A Sea of Words

by Dean King

  Nostradamus (1503-1566) French physician and astrologer (French name, Michel de Nostredame) who became known as a prophet after he accurately predicted the death of Henry II of France.

  nostrum A medicine with unrevealed ingredients; a quack remedy. A patent medicine—although securing a patent necessitated revealing the ingredients.

  N’oubliez pas l’ours, messieurs-dames Don’t forget the bear, ladies and gents (French).

  Nova Scotia A maritime province on the eastern coast of Canada first settled by the French in 1605. Called Acadia, it was the first permanent North American settlement north of Florida. Possession alternated between the French and English until 1713, when the entire area became British. In 1749, Halifax was settled as a naval dockyard and base for ships on the North America station. During and after the American Revolution, many LOYALISTS moved to Nova Scotia.

  novena In the Roman Catholic Church, a devotion of special prayers or services on nine successive days.

  nunc dimittis The first words of the Song of Simeon in Luke 2:29-32, nunc dimittis servum tuum, Domine (Latin): “Let thy servant depart now, Lord.” To sing one’s nunc dimittis is to declare oneself willing or delighted to depart from life or from some occupation.

  nunc est bibendum Now is the time for drinking (Latin; Horace, Odes I,37).

  nunc et in hora mortis nostrae Now and at the hour of our death (Latin).

  nutation A slight oscillation of the earth’s axis.

  nympholept One who is in an emotional frenzy as a result of a violent enthusiasm, especially for an unattainable ideal.

  O

  Oaks, the A classic race for three-year-old fillies, dating to 1779, and run at Epsom, England, on the Friday after the DERBY.

  oakum Old pieces of rope untwisted, picked into shreds, and tarred, for use in caulking ships’ seams, stopping up leaks, and sometimes in dressing wounds. The making of oakum, a tedious process, often served as a naval punishment.

  objective glass In a telescope or other optical instrument, the lens or lenses nearest to the object viewed and so receiving rays of light directly from it.

  obnubilate To obscure, dim, or hide with or as with a cloud.

  obsidian A dark-colored volcanic glass.

  occultation The concealment of one heavenly body by another that passes between it and the observer, as of a star or planet by the moon. Also, the concealment of a heavenly body behind the body of the earth.

  octavo The size of a book or the page of a book when the sheets are folded so that each leaf is one-eighth of a whole sheet.

  off the reel Without halting, in an uninterrupted course or succession. Also, immediately.

  off the wind Said of a ship sailing with the wind blowing between the BEAM and the STERN.

  offing The part of the distant sea visible from the shore or beyond the anchoring ground. Also, the distance a vessel keeps from land or other navigational hazards.

  O fortunatos nimium, sua si bona norint, agricolas How exceedingly happy farmers would be if only they knew their good fortune (Latin; from Virgil’s Georgics II).

  One, du bateau … Ohé … La Diane, où ce qu’elle se trouve a présent? ... Au quai toujours, nom de Dieu. T’es Guillaume? ... Non. Etienne … Ben. Je m’en vais. Qu’est-ce que tu as là?... Des galériens … Ah, les bougres. Bon. Au plaisir, eh? ... Au plaisir, et je te souhaite merde, eh? Ship ahoy! ... Ahoy.... Where’s the Diane now? ... Still at the quay, for God’s sake. Is it William? ... No. Stephen.... Okay. I’m off. What do you have there? ... Some convicts. ... Oh, the scoundrels. Good. See you later, huh? ... See you later, and break a leg, huh? (French).

  O’Higgins, Bernado (1778-1842) The Chilean-born son of an Irish father and a Chilean mother, O’Higgins was educated in England. He returned to Chile in 1802 and took an active part in liberal politics favoring independence. Inspired by Napoleon’s invasion of Spain and the fall of King Ferdinand VII in 1808, he took part in a revolt in Chile led by Juan Martinez de Rozas in 1810. He was made Commander of the rebel army in 1813 and suffered a major defeat at Rancagua in 1814. But after joining forces with the Argentinian liberator San Martin, he won a decisive battle against the Spanish at Chacabuco in 1817 and led his country to independence, serving as a liberal dictator until 1823 when he was deposed by revolution. Known as “Liberator of Chile.”

  oilskin A cloth or garment made waterproof by treatment with oil.

  Old Harry A familiar name for the Devil. To play Old Harry with someone or something means to play mischief with or to ruin.

  Old Ironsides Nickname for H.M.S. Britannia, a first rate built in 1762 and renamed St. George in 1812. Also the nickname for the sturdy FRIGATE U.S.S. Constitution.

  oldster A MIDSHIPMAN with experience, one of four years’ standing.

  olla podrida A highly seasoned meat-and-vegetable stew traditional in Spain and Latin America.

  Omnia perdidimus, tantummodo vita relicta est,/Praebeat ut sensum materiamque mali We have lost everything, only life is left/Offering the sense and substance of misfortune (Latin; Ovid, Epistulae ex Ponto).

  omnium On the British Stock Exchange, the total value of the stocks and considerations offered by the government in raising a loan for each unit of capital (i.e., every £100) subscribed.

  omnium gatherum Coming together (Latin).

  on a bowline Said of a ship when CLOSE-HAULED, sailing as close as possible in the direction from which the wind is blowing.

  on the beam Abeam, at a right angle to a vessel’s FORE-AND-AFT line. See also BEAM-ENDS.

  onion-fly A winged insect, Delia cepetorum,whose larvae are destructive to onions.

  on the wind Said of a vessel when she is sailing with her SHEETS HAULed as far aft as possible, as close as possible to the direction from which the wind is blowing.

  opisthotonos A spasm of the neck, back, and leg muscles in which the body arches backward, as in severe tetanus.

  opium The dried latex exudate of seed pods of the opium poppy. Used in medicine to control diarrhea, induce sleep, and alleviate pain, it was often highly addictive. Commonly prescribed as LAUDANUM.

  opium-eating The behavior of opium addicts, who usually drank LAUDANUM.

  orange-peel Used chiefly as a flavoring, but sometimes as a cooling tonic or for dyspepsia.

  orbicular Various organs or structures of circular or ringlike form, especially muscles, known as sphincters, that surround and close natural apertures of the body, especially those of the mouth, eyes, anus, and vagina.

  orchitis Inflammation of the testes.

  ordinary Of a ship, “in ordinary” means not fully manned and ready to sail, usually in some form of storage or disrepair in a harbor or dockyard. Also said of the men left on a ship laid up in ordinary. A tavern or eating house where meals are offered to the public at a fixed price; a dining room in such an establishment.

  ordinary seaman A RATE of sailors who can make themselves useful on board a ship but who are not expert sailors; one of the latter is known as an ABLE SEAMAN.

  ordnance Military materials, stores, or supplies in general. More specifically, artillery—cannons, MORTARS, and the like.

  Orion, H.M.S. The most famous ship by this name was a 74-gun third rate built on the Thames in 1787. At the GLORIOUS FIRST OF TUNE in 1794, she was commanded by Captain John Thomas Duckworth and suffered many casualties. She also played significant roles at the Battles of CAPE ST. VINCENT in 1797, the NILE in 1798, and TRAFALGAR in 1805 under Captain Edward CODRINGTON. She also fought at COPENHAGEN in 1807 with GAMBIER and in the Baltic in 1808 with SAUMAREZ, who had commanded her in 1795.

  Commanded by Sir James SAUMAREZ at the Battle of Cape St. Vincent, she and the Irresistable were the first to engage the Spanish flagship Santissima-Trinidad. In Post Captain (p. 38), Aubrey informs Mrs. Williams, “ ‘I was third of the Orion,’ ” at the Battle of Cape St. Vincent. Later (p. 426) he mistakenly identifies her as the ship that blew up at the Nile, when he should have said l’ORIENT.

  Orkney
man A native or inhabitant of the Orkney Islands, off the north coast of Scotland.

  orlop deck The lowest deck of a ship, lying on the BEAMS of the hold and named from the Dutch words overloop and overlopen. The ship’s CABLES and supplies were stored on the orlop deck, and the PURSER and carpenter often had offices here, near their supplies. Below the waterline, this was also the site of the POWDER MAGAZINE, and sometimes the stuffy quarters for gunners, BOATSWAINS, carpenters, and MIDSHIPMEN. Originally, the orlop deck was the single floor or deck covering the hold of a ship; with the additions of decks above, the orlop became the lowest deck of a SHIP OF THE LINE and was not usually called a “deck.” When a ship had two complete levels these were called orlop and deck; when three levels, they were orlop, lower, and upper deck; when four levels, orlop, lower, middle, and upper deck.

  ornithologist One who studies birds.

  Ornithorhynchus The genus of an aquatic mammal of Australia, the duck-billed platypus, or duck-mole (O. paradoxus or anatinus), the only species of its genus and family in the order Monotremata. It has glossy dark-brown fur, webbed feet, and a bill like a duck’s, and it lays eggs like a bird.

  orris-root The rhizome of Iris florentina, which has a fragrant smell like violets. In powdered form it was used as a perfume and medically as a strong cathartic. It was also applied to the skin to stimulate the circulation.

  Ortegal Cape Ortegal projects into the Bay of Biscay at its most southwestern point, on the northwest coast of Spain.

  Orthoptera An order of insects that includes the cockroaches, walking-stick insects, leaf-insects, crickets, and grasshoppers.

  osprey also sea-eagle, fishing-eagle, or fish-hawk A large dark-brown-and-white bird of prey that frequents rocky sea coasts and lake borders and eats fish.

  Ossian or Osian In one of the more bizarre episodes of literary history, James McPherson (1736-1796), a Scottish poet, created a series of literary forgeries, which he claimed to have translated from Gaelic manuscripts. He attributed the authorship namely to a third-century poet named Ossian. In 1775 Dr. JOHNSON charged McPherson with having written the work himself and demanded to see the originals, which were never produced. McPherson’s sham works, Fragments of Ancient Poetry collected in the Highlands of Scotland (1760) and the epics Fingal (1762) and Temora (1763), were acclaimed by Napoleon and Goethe and influenced Blake, Burns, and most of the poets of the age. McPherson was granted a position with a salary for life and at his death was buried in Westminster Abbey.

  ostler One who attends to horses at an inn; a stable hand or groom.

  otary Any of a variety of seals with small external ears; fur seals and sea lions.

  over In cricket, the umpire’s call for the players to switch to the opposite places in the field on a change of the bowling to the other end of the wicket after a certain number of balls have been bowled from one end.

  overfall Turbulent water with short breaking waves, caused by a strong current or tide setting over a submarine ridge or shoal or by the meeting of contrary currents.

  oxer Fox-hunting slang for an ox-fence, a sturdy fence used for cattle, especially one bordered by a hedge on one side and a ditch on the other.

  oyster-catcher A wading bird of the genus Haematopus with black-and-white or black plumage and a bright red bill. The common European species was once known as sea pie.

  P

  packet or packet-boat A passenger boat plying at regular intervals between two ports for the conveyance of mail and goods; a mail boat.

  paduasoy A strong corded or grosgrain silk fabric, worn in the 18th century by both sexes. Also, a garment made of this material.

  Paganini, Niccolo (1782-1840) Born in Genoa, the son of a dockyard worker, Paganini was a violin prodigy who toured Italy in his teens (1798-1801) to great success, but he developed a weakness for gambling and heavy drinking, which nearly killed him. Paganini’s innovative violin playing emphasized pizzicato effects and new methods of fingering. He composed six violin concertos, 24 caprices, 12 sonatas for violin and guitar, and many sets of variations for the violin.

  Paget, General Sir Henry William (1768-1854) The “fire-eating” and “influential” general on the Charwell in Post Captain, Paget was a member of Parliament for Carnarvon (1790-1796) and Milborne Port (1796-1810). He raised an infantry regiment (80th Foot) in 1793 and fought in Flanders in 1794 and Holland in 1799. Later he was instrumental in the British retreat to Corunna (1808-1809), following which, despite already being married, he eloped with the Duke of Wellington’s sister-in-law, Charlotte. He commanded the Household Brigade at Waterloo, where he lost a leg in action. For his services at Waterloo, he was raised to the peerage as first Marquis of Anglesey.

  pagoda A gold or sometimes silver coin once used in Southern India, worth about seven SHILLINGS.

  pagoda-tree Any of several tree species found or cultivated in India, China, and other parts of the East: Sophora japonica, an ornamental leguminous tree with white or cream-colored flowers, cultivated in China and Japan; Plumeria acutifolia, with fragrant flowers, a native of the WEST INDIES and cultivated in India; and the BANYAN tree of India.

  painter A rope attached to the BOW of a boat for securing or towing it. The STOPPER securing the shank and FLUKES of an anchor was called the shank-painter.

  Paita A seaport town on the northwest coast of Peru.

  pake or pack A person of low or worthless character; almost always used with “naughty.”

  Pakenham’s rudder Designed by Edward Pakenham as a JURY RUDDER for use in an emergency, it used various parts readily available on board ship, including a TOPMAST, a spare lower CAP, an anchor stock, and a mast CHEEK, BIB, or other light planking.

  palanquin A covered litter or conveyance, usually for one person, used in India and other Eastern countries, consisting of a large box with wooden shutters like Venetian blinds and carried via projecting poles on the shoulders of usually four or six men.

  Palestrina, Giovanni Pierluigi da (c. 1525-1594) An Italian composer known for his motets, hymns, and Masses.

  paling Wood prepared for or made into pales, or stakes; pales collectively; fencing.

  palings A fence of pales (pointed boards).

  Palladian Of or pertaining to Pallas Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom; hence, pertaining to wisdom, knowledge, or study. Also, of or according to the school of the Italian architect Andrea Palladio (1518-1580), whose style, based on ancient Roman architecture, was made popular in England by Inigo Jones and spread to America in the mid-18th century.

  Pallas, H.M.S. A 32-gun fifth rate built in 1793 and wrecked in PLYMOUTH Sound in 1798. Another 32-gun fifth rate built (of fir instead of oak) in 1804 and given to COCHRANE in 1804 when HENRY DUNDAS became First Lord of the Admiralty. In 1805 she returned to Plymouth with three five-foot-long candlesticks displayed from her masts following a successful cruise raiding Spanish shipping off the AZORES. In 1806 Cochrane engaged the much-heavier 40-gun French FRIGATE Minerve, and might have taken her had not his ship been made of the lighter wood, which took substantial injury when the two collided. The Pallas was wrecked off the Firth of Forth in 1810.

  Pallas, Peter Simon (1741-1811) A German naturalist who made an extensive scientific exploration of Russia and Siberia. Pallas made important contributions to botany, zoology, geography, astronomy, and other sciences.

  pallet A straw-filled mattress; a narrow, hard, or temporary bed.

  Palliere, Christie Captain of the Desaix, which took COCHRANE prisoner after the capture of the Speedy by LINOIS’S SQUADRON in the GUT of GIBRALTAR. He treated Cochrane kindly. Cochrane later wrote: “On going aboard the Desaix, and presenting my sword to the captain, Christie Palliere, he politely declined it, with the complimentary remark that ‘he would not accept the sword of an officer who had for so many hours struggled against impossibility,’ at the same time paying me the compliment of requesting that ‘I would continue to wear my sword, though a prisoner’” (Autobigraphy of a Seaman, p. 60). In Post Captain, Palliere is
described as “a bear-like man, not as tall as Jack, but stouter, and he could stand his drink.” Aubrey discovers from his English Christy cousins that Christy-Palliere (as he is called in the Aubrey-Maturin novels) is not fully sympathetic to the revolution.

  Pall Mall The name of a fashionable street in London that was built on an abandoned mall and that became a site for stylish residences.

  palm Worn by sailmakers to protect their hands, a canvas or leather shield with a piece of iron covering the palm to catch the needle as it is forced through heavy canvas. “Palm and picket men” are those who sew and work on canvas.

  palmar Of, pertaining to, or involving the palm of the hand (or the paw of an animal).

  palmar aponeurosis The network of tendons, and their fibrous sheath, that cross the palm of the hand.

  palmate Resembling a hand with the fingers spread; of a plant, having leaflets or lobes radiating from a common point.

  Palmer, Nathaniel Brown (1799-1877) A sealer from Stonington, Connecticut, who in 1820 explored the Antarctic Penninsula. Land later called the Palmer Coast was one of the early recorded sightings of the Antarctic mainland. Jointly with the British sealer George Powell he also discovered the South Orkney Islands in 1821.

  palmetto Any of several smaller species of palms with fan-shaped leaves, especially the dwarf fan-palm of southern Europe and North Africa and the cabbage palmetto of the southeastern United States.

  palpate To examine or explore by touch, especially as a method of medical examination.

  palsy A disease of the nervous system characterized by the loss of power to feel or control body movement; paralysis.

  Panama A narrow isthmus and country in Central America. Early Spanish explorers saw the possibility of cutting a waterway to link the Caribbean and Pacific Oceans, but it was nearly 400 years before a canal was built.

  pandit A Hindu who knows Sanskrit and is learned in Indian philosophy, law, and religion; a wise or learned man—often used as an honorific in India.