or has broken her floors or timbers, riders are
introduced to secure the ship, and enable her to reach a port where she
can be properly repaired. Stringers are also used, but these run
horizontally.--_Riders_ are also upper tiers of casks, or any stowed
above the ground tier in the hold.

RIDING A PORT-LAST. With lower yards on the gunwales.

RIDING-BITTS. Those to which the cable is made fast.

RIDING-DOWN. The act of the men who throw their weight on the head of a
sail to stretch it. Also, of the man who comes down a stay, &c., to tar
it; or foots the bunt in.

RIDGE. Hydrographically means a long narrow stretch of shingle or rocks,
near the surface of the sea, (_See_ REEF and SHALLOWS.) Geographically,
the intersection of two opposite slopes, or a range of hills, or the
highest line of mountains.

RIDGE-ROPES, are of various kinds. Thus the centre-rope of an awning,
and those along the rigging to which it is stretched, the man-ropes to
the bowsprit, safety lines from gun to gun in bad weather--all obtain
this name.

RIFE. An old provincial term for a salt-water pond.

RIFLED ORDNANCE. That which is provided with spiral grooves in the
interior of the bore, to give rotatory motion to the projectile, thereby
much increasing its accuracy of flight, and permitting the use of
elongated shot and shell.

RIFLE-PIT. Cover hastily thrown up by one or two skirmishers, but
contributing, when a line of them is joined together, to form works
sometimes of much importance.

RIG. Colloquially, mischievous frolic not carried to excess.

RIG, TO. To fit the shrouds, stays, braces, and running-rigging to their
respective masts, yards, and sails. Colloquially, it means to
dress.--_To rig in a boom_, is to draw it in.--_To rig out a boom_, is
to run it out from a yard, in order to extend the foot of a sail upon
it, as with studding-sail booms, &c.

RIGEL. {b} _Orionis_, one of the bright stars in Orion.

RIGGED. Completely equipped.

RIGGERS. Men employed on board ships to fit the standing and running
rigging, or to dismantle them. The riggers in the naval yards, who rig
ships previous to their being commissioned, are under the
master-attendant, and perform all anchor, mooring, and harbour duties
also.

RIGGING. A general name given to all the ropes or chains employed to
support the masts, and arrange the sails according to the direction of
the wind. Those are termed "standing" which are comparative fixtures,
and suppo