COCKSWAIN, OR COXSWAIN. The person who steers a boat; after the officer in command he has charge of the crew, and all things belonging to it. He must be ready with his crew to man the boat on all occasions. COCOA, OR CHOCOLATE NUTS, commonly so termed. (_See_ CACAO.) It is the breakfast food of the navy. COCOA-NUT TREE. The _Palma cocos_ yields _toddy_; the nut, a valuable oil and milky juice; the stem, bark, branches, &c., also serve numerous purposes. (_See_ PALMETTO.) COD. The centre of a deep bay. The bay of a trawl or seine. Also, the _Gadus morrhua_, one of the most important of oceanic fishes. The cod is always found on the submerged hills known as banks; as the Dogger Bank, and banks of Newfoundland. (_See_ LING.) COD-BAIT. The large sea-worm or lug, dug from the wet sands. The squid or cuttle, herrings, caplin, any meat, or even a false fish of bright tin or pewter. (_See_ JIG.) CODDY-MODDY. A gull in its first year's plumage. CODE OF SIGNALS. Series of flags, &c., for communicating at sea. COD-FISHER'S CREW. The crew of a banker, or fishing-vessel, which anchors in 60 or 70 fathoms on the Great Bank of Newfoundland, and remains fishing until full, or driven off by stress of weather. Season from June until October. (_See_ FISHERIES.) CODGER. An easy-going man of regularity. Also, a knowing and eccentric hanger-on; one who will not move faster than he pleases. COD-LINE. An eighteen-thread line. COD-SOUNDS. The swim-bladders of the cod-fish, cured and packed for the market; the palates also of the fish are included as "tongues and sounds." COEHORN. A brass mortar, named after the Dutch engineer who invented it. It is the smallest piece of ordnance in the service, having a bore of 4-1/2 inches diameter, a length of 1 foot, and a weight of 3/4 cwt. They throw their 12-pounder shells with much precision to moderate distances, and being fixed to wooden beds, are very handy for ships' gangways, launches, &c., afloat, and for advanced trenches, the attack of stockades, &c., ashore. COFFER, OR COFFRE. A depth sunk in the bottom of a dry ditch, to baffle besiegers when they attempt to cross it. COFFER-DAM. A coffer-dam consists of two rows of piles, each row boarded strongly inside, and being filled with clay within well rammed, thereby resists outward pressure, and is impenetrable by the surrounding water. (_See_ CAISSON.) COGGE. An Anglo-Saxon word for a cock-boat or light yawl, being thus mentioned in _Morte Arthure_-- "Then he covers his cogge, and caches one ankere." But coggo, as enumerated in an ordinance of parliament (_temp._ Rich. II.), seems to have been a vessel of burden used to carry troops. COGGE-WARE. Goods carried in a cogge. COGGLE, OR COG. A small fishing-boat upon the coasts of Yorkshire, and in the rivers Ouse and Humber. Hence the _cogmen_, who after shipwreck or losses by sea, wandered about to defraud people by begging and stealing, until they were restrained by proper laws.