COVER. Security from attack or interruption, as under cover of the ship's guns, under cover of the parapet. In the field exercise and drill of troops, one body is said to cover another exactly in rear of it. Covers for sails when furled (to protect them from the weather when loosing and airing them is precluded), are made of strong canvas painted. COVERED WAY. In fortification, a space running along the outside of the ditch for the convenient passage of troops and guns, covered from the country by a palisading and the parapet of the glacis. It is of importance to an active defence, as besides enabling a powerful musketry fire to be poured on the near approaches of the besieger, it affords to the garrison a secure base from which to sally in force at any hour of the day or night. COVERING-BOARD. _See_ PLANK-SHEER. COVERING-PARTY. A force detached to protect a party sent on especial duty. COVERT-WAY. _See_ COVERED WAY. COW. Applied by whalers to the female whale.--_To cow._ To depress with fear. COWARDICE, AND DESERTION OF DUTY IN FIGHT. Are criminal by law, even in the crew of a merchant-ship. Such poltroonery is very rare. COWD. To float slowly. A Scotch term, as "the boat cowds braely awa." COW-HITCH. A slippery or lubberly hitch. COWHORN. The seaman's appellation of the coehorn. COWIE. A name among Scotch fishermen for the porpoise. COWL. The cover of a funnel. COWRIE. Small shells, _Cypræa moneta_, used for money or barter in Africa and the East Indies. COXSON, OR COXON. _See_ COCKSWAIN. COX'S TRAVERSE. Up one hatchway and down another, to elude duty. (_See_ TOM COX.) C.P. Mark for men sent by civil power. CRAB. A wooden pillar, the lower end of which being let down through a ship's decks, rests upon a socket like the capstan, and having in its upper end three or four holes at different heights, long oars are thrust through them, each acting like two levers. It is employed to wind in the cable, or any other weighty matter. Also, a portable wooden or cast-iron machine, fitted with wheels and pinions similar to those of a winch, of use in loading and discharging timber-vessels, &c.--_The crab with three claws_, is used to launch ships, and to heave them into the dock, or off the key.--_To catch a crab._ To pull an oar too light or too deep in the water; to miss time in rowing. This derisive phrase for a false stroke may have been derived from the Italian _chiappar un gragno_, to express the same action. CRABBING TO IT. Carrying an over-press of sail in a fresh gale, by which a ship crabs or drifts sideways to leeward. CRABBLER. _See_ KRABLA. CRAB-BOAT. Resembles a large jolly-boat. CRAB-CAPSTAN. _See_ CRAB. CRAB-WINDLASS. A light windlass for barges. CRAB-YAWS. _See_ YAW. CRACK. "In a crack," immediately. CRACKER. So named from the noise it makes in exploding; it is applied to a small pistol. Also, to a little hard cabin biscuit, so called from its noise in breaking.