y the rigging of an adversary. Also in
boarding an enemy whose hull was more lofty than that of the boarders,
by driving the points of several into her side, one above another, and
thus forming a kind of scaling-ladder; hence were called boarding-axes.

POLEMARCH. The commander-in-chief of an ancient Greek army.

POLE-MASTS. Single spar masts, also applied where the top-gallant and
royal masts are in one. (_See_ MAST.)

POLES. Two points on the surface of the earth, each 90 deg. distant from
all parts of the equator, forming the extremities of the imaginary line
called the earth's axis. The term applies also to those points in the
heavens towards which the terrestrial axis is always directed.--_Under
bare poles._ The situation of a ship at sea when all her sails are
furled. (_See_ SCUD and TRY.)

POLE-STAR. {a} _Ursae minoris_. This most useful star is the lucida of
the Little Bear, round which the other components of the constellation
and the rest of the heavens appear to revolve in the course of the
astronomical day.

POLICY. A written contract, by which the insurers oblige themselves to
indemnify sea-risks under various conditions. An _interest_ policy, is
where the insurer has a real assignable interest in the thing insured; a
_wager_ policy, is where the insurer has no substantial interest in the
thing insured; an _open_ policy, is where the amount of interest is not
fixed, but left to be ascertained in case of loss; a _valued_ policy, is
where an actual value has been set on the ship or goods.

POLLACK. The _Merlangus pollachius_, a well-known member of the cod
family.

POLLUX. {b} _Geminorum_. A bright and well-known star in the ancient
constellation Gemini, of which it is the second in brightness.

POLRON. That part of the armour which covered the neck and shoulders.

POLTROON. Not known in the navy.

POLYGON. A geometrical figure of any number of sides more than four;
regular or irregular. In fortification the term is applied to the plan
of a piece of ground fortified or about to be fortified; and hence, in
some countries, to a fort appropriated as an artillery and engineering
school.

POLYMETER. An instrument for measuring angles.

POLYNESIA. A group of islands: a name generally applied to the islands
of the Pacific Ocean collectively, whether in clusters or straggling.

POMELO, OR PUMELO. _Citrus decumana._ A large fruit known by this name
in the East Indies, but in the West by that of shaddock