but one arm.

BOW-LINES. In ship-building, longitudinal curves representing the ship's
fore-body cut in a vertical section.

BOWLING-ALONG. Going with a free wind.

BOW-LOG TIMBERS. A provincial name for hawse-wood.

BOWMAN. In a single-banked boat he who rows the foremost oar and manages
the boat-hook; called by the French "brigadier de l'embarcation." In
double-banked boats there are always two bowmen. Also an archer,
differently pronounced.

BOW-OAR. The foremost oar or oars, in pulling a boat.

BOW-PIECES. The ordnance in the bows; also in building.

BOW-RAIL. A rail round the bows.

BOWSE, TO. To pull upon any body with a tackle, or complication of
pulleys, in order to remove it, &c. Hauling upon a tack is called
"bowsing upon a tack," and when they would have the men pull all
together, they cry, "Bowse away." Also used in setting up rigging, as
"Bowse away, starboard;" "Bowse away, port." It is, however, mostly a
gun-tackle term.--_Bowse up the jib_, a colloquialism to denote the act
of tippling: it is an old phrase, and was probably derived from the
Dutch _buyzen_, to booze.

BOWSPRIT, OR BOLT-SPRIT. A large spar, ranking with a lower-mast,
projecting over the stem; beyond it extends the jib-boom, and beyond
that again the flying jib-boom. To these spars are secured the stays of
the fore-mast and of the spars above it; on these stays are set the fore
and fore-topmast staysails, the jib, and flying-jib, which have a most
useful influence in counter-balancing the pressure of the after-sails,
thereby tending to force the ship ahead instead of merely turning her
round. In former times underneath these spars were set a sprit-sail,
sprit-topsail, &c.

BOWSPRIT, RUNNING. In cutter-rigged vessels. (_See_ CUTTER.)

BOWSPRIT-BITTS. Are strong upright timbers secured to the beams below
the deck; they have a cross-piece bolted to them, the inner end of the
bowsprit steps between them, and is thus prevented from slipping in. The
cross-piece prevents it from canting up.

BOWSPRIT-CAP. The crance or cap on the outer end of the bowsprit,
through which the jib-boom traverses.

BOWSPRIT-GEAR. A term denoting the ropes, blocks, &c., belonging to the
bowsprit.

BOWSPRIT-HEART. The heart or block of wood used to secure the lower end
of the fore-stay, through which the inner end of the jib-boom is
inserted. It is seldom, if ever, used now, an iron band round the
bowsprit, with an eye on each side for the fore-stays,