f the Society Islands.

PAID OFF. _See_ PAYING OFF.

PAINTER. A rope attached to the bows of a boat, used for making her
fast: it is spliced with a thimble to a ring-bolt inside the stem. "Cut
your painter," make off.

PAIR-OAR. A name of the London wherry of a larger size than the scull.

PAIXHAN GUN. Introduced by the French General Paixhan about 1830, for
the horizontal firing of heavy shells; having much greater calibre, but
proportionally less metal, than the then current solid-shot guns.

PALABRAS. Sp. words; hence _palaver_ amongst natives of new countries
where the Spaniards have landed.

PALADIN. A knight-errant.

PALANQUIN. The covered litter of India.

PALAVER. _See_ PALABRAS.

PALES AND CROSS-PALES. The interior shores by which the timbers of a
ship are kept to the proper breadth while in frame.

PALISADES. [Sp.] Palings for defensive purposes, formed of timber or
stout stakes fixed vertically and sharpened at the head.

PALLET. A ballast-locker formerly used, to give room in the hold for
other stowage.

PALLETTING. A slight platform made above the bottom of the magazines, to
keep the powder from moisture.

PALM. The triangular face of the fluke of an anchor. Also, a
shield-thimble used in sewing canvas, rope, &c. It consists of a flat
thimble to receive the head of the needle, and is fixed upon a piece of
canvas or leather, across the _palm_ of the hand, hence the name.

PALMAIR. An old northern word for rudder. Also, a pilot.

PALMETTO. One of the palm tribe, from the sheath of which sennit is
worked for seamen's (straw) hats.

PALM-WINE. A sub-acid and pleasant fermented tropical drink. (_See_
TODDY.)

PAMBAN MANCHE, OR SNAKE-BOAT OF COCHIN. A canoe used on the numerous
rivers and back-waters, from 30 to 60 feet long, and cut out of the
solid tree. The largest are paddled by about twenty men, double-banked,
and, when pressed, they will go as much as 12 miles an hour.

PAMPAS. The Savannah plains of South America, so extensive that, as
Humboldt observes, whilst their northern extremity is bounded by
palm-trees, their southern limits are the eternal snows of the
Magellanic straits.

PAMPERO. A violent squall of wind from the S.W., attended with rain,
thunder, and lightning, over the immense plains or pampas of the Rio de
la Plata, where it rages like a hurricane.

PAN. In fire-arms, is a small iron cavity of the old flint lock,
adjacent to the touch-hole of the barrel, to contain t