called the _cut-water_ (which see).

KNEES. _Dagger-knees_ are those which are fixed rather obliquely to avoid an adjacent gun-port, or where, from the vicinity of the next beam, there is not s.p.a.ce for the arms of two lodging-knees.--_Lodging-knees_ are fixed horizontally in the s.h.i.+p's frame, having one arm bolted to the beam, and the other across two or three of the timbers.--_Standard-knees_ are those which, being upon a deck, have one arm bolted down to it, and the other pointing upwards secured to the s.h.i.+p's side; such also, are the bits and channels.

KNEE-TIMBER. That sort of crooked timber which forms at its back or elbow an angle of from 24 to 45; but the more acute this angle is, the more valuable is the timber on that account. Used for knees, rising floors, and crutches. Same as _raking-knees_.

KNETTAR. A string used to tie the mouth of a sack.

KNIFE. An old name for a dagger: thus Lady Macbeth--

"That my keen knife see not the wound it makes."

KNIGHT-HEADS. Two large oak timbers, one on each side of the stem, rising up sufficiently above it to support the bowsprit, which is fixed between them. The term is synonymous with _bollard timbers_.--_Knight-heads_ also formerly denoted in many merchant s.h.i.+ps, two strong frames of timber fixed on the main-deck, a little behind the fore-mast, which supported the ends of the windla.s.s. They were frequently called the _bitts_, and then their upper parts only were denominated the knight-heads, from having been embellished with a carved head. (_See_ WINDLa.s.s.) Also, a name formerly given to the lower jear-blocks, which were then no other than bitts, containing several sheaves, and nearly resembling our present topsail-sheet bitts.

KNIGHTHOOD. An inst.i.tution by princes, either for the defence of religion, or as marks of honour on officers who have distinguished themselves by their valour and address. This dignity being personal, dies with the individual so honoured. The initials of our own orders are:--K.G., Knight of the Garter; K.T., Knight of the Thistle; K.S.P., Knight of St. Patrick; G.C.B., Grand Cross of the Bath; K.C.B., Knight Commander of the Bath; G.C.H., Knight Grand Cross of the Hanoverian Guelphic Order; K.H., Knight of the Hanoverian Guelphic Order; G.C.M.G., Grand Cross of St. Michael and George; E.S.I., Most Exalted Star of India. The princ.i.p.al foreign orders worn by our navy are those of Hanover, St. Ferdinand and Merit, the Tower and Sword, Legion of Honour, Maria Theresa, St. Bento d'Avis, Cross of Charles III., San Fernando, St. Louis, St. Vladimir, St. Anne of Russia, Red Eagle of Prussia, Redeemer of Greece, Medjidie of Turkey, Leopold of Austria, Iron Crown of Austria, William of the Netherlands.

KNIGHTS. Two short thick pieces of wood, formerly carved like a man's head, having four sheaves in each, one of them abaft the fore-mast, called _fore-knight_, and the other abaft the main-mast, called _main-knight_.

KNITTLE. _See_ NETTLES.

k.n.o.b, OR k.n.o.bBE. An officer; perhaps from the Scotch term _knabbie_, the lower cla.s.s of gentry.

KNOCKER. A peculiar and fetid species of West Indian c.o.c.kroach, so called on account of the knocking noise they make in the night.

KNOCK OFF WORK AND CARRY DEALS. A term used to deride the idea of any work, however light, being relaxation; just as giving up taking in heavy beams of timber and being set to carry deals, is not really knocking off work.

KNOLL. The top of a rounded hill; the head of a bank, or the most elevated part of a submarine shoal. [Perhaps derived from _nowl_, a provincialism for head.]

KNOPP. _See_ KNAP.

KNOT. A large k.n.o.b formed on the extremity of a rope, generally by untwisting its ends, and interweaving them regularly among each other; of these there are several sorts, differing in form, size, and name, as diamond knot, kop knot, overhand knot, reef knot, shroud knot, stopper knot, single wall knot, double wall knot. The bowline knot is so firmly made, and fastened to the cringles of the sails, that they must break, or the sails split, before it will slip. (_See_ RUNNING BOWLINE.) The sheepshank knot serves to shorten a rope without cutting it, and may be presently loosened. The wall-knot is so made with the lays of a rope that it cannot slip, and serves for sheets, tacks, and stoppers. Knots are generally used to act as a b.u.t.ton, in preventing the end of a rope from slipping through the hole of a dead-eye, or through the turns of a laniard, by which they are sometimes made fast to other ropes.--_Knot_ also implies a division on the log line, bearing a similar proportion to a mile, which half a minute does to an hour; that is, it is 1/120 of a mile; hence we say, the s.h.i.+p was going 8 knots, signifying 8 miles per hour. Indeed, in nautical parlance, the words knot and mile are synonyms, alluding to the geographical mile of 60' to a degree of lat.i.tude.

KNOWL. A term commonly given to the summits of elevated lands in the west of England, therefore probably the same as _knoll_.

KNOWLEDGE. In admiralty law, opposed to ignorance, and the want of which is liable to heavy penalty.

KNUCKLE. A sudden angle made on some timbers by a quick reverse of shape, such as the knuckles of the counter-timbers.

KNUCKLE-RAILS. Those mouldings which are placed at the knuckles of the stern-timbers.

KNUCKLE-TIMBERS. The top-timbers in the fore-body, the heads of which stand perpendicular, and form an angle with the flare or hollow of the top-side.

KNUCKLE-UNDER. Obey your superior's order; give way to circ.u.mstances.

KNURRT. Stunted; not freely grown.

KOFF. A large Dutch coasting trader, fitted with two masts, and sails set with sprits.

KOMETA. A captain formerly elected in the Spanish navy by twelve experienced navigators.

KOOLIE, OR COOLIE. An Indian day-labourer and porter.

KOOND. A large cistern at a watering-place in India.

KOPEK. A Russian copper coin, 100 of which make a rouble; in value nearly a halfpenny, and named from _kopea_, a spear, because formerly stamped with St. George spearing the dragon.

KOROCORA. A broad-beamed Molucca vessel, with high stem and stern, and an out-rigger. It is common among the Malay islands.

KOTA. An excellent turpentine procured in India.

KOUPANG. A gold coin of j.a.pan and the Moluccas, of various value, from 25 to 44 s.h.i.+llings.

KOWDIE. The New Zealand pine spars.

KRABLA. A Russian vessel, usually from Archangel, fitted for killing the whale, walrus, and other Arctic quarry.

KRAKEN. The fict.i.tious sea-monster of Norway.

KRANG. The body of a whale when divested of its blubber, and therefore abandoned by the whalers.

KRAYER. A small vessel, but perhaps larger than the cogge, being thus mentioned in the _Morte Arthure_--

"Be thanne cogge appone cogge, krayers and other."

KREE, TO. A north-country word: to beat, or bruise.

KREEL. A framework of timber for the catching of fish, especially salmon. Also a crab-pot, made of osiers, on the princ.i.p.al of a wire mouse-trap. Also, a sportsman's fis.h.i.+ng basket.

KRENNEL. The smaller cringle for bowline bridles, &c.

KRINGLE, TO. To dry and shrivel up. Also a form of _cringle_ (which see).

KRIS. The formidable dagger used by the Malays.

KROO-MEN, OR CREW-MEN. Fishmen. A tribe of African negroes inhabiting Cape Palmas, Krou-settra, and Settra-krou, subjects of Great Britain, and cannot be made slaves; they are specially employed in wooding and watering where hazardous to European const.i.tutions.

KUB-HOUSE, OR CUBBOOS. _See_ CABOOSE.

KYAR. Cordage made in India from the fibres which envelope the cocoa nut, and having the advantage of elasticity and buoyancy, makes capital cables for country s.h.i.+ps. (_See_ COIR.)

KYDLE. A dam in a river for taking fish--