[17a] A smooth piece of wood painted black and varnished. On one side are directions in English telling those on a wreck where and how to secure the hawser and tail-block. On the reverse side the same directions are printed in French.[17b] A running block, in which the breeches buoy travels upon the hawser between the wreck and the shore.[31] An expression often heard at sea, which means that there is not sufficient room inside the galley to turn a pan-cake. It is a joke, of course, but gives a fair idea of the exceeding smallness of the cook’s domain on many brigs and schooners of light tonnage.[79] This frail species of craft, which is much used in South American coast waters, is usually formed by lashing several planks together, in the form of a raft, the middle one being longer than the others, and slightly turned up at the forward end so as to form a rude bow. Empty casks are often lashed around the sides to lend buoyancy, and a single sail completes the outfit. The Brazilian government will not allow any other form of vessel at Fernando de Noronha—not even one for the Governor’s use—lest the convicts should escape.[101] When a seafaring man invites you to splice the main brace, he asks you to join him in taking some liquid refreshment.[132] Thick cones of clouded glass let into the quarter-deck. The lazarette beneath obtains all its illumination from these deadlights, which focus the rays of light powerfully.[175] Many readers may fancy this an exaggeration, and marvel that such a man should be accepted. The author recently left port on a large American ship bound on a long voyage, and next day it was discovered that there were four “able seamen” in the forecastle who knew no more of steering by compass than does an infant, and could not even name the yards and sails correctly. Like the rest of the crew, they had been signed and placed on board by a U.S. Shipping Commissioner, who had taken the usual precaution of first getting them drunk. The captain has the privilege of rejecting any incompetent seamen, but in this case the test questions were of no use because of the men being intoxicated. One of them looked quite intelligent, but next day when they became sober, their defects were discovered. It was then too late to get rid of them, and for several months the officers had to put up with stupidity and incapacity of the grossest character. Such cases are not rare, as shipping commissioners can usually mulct “greenhorns” of at least $10 as the price of getting them a ship.[183] The common nautical contraction of “hermaphrodite.”