las are upwards of 30 feet long and 4 broad, with a well furnished
cabin amidships, though exclusively black as restricted by law. They
always rise at each end to a very sharp point of about the height of a
man's breast. The stem is always surmounted by the ferro, a bright iron
beak or cleaver of one uniform shape, seemingly derived from the ancient
Romans, being the "rostrisque tridentibus" of Virgil, as may be seen in
many of Hadrian's large brass medals. The form of the gondola in the
water is traced back till its origin is lost in antiquity, yet (like
that of the Turkish caiques) embodies the principles of the wave-line
theory, the latest effort of modern ship-building science. Also, a
passage-boat of six or eight oars, used on other parts of the coast of
Italy.

GONDOLIER. A man who works or navigates a gondola.

GONE. Carried away. "The hawser or cable is _gone_;" parted, broken.

GONE-GOOSE. A ship deserted or given up in despair (_in extremis_).

GONFANON [Fr.] Formerly a cavalry banneret; corrupted from the
_gonfalone_ of the Italians.

GONG. A kind of Chinese cymbal, with a powerful and sonorous tone
produced by the vibrations of its metal, consisting mainly of copper and
tutenag or zinc; it is used by some vessels instead of a bell. A
companion of Sir James Lancaster in 1605 irreverently states that it
makes "a most hellish sound."

GONGA. A general name for a river in India, whence comes Ganges.

GOOD-AT-ALL-POINTS. Practical in every particular.

GOOD-CONDUCT BADGE. Marked by a chevron on the lower part of the sleeve,
granted by the admiralty, and carrying a slight increase of pay, to
petty officers, seamen, and marines. One of a similar nature is in use
in the army.

GOOD MEN. The designation of the able, hard-working, and willing seamen.

GOOD SHOALING. An approach to the shore by very gradual soundings.

GOOLE. An old term for a breach in a sea-bank.

GOOSANDER. The _Mergus merganser_, a northern sea-fowl, allied to the
duck, with a straight, narrow, and serrated bill, hooked at the point.

GOOSE-NECK. A curved iron, fitted outside the after-chains to receive a
spare spar, properly the swinging boom, a davit. Also, a sort of iron
hook fitted on the inner end of a boom, and introduced into a clamp of
iron or eye-bolt, which encircles the mast; or is fitted to some other
place in the ship, so that it may be unhooked at pleasure. It is used
for various purposes, especially for guest-warps and