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 ...

L (Book L)

To LAbour.

We say a Ship labours in the sea, when she rowles and tumbles very much, either a Hull, or under saile, or at an An∣chor: A ship rowles most a-hull, when it hath been a growne storme, and suddenly the wind ceases, but the seas continue still, then she will rowle, for want of wind: under-saile a ship rowles most, right before a-wind, but beares most upon a-head sea; so that some ships are most dangerous to put a-fore the fea in a great storme; and weake Ships dangerous to beate against the head-sea at an Anchor; Ships rowle and labour most when they lie betwixt wind and tide, which is upon the turning of the tide, when the wind and the tide are contrary; and nei∣ther hath got power to make her straine her Cabels, to ride with her head, either to the wind or tide.

Ladder.

There are three usuall Ladders belonging to a Ship, the entring Ladder in the waste; a ladder of roapes, which hangs out of the gallery for foule-weather and at sea, to come out of the boate, or goe into it; and one at the beak-head, which is made fast over the bolt-sprit to get up upon the bolt sprit by: The Venetians, and most Leavent Ships, and also Spanish Gallioons have Ladders, which goe into the top, and come downe abast the ties, for they seldo me goe up by the shrowdes.

To Lade.

Is to fill the Ship with goods or provision, for when the Howld is full, they say, she hath her ladeing; Also to charge a peece of Ordnance, is to Lade the Ordnance; also some say, Lade the water out of the boate.

A Ladle.

Is that wherwith we put the powder into a peece of Ordnance, when we take the powder out of a Budge-barrell; we never use that in fight, unlesse we have spent all our Carthrages, for they are both troublesome, and not so speedy, and dangerous for scattering of powder.

Land-fall.

Is as much as the falling with the Land, as thus, If we say we shall see Land, such a day, and that it fall out so just according to our reconing, we say, we have a good Land-fall; or if we be mistaken, then we made a bad Land-fall.

Land-locked.

When we are in any Roade or Harbour, so that the Land lies round about us, and the sea lies not any point open upon us, we say we ride Land-locked, these are very good Roads and Harbours; for no sea can come in to wrong the Ship.

Land-to.

By this is meant, just so far off at sea as we can see the Land: as when we direct one to lie off at fea in the hight of a Cape∣land-to, that is so neere, and so far off, as he may even just see and discerne the land, and no neerer.

A Land-turne.

Is the same off the Land, that a Breize is off the sea, only differing that the Land-turne comes by night, and by sea-turne, or Breize by day. Vide Breize.

A Langrell.

Is a loose-shot, which goes in with a shackle, to be shortned when it is put into the Peece, and to flie out at length when it is discharged, with a halfe bullet, either of Lead or Iron at the either end: This is good shot neere hand, to use out of our Ordnance, to cut downe Masts, Yards, Roapes and Sailes; and also it will doe much exe∣cution among the men aloft; but it is not used betwixt wind and water, for it will not pierce a good Ships-sides.

Laniers.

Are the small roapes, which are reeved in the dead-men-eyes, of all the shrowdes and chames; and the use of them, is either to slacken, or to set-taught the shrowdes: also all the stayes belonging to any Masts (whether they have Blocks or Dead-men-eyes belonging to them) are set taught by a Lannier; also the small roape, which makes fast the stopper of the halliards to the halliards, is called a Lannier.

Large.

When a Ship goes neither by a-wind, nor before a wind, but as it were, betwixt both (that is quartering) and such a wind that carries her so, we call a large-wind.

To Lase, or Lasing.

Is the proper terme, for putting-to the Bon∣net to the Course, or the Drabler to the Bonner, as Lase on the Bonnet: Also we say, Lase on the Netting to the Roose-trees or the Wast-trees.

To Lash, or Lashers.

When we bind any thing up to the Ships sides or Masts (as Pikes, Muskers, or a Butt to the Mast, or the like, as fishes and spare top-Masts without-boord) we call it lashing to, but the Lashers chiefely are those roapes, which doe bind-fast together the rackles and breechings of the great Ordnance, when they are haled within-boord: The reason is, because the breechings cannot be ha••ed∣up taught by hand, therefore this roape is brought about the breeching and tackles a little before the carriage, right under the Peece, and so la∣shes them fast together.

Lasking.

Note that when we say, a Ship goes Lasking, Veering, Quarter-winds, Large and Roomer, it is in a manner all one, for then they neither goe by a wind, nor before.

Latchets.

Are small lines, which are sowne into the Bonnets and Drabler like loopes, wherewith they lase the Bonnet to the Cowrse, or the Drabler to the Bonnet, putting them into the Eylot-holes, and so lafeing them one over an other.

Launch.

This word is used instead of put-out, as we say; Launch a Ship out of a Dock, or out of the Key; Launch the boate, launch-out, or launch in the Davit; Launch-out the Capstaine barrs: Also in an other sence, when they have hoysed-up a yard high enough, or the top. Mast, they cry Launch-hoâ, that is, hoyse no more: Also in stowing the howld, they will say, Launch aft, or launch fore-ward, when they would have a Butt or the like brought fore-ward, or aft-ward-on; also when they are pumping, if the Pump sucks, then they cry Launch-hoa, that is pump no more.

To Lay a Land.

When we are sailed out of sight of a Land so that we cannot see it, we say, that we have layed the line; but if it be so, that some other point of Land doe hinder us from seeing it, then we say, that we have shut in, or shut it into the other point.

A Leake.

There is no Ship so tight, but that with her labouring in the sea, (nay though she ride in Harbour) she will make some water,

but we say a ship is Leake, when she makes more water then is ordi∣nary, which is some hundred stroakes in 24. or 48. howres: The causes of Leakes are, either the starting some Treevells, the opening of the Seames, the eating of the Wormes, or else by receiving some shot under water: The wayes of stopping are but two, either within-boord, (which can hardly be, if the Leake be low amongst the ground-tim∣bers or the hookes; but then the best remedy is, to drive downe Tal∣low and Coales mingled together; raw-Beefe, Oatmeale-baggs or the like) if it can be come at, then it is easily stopped with Lead; if it be a shot, they drive-in a Plug, with some Canvas about it; The other is without-boord; when it is easily stopped (if it be not too low) by heeling the Ship over on the other side, and so nailing lead over it; but if it be low, then to stirch a Bonnet, or a Netting which is better with long roape-yarnes opened, and so sucking it under the Keele, to bring it against the Leake: the in-drought of the water will suck in the Ock∣ham, and so stop her selfe; but this will not continue long; when a Ship is Leake, the terme is, she hath sprung a Leake, or she makes much water.

Ledges.

Are those small peeces of timber, which come thwart ships, from the Wast-trees to the Roofe-trees to beare up the Nettings: or so if there be a grating over the halfe-Deck.

Lee.

This word is many wayes used, but generally the Lee is un∣derstood for that which is opposite to the wind: The Lee-shore, that is the shore against which the wind blowes; yet to be under the Lee of the shore, is to be close under the weather-shore, that is, whence the wind doth come: a-lee the helme, that is, put the helme to the lee∣fide of the ship: In conding they use to call him at helme, to have a care of the Lee-latch, that is, to looke that the ship goe not to lee-ward of her course (a Lee-ward ship, is one that is not fast by a-wind, and doth not make her way so good as she might: To come by the Lee, or to lay a ship by the Lee; is to bring her so, that all her sailes may lie against the Masts and shrowds flat, and the wind to come right on her bread-side, so that the ship will lie as it were starke still, or if she make any way, it will be with her broad-side right with the beame: The manner of bringing a ship by the Lee (if she have all her sailes a-boord) is to beare up the helme, hard to wind-ward: Let rise the fore-rack and veere-out the maine-sheate, and take in the Missen, or peake it

up (which is called Spelling the Missen.

The Lee-fange.

Is a roape which is reeved into the Creengles of the Courses, when we would hale-in the bottom of the saile, to lase on the Bonnet, in a strong gale they serve also to helpe to take in the saile.

The Leetch.

The Leetch of a saile, is the outward side or skirt of the saile, from the earing to the clew; the midle betwixt which is espe∣cially to be accounted the Leetch.

Leetch-lines.

Are small lines which are fastned to the Leetch of the top-sailes (for they belong to no other sailes) and are reeved into a block at the yard, close by the top-saile-ties: The use whereof is, when they take in the top-sailes, to hale-in the Leetch of the saile; and note, they ever hale the Lee-leetch line first, for then the rest will come in with more ease.

Leggs.

They are called the Leggs of the Martnets, and are small roapes, put through the Blot-roapes of the maine and fore-saile, in the Leetch of the saile, neere a foote of length, and so at either end being splised into themselves, they have a little eye, whereinto the Martnets are made, with two hitches, and the end seased to the standing-part of the Martnets.

Lett fall.

Is a phrase generally used for the putting-out any sailes, when the yards are aloft; but not if the Maine-yard and ford-yard be stroken downe, so as that the sailes may be loosed before the yards be hoysed: but most properly, it is used to the maine-saile, fore-sailes, and sprit saile (for to top-sailes the more proper terme is, heave-out your top-sailes) because they doe lie in the top; and to the Missen-saile, we say, set the Missen, and not let it fall.

Lifts.

Are roapes which belong to the yard-armes of all yards: and doe only serve to top the yard-armes, that is, to make the ends of the yards hang higher or lower, or even, as we list. But the top-saile lifts, doe serve for sheates to the top-gallant-yards, as well as for lifts to the top-saile yards; the haleing of them, is called topping the Lifts, as top-a star-boord, or top a port, that is, hale upon the star-boord, or lar-boord-lift.

Limbers, or Limber-holes.

Are little square holes, cut in the bot∣tome of all the ground-timbers and hookes next to the Keele, right over the Keele (about 3. or 4. inches square) the use whereof, is to let the water passe to the well of the Pump, which else would lie betwixt the

timbers; into these is put the Keele-roape.

Lins-pins.

Are only used about the Trucks of the Carriages, to keepe on the Trucks upon the Axeltree, being little Iron pins just the same that keep on Coach-wheeles.

Lockers.

Any little boxes, or as it were, Cubbords which are made by the Ships-sides, to put in shot by the Peeces, or in any other places, are (by a common name) called Lockers: we have them to every Peece, to have the shot lie ready, if on the suddaine we should have oc∣casion; but in fight the shot lies not there, but in a roape made like a ring, which lies flat upon the Deck; so that the shot cannot doe so much hurt, if that an other shot should light amongst it.

A Logg-line.

Some call this a Minut-line; it is a small line with a little peece of a boord at the end, with a little lead to it, to keepe it edg-long in the water; the use of it is, that by judging how many fad∣dome this runs out in a Minut, to give a judgment how many leagues the ship will run in a watch, for if in a minut there run out 14. faddom of the line, then they conclude that the ship doth run a mile in an houre, (for 60. (the number of minuts in a howre) being multiplied by 14. (the number of faddome) make just as many places as are in a mile) so ac∣cordingly, as in a minut, there runs out more or lesse, they doe by judge∣ment allow for the Ships way; but this is a way of no certainty, un∣lesse the wind and seas, and the course would continue all one; besides the error of turning the Glasse, and stopping the line both at an instant, so that it is rather to be esteemed as a trick for a conclusion, then any sollid way to ground upon: the manner of doing it is, one stands by with a Minut-glasse, whilst another out of the gallery lets fall the logg, just as the logg falls into the water the other turnes the glasse, and just when the glasse was even out, he cries stop, then he stops, and reckons how many faddom are run-out, so gives he judgement.

The Loofe.

The Loofe of the Ship is counted that part aloft of the Ship, which lies just before the Ches-trees, as far as the Bulk-head of the Castell; and therefore we call those peeces of Ordnanee which lie there, the loofe-peeces: Loofe-up, a terme in conding the Ship, to have him keepe her neere the wind: Loofe into a Harbour, that is, to keep close to a wind, and so goe into it: Keep your Loofe, that is, to keep close to the wind: to spring-ones Loofe, that is, when a Ship is going large, to clap-close by a wind.

A Loofe-hooke.

Is a Tackle, with two hookes; one to hitch into a Creengle of the Maine and fore-saile, which Creengle is in the bolt-roape of the Leetch of the saile not farre above the clew; and the other to hitch into a strap which is plised into the Ches-tree, and so to bowse downe the saile; the use whereof, is to succour the tackle in a great gale, that all the force and stresse may not beare up the tack, and also it is used when we would sease the tack surer, or the like.

A Loome-gale.

Vide Gale.

To Loome.

The Looming of a Ship is (as you would say) the very perspective of a Ship; for the word is used in this sence, a Ship loomes a great saile; that is, she seemes to be a great Ship: she loomes but small, that is, shewes or seemes to be but a little ship.

A Lust.

When a Ship heeles a little to Star-boord or port, we say, she hath a Lust that way, though this happen by stowing her Howld unequally: but most properly, a Ship is said to have a Lust to one side or other, when out of her own mold and making, she hath a kind of inclination to one side more then to the other; or it may be by the un∣equall weight of timbers; for it is a very hard matter, to carry a ships works so even, but that there shall be some small difference; I have seen the experience in many ships, that being equally ballasted, they would carry a greater saile, stop lesse, and goe better upon one tack then upon the other.

Lie under the sea.

When in a storme we are a-hull, and make fast the Helme a-lee, so as the sea doth breake upon the bowe and broad∣side of the ship, we say she lies, or is layed under the sea.