MANATI, OR SEA-COW (_Manatus americanus_). A herbivorous
aquatic animal of the order _Sirenia_, found in the West Indies and
South American rivers. Another species (_Manatus senegalensis_) inhabits
the west coast of Africa.
MAN-BOUND. Detained in port in consequence of being short of complement.
MAN-BROKER. Synonymous with _crimp_ (which see).
MANBY'S MORTAR. An efficient apparatus for throwing a shell with a line
and chain attached to it, over a stranded vessel, and thereby opening a
communication between the wreck and the shore.
MANCHE OF MANGALORE. A flat-bottomed boat of burden, about 25 to 35 feet
long, 6 or 7 feet broad, and 4 or 5 feet deep, for landing the cargoes
of the _patamars_, which are discharged and loaded at the mouth of the
river. These boats are sewed together like the Masulah boats of
Madras.--The _Manche of Calicut_ is very similar to the foregoing, with
the exception of a raking stem for the purpose of taking the beach.
MANCHINEEL. _Hippomane mancinella_, a tree which grows to a vast size on
the coasts of the Caribbee Isles and neighbouring continent. The fruit
and sap are highly poisonous; but sleeping beneath the branches does not
cause death, as was erroneously supposed.
MANDARIN. A Portuguese word derived from _mandare_, "to command." It is
unknown to the Chinese and Tonquinese, who style their dignitaries
"quahn."
MANDILION. A loose boat-cloak of former times.
MANDRIL. A wooden cylinder for forming paper cartridges.
MANGER. A small berthing in the bows, extending athwart the deck of a
ship-of-war immediately within the hawse-holes, and separated on the
after-part from the rest of the deck by the _manger-board_, a strong
coaming rather higher than the hawse-holes, serving to prevent the
ingress of the sea when the cables are bent; this water is returned to
the sea through the manger-scuppers, which are made large for that
purpose.
MANGONEL. An ancient military engine in the form of a gigantic
cross-bow, discharging large darts and stones, used in battering
fortified places: a kind of ballista.
MANGONIZE, TO. To traffic in slaves.
MAN-HANDLE, TO. To move by force of men, without levers or tackles.
MAN-HOLE. The aperture, secured by a door, in the upper part of a
steam-boiler, which allows a person to enter for repairing it or
removing the deposit or crust of salt.
MAN-HUNTING. The impress service.
MANIFEST. An official inventory of the cargo of a merchant ship,
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