Liberty on the Waterfront: American Maritime Culture in the Age of Revolution

Glossary

Glossary ARTICLES OF THE SHIP: the formal agreement or contract stipulating conditions of labor aboard a ship and usually outlining the nature and extent of the voyage. BACKSTAY: the rope running from the back of a mast to the side of a ship, slanting aft (to the back). BARK (ALSO BARQUE): a three-masted vessel with foremast and mainmast rigged with square sails and mizzenmast rigged fore and aft. BEAM-ENDS: condition of a ship when it is over on its side, almost capsized, and the beams are nearly vertical. BEFORE THE MAST: phrase to indicate a common seaman’s place on a ship. Because the forecastle was located before (in front of) the foremast, and sailors slept in the forecastle, they sailed “before the mast.” BENDING: to attach a sail or a rope with a knot. Bending sails was to tie the knots that held the sail to a yardarm. BETHEL: a place of religious meetings for sailors. The idea of designating a nonchurch location as a Bethel—a holy place for religious meetings—was developed by eighteenth-century English Methodists. English waterfront missionaries adopted the practice and used a special Bethel flag flown over a building or ship to denote the location of Bethel services. The London Bethel Union presented New York evangelicals with a Bethel flag to use in their mission efforts on the waterfront. This flag was raised for the first time on March 11, 1821. The practice of using the Bethel flag spread rapidly to other American ports. BRIG: a two-masted vessel that was square-rigged. CABLE TIER: the place in a ship between decks where the cable was stowed. This location on a warship was often where prisoners were kept. Although often uncomfortable with little head room, it was not packed with stores since it had to have some space for access to the cable when arriving in port. 266 • GLOSSARY CAPSTAN: the mechanism or crank used to wind up rope or cables, especially to lift an anchor or move heavy objects aboard ship. In the age of sail the capstan was cranked by several sailors who inserted long poles into the stationary crank and pushed the poles in unison. CHANTEY: shipboard work songs to accompany specific tasks and coordinate physical activity. Often sung in a call-and-response format. CHANTEYMAN: the lead singer in a chantey issued the call that the rest of the sailors responded to. DOGWATCH: short evening watch of two hours (between four and six o’clock) when all the crew was on deck. The dogwatch enabled the vessel to shift times in the watch schedule. Technically, it was a work period, but it was often a time of extra leisure since the entire crew was on deck. The dogwatch was marked by songs and the telling of tales. DUFF PUDDING: common shipboard food that was a flour-based pudding usually boiled or steamed in a cloth bag. DUNNAGE: small pieces of wood and other matter often used to protect the cargo when packed. Also used to describe the sailor’s baggage. FORE AND AF T RIGGING: the organization of the principal sails aboard a vessel where the sails ran the length of the ship and were directly attached to the masts. FORECASTLE (ALSO FO’C ’SLE USUALLY PRONOUNCED FO –KSL): originally the raised part of a ship in front of a vessel (the forward castle). It became the name for the common seamen’s quarters under the front part of a vessel, whether the deck was raised or not. FOREMAST: the mast nearest the bow, or front, of a ship. F URL: to roll up a sail. GREEN HAND: an inexperienced sailor. Also a landsman. GROG: mixture of rum and water served aboard many ships at least once a day. HALYARDS: ropes or tackle used to raise or lower sails, spars, yards into the rigging aboard a ship. JACK TAR: a generic name for the sailor. It is derived from the popular nickname for John—suggesting the common origins of every sailor—and the word tarpaulin. Tarpaulin was canvas covered in tar to make it waterproof. A sailor was therefore covered in tar both figuratively and literally to make him waterproof. KID: the common pot in which a sailor’s meal was served aboard ship. LAND SHARK: refers to any person on shore who took advantage of seamen. Often applied to crooked boardinghouse keepers and tavern keepers. [3.133.144.197] Project MUSE (2024-04-19 00...