Molly Blue and the Eyeball

[Bartholomew Foulsteel]

To aid ye in yer understandin':

• Holystone - bars of sandstone used to scrub a ship's decking. To scrub so was "holystoning."
  
• Brig- a vessel with two square rigged masts (fore and main). The main mast of a brig is the aft one. To improve maneuverability, the mainmast carries a fore-and-aft sail (also called a spanker).
  
• Bone in her teeth - description indicating a ship traveling at considerable speed, fast enough to raise a white wake at her bow. "Aye, she was sailin' with a bone in her teeth."
  
• Heave-to - to stop a ship and maintain position, using rudder and sails to prevent much movement or drift. Also phrased as Lie-to. A ship thus stopped is Hove-to.
  
• Aloft - to be or go up into the rigging or on the mast, above the deck.
  
• Kissing the gunner's daughter - to be tied over one of the ship's cannons and flogged. "They caught him stealing, and now he's going to kiss the gunner's daugher."
  
• Abaft the beam - towards the rear somewhere between beside and behind the ship; between a 6 o'clock 9 o'clock position.
  
• Dutch courage - false courage usually inspired by strong drink. "Oh, he was full of Dutch courage, he was."
  
• Dance the hempen jig - to be hanged by the neck until dead. "If he's caught, they'll make him dance the hempen jig." Reference is to ropes made of hemp.
  
• Pong - a powerful smell.
  
• Jack Tar - a common sailor. Also simply "Tar."
  
• French leave - to leave the ship without permission, such as to go get drunk ashore. Also any sneaky exit.
  
• Before the Mast - refers to the quarters of the common sailors — in the forecastle, in the front of the ship.
  
• Scupper that - a term of derision meaning "that's hogwash." Scuppers are properly small openings at the edges of the deck which allow water to wash back over the side.