OSSING A SHIP'S WAKE.)

WALE-REARED. Synonymous with _wall-sided_.

WALES. The thickest strakes of wrought stuff in a vessel. Strong planks
extending all along the outward timbers on a ship's side, a little above
her water-line; they are synonymous with _bends_ (which see). The
channel-wale is below the lower-deck ports, and the main-wale between
the top of those ports and the sills of the upper-deck ports.

WALK AWAY! The order to step out briskly with a tackle fall, as in
hoisting boats.

WALK BACK! A method in cases where a purchase must not be lowered by a
round turn, as "Walk back the capstan;" the men controlling it by the
bars and walking back as demanded.

WALKER'S KNOT. _See_ MATTHEW WALKER.

WALKING A PLANK. An obsolete method of destroying people in mutiny and
piracy, under a plea of avoiding the penalty of murder. The victim is
compelled to walk, pinioned and blindfolded, along a plank projecting
over the ship's side, which, canting when overbalanced, heaves him into
the sea. Also, for detecting whether a man is drunk, he is made to walk
along a quarter-deck plank.

WALKING AWAY WITH THE ANCHOR. Said of a ship which is dragging, or
_shouldering_, her anchor; or when, from fouling the stock or upper
fluke, she trips the anchor out of the ground.

WALKING SPEAKING-TRUMPET. A midshipman repeating quarter-deck orders.

WALK SPANISH, TO. To quit duty without leave; to desert.

WALK THE QUARTER-DECK, TO. A phrase signifying to take the rank of an
officer.

WALK THE WEATHER GANGWAY NETTING. A night punishment in a man-of-war for
those of the watch who have missed their muster.

WALL. A bank of earth to restrain the current and overflowing of water.
(_See_ SEA-BANK.)

WALL-KNOT, OR WALE-KNOT. A particular sort of large knot raised upon the
end of a rope, by untwisting the strands, and passing them among each
other.

WALL-PIECE. A very heavy powerful musket, for use in fortified places.

WALL-SIDED. The sides of a ship continuing nearly perpendicular down to
the surface of the water, like a wall. It is the mean between _tumbling
home_ and _flaring out_.

WALRUS [Dan. _hval-ros_]. The _Trichecus rosmarus_, a large amphibious
marine animal, allied to the seals, found in the Arctic regions. Its
upper canines are developed into large descending tusks, of considerable
value as ivory. It is also called morse, sea-horse, and sea-cow. This
animal furnished Cook, as well as our latest Arctic voyagers, with