BUSH, or Bouche. A circular shouldered piece of metal, usually of brass, let into the lignum vitæ sheaves of such blocks as have iron pins, thereby preventing the sheave from wearing, without adding much to its weight. The operation of placing it in the wood is called bushing or coaking, though the last name is usually given to smaller bushes of a square shape. Brass bushes are also extensively applied in the marine steam-engine work. Also, in artillery, the plug (generally of copper, on account of the superior resistance of that metal to the flame of exploded gunpowder), having a diameter of about an inch, and a length equal to the intended length of the vent, screwed into the metal of the gun at the place of the vent, which is then drilled in it. Guns may be re-bushed when the vent has worn too large, by the substitution of a new bush.
BUSH. The forests in the West Indies, Australia, &c.
BUSHED. Cased with harder metal, as that inserted into the holes of some rudder braces or sheaves in general, to prevent their wearing.
BUSHED-BLOCK. See Coak.
BUSKING. Piratical cruising; also, used generally, for beating to windward along a coast, or cruising off and on.
BUSS. A small strong-built Dutch vessel with two masts, used in the herring and mackerel fisheries, being generally of 50 to 70 tons burden.
BUST-HEAD. See Head.
BUSY as the Devil in a gale of wind. Fidgety restlessness, or double diligence in a bad cause; the imp being supposed to be mischievous in hard gales.
BUT. A northern name for a flounder or plaice. Also, a conical basket for catching fish.
BUTCHER'S BILL. A nickname for the official return of killed and wounded which follows an action.
BUTESCARLI. The early name for the sea-officers in the British Navy (see Equipment).
BUTT. The joining of two timbers or planks endways. Also, the opening between the ends of two planks when worked. Also, the extremities of the planks themselves when they are united, or abut against each other. The word likewise is used to denote the largest end of all timber. Planks under water as they rise are joined one end to another. In large ships butt-ends are most carefully bolted, for if any one of them should spring, or give way, the leak would be very dangerous and difficult to stop.—To start or spring a butt is to loosen the end of a plank by the ship's weakness or labouring.—Butt-heads are the same with butt-ends.—Butt is also a mark for shooting at, and the hind part of a musket or pistol. Also, a wine-measure of 126 gallons.
BUTT-AND-BUTT. A term denoting that the butt ends of two planks come together, but do not overlay each other. (See Hook and Butt and Hook-scarph.)
BUTT-END. The shoulder part of a fire-lock.
BUTTER-BOX. A name given to the brig-traders of lumpy form, from London, Bristol, and other English ports. A cant term for a Dutchman.
BUTTER-BUMP. A name of the bittern in the north.
BUTTER-FINGERED. Having a careless habit of allowing things to drop through the fingers.
BUTTLE. An eastern-county name for the bittern.
BUTTOCK. The breadth of the ship astern from the tuck upwards: it is terminated by the counter above, by the bilge below, by the stern-post in the middle, and by the quarter on the side. That part abaft the after body, which is bounded by the fashion pieces, and by the wing transom, and the upper or second water-line. A ship is said to have a broad, or narrow, buttock according to her transom convexity under the stern.
BUTTOCK-LINES. In ship-building, the longitudinal curves at the rounding part of the after body in a vertical section.
BUTTON. The knob of metal which terminates the breech end of most guns, and which affords a convenient bearing for the application of handspikes, breechings, &c.
BUTTONS, To make. A common time-honoured, but strange expression, for sudden apprehension or misgiving.
BUTTRESS. In fortification. (See Counterforts.)
BUTT-SHAFT, or Butt-bolt. An arrow without a barb, used for shooting at a butt.
BUTT-SLINGING A BOWSPRIT. See Slings.
BUXSISH. A gratuity, in oriental trading.
BUZZING. Sometimes used for booming (which see).
BY. On or close to the wind.—Full and by, not to lift or shiver the sails; rap-full.
BY AND LARGE. To the wind and off it; within six points.
BYKAT. A northern term for a male salmon of a certain age, because of the beak which then grows on its under-jaw.
BYLLIS. An old spelling for bill (which see).
BYRNIE. Early English for body-armour.
BYRTH. The old expression for tonnage. (See Burden or Burthen.)
BYSSA. An ancient gun for discharging stones at the enemy.
BYSSUS. The silken filaments of any of the bivalved molluscs which adhere to rocks, as the Pinna, Mytilus, &c. The silken byssus of the great pinna, or wing-shell, is woven into dresses. In the Chama gigas it will sustain 1000 lbs. Also, the woolly substance found in damp parts of a ship.
BY THE BOARD. Over the ship's side. When a mast is carried away near the deck it is said to go by the board.
BY THE HEAD. When a ship is deeper forward than abaft.
BY THE LEE. The situation of a vessel going free, when she has fallen off so much as to bring the wind round her stern, and to take her sails aback on the other side.
BY THE STERN. When the ship draws more water abaft than forward. (See By the Head.)
BY THE WIND. Is when a ship sails as nearly to the direction of the wind as possible. (See Full and By.) In general terms, within six points; or the axis of the ship is 671⁄2 degrees from the direction of the wind.
BY-WASH. The outlet of water from a dam or discharge channel.
C.
CAAG. See Kaag.
CABANE. A flat-bottomed passage-boat of the Loire.
CABBAGE. Those principally useful to the seaman are the esculent cabbage-tree (Areca oleracea), which attains to a great height in the W. Indies. The sheaths of the leaves are very close, and form the green top of the trunk a foot and a half in length; this is cut off, and its white heart eaten. Also, the Crambe maritima, sea-kail, or marine cabbage, growing in the west of England.
CABIN. A room or compartment partitioned off in a ship, where the officers and passengers reside. In a man-of-war, the principal cabin, in which the captain or admiral lives, is the upper after-part of the vessel.
CABIN-BOY. A boy whose duty is to attend and serve the officers and passengers in the cabin.
CABIN-LECTURE. See Jobation.
CABIN-MATE. A companion, when two occupy a cabin furnished with two bed-places.
CABLE. A thick, strong rope or chain which serves to keep a ship at anchor; the rope is cable-laid, 10 inches in circumference