Part 47

Is used for sundry Services on board a Ship, by the Boatswains in mixing it with Blacking or Tar.

Palleting

The Floor of the Bread-room and Magazine of Powder, generally wrought of ordinary Deal, and is laid above the Keelson, for keeping the Bread and Powder dry, in Case there should be more Water in Hold than usual.

Palms

Are round Pieces of Iron, stamp'd full with round Impressions; are sewed to Leather, which comes into the Palm of the Sail-makers Hand, and are made use of by them to prevent the Needles running into them, when sewing the Seams or Boltropes on the Sails.

Pannel

In Joynery, &c. a square Piece of thin Wood, sometimes carved, framed, or groved in a larger Piece between Stiles.

Parbuncle

Is the Name given a Rope Contrived almost like a Pair of Slings; it is seized both Ends together, and then put double about any heavy Thing that is to be hoisted in or out of a Ship, and by having a Hook of a Runner or Tackle hitched into it, they hoist up any Cask or Box.

Parsling

Are Pieces of old Canvas cut about four Inches broad, and wrapped round Shrouds, Stays, Straps for Blocks, &c. before served with spun Yarn.

Parrells

Are made of Ribs and Trucks, and Ropes reeved through them, which having both their Ends fastened round about the Masts, the Yards by their Means go up and down the Masts with greater Ease; these also with the Breast Ropes fasten the Yards to the Masts.

Partners

Are Pieces of thick Stuff, through which Holes for the Masts and Capstons are cut on each Deck; they are wrought considerably thicker than the Plank of the Deck, so far as between the respective Beams where they are placed.

Paunch

Are those Mats made of Sinnet, which in a Ship are made fast to the Main and Fore Yards, to keep them from galling against the Masts.

Pawle

Is made of Iron, bolted at one End to the Beams through the Deck close to the Capston, but yet so easily as that it can turn about. Its Use is to stop the Capston from turning back, by being made to catch hold of the Whelps, therefore they say, Heave a Pawl; that is, heave a little more for the Pawl to get hold of the Whelps, and this they call Pawling the Capston; and droping Pawls are bolted to the Beams, and fall on the Drum-head, where, on the Top, are Holes cut for receiving the Iron Pawl.

Paying

Laying over the Seams of a Ship a Coat of hot Pitch, is called Paying her; or when she is a graving, and her Soil burned off, and a new Coat of Tallow, Pitch, Rozin and Brimstone boiled together, is put upon her, that is also called Paying of a Ship.

Peek

Used in these Senses: An Anchor is said to be a Peek, when the Ship being about to weigh, comes so over her Anchor, that the Cable is perpendicular between the Hawse and the Anchor, and to bring the Ship thus, is called heaving a Peek.

Also Peek the Mizon, that is, put the Mizon Yard right up and down by the Mast.

A Ship is said to ride a Peek when she lies with her Main and Fore Yards hoisted up, and then having one End of the Yards brought down to the Gunwale, the other is raised up an End.

The Reason why they thus Peek up their Yards is, least lying in a River (and they hardly ever use it but then) with their Yards a-cross, another Ship should come foul of them and break their Yards.

Pendants

Short Ropes, one End of which is fastened either to the Head of the Mast, End of the Yards, on the Main Stay, or Back of the Rother; and at the other End hath a Thimble spliced in, or a Block to reeve a Fall through.