AROUND THE WORLD.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 242, 12 October 1929, Page 4

AROUND THE WORLD.

GOSSIP OF THE PORTS. SEA SLANG. (By LEE-FORK-BRACE.) Many landsmen, and sailors, too, at times, will be puzzled to know tlie exact meaning of certain terms used by winters in their stories of the sea As a mattei of fact, it is almost impossible to depict certain phases of sea life and customs without EK... w* !•"»»« z *j?'b" vocabulary. The language of the J*®*' to a treat extent, been made up ot slang tevL, many of which date back to the very dawn of English history. , i Ship words and phrases are not usual words of phrases, and one looks in^ ,am through the customary reference books foi .mention of them. Although the writer ha, had a lifelong connection with the sea, and has, to a great extent, more than a passing knowledge ot the \ocabulai J of the sea, at times he is extremdj ■puzzled when some old-time phrase or word comes to his notice, Unfortunately many words in being handed down from one generation of seamen to anothei become sadly corrupted, while around t.ie attempted history and derivation of others many legends—many of which cannot possibly be other than mere imagination—are built up. To a great extent the changed conditions of sea life have caused a rapid disappearance of sea slang, a language which was always a seaman's own, and which was almost untelligible to the landsman. With the passing of the sailing ship, the slang of the sea has almost passed into the limbo of a forgotten era. The vast majority of words and phrases used aboard the old clippers were originally slang terms, but from their constant use down through the ages, they were taken into the language of the sea, and, strangest thing of all, those terms were so apropos in their meaning tlaat landsmen paid sailor -Tack a compliment when they were adopted into the English language Even philologists and pedants use words from the sailor's vocabulary in their everyday conversation, but many of these gentlemen would hesitate in using them it they only knew that the words and phrases were originally sailor's slang. During the past three years, many "Star" readers who take an interest in this column have written to the "writer, asking if there was any dictionary published giving definitions of the old-time sailorman's words and expressions. The answer, unfortunately, has always been in the negative, but at long last, a book lias been lately published, and in every particular it meets a long-felt want. "Sea Slang," from the pen of that eminent author, Frank C. Bowen, is a complete dictionary of sea terms and phrases. The volume, which has been published by Sampson, Low, Mai'Ston and Co., of London, certainlj* should be in the library of every lover of the sea. The rneauings of many obscure phrases _ are clearly explained, and when'one, especially a landsman, reads this delightful book, he will be more than surprised at the enormous amount of sea slang that he uses in his everyday vocabulary. When a sailor scans its pages lie will get a whiff of old ocean's tang, and the memories of the dear dead yesterdays will be brought to mind. The following phrases, with their meanings, are culled from "Sea Slang," and will be of more than passing interest to landsmen and seamen alike:— "Above-board." All fair and nothing hid. From the old phrase for on deck. "To bamboozle." Originally to deceive an enemy by hoisting false colours. "Buying a horse." Squandering money. From a white-crested wave which looks very grand for a moment, and then is gone, leaving no trace. Now used by landsmen as a name for a lottery for drinks. "Devil to pay." Trouble for someone. Refers to the difficulty ox paying the devil (the saaiii in the planks next the keel), and no hot pitch ready with which to do the work. j "Getting to windward of a person. To ! Set the better of him. When a ship could to windward of another she was the better and faster ship, I "Waster." An idle, good for nothing! individual. In the sailing ships, a poorj seaman not fitted to go aloft, either ] through cowardice or laziness, was kept at work in the waist of the ship. It was always a term of contempt. "Sailing near the wind." Getting as near to the edge of the law or regulations as possible, without getting into trouble. When a sailing ship was sailing near the wind, the steering had to be carefully watched or else she might be uauirht aback. "On a lee shorS." Used to describe a person who is in a serious financial predicament. A sailing ship when on a lee shore could not be in a more dangerous situation. 1 "Swinging the lead." Malingering. This expression was in constant use by soldiers during the Great War. It is a very old nautical expression, and is derived from the fact that an inexperienced leadsman, who is unable to heave the lead when taking soundings, made a great show of the preparatory swing. "Tom Pepper." A splendid liar. An old tradition of the sea tells us that Tom Pepper was a seaman who was kicked out of Hell for telling lies. "Half seas over." Almost drunk. From the Dutch words "op-zee-ober," meaning "over sea beer," one drink of which was more than sufficient for the average toper. "Land ' Shark."' Describes all shore people who waited for the homeward bounder, ready to take him down. Now used .by landsmen to describe a land agent. . "Grog." Booze of all kinds. Derived from the nickname given to Admiral Vernon by the men of the lower deck, owing to his habit of wearing a coat made from grogram. He was the first admiral to order the men's rum to be watered down until it became grog. . "Not a shot in the locker." Cleaned right out, either of money, ideas, or anything else. "Jogging along." Making little headway. "Shove in his oar." To interrupt a conversation. Speaking out of one's turn. Derived from an expression used by seamen when a member of a boat's crew dipped his oar without having received orders to do so. "To the bitter end." To the very last. The end of a ship's cable is fastened to a bitt or cleat in the chain locker. The order was often given, "Slack aWay to the bitter end. meaning to pay out all the cable un H eil(l tightened on the bitt. Carry on." To keep going. In the tea ships and the wool clippers, especially the former, the slogan of their masters was. Carry on or carry under." The last order usually given by the old-time master manner before retiring for the night was, "Carry on, mister; call me before you take any sail in." One of the commonest terms used in the Great VV ar. "Caught aback." Surprised ami in a predicament When a sailing ship was caught aback, an incompetent officor was flls, nayed. and sometimes rendered speechless with fright. . pa jp tei '/' T° 8° °n one's own. tl,„ skelter. A privateer. From the manner m which they ran down wind when one of H M ships approached. ror,; J°f S f eaCls " Q ual 're»i"g. The tow iope of a barge or boat is made fast to the loggerhead, and when a strain i* -ut upon it, the roue creaks and "growls."