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Help w/mid-19Cen Nautical Terms for Song
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Help w/mid-19Cen Nautical Terms for Song |
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Subject: Help w/mid-19Cen Nautical Terms for Song From: JedMarum Date: 20 Jun 06 - 10:51 AM I am developing a story for a song and need to have a better handle on some of the language I might be using. I've listed below some detail about the ship on which my story teller is sailing. It was a real ship, and the background story is from history. I've read the edited log book of the ship's the executive officer from the ship's short but eventful voyage during the US Civil War. Here're the details: Launched at Glasgow, Scotland in August 1863 1160-ton screw steam cruiser Displacement: 1160 tons Length: 230 ft (70 m) Beam: 32 ft (9.8 m) Draft: 20 ft 6 in (6.2 m) Propulsion and power: Sails and steam engine Speed: 9 knots (17 km/h) under steam The ship was the first screw steamer built on the principles of iron frames and wooden planking. It was a fully rigged ship with yards for square sails, and had 21 working sails. Here're My questions I think I'll place my story teller at the back of the ship, watching the wake disappear into the horizon behind as he tells his tale. The weather's good, sea calm. I picture him perhaps leaning on the rail. Where would he say he is? What might he be leaning on? What sights or sounds might surround him? I will dig through the log book again as I develop the story and may have a question or two more. Thanks |
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Subject: RE: Help w/mid-19Cen Nautical Terms for Song From: open mike Date: 20 Jun 06 - 11:14 AM being rather a land lubber meself, i do not have answers, but you might ask Lee Murdoch, as he specializes in nautical songs. esp. Great Lakes area--http://www.leemurdock.com/ sounds like a great song developing there, and I appreciate your thorough research -- this should "net" you a good one! |
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Subject: RE: Help w/mid-19Cen Nautical Terms for Song From: Peace Date: 20 Jun 06 - 11:20 AM Nautical Terms . . . and another. Sorry I can't be more help. It's all water and boats to me. |
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Subject: RE: Help w/mid-19Cen Nautical Terms for Song From: MMario Date: 20 Jun 06 - 11:37 AM I think I'll place my story teller at the back of the ship, watching the wake disappear into the horizon behind as he tells his tale. The weather's good, sea calm. I picture him perhaps leaning on the rail. Where would he say he is? What might he be leaning on? What sights or sounds might surround him? Is he an experienced sailor? or a landlubber? If the latter - he is probably leaning on the rail at the back of the boat. If the former more likely at the taffrail (which in itself implies the stern) |
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Subject: RE: Help w/mid-19Cen Nautical Terms for Song From: Barry Finn Date: 20 Jun 06 - 11:54 AM Aft or stern rail, or taft rail ifthere a combination of bulwarks aft & stantions amid ship. You may be on the main, upper or lower deck. He might be listening to the engine (I don't know how loud a steam engine would be though). He might be looking at the wake, sea birds, not dolfins, I've only seen them play in the bow wake or along side, never seen they play prop's (screw's) wake. You might be able to see them from the port or starboard stern rail though. The rail maybe supported by stantions (vertical metal pipe like supports) or bulwarks (like a solid wall) which would mean you may want to call the rail a rail cap. There wold be hold in the bulwards. Those holes if level with the deck would be called scuppers though which onboard water (green seas) would drain or could be used to pass lines through. There may also be cleats in board of the stantions (or bulwarks or they may be mounted of the bulwarks themselves. There maybe davits aft or along side from which life boats are hung or he may just be viewing the land he just left behind. There are many books that describe ships in detail Chapman's being one, Royce's Sailing Illustrated being another. There's plenty of boat building & design books & such that you would do well to take a glance at. Good luck, hope I've been some help. Barry |
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Subject: RE: Help w/mid-19Cen Nautical Terms for Song From: JedMarum Date: 20 Jun 06 - 12:41 PM I love this place! Thanks for some great info. |
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Subject: RE: Help w/mid-19Cen Nautical Terms for Song From: Amos Date: 20 Jun 06 - 01:01 PM Depending on the design of the vessel he could be said to be on the poop deck, leaning on the taffrail or stern rail. In addition to cleats there might be bitts of some kind -- large iron posts about two feet tall for wrapping stern lines onto. The decks would be wooden lanking, with the seams stuffed with hemp and payed over with tar. (The plank most outboard is called the devil -- which gives the expressions, "The devil to pay" and "Caught between the devil and the deep blue sea"). A |
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Subject: RE: Help w/mid-19Cen Nautical Terms for Song From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 20 Jun 06 - 02:33 PM Richard H. Dana, "The Seamans Friend," containing a treatise on practical seamanship with plates, a Dictionary of Sea Terms, Customs and Uses, etc.", first published in the 1840's, is invaluable. A reprint is available. The Dictionary portion was on line, but now access is forbidden (temporary?) Darcy Lever, 1808 and many reprints, "The Young Officer's Sheet Anchor," (A key to rigging and seamanship). Useful for the early 19th c. At the same Harvard website is a dictionary of sea terms, 1863-1870, which also is 'forbidden.' Temporary? Admiral W. H. Smyth, 1867 and later printings, "The Sailors Word-Book" This one has some 15000 entries on 750 pp., very useful for reference on the days of sail, but is more on 'Navy' than commercial sail. |
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Subject: RE: Help w/mid-19Cen Nautical Terms for Song From: Barry Finn Date: 20 Jun 06 - 02:57 PM Didn't see the part about steam/sail. Under sail he may be hearing the ship cutting though the water & hearing the bow wake as the ship dips, plunges or crashes into following sea (you're traveling with the waves) but not directly into a head wind (you'd have to sail at an angle or steam into a headwind) or the sound of the wind in the rigging & the sound of the sail, like if she's luffing or straining. Also he could be looking at, deepending on the rig (ship, bark, barkentine, brig, brigantine or one of the many types of schooners) a spanker (the farther aft most fore & aft sail) with it's spanker boom hanging some times far out over the stern of the boat. The boom may rest, when not being used, in the gallows or spanker gallows (also called a cradle or crutch), which would be a board that sits vertically between the davits & has one or more notches in it for the boom to rest in. Another thought about what's to look at. Weither landlubber or seasoned sailor both will start to check out the seas & skies around them. Both will tell them what's in store & how the yoyage is gonna feel. Both will watch the stars, the moon, the clouds, the sun, the seas & waves, the flat calm, the direction of the wind & ship & sail, the horizon, the rain, rise & fall of the vessel & it's roll & pitch, the smell of the ship & seas. These tell all about what's happening & what's about to happen. Barry |
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Subject: RE: Help w/mid-19Cen Nautical Terms for Song From: Les from Hull Date: 20 Jun 06 - 08:02 PM Sail and steam ships of this age had quite inefficient engines (simple as opposed to compound) that had a high consumption of coal. So the engines were run for much less time than the ship would be under sail. But if it was calm, or for entering or leaving port you had the engine. Many of these Glasgow ships were purpose-built blockade runners running into Confederate ports (with military supplies?) and taking out cotton. Of course, to avoid US cruisers you would need both sail and steam. Of course your story-teller needs a reason to be leaning on the taffrail. He'd be an officer, or an apprentice officer, or perhaps a passenger of sufficient status. Astern he sees the wake and possibly following seabirds. Looking forrard he sees the mass of sails, if it's calm most or all of them, or if it's that calm and the engine is being used, clouds of thick black smoke. There's also the sounds and smells. Forrard he also sees the helmsman, the duty officer, and the men at work at the many large and small tasks to keep the ship both safe and clean. Good luck with the song! |
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Subject: RE: Help w/mid-19Cen Nautical Terms for Song From: Greg B Date: 21 Jun 06 - 12:54 PM Steam engines are quite quiet...the loudest part of them is actually the blowers that feed air to the boilers. If you're amidships you can sometimes hear the air rushing into the vents or you might hear some sound as it pushes back up out of the stack; I wouldn't expect to hear same at the taffrail. There, you'd hear the wake. If the vessel was lightly loaded, you might hear the screw splashing about in the water. Or, if it were stormy you'd hear the screw come up out of the water (and feel a shudder) then silence as it went back in. In those days, vessels often streamed a 'patent log' which consisted of a torpedo-shaped impeller (think giant bass lure) attached to a cable. That runs into a gear-box sort of affair which clicks off nautical miles and tenths. It will whir and click...the log line will hum and thrum in the wind. Don't also, forget the flapping of the ensign flying on the stern, and the higher frequency sound of signal flags. If there's an old-fashined wheel-house astern (as there would be on vessels before the advent of the midships bridge and the steering engine) you'll also hear any chatter from there; this is very limited, as such places were to be kept 'sterile' and free from distractions. But orders and responses might come via speaking tube between the officer of the watch and the engine room. Bell time would have been rung each half-hour, both on a ship-strike clock in the wheelhouse and on the ship's bell (usually forward). If it's the first three days out, you might enjoy the sound of the first mate returning his supper of codfish to the sea. Note that one difference between ships with steam and those without is that when ships steam into the wind (and steam-sail ships would frequently do so) they increase the apparent wind by their forward speed. If you steam at 10 knots into a 25-knot wind (probably optimistic on an underpowered inefficient old ship with a full ship rig and lots of windage) you get 35 knots. And that will set up quite a howl in the rig and bare shrouds. |
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Subject: RE: Help w/mid-19Cen Nautical Terms for Song From: JedMarum Date: 22 Jun 06 - 09:13 AM This ship would prefer to travel under sail, when conditions were good - the exceutive officer, who is telling the tale - liked it that way best. These guys have just spent a year - circumnavigating the world, and capturing Yankee commercial ships. They have taken some 38 ships as prizes - the bulk of these, whalers. As the tale is told, they have just put the Cape Horn passage behind them, coming from the North Pacific whaling grounds. They have a favorable wind, lovely weather and are about to make the final long Atlantic run to Liverpool. They hope to avoid any Yankee gun ships and capture - but they expect they will make it, and believe they can out run and/or outsmart most Yankee ships. This ship is the CSS Shenandoah - and the story is "told" in song some 2 months after they've learned their country (CSA) has surrendured to the Union, and that many of the prizes they captured during the last 6 months, were captured after the war was over. They know they would likely be hanged if they are caught by the Yankees. They hope that England will help them negotiate a safe return to the US (and they are correct). The prop would be raised, when they are under sail like this ... and the exec is a well trained, seasoned seaman. Men in family have been Captains and such for generations. His grandfather fought with the rebels in the 1798 rebellion in Ireland, before coming to America. |
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Subject: RE: Help w/mid-19Cen Nautical Terms for Song From: Greg B Date: 22 Jun 06 - 09:19 AM Maybe one reason the exec liked to sail here was that when traveling under steam, and into the wind, he had to smell the stink of coal smoke back there by the taffrail. |
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Subject: RE: Help w/mid-19Cen Nautical Terms for Song From: Charley Noble Date: 22 Jun 06 - 10:44 AM Jed- Looks like you're getting plenty of good advice. The "long road home" for the CSS Shenandoah certainly would make a great song and I for one will be interested in what you come up with. Good luck! Cheerily, Charley Noble |
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Subject: RE: Help w/mid-19Cen Nautical Terms for Song From: Dave (the ancient mariner) Date: 22 Jun 06 - 11:00 AM Over the Barrel - The most common method of punishment aboard ship was flogging. The unfortunate sailor was tied to a grating, a mast or over the barrel of a deck cannon. To Know the Ropes - There was miles and miles of cordage in the rigging of a square rigged ship. The only way of keeping track of and knowing the function of all of these lines was to know where they were located. It took an experienced seaman to know the ropes. Dressing Down - Thin and worn sails were often treated with oil or wax to renew their effectiveness. This was called "dressing down". An officer or sailor who was reprimanded or scolded received a dressing down. Footloose - The bottom portion of a sail is called the foot. If it is not secured, it is footloose and it dances randomly in the wind. Booby Hatch - Aboard ship, a booby hatch is a sliding cover or hatch that must be pushed away to allow access or passage. First Rate - Implies excellence. From the 16th century on until steam powered ships took over, british naval ships were rated as to the number of heavy cannon they carried. A ship of 100 or more guns was a First Rate line-of-battle ship. Second rates carried 90 to 98 guns; Third Rates, 64 to 89 guns; Fourth Rates, 50 to 60 guns. Frigates carrying 48 to 20 guns were fifth and sixth rated. Pipe Down - Means stop talking and be quiet. The Pipe Down was the last signal from the Bosun's pipe each day which meant "lights out" and "silence". Chock-a-Block - Meaning something is filled to capacity or over loaded. If two blocks of rigging tackle were so hard together they couldn't be tightened further, it was said they were "Chock-a-Block". Leeway - The weather side of a ship is the side from which the wind is blowing. The Lee side is the side of the ship sheltered from the wind. A lee shore is a shore that is downwind of a ship. If a ship does not have enough "leeway" it is in danger of being driven onto the shore. Windfall - A sudden unexpected rush of wind from a mountainous shore which allowed a ship more leeway. Groggy - In 1740, British Admiral Vernon (whose nickname was "Old Grogram" for the cloak of grogram which he wore) ordered that the sailors' daily ration of rum be diluted with water. The men called the mixture "grog". A sailor who drank too much grog was "groggy". Three Sheets to the Wind - A sheet is a rope line which controls the tension on the downwind side of a square sail. If, on a three masted fully rigged ship, the sheets of the three lower course sails are loose, the sails will flap and flutter and are said to be "in the wind". A ship in this condition would stagger and wander aimlessly downwind. Pooped - The poop is the stern section of a ship. To be pooped is to be swamped by a high, following sea. As the Crow Flies - When lost or unsure of their position in coastal waters, ships would release a caged crow. The crow would fly straight towards the nearest land thus giving the vessel some sort of a navigational fix. The tallest lookout platform on a ship came to be know as the crow's nest. Buoyed Up - Using a buoy to raise the bight of an anchor cable to prevent it from chafing on a rough bottom. By and Large - Currently means in all cases or in any case. From the nautical: by meaning into the wind and large meaning with the wind: as in, "By and Large the ship handled very well." Cut and Run - If a captain of a smaller ship encountered a larger enemy vessel, he might decide that discretion is the better part of valor, and so he would order the crew to cut the lashings on all the sails and run away before the wind. Other sources indicate "Cut and Run" meant to cut the anchor cable and sail off in a hurry. In the Offing - Currently means something is about to happen, as in - "There is a reorganization in the offing." From the 16th century usage meaning a good distance from shore, barely visible from land, as in - "We sighted a ship in the offing." The Bitter End - The end of an anchor cable is fastened to the bitts at the ship's bow. If all of the anchor cable has been payed out you have come to the bitter end. Toe the Line - When called to line up at attention, the ship's crew would form up with their toes touching a seam in the deck planking. Back and Fill - A technique of tacking when the tide is with the ship but the wind is against it. Overhaul - To prevent the buntline ropes from chaffing the sails, crew were sent aloft to haul them over the sails. This was called overhauling. Slush Fund - A slushy slurry of fat was obtained by boiling or scraping the empty salted meat storage barrels. This stuff called "slush" was often sold ashore by the ship's cook for the benefit of himself or the crew. The money so derived became known as a slush fund. Bear Down - To sail downwind rapidly towards another ship or landmark. Under the Weather - If a crewman is standing watch on the weather side of the bow, he will be subject to the constant beating of the sea and the ocean spray. He will be under the weather. Overreach - If a ship holds a tack course too long, it has overreached its turning point and the distance it must travel to reach it's next tack point is increased. Gone By the Board - Anything seen to have gone overboard or spotted floating past the ship (by the board) was considered lost at sea. Above Board - Anything on or above the open deck. If something is open and in plain view, it is above board. Overwhelm - Old English for capsize or founder. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea - The devil seam was the curved seam in the deck planking closest to the side of the ship and next to the scupper gutters. If a sailor slipped on the deck, he could find himself between the devil and the deep blue sea. The Devil to Pay - To pay the deck seams meant to seal them with tar. The devil seam was the most difficult to pay because it was curved and intersected with the straight deck planking. Some sources define the "devil" as the below-the-waterline-seam between the keel and the the adjoining planking. Paying the Devil was considered to be a most difficult and unpleasant task. Rummage Sale - From the French "arrimage" meaning ship's cargo. Damaged cargo was sold at a rummage sale. A Square Meal - In good weather, crews' mess was a warm meal served on square wooden platters. Son of a Gun - When in port, and with the crew restricted to the ship for any extended period of time, wives and ladies of easy virtue often were allowed to live aboard along with the crew. Infrequently, but not uncommonly, children were born aboard, and a convenient place for this was between guns on the gun deck. If the child's father was unknown, they were entered in the ship's log as "son of a gun". Overbearing - To sail downwind directly at another ship thus "stealing" or diverting the wind from his sails. Taking the wind out of his sails - Sailing in a manner so as to steal or divert wind from another ship's sails. Let the Cat Out of the Bag - In the Royal Navy the punishment prescribed for most serious crimes was flogging. This was administered by the Bosun's Mate using a whip called a cat o' nine tails. The "cat" was kept in a leather or baize bag. It was considered bad news indeed when the cat was let out of the bag. Other sources attribute the expression to the old english market scam of selling someone a pig in a poke(bag) when the pig turned out to be a cat instead. No Room to Swing a Cat - The entire ship's company was required to witness flogging at close hand. The crew might crowd around so that the Bosun's Mate might not have enough room to swing his cat o' nine tails. Start Over with a Clean Slate - A slate tablet was kept near the helm on which the watch keeper would record the speeds, distances, headings and tacks during the watch. If there were no problems during the watch, the slate would be wiped clean so that the new watch could start over with a clean slate. Taken Aback - A dangerous situation where the wind is on the wrong side of the sails pressing them back against the mast and forcing the ship astern. Most often this was caused by an inattentive helmsman who had allowed the ship to head up into the wind. At Loggerheads - An iron ball attached to a long handle was a loggerhead. When heated it was used to seal the pitch in deck seams. It was sometimes a handy weapon for quarrelling crewmen. Fly-by-Night - A large sail used only for sailing downwind and requiring rather little attention. No Great Shakes - When casks became empty they were "shaken" (taken apart) so the pieces, called shakes, could be stored in a small space. Shakes had very little value. Give (someone) a Wide Berth - To anchor a ship far enough away from another ship so that they did not hit each other when they swung with the wind or tide. Cut of His Jib - Warships many times had their foresails or jib sails cut thinly so that they could maintain point and not be blown off course. Upon sighting thin foresails on a distant ship a captain might not like the cut of his jib and would then have an opportunity to escape. Press Into Service - The British navy filled their ships' crew quotas by kidnapping men off the streets and forcing them into service. This was called Impressment and was done by Press Gangs. Touch and Go - This referred to a ship's keel touching the bottom and getting right off again. Scuttlebutt - A butt was a barrel. Scuttle meant to chop a hole in something. The scuttlebutt was a water barrel with a hole cut into it so that sailors could reach in and dip out drinking water. The scuttlebutt was the place where the ship's gossip was exchanged. And lots more... ;-) drop me a PM if you need help mate! Yours, Aye. Dave |
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Subject: RE: Help w/mid-19Cen Nautical Terms for Song From: JedMarum Date: 22 Jun 06 - 11:00 AM Yes - this thread has been most helpful to me. Thanks again to all for your thoughts. "long road home" surely must figure into the title, somehow! Great idea, Charley. |
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Subject: RE: Help w/mid-19Cen Nautical Terms for Song From: Les from Hull Date: 22 Jun 06 - 11:12 AM Reasons the exec would prefer sail to steam: he was brought up that way; the soot belched out from the smaokestack all has to be cleaned up; coal stocks can go in days while other stores last for months; 'coaling ship' is hard work and dangerous in wartime if an enemy cruiser turns up (cruiser in the old sense of 'cruising ship'; coal costs money and the best coal (Welsh Steam Coal) is hard to get; cruising warships like Shenandoah could often manage to stay out be taking stores from prizes, but the chances of getting coal this way were limited. He really wouldn't like giving the order 'up funnel, down screw'. |
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Subject: RE: Help w/mid-19Cen Nautical Terms for Song From: JedMarum Date: 22 Jun 06 - 11:25 AM He does talk about moving the coal stores, adding to them etc. They took a number of ships as prizes and noted that they took considerable stocks of coal from them. He never talks about being by the taffrail. I put him there to reflect quietly on where they've been, so he can tell the story. He is proud of the ship. It was state-of-art, well managed and well maintained. He took pride in her seaworthiness and sailing abilities. "That is when she was at her best" he would tell you, about the Shenandoah being under full sail, wings spread to a favorable wind. I've read his log and its accompanying notes a few times now - and done some additional reading about the ship and their voyage. It's one of the stories I can't pick out a specific incident or even character that inspires a song - but the overall, complex story is inspiring. Makes for a harder song to write - but seems to be a worthwhile endeavor. We'll see! |
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Subject: RE: Help w/mid-19Cen Nautical Terms for Song From: JedMarum Date: 23 Jun 06 - 10:18 AM Charley had sent me to a lovely poem with the title we discussed above, THE LONG ROAD HOME. A great poem and of course, I couldn't help but think about putting it to music (a passing thought - but someone's beaten me to it) but I was shocked to see this line: "In the reek of good old Mersey fog a-rolling rich and brown" Where the poet is looking forward to the day her ship rolls into the home port, in the Mersey fog. I just about sh*t when I read this because yesterday I was working with this line for my own song: "'Til she's anchored in the Mersey fog and her work is done" I think I'm haunted! |
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Subject: RE: Help w/mid-19Cen Nautical Terms for Song From: MMario Date: 23 Jun 06 - 10:20 AM great minds think alike and all that. |
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Subject: RE: Help w/mid-19Cen Nautical Terms for Song From: IanC Date: 23 Jun 06 - 10:25 AM Here's a Dictionary of Sea-Terms From Darcy Lever's "the Young Sea Officer's Sheet Anchor; or a Key to the Leading of Rigging, and to Practical Seamanship" with additions by George W. Blunt, New-York, E & G.W. Blunt, 1863. Surprising what you can find on the internet if you look. :-) |
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Subject: RE: Help w/mid-19Cen Nautical Terms for Song From: Charley Noble Date: 24 Jun 06 - 10:31 AM Jed- C. Fox Smith does get it right more times than not! And Peter Massey (UK) did a fine job adapting "The Long Road Home" for singing. My best suggestion for this kind of song writing is to put it aside for a few months and then think back at the story and see what parts are really memorable, which ones haunt you. Those are the verses of your song. I did a similar process with a published diary called A BRIDE'S PASSAGE, and may be accessed on my personal website titled "Sail On, Chalk Ginger Blue": Click here and search for lyrics! Unfortunately, it's much too long to sing for more than the occasional special event. Good luck with your work! Cheerily, Charley Noble |
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Subject: RE: Help w/mid-19Cen Nautical Terms for Song From: JedMarum Date: 07 Jul 06 - 04:20 PM Well after all the discussion of terms and the story - as I narrowed down the message of my song - I dropped the idea of placing my Exec on the back of the boat watching the wake disappear. It was a nice image - but got in the way of the message. I worked a few rhythms, and few melodic style - before I settled on a driving DADGAG, almost bluesy melody. That set the tone for a Confederate tale: THE SHENANDOAH'S RUN (c) Jed Marum July 2006 A hundred miles beyond Cape Horn Head up and through the gale Now both sheets aft we spread our wings Runnin' on full sail The South Atlantic welcomes us Gentle as a bride We set our course. This long last run Ends on the Merseyside CHO:The Shenandoah's glory should bring honor down on Richmond Her shining deeds at sea should light the way But now a Yankee flag is blotting out the sun in Richmond And shadows over all the CSA Eleven months we hunted them We drove them Yankees hard Then Richmond fell and if we're caught They'll hang us from the yard Now pray for me my children dear That we might find our way To make our port in Liverpool And back to you one day - CHO And if the English set us free I'm bound for Charleston Bay Though it breaks my heart their flag to see And hear those Yankees bray But cheer, my son no tears I cried For when this day is done They can't deny that Southern pride And the Shenandoah's run - CHO |
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Subject: RE: Help w/mid-19Cen Nautical Terms for Song From: MMario Date: 07 Jul 06 - 04:29 PM Can't wait to hear it, Jed. |
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Subject: RE: Help w/mid-19Cen Nautical Terms for Song From: JedMarum Date: 24 Jul 06 - 11:10 PM The album will be out in the couple of weeks - but it's complete. We mastered it today. Here's a sample if look in the upper right corner, the MP3 Player has a song called The Shenandoah's Run ... that's it, click it. It's a DADGAD blues, I think. ;-) Thanks for all the help, folks. |
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