SWEEPING, the act of dragging the bight, or loose part of a small rope, along the surface of the ground, in a harbour or road, in order to hook and recover some anchor, wreck, or other material, sunk at the bottom. It is performed by fastening the two ends of this rope to the sides of two boats which are abreast of each other, at some distance. To the middle of the rope are suspended two cannon shot, or something which weighs heavy, in order to sink it to the ground: so that as the boats advance by rowing ahead, the rope drags along the bottom, to hook any thing for which they are searching.

SWEEPS, are long oars sometimes used on board a ship to pull her round.

T.

TACK, a rope used to confine the foremost lowest-corners of the courses and stay-sails in a fixed position, when the wind crosses the ship’s course obliquely.

TACK-CHAIN plates, strong links or plates of iron, the lower ends of which are bolted through the ship’s side to the timbers, for the purpose of holding the rope called a tack.

MAIN-TACK, the tack of the main-sail.

TAFFAREL, the upper part of a ship’s stern, being a curved piece of wood, usually ornamented with sculpture.

TAUGHT, the state of being extended or stretched out. It is usually applied to a rope or sail, in opposition to slack.

TENDING, the movement by which a ship turns or swings round her anchor in a tide-way, at the beginning of the flood or ebb.

THWART, the seat or bench of a boat whereon the rowers fit to manage the oars.

TILER, the bar or lever employed to turn the rudder in steering.

TIMBERS, the ribs of a ship.

TRANSOMS, certain beams or timbers extended across the stern-post of a ship to fortify her after-part, and give it the figure most suitable to the service for which she is calculated.

Voyaging Accounts