he
lower extremity of which is attached a block or tackle; such are the
fish-pendant, stay-tackle-pendant, brace-pendant, yard-tackle-pendant,
reef-tackle-pendant, &c., all of which are employed to transmit the efforts
of their respective tackles to some distant object.--_Rudder-pendants._
Strong ropes made fast to a rudder by means of chains. Their use is to
prevent the loss of the rudder if by any accident it should get
unshipped.

PENDULUM. A gravitating instrument for measuring the motion of a ship
and thereby assisting the accuracy of her gunnery in regulating
horizontal fire.

PENGUIN. A web-footed bird, of the genus _Aptenodytes_, unable to fly on
account of the small size of its wings, but with great powers of
swimming and diving: generally met with in high southern latitudes.

PENINSULA. A tract of land joined to a continent by a comparatively
narrow neck termed an isthmus.

PENINSULAR WAR. A designation assigned to the Duke of Wellington's
campaigns in Portugal and Spain.

PENKNIFE ICE. A name given by Parry to ice, the surface of which is
composed of numberless irregular vertical crystals, nearly close
together, from five to ten inches long, about half an inch broad, and
pointed at both ends. Supposed to be produced by heavy drops of rain
piercing their way through the ice rather than by any peculiar
crystallization while freezing.

PENNANT. A long narrow banner with St. George's cross in the head, and
hoisted at the main. It is the badge of a ship-of-war. Signal pennants
are 9 feet long, tapering from 2 feet at the mast to 1 foot. They denote
the vessels of a fleet; there are ten pennants, which can be varied
beyond any number of ships present. When the pennant is half mast, it
denotes the death of the captain. When hauled down the ship is out of
commission. Broad pennant denotes a commodore, and is a swallow-tailed
flag, the tails tapering, and would meet, if the exterior lines were
prolonged; those of a cornet could not.

PENNANT-SHIP. Generally means the commodore, and vessels in the employ
of government. It is also an authority delegated by the commander of
convoy to some smart merchant ship to assist in the charge, and collect
stragglers.

PENNOCK. A little bridge thrown over a water-course.

PENNY-WIDDIE. A haddock dried without being split.

PENSIONERS. Disabled soldiers or sailors received into the superb
institutions of Chelsea and Greenwich, or, "recently if they choose,"
receiving ou