The Sailor's Word-Book
Chapter 149 : LEECHES. The borders or edges of a sail, which are either sloping or perpendicular; th

LEECHES. The borders or edges of a sail, which are either sloping or perpendicular; those of the square sails are denominated from the s.h.i.+p's side, as the starboard-leech of the main-sail, &c.; but the sails which are fixed obliquely on the masts have their leeches named from their situation with regard to the s.h.i.+p's length, as the hoist or luff, or fore-leech of the mizen, the after-leech of the jib, &c.

LEECH-LINES. Ropes fastened to the leeches of the main-sail, fore-sail, and cross-jack, communicating with blocks under the tops, and serving to truss those sails up to the yards. (_See_ BRAILS.)--_Harbour leech-lines._ Ropes made fast at the middle of the topsail-yards, then pa.s.sing round the leeches of the top-sails, and through blocks upon the topsail-tye, serving to truss the sails very close up to the yard, previous to their being furled in a body.

LEECH-ROPE. A name given to that vertical part of the bolt-rope to which the border or edge of a sail is sewed. In all sails whose opposite leeches are of the same length, it is terminated above by the earing, and below by the clue. (_See_ BOLT-ROPE, CLUE, and EARINGS.)

LEE-FANG. A rope rove through the cringle of a sail, for hauling in, so as to lace on a bonnet.

LEE-FANGE. The iron bar upon which the sheets of fore-and-aft sails traverse, in small vessels. (_See_ HORSE.)

LEE-GAUGE. Implies being farther from the point whence the wind blows, than another vessel in company.

LEE-GUNWALE UNDER. A colloquial phrase for being sorely over-pressed, by canvas or other cause.

LEE-HATCH, TAKE CARE OF THE! A word of caution to the helmsman, not to let the s.h.i.+p fall to leeward of her course.

LEE-HITCH. The helmsman getting to leeward of the course.

LEE-LURCHES. The sudden and violent rolls which a s.h.i.+p often takes to leeward when a large wave strikes her on the weather-side.

LEE-Sh.o.r.e. A s.h.i.+p is said to be on a lee-sh.o.r.e, when she is near it, with the wind blowing right on to it.

LEE-SIDE. All that part of a s.h.i.+p or boat which lies between the mast and the side farthest from the wind, the other half being the weather-side.

LEE-SIDE OF THE QUARTER-DECK. Colloquially called the mids.h.i.+pman's parade.

LEE-TIDE. A tide running in the same direction as the wind, and forcing a s.h.i.+p to leeward of the line upon which she appears to sail.

LEEWARD. The lee-side. (_See_ LEE.) The opposite of _lee_ is _weather_, and of _leeward_, _windward_.

LEEWARDLY. Said of a s.h.i.+p or vessel which presents so little resistance to the water, when on a wind, as to bag away to leeward. It is the contrary to _weatherly_.

LEE-WAY. What a vessel loses by drifting to leeward in her course. When she is sailing close-hauled in a smooth sea with all sail set, she should make little or no lee-way; but a proportionate allowance must be made under every reduction of sail or increase of sea, the amount depending on the seaman's skill, and his knowledge of the vessel's qualities.

LEE-WHEEL. The a.s.sistant to the helmsman.

LEG. The run made on a single tack. Long and short legs (_see_ TACK AND HALF-TACK).

LEG ALONG. Ropes laid on end, ready for manning.

LEG-BAIL. Dishonest desertion from duty. The phrase is not confined to its nautical bearing.

LEGGERS. _See_ LEAGUER.

LEGS. (_See_ ANGLE.) A fast-sailing vessel is said to have legs.--_Legs_ are used in cutters, yachts, &c., to sh.o.r.e them up in dry harbours when the tide leaves them. The leech-line cringles have also been called legs. Also, the parts of a point which hang on each side of the sail.

LEGS OF THE MARTINETS. Small lines through the bolt-ropes of the courses, above a foot in length, and spliced at either end into themselves, making a small eye into which the martinets are hitched.

LEGS AND WINGS. _See_ OVER-MASTED.

LEISTER. A three-p.r.o.nged dart for striking fish, used in the north of England.

LEIT. A northern term for a snood or link of horse-hair for a fis.h.i.+ng-line.

LEITH. A channel on the coast of Sweden, like that round the point of Landfoort to Stockholm.

LEMBUS. A light undecked vessel, used by ancient pirates.

LEMING-STAR. An old name for a comet.

LEMON-ROB. The insp.i.s.sated juice of limes or lemons, a powerful anti-s...o...b..tic.

LEND A FIST OR A HAND. A request to another to help.

LEND US YOUR POUND HERE! A phrase demanding a.s.sistance in man-weight; alluding to the daily allowance of beef.

LENGTHENING. The operation of cutting a s.h.i.+p down across the middle, and adding a certain portion to her length. This is done by sawing her planks asunder in different parts of her length, on each side of the mids.h.i.+p-frame, to prevent her from being weakened too much in one place.

One end is then drawn apart to the required distance. An intermediate piece of timber is next added to the keel, and the vacancy filled up.

The two parts of the keelson are afterwards united. Finally, the planks of the side are prolonged, so as to unite with each other, and those of the ceiling refitted.

LENGTHENING-PIECE. The same as _short top-timber_ (which see).

LENS. The gla.s.s of a telescope, or of a microscope, with curved surfaces like a lentil, whence the name.

LENT. The spring fast, during which butchers were prohibited to kill flesh unless for victualling s.h.i.+ps, except by special license.

LENTRIae. Ancient small vessels, used on rivers.

LENUNCULI. Ancient fis.h.i.+ng-boats.

LEO. The fifth sign of the zodiac, which the sun enters about the 22d of July. It is one of the ancient constellations.

LEPPO. A sort of chunam, used on the China station, for paying vessels.

LERRICK. A name of the water-bird also called sand-lark or sand-piper.

LESSER CIRCLE. One whose plane does not pa.s.s through the centre of the sphere, and therefore divides it unequally. (_See_ GREAT CIRCLE.)

LET DRAW! The order to let the wind take the after-leeches of the jibs, &c., over to the lee-side, while tacking.

LET DRIVE, TO. To slip or let fly. To discharge, as a shot from a gun.

LET FALL! The order to drop a sail loosed from its gaskets, in order to set it.

LET FLY, TO. To let go a rope at once, suddenly.

LET GO AND HAUL! OR AFORE HAUL! The order to haul the head-yards round by the braces when the s.h.i.+p casts on the other tack. "Let go," alluding to the fore-bowline and lee head-braces.

LET GO UNDER FOOT. _See_ UNDER FOOT.