Sea Fangs Glossary
Stories from the Golden Age reflect the words and expressions used in the 1930s and 1940s, adding unique flavor and authenticity to the tales. While a character’s speech may often reflect regional origins, it also can convey attitudes common in the day. So that readers can better grasp such cultural and historical terms, uncommon words or expressions of the era, the following glossary has been provided.
bandar-log: a term used in Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book to describe monkeys. In Hindi, bandar means “monkey” and log means “people.”
bandoliers: broad belts worn over the shoulder by soldiers and having a number of small loops or pockets, for holding cartridges.
belay: stop.
belaying pin: a large wooden or metal pin that fits into a hole in a rail on a ship or boat, and to which a rope can be fastened.
binnacle: a built-in housing for a ship’s compass.
bitt: a vertical post, usually one of a pair, set on the deck of a ship and used for securing cables, lines for towing, etc.
black gang: ship’s crew that works in the engine room aboard a ship. They were called black because of the soot and coal dust that was thick in the air in the fire room/engine room.
Black Terror: a reference to Sir Henry Morgan (1635?–1688), known as the King of the Buccaneers and terror of the Spanish Main. Morgan was one of the most ruthless of pirates; his daring, brutality and intelligence made him the most feared, and respected, buccaneer by his friends and enemies alike.
capstan: a device used on a ship that consists of an upright, rotatable cylinder around which ropes, chains or cables are wound, either by hand or machine, for hoisting anchors, lifting weights, etc.
Cartagena: a seaport in northern Colombia.
Coast Pilots: official publications giving descriptions of particular sections of coast and usually sailing directions for coastal navigation.
fathom: a unit of length equal to six feet (1.83 meters), used in measuring the depth of water.
field pieces: mounted guns; cannon.
flying bridge: a small, often open deck or platform above the pilothouse or main cabin, having duplicate controls and navigational equipment.
fo’c’s’le: forecastle; the upper deck of a sailing ship, forward of the foremast.
gaff: a pole rising aft from a mast to support the top of a sail.
gangway: a narrow, movable platform or ramp forming a bridge by which to board or leave a ship.
gunwale: the upper edge of the side of a boat. Originally a gunwale was a platform where guns were mounted, and was designed to accommodate the additional stresses imposed by the artillery being used.
halyard: a rope used for raising and lowering a sail.
keel: a lengthwise structure along the base of a ship, and in some vessels extended downwards as a ridge to increase stability.
Lucas reel: the brand name of a machine used for sounding or measuring the depth of an area of water.
mestizos: people of racially mixed ancestry, especially in Latin America, of mixed American Indian and European, usually Spanish or Portuguese, ancestry.
Morgan: Sir Henry Morgan (1635?–1688), a Welsh buccaneer in the Americas. His brutal hostilities against the Spanish colonies in the Caribbean are known for their skillful execution, at times, against great odds. An exaggerated account of his exploits, written by one of his crew, created his popular reputation as a bloodthirsty pirate.
packet: packet-boat; originally a vessel that carried mail, passengers and goods regularly on a fixed route.
painter: a rope, usually at the bow, for fastening a boat to a ship, stake, etc.
pink tea: formal tea, reception or other social gathering usually attended by politicians, military officials and the like.
Point Gallinas: a cape in northeastern Colombia at the northernmost point of South America.
por Dios: (Spanish) for God’s sake.
postern: a small gate or entrance at the back of a building, especially a castle or a fort.
reduction gear: a set of gears in an engine used to reduce output speed relative to that of the engine while providing greater turning power.
scapula: a surgical knife with a broad wedge-shaped cutting edge.
schooner: a fast sailing ship with at least two masts and with sails set lengthwise.
scuppers: openings in the side of a ship at deck level that allow water to run off.
sea anchor: a device, such as a conical canvas bag, that is thrown overboard and dragged behind a ship to control its speed or heading.
ship’s articles: the contract containing all particulars relating to the terms of agreement between the captain of the vessel and a crew member in respect to wages, length of time for which they are shipping, etc., signed prior to and upon termination of a voyage.
sprit: bowsprit; a spar projecting from the upper end of the bow of a sailing vessel, for holding and supporting a sail.
stem: the forwardmost part of the bow.
stern: the rear end of a ship or boat.
telegraph: an apparatus, usually mechanical, for transmitting and receiving orders between the bridge of a ship and the engine room or some other part of the engineering department.
thwart: a seat across a boat, especially one used by a rower.
transom: transom seat; a kind of bench seat, usually with a locker or drawers underneath.
under weigh: in motion; underway.
weigh anchor: take up the anchor when ready to sail.
well deck: the space on the main deck of a ship lying at a lower level between the bridge and either a raised forward deck or a raised deck at the stern, which usually has cabins underneath.
