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THOMPSON'S COAST PILOT. 181 Amidships ; the middle of a ship, either with regard to her length or breadth. | Anchor ; the instrument by which a ship is held.--7Zhe anchor is foul ; that is, the cable has got about the fluke of the anchor. The anchor is a-peak ; that is, directly under the hawse-hole of the ship.--Zhe anchor ts a-cock-bill ; that is, hangs up and down the ship's side. An-end ; the position of any mast, etc., when erected perpendicularly on the deck. The top-masts are said to bai an-end, when they are hoisted up to their usual station. A-peak ; perpendicular to the anchor, the cable having been drawn so tight as to bring the ship directly over it. The anchor is then said to be a-peak. Ashore ; on the shore, as opposed to aboard. It also means aground. Astlern ; any distance behind a ship, as opposed to ahead. See Bearing. At siielet the situation of a ship riding by her anchor. Athwart ; across the line of a ship's course.--Athwart havse ; the situ- ation of a ship when driven by accident across the fore part of another, whether they touch or are at a small distance from each other; the trans- verse position of the former being principally understood.--Athwart the forefoot. When any object crosses the line of a ship's course, but ahead of her, it is said to be athwart the fore-foot.--Athwart-ships ; reaching, or in a direction, across the ship from one side to the other. Atrip. When applied to the anchor, it means that the anchor is drawn out of the ground, and hangs in a perpendicular direction, by the cable or buoy-rope. The topsails are said to be atrip, when they are hoisted up to the mast head, or to their utmost extent. | "Avast/" a term used for Stop / or Stay! as, "Avast heaving!" do not heave any more. Aweigh ; the same as atrip, when applied to the anchor. Awning ; a shelter or screen of canvas, spread over the decks of a ship, to keep off the heat of the sun.--Spread the awning ; extend it so as to cover the deck.--furl the awning ; that is, roll it up. To Back THE ANCHOR: to carry out a small anchor ahead of the large one, in order to support it in bad ground, and to prevent it from loosening or coming home. To back astern, in rowing, is to impel the boat with her stern foremost, by means of the oars, To back the sails ; to arrange them in a situation which will occasion the ship to move astern. To bagpipe the mizzen; to lay it aback, by bringing the sheet to the mizzen shrouds. Lo balance ; to contract a sail into a narrower compass, by folding up a part at one corner. Balancing is peculiar only to the mizzen of a ship, and the mainsail of those vessels wherein it is extended by a boom. Bale.-- Bale the boat ; that is, throw the water out of her. Ballast is either pigs of iron, stones, or gravel, which last is called slungle ballast ; and its use is to bring the ship down to her bearings in the