ATTERRAGE. The land-fall, or making the land. Usually marked on French charts and plans to show the landing-place. ATTESTATION. In Admiralty courts the attestation of a deed signifies the testifying to the signing or execution of it. ATTESTED. Legally certified; proved by evidence. ATTILE. An old law term for the rigging or furniture of a ship. ATTORNEY. _See_ SEA-ATTORNEY. ATTRACTION. The power of drawing, or the principle by which all bodies mutually tend towards each other; the great agent in nature's wonderful operations.--_Attraction of mountains_, the deviating influence exercised on the plumb-line by the vicinity of high land. But exerting also a marvellous effect on all floating bodies, for every seaman knows that a ship stands inshore faster than she stands out, the distances being similar. ATWEEN, OR ATWIXT. Betwixt or between, shortened into _'tween_, that is, in the intermediate space. The word _'tween decks_ is usually applied to the lower deck of a frigate, and _orlop_ to that of a line-of-battle ship. AUBERK, OR HAUBERK. One who held land to be ready with a coat of mail and attend his lord when called upon so to do. Thus the old poet:-- "Auberk, sketoun, and scheld Was mani to-broken in that feld." AUDIT. The final passing of accounts. AUDITORS OF THE IMPREST. Officers who had the charge of the great accounts of the royal customs, naval and military expenses, &c.; they are now superseded by the commissioners for auditing the public accounts. AUGES. An astronomical term, synonymous with _apsides_. AUGET. A tube filled with powder for firing a mine. AUGMENTATION OF THE MOON'S DIAMETER. The increase of her apparent diameter occasioned by an increase of altitude: or that which is due to the difference between her distance from the observer and the centre of the earth. AUGRE, OR AUGER. A wimble, or instrument for boring holes for bolts, tree-nails, and other purposes. AUK, OR AWK. A sea-bird with short wings. The great auk or gair-fowl (_Alca impennis_) was formerly common on all the northern coasts, where they laid their eggs, ingeniously poised, on the bare rocks. They were very good eating, and having been taken in great numbers by the Esquimaux, and by European sailors on whaling voyages, the species is now supposed to be exterminated. AULIN. An arctic gull (_Cataractes parasiticus_), given to make other sea-birds mute through fear, and then eat their discharge--whence it is termed _dirty aulin_ by the northern boatmen. AUMBREY. An old north-country term for a bread and cheese locker. AUNE. Contraction of _ulna_. French cloth measure: at Rouen it is equal to the English ell--at Paris 0·95--at Calais 1·52 of that measure. AURIGA. A northern constellation, and one of the old 48 asterisms; it is popularly known as the _Waggoner_: α Auriga, Capella. AURORA. The faint light which precedes sunrising. Also the mythological mother of the winds and stars.