LEST bon, or bon LEST, good ballast; or such as lies firmly in the hold, without incommoding the pumps; as shingle gravel, &c.

LEST de plongeurs, a weight used by the divers in the coral-fishery. It is fastened securely to their waists, to balance them in the water, and keep them steady that they may traverse the waves easily without being tossed about.

LEST-gros, or gros LEST, heavy ballast, composed of large stones, or pigs of iron.

LEST lavé, washed shingle ballast.

LEST mauvais, bad ballast, as sand, salt, &c. which is apt to melt or penetrate through the ceiling, and choak the timbers and pumps.

Le LEST roule, the ballast shifts.

Voiles à LEST, port-sails, or pieces of canvas, depending from the port-hole of the ship, into which the ballast is thrown, to the side of the ballast-lighter, in order to prevent the ballast from falling into the water.

LESTAGE, the ballasting of a ship, or furnishing her with ballast.

LESTER, to ballast a vessel, or furnish her with ballast.

LESTEUR, a ballast-lighter.

LETTRES de reprisailles, letters of mart.

LETTRE de mer, a passport.

LEVÉE, a swelling sea.

Il y a de la LEVÉE, the sea rises; there is a broken or boiling sea.

LEVE-rame! unship the oars! the order to the rowers to lay in their oars.

LEVER l'amure, to tack, or shift the tack; to put about.

LEVER l'ancre, to weigh the anchor.

LEVER l'ancre avec la chaloupe, to weigh the anchor by the buoy-rope in the song-boat.

See ANCRE.

Reference Works