by James Nelson
stem:
the heavy timber in the bow of the ship into which the planking at the bow terminates.
step:
to put a mast in place. Also, a block of wood fixed to the bottom of a ship to accept the base or heel of the mast.
stern chasers:
cannons directed aft to fire on a pursuing vessel.
stern sheets:
the area of a boat between the stern and the aftermost of the rowers’ seats, generally fitted with benches to accommodate passengers.
sternway:
the motion of a ship going backward through the water, the opposite of headway.
stow:
as relates to sails, the same as FURL.
swifter:
a rope tied to the ends of the capstan bars to hold them in place when shipped.
tack:
to turn a vessel onto a new course in such a way that her bow passes through the wind. Also used to indicate relation of ship to wind, i.e., a ship on a ‘starboard tack’ has the wind coming over the starboard side.
taffrail:
the upper part of a ship’s stern.
tarpaulin hat:
wide, flat-brimmed canvas hat, coated in tar for waterproofing, favored by sailors.
tender:
small vessel that operates in conjunction with a larger man-of-war.
tholes:
pins driven into the upper edge of a boat’s side to hold the oars in place when rowing.
thwart:
seat or bench in a boat on which the rowers sit.
tiller:
the bar attached to the rudder and used to turn the rudder in steering.
top:
a platform at the junction of the lower mast and the topmast.
tophamper:
general term for all of the spars, rigging, and sails; all the equipment above the level of the deck.
train tackle:
arrangement of BLOCKS and tackle attached to the back end of a gun carriage and used to haul the gun inboard.
truck:
a round button of wood that serves as a cap on the highest point of a mast.
trunnions:
short, round arms that project from either side of a cannon and upon which the cannon rests and tilts.
truss:
heavy rope used to hold a yard against a mast or bowsprit.
tween decks:
corruption of between decks. The deck between the uppermost and the lowermost decks.
waist:
the area of the ship between the quarterdeck and the forecastle.
waister:
men stationed in the waist of the vessel for sail evolutions. Generally inexperienced, old, or just plain dumb seamen were designated waisters.
warp:
a small rope used to move a vessel by hauling it through the water. Also, to move a vessel by means of warps.
water sail:
a light-air sail set under a boom.
waterways:
long pieces of timber running fore and aft along the point where the deck meets the upper edge of the hull. The SCUPPERS are cut through the waterways.
wear:
to turn the vessel from one TACK to another by turning the stern through the wind. Slower but safer than tacking.
weather:
the same as windward, thus ‘a ship to weather’ is the same as ‘a ship to windward.’ Also describes the side of the ship over which the wind is blowing.
weather deck:
upper deck, one that is exposed to the weather.
weft:
used to mean a flag, generally the ensign, tied in a long roll and hoisted for the purpose of signaling.
whip:
a tackle formed by a rope run through a single fixed block.
wooding:
laying in stores of wood for cooking fuel.
woolding:
a tight winding of rope around a mast or yard.
worming:
small pieces of rope laid between the strands of a larger rope to strengthen it and allow it to better withstand chaffing. Also, putting worming in place.
yard:
long, horizontal spars suspended from the masts and from which the sails are spread.
yardarm:
the extreme ends of a yard.
About the Author
James Nelson has served as a seaman, rigger, boatswain and officer on a number of sailing vessels. He is the author of the five books comprising The Revolution at Sea Saga and The Brethren of the Coast trilogy. He lives with his wife and children in Maine.
His website can be found at www.jameslnelson.com.
Also by James Nelson
GLORY IN THE NAME
THIEVES OF MERCY
The Brethren of the Coast:
THE GUARDSHIP
THE BLACKBIRDER
THE PIRATE ROUND
The Revolution at Sea Saga:
BY FORCE OF ARMS
THE MADDEST IDEA
THE CONTINENTAL RISQUE
LORDS OF THE OCEAN
ALL THE BRAVE FELLOWS
Published by Corgi Books
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Transworld is part of the Penguin Random House group of companies whose addresses can be found at global.penguinrandomhouse.com
First published in Great Britain in 2004 by Corgi
an imprint of Transworld Publishers
Copyright © James L. Nelson 1998
Ship diagram and map by James L. Nelson
Maps by Christopher L. Brest/Folio Graphics Co. Inc.
James Nelson has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.
This book is a work of fiction and, except in the case of historical fact, any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Every effort has been made to obtain the necessary permissions with reference to copyright material, both illustrative and quoted. We apologize for any omissions in this respect and will be pleased to make the appropriate acknowledgements in any future edition.
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Version 1.0 Epub ISBN 9781473540651
ISBN 9780552149624
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