The Sailor's Word-Book Part 17

AUBERK, OR HAUBERK. One who held land to be ready with a coat of mail and attend his lord when called upon so to do. Thus the old poet:--

"Auberk, sketoun, and scheld Was mani to-broken in that feld."

AUDIT. The final pa.s.sing of accounts.

AUDITORS OF THE IMPREST. Officers who had the charge of the great accounts of the royal customs, naval and military expenses, &c.; they are now superseded by the commissioners for auditing the public accounts.

AUGES. An astronomical term, synonymous with _apsides_.

AUGET. A tube filled with powder for firing a mine.

AUGMENTATION OF THE MOON'S DIAMETER. The increase of her apparent diameter occasioned by an increase of alt.i.tude: or that which is due to the difference between her distance from the observer and the centre of the earth.

AUGRE, OR AUGER. A wimble, or instrument for boring holes for bolts, tree-nails, and other purposes.

AUK, OR AWK. A sea-bird with short wings. The great auk or gair-fowl (_Alca impennis_) was formerly common on all the northern coasts, where they laid their eggs, ingeniously poised, on the bare rocks. They were very good eating, and having been taken in great numbers by the Esquimaux, and by European sailors on whaling voyages, the species is now supposed to be exterminated.

AULIN. An arctic gull (_Cataractes parasiticus_), given to make other sea-birds mute through fear, and then eat their discharge--whence it is termed _dirty aulin_ by the northern boatmen.

AUMBREY. An old north-country term for a bread and cheese locker.

AUNE. Contraction of _ulna_. French cloth measure: at Rouen it is equal to the English ell--at Paris 095--at Calais 152 of that measure.

AURIGA. A northern constellation, and one of the old 48 asterisms; it is popularly known as the _Waggoner_: a Auriga, Capella.

AURORA. The faint light which precedes sunrising. Also the mythological mother of the winds and stars.

AURORA AUSTRALIS OR BOREALIS. The extraordinary and luminous meteoric phenomenon which by its streaming effulgence cheers the dreary nights of polar regions. It is singular that these beautiful appearances are nowhere mentioned by the ancients. They seem to be governed by electricity, are most frequent in frosty weather, and are proved to be many miles above the surface of the earth, from some of them being visible over 30 of longitude and 20 of lat.i.tude at the same instant!

In colour they vary from yellow to deep red; in form they are Proteus-like, a.s.suming that of streamers, columns, fans, or arches, with a quick flitting, and sometimes whizzing noises. The aurora is not vivid above the 76th degree of north lat.i.tude, and is seldom seen before the end of August. Cook was the first navigator who recorded the southern lights.

AUSTER. The south wind of the ancients, gusts from which quarter are called _autan_.

AUSTRAL. Relating to the south.--_Austral signs_, those on the south side of the equator, or the last six of the zodiac.

AUTHORITY. The legal power or right of commanding.

AUTOMATIC BLOW-OFF APPARATUS. _See_ BLOW-OFF-PIPE.

AUTUMNAL EQUINOX. The time when the sun crosses the equator, under a southerly motion, and the days and nights are then everywhere equal in length. (_See_ LIBRA.)

AUTUMNAL POINT. That part of the ecliptic whence the sun descends southward.

AUTUMNAL SIGNS. Libra, Scorpio, and Sagittarius.

AUXILIARIES. Confederates, an a.s.sisting body of allies; or, physically speaking, vessels using steam as an auxiliary to wind.

AUXILIARY SCREW. A vessel in which the screw is used as an auxiliary force. Such a vessel is usually fully masted for sailing purposes.

AVANIA. The fine or imposition imposed on Christians residing under Turkish governors, when they break the laws.

AVANT-FOSSE. In fortification, an advanced ditch without the counterscarp, and stretching along the foot of the glacis.

AVAST. The order to stop, hold, cease, or stay, in any operation: its derivation from the Italian _basta_ is more plausible than _have fast_.

AVAST HEAVING! The cry to arrest the capstan when nippers are jammed, or any other impediment occurs in heaving in the cable, not unfrequently when a hand, foot, or finger, is jammed;--stop!

AVENTAILE. The movable part of a helmet.

AVENUE. The inlet into a port.

AVERAGE. Whether _general_ or _particular_, is a term of ambiguous construction, meaning the damage incurred for the safety of the s.h.i.+p and cargo; the contribution made by the owners in general, apportioned to their respective investments, to repair any particular loss or expense sustained; and a small duty paid to the master for his care of the whole. Goods thrown overboard for the purpose of lightening the s.h.i.+p, are so thrown for the good of all, and the loss thus sustained must be made up by a general average or contribution from all the parties interested. (_See_ GENERAL AVERAGE.)

AVERAGE-ADJUSTER. A qualified person engaged in making statements to show the proper application of loss, damage, or expenses in consequence of the accidents of a sea adventure.

AVERAGE-AGREEMENT. A written doc.u.ment signed by the consignees of a cargo, binding themselves to pay a certain proportion of general average that may from accident arise against them.

AVERAGE-STATER. _See_ AVERAGE-ADJUSTER.

AVIST. A west-country term for "a fis.h.i.+ng."

AVVISO. An Italian advice-boat. [_Aviso_, Sp.] Despatch-boat or tender.

AWAFT, OR AWHEFT. The displaying of a stopped flag. (_See_ WHEFT.)

AWAIT. Ambush; cutting off vessels by means of boats hidden in coves which they must pa.s.s in their course.

AWARD. A judgment, in maritime cases, by arbitration; and the decision or sentence of a court-martial.

A-WASH. Reefs even with the surface. The anchor just rising to the water's edge, in heaving up.

AWAY ALOFT. The order to the men in the rigging to start up.

AWAY OFF. At a distance, but in sight.

AWAY SHE GOES. The order to step out with the tackle fall. The cry when a vessel starts on the ways launching; also when a s.h.i.+p, having stowed her anchor, fills and makes sail.

AWAY THERE. The call for a boat's crew; as, "_away there!_ barge-men."

AWAY WITH IT. The order to walk along briskly with a tackle fall, as catting the anchor, &c.

AWBLAST. The arbalest, or cross-bow.

AWBLASTER. The designation of a cross-bowman.

A-WEATHER. The position of the helm when its tiller is moved to the windward side of the s.h.i.+p, in the direction from which the wind blows.

The opposite of _a-lee_.

A-WEIGH. The anchor being _a-trip_, or after breaking out of the ground.