hiefly of able and ordinary
seamen--landsmen are omitted.

AFTER-LADDER leads to captain's and officers' quarters, and only used by
officers.

AFTERMOST. The last objects in a ship, reckoned from forwards; as, the
_aftermost_ mast, _aftermost_ guns, &c.

AFTERNOON-WATCH. The men on deck-duty from noon till 4 P.M.

AFTER-ORDERS. Those which are given out after the regular issue of the
daily orders.

AFTER-PART. The locality towards the stern, from dead-flat; as, in the
_after-part_ of the fore-hold.

AFTER-PEAK. The contracted part of a vessel's hold, which lies in the
run, or aftermost portion of the hold, in contradistinction to
_fore-peak_. Both are the sharp ends of the ship.

AFTER-RAKE. That part of the hull which overhangs the after-end of keel.

AFTER-SAILS. All those on the after-masts, as well as on the stays
between the main and mizen masts. Their effect is to balance the
head-sails, in the manner that a weather-cock or vane is moved, of which
the main-mast must be considered the pivot or centre. The reverse of
_head-sails_. "Square the after-yards," refers to the yards on the main
and mizen masts.

AFTER-TIMBERS. All those timbers abaft the midship section or bearing
part of a vessel.

AFTMOST. The same as _aftermost_.

AFTWARD. In the direction of the stern.

AGA. A superior Turkish officer.

AGAINST THE SUN. Coiling a rope in the direction from the right hand
towards the left--the contrary of _with the sun_. This term applies to a
position north of the sun; south of the sun it would be reversed.

AGAL-AGAL. One of the sea fuci, forming a commercial article from the
Malay Isles to China, where it is made into a strong cement. The best is
the _Gracilaria spinosa_. Agal-agal derives its name from Tanjong Agal
on the north coast of Borneo; where it was originally collected. It is
now found in great abundance throughout the Polynesian Islands,
Mauritius, &c. It is soluble, and forms a clear jelly--used by
consumptive patients. It fetches a high price in China. It is supposed
that the sea-swallow derives his materials for the edible bird's nests
at Borneo from this fucus.

AGATE. The cap for the pivots of the compass-cards, formed of hard
siliceous stone, a chalcedony or carnelian, &c.

AGAVE. The American aloe, from which cordage is made; similar to the
pina of Manila. The fruit also, when expressed, affords the refreshing
drink "pulque."

AGE. In chronology, a period of a hundred years.--