The sea-mans dictionary, or, An exposition and demonstration of all the parts and things belonging to a shippe together with an explanation of all the termes and phrases used in the practique of navigation / composed by Henry Manwaring ...

H (Book H)

To HAle, or over-hale.

That which others commonly call pulling a roape, the sea-faring-men call ever haleing (as hale taught the Bowleings; or hale in a roape that hangs without boord, or the like in any kind,) To over-hale, is when a roape is haled too stiffe, or taught; then to hale it the contrary way that it was haled before, and so to make it slacker.

To Hall, or Halling.

Halling of a Ship, is calling to her to know whence she is, or whither she is bound, or any other occasion, which is done commonly in these words, ô the Ship, or (at sea,) no more but Hoâ, and the other then answers Hâe: These words are common to all Christian sea-men, to hall each other in: Also sometimes we seeme to call to them, or salute them with whistles or trumpets, and this is called Halling with Trumpets, or whistles.

Halliards.

Are the roapes by which we hoyse all the yards, only the crosse-Jack, nor the sprit-saile-yard have none, because they are ever slung: yet in small-craft, they have Halliards to the sprit-saile-yard.

Hand, or Handing.

When they would deliver away any thing, to

be passed to another, or to have it brought to them, they say, hand this away, or hand me that, or hand it along; so when they want men to hoyse, or doe any labour, they use to call for more hands, not more men.

A Hands peeke.

Is but a wooden leaver, (which is used instead of a Croa of Iron) to traverse the Ordnance; but most especially to the wind lasse in the boate, or Ships which have wind lasses, to heave up the Anchor by.

The Harpings.

The Harpings of a Ship, is the bredth of her at the bowe: Also some call the ends of the bends, which are fastned into the Stem, the Harpings.

Hatches.

Are those loose parts, and as it were, dores of the Deck, which are in the mid-ship before the maine-mast that we open to let downe things in Hould; having at each corner, a sheackle of Iron, to lift them by.

Hatch-way.

By the Hatch-way, Is meant the place Perpendicular, over the Hatches: when they say, lay a thing in the Hatch-way, that is, on the Hatches.

The Hawses.

Are those great-round-holes, before, under the head, out of which the Cabels doe come, when the Ship is at an Anchor: A bold Hawse; Is when they lie high from the water, and this is best, for when they lie low, if there be great sea, the Hawse will still be in the water, and take in much water into the Ship: Fresh the Hawse, that is when we suspect that the Cabell is fretted or chafed, or is like, as many times it will, to burne in the Hawse (for there the Cabell en∣dures the greatest stresse) then we veere out a little, to let an other part of the Cabell indure the stresse: Also, when we lay new Platts upon the Cabell; In the Hawfe, it is called freshing the Hawse: Cleere the Hawse, that is, when two Cabels, which come out at two Hawses, and by the winding of the Ship, have some turnes one about the other, then undoing these turnes, is cleering the Hawse; which is necessary to be done, for else the Cabels will gall one another very much: Any ship, or thing that is crosse afore the Hawse, or lyes athwart the Hawse; or when one Ship rides with her sterne just afore the others Hawse, they say, she rides upon the Hawse.

A Hawser.

Is a three-strand roape, and may be called a little Ca∣bell, for that which is one Ships Hawser, will be an other Ships Cabell:

These doe serve for many uses, as to warp the Ship over a bar: the maine and fore-shrowdes, are made of Hawsers; only note the difference of the making or laying, is the cause of the difference of the names, which to know, Vide Roapes.

The Head, Vide Beake-Head.

Yet sometimes it is not exactly taken only for the Brake-head; for sometimes they say, a-head, that is, about the fore-mast, taking as it were, all the fore-part of the Ship, for the head.

Head-lines.

Are the roapes of all sailes, which are upper most next the yard, by which the saile is made fast unto the yards.

Head-sailes,

Are sailes belonging to the fore-mast, sprit-saile, and sprit-saile top-mast; for these are the sailes which governe the head of the Ship, to make it fall off, and to keep out of the wind; these head-sailes (quarter-winds) are the chiefe drawing sailes.

Head-sea.

When it hath been a great storme, the wind (it may be) will suddainely alter 6. points and more, but the sea will goe the lame way it did, for some howres, then if our course lie to goe right against this sea (as we may, the wind being altred) we shall meet this sea right a-head, and so we call it a head-sea: Sometimes also when it hath but a little wind, there will be a sea, which will come contrary to the wind, but then, not long after, the wind will come that way, and doth shew, that on that point of the Compasse, when as that sea comes, there hath been much wind. Note, that generally, before any great storme, the sea will come that way before any wind; which shewes that the sea out-runnes the wind; the reason I take to be, for that the sea be∣ing a continuate-body, one part being moved, the wind doth quickly infuse motion to the rest, as we see by the circles which a stone doth make, when it is throwne into the water. Note in head-seas, all short Ships are bad sailers, for they beate much against the sea, but long Ships doe goe more easily, for they will ride upon two waves at once, and fall more geraly into the sea.

To Heave.

As we commonly use the word, fling a-way, so sea∣men they use the word, heave away; for if it be but a roape, yard, or Ship, they will say, heave it a-way: Heave over-bood, that roape, yard, or the like; Also the turning about of the Capstaine, is called heaving at the Capstaine; Also when a Ship at Anchor doth rise, and fall with the waves, they say, she heaves and sets.

The Heele.

The Heele of the Maine-mast, fore-Mast, or Missen, is nothing but that part, which is pared away a little, slaunting on the aftward-side of the foote of the mast, like a heele, to give the mast leave to be stayed aftward on; as the Flemmings doe especially; But the heeles of the top-masts are squares, and in that they put the fid of the top-mast.

To Heele.

Is for the Ship to lie downe on a side, whether she be a floate or a-ground, and so she heeles much or little: She heeles to Star-Boord, or to Port: Some superstitious sea-men, when they take in goods, or victuals for a voyage, if by chance in stowing the provision she heele to star-boord, will say, it is a signe of a long and bad voyage, for then they will say, she heeles from hand-ward, because they take in all their goods on the Lar-boord side; but if she heele to Lar-boord, it is a signe of a good-voyage, and some goods to come in: When she is a-ground, we say she heeles to the shore-ward, or to the offward, ac∣cording as it is.

The Helme.

Is that peece of timber, which the helmes-man doth hold in his hand, to steere and governe the Rudder, and one end is made fast to the head of the Rudder, but so as that it may be taken off: Though the Rudder be the cause of the Ships working, yet the helme is the in∣strument which governes the Rudder, and therefore we impute it all to the Helme; as when we say, the Ship feeles the Helme, or doth not feele the Helme, that is, will worke, and be governed by the Helme, or not; for if a Ship be very foule, or out of her trym, or too deepe, or too light, many times she will not feele the Helme, but saile as if she had none. Port the Helme: Star-boord the Helme: A mid-ship, or right the Helme, termes of conding, to direct which way the Steeres-man should put the Helme: In smaller Ships under the rate of 500. Tun, they use to put a whip to the other end of the Helme, and so steere and governe the Helme by that.

To Hitch.

Is to catch-hold of any thing with a roape, to hold it fast, or with a hooke; and we say, Hitch the fish-hooke to the flooke of the Anchor: When we hoyse in the boate, Hitch the Tackles in the rings of the boate, or the garnet, the slings, that is, catching hold of it by the hooke, to hoyse in the goods.

To Hold-off.

Is when we heave the Cabell at the Capstaine, if the Cabell be very stiffe and great, or else have layne in a slimie ozie-ground,

it surges, and slips back, unlesse that part, which is heaved in, be still haled away, hard from the Capstaine, to keep the Cabell close, and hard to the Capstaine whelpes, if it be a small Cabell, men may doe it in their hands, but if great, then either they hold off with Nippers, or else (as in all great ships) they doe bring it to the jeere-capstaine, and this is called, Holding-off.

Honey Combd.

When a peece of Iron Ordnance (either by being Ill-east, or with over much wearing, is rugged, and hath little holes in the concave of the Peece, she is said to be Honey-combd. This is very dangerous for a cross-bar-shot to catch in, or any ragged shot, as also that some rag of the Carthrage, or peece of the wad may stick in it, and so fire the powder, that shall instantly be put in; to try whether a Peece be Honey-combed, we put in a Naile, or crooked peece of wire at the end of a staffe, and so where that catches, we know she is honey-com∣bed, or else light a candle on the end of a staffe, and that will shew all the imperfections of the Peece.

The Hookes.

The Hookes of the Ship, are all those forked timbers which are placed upright on the Keele, both in the Rake, and Run of the Ship: These doe give the Narrowing and bredthing of the Ship in those parts, according as they are framed, and they are bolted into the Keele; The compassing timbers which are before, and doe help to strengthen the Stem and fore-part of the Ship, are called breast-hookes.

A Horse.

Is a roape which is made fast to one of the fore-mast shrowdes, with a dead-man-eye at the end of it, through which is ree∣ved the pendant of the sprit-saile-sheates; and is for no other use, but to keep the sprit-saile-sheates cleere of the flookes of the Anchor: Also when a man heaves the head of the shrowdes, there is a roape made fast to the shrowdes for him to leane against for falling into the sea; Also they use a roape to set taught the shrowdes, with wale-knots, one end made fast to the shrowdes, to the other, the Lanniers are brought, and so with a hand-speeke turning it, they set taught the Hal∣liards, this is called a Horse: Also those little short roapes, which are seased to the midle of the top-mast, and top-gallant-stages, with a block, wherein are reeved the top-saile and top-gallant bowlings are called Horses.

The Howld.

All the roome betwixt the Keilson, and the first, or

lower-decks, is called the Howld; and it is where all our victuals, goods, and stores doe lie; yet it is divided into severall roomes with bulk-heads, as the Stewards roome, the Powder roome, the Boate-swaines store, and the like: Runing the howld, stowe the howld, cleere the howld. Vide the proper names.

The Hownds.

Are the holes in the Checks which are fastned to the head of the Masts, wherein the tyes do run, to hoyse the yard; The top-masts have but one hole aloft in the head of the mast, because they have but single ties, and this is also called the Hownds.

Howlsom.

We say a Ship is a Howlsom Ship in the sea when she will hull, trie and ride well at an Anchor, without rowleing or tum∣bling and labouring much in the sea: A long ship, which drawes much water will hull well, trie well, and ride well: If she draw much water, and be short, she may hull well, but neither trie nor ride well at an An∣chor: If she draw little water, and be long, she may ride well, and trie well, but not hull well; If she be short, and draw little water, she will neither hull, trie nor ride well, and therefore those are the most unhowlsome Ships. Note also that the howseing-in, or laying of the upper works of a ship, doe much ease, or wrong her in all these manner of workings; but howsoever the over-carveing of her, is bad for all, and makes her more laboursome then otherwise she would be.

Howsing-in.

When a Ship after she is pass the bredth of her bearing, is brought in narrow to her upper-works, they say that she is howsed-in: Most are of opinion, that the howseing in of a Ship, makes her the more howlsome in the sea, because the weight of the Ordnance, and her upper works, doe not over-hang the Naile, which as they sup∣pose would make her rowle the more, but I am sure it takes away a great deale of roome for a man of War, and the Tack will never come so well a-boord, as when she is laid-out a loft: I have so much expe∣rience of both sorts, that I am of opinion if two Ships be given, caeteris paribus, a ship which is laid out a-loft, not flairing but proportionably finished to her other works, shall be the howlsomer Ship; for that the counterpoise on either side (the whole weight, not so much over han∣ging the perpendicular of the Keele) shall keep her more steddy, and make her the longer in fetching over a seele: The reason is the same, and will hold proportion in a Ship to the wacking of a Tun-Ambulus, who with equall weight will goe much more sure, if his weight where∣with

with he doth steddy himselfe, be at the end of the Long-staffe, which by reason of the greatnesse of the circle, must have a long time to come over his perpendicular, then if the same were in a shorter staffe, or in a lump together in his hand, which once inclining either way, be hath nothing by which to succour and counterpoize the weight.

To Hoyse.

When they would hale up any thing into the Ship with a Tackle, or a dead-roape, or get up a yard, they call it Hoiseing: as hoyse the water in hoyse up the yards.

The Hull.

Is the very body or bulke of the Ship without Masts, Yards, Roapes or sayles.

Hulling,

Is when a Ship is at sea, and hath taken in all her sailes, in calme weather: It is done to save the sailes from beating-out against the Masts, but in fowle weather when they are able to beare no saile, the manner is no more, but taking in all the sailes, and tying downe the helme to the Lee-side of the Ship (and so if she be a good conditioned Ship) she will lie easily under the sea, and thus she makes her way one point afore the beame, that is, if the wind be at West, and the Ship looke South, she will make way East, and by South, which is one point afore the beame: the beame will beare East and West. It is not yet agreed amongst all Sea-men, whether it be better for a Ship to hull with her top-mast up or downe: the most received opinion is, to have her down, in respect that generally they suppose the weight aloft will make her steele the more dangerously in a storme. But besides (the experience which I have seene to the contrary) I can give this reason, why it is best in a dangerous and desperate storme, to hull with the top-masts up; all sea-men will confesse, that the weather Seele is the most dangerous Seele, and therefore must grant, that that is the safest hulling which doth most prevent the danger of the Seele: If her top-masts be downe when she Seeles to Lee-ward, the lesse weight over-bead she hath to hinder her from comming, and rowling back over a∣gaine to wind-ward, the faster she will Seele-over, and the shorter: so that meeting the wind-ward sea so short, and suddenly it may en∣danger to breake in and founder her, but if the top-Mast be up, she must needs be the longer in comming-up to wind-ward, and so meete the sea with more ease, that it may have more leisure to breake a way under her; yet it is true, she will make the greater Lee-Seele, but in that there is no danger, though to an unexperienced man, there may seeme to be.

A Hullock.

Is a small part of a saile, which is loosed and left o∣pen in a great storme, when we dare not have any more out; and is on∣ly used in the Missen-saile, when vve would keep the Ships head to the sea, with a little saile; making all up, excepting a little at the Missen-yard arme: or else when a Ship vvill not weather-coile, to lay her head the other vvay, we loose (for that is the terme) a hullock of our fore-saile, and so changing the helme to the weather-side, the Ship will fall off, and lay her head, vvhere her sterne lay before.