CHEQUE, CLERK OF THE. An officer in the royal dockyards, who goes on board to muster the ship's company, of whom he keeps a register, thereby to check false musters, the penalty of which is cashiering. CHEQUERED SIDES. Those painted so as to show all the ports; more particularly applicable to two or more rows. CHERIMERI. In the East, a bribe in making a contract or bargain. CHERRY. A species of smelt or spurling, taken in the Frith of Tay. CHESIL. From the Anglo-Saxon word _ceosl_, still used for a bank or shingle, as that remarkable one connecting the Isle of Portland with the mainland, called the Chesil Beach. CHESS-TREE. A piece of oak fastened with iron bolts on each top-side of the ship. Used for boarding the main-tack to, or hauling home the clues of the main-sail, for which purpose there is a hole in the upper part, through which the tack passes, that extends the clue of the sail to windward. Where chain has been substituted of late for rope, iron plates with thimble-eyes are used for chess-trees. CHEST OF CHATHAM. An ancient institution, restored and established by an order in council of Queen Elizabeth, in 1590, supported by a contribution from each seaman and apprentice, according to the amount of his wages, for the wounded and hurt seamen of the royal navy, under the name of smart-money. CHEST-ROPE. The same with the guest or gift rope, and is added to the boat-rope when the boat is towed astern of the ship, to keep her from sheering, _i.e._ from swinging to and fro. (_See_ GUESS-WARP.) CHEVAUX DE FRISE. An adopted term for pickets pointed with iron, and standing through beams, to stop an enemy: this defence is also called a turn-pike or pike-turn. CHEVENDER. An old name for the chevin or chub. CHEVILS. _See_ KEVELS. CHEVIN. An old name for the chub. CHEVRON. The distinguishing mark on the sleeves of sergeants' and corporals' coats, the insignia of a non-commissioned officer. Also, a mark recently instituted as a testimony of good conduct in a private. Further, now worn by seamen getting good-service pay. CHEWING OF OAKUM OR PITCH. When a ship suffers leakage from inefficient caulking. (_See_ SEAM.) CHEZ-VOUS. A kind of "All Souls" night in Bengal, when meats and fruits are placed in every corner of a native's house. Hence _shevoe_, for a ship-gala. CHICO [Sp. for small].--_Boca-chica_, small mouth of a river. CHIEF. _See_ COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF. A common abbreviation. CHIEF MATE, OR CHIEF OFFICER. The next to a commander in a merchantman, and who, in the absence of the latter, acts as his deputy. CHIGRE, CHAGOE, CHIGGRE, OR JIGGER. A very minute insect of tropical countries, which pierces the thick skin of the foot, and breeds there, producing great pain. It is neatly extricated with its sac entire by clever negroes.