castellan administrator/keeper of a castle
’Change the Royal Exchange in the City of London
cobbs sailor’s term for Spanish coins
coxswain in charge of a boat; captain’s coxswain – in charge of the captain’s barge
cuddy small cabin or compartment
Dutch East India Company English for the VOC, Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie
field cornet subordinate to the landdrost
fo’c’sle the foremost part of the main deck
gimcrack cheap, showy object
goose-winged running with one corner of the sail clewed up to give half the area drawing
Great Karoo vast semi-desert area in southern Africa beyond the Swartberg range, north of Mossel Bay
gunroom wardroom of a frigate
howitzer a gun that lobs an explosive shot in a parabola
Jonkheer honorific for a person of note or high birth
Khoikhoi original peoples met by the Dutch in the Western Cape
koeksister spiced syrup-coated small cake
landdrost local magistrate, responsible for order and collection of revenues
lee side opposite to that from which wind is blowing
lobsterbacks nickname for soldiers, from their red uniforms
loon slang for lunatic
louring dark, threatening
Mevrouw Mrs
Ox-eye large-scale wind-squall associated with north-east monsoon
pens en pootjies casserole of beans and trotters
pickets soldiers detached from the main body to act as lookouts
pinnace one of the smaller of the ship’s boats
plain sail when the ship sails with all sail set except extras, such as stuns’ls
quarterdeck brace authority position adopted by officer-of-the-watch; legs apart, arms thrust down behind
Quarters after the ship is cleared for battle, the hands go to quarters for action
rijksdaalder ‘royal dollar’, rixdollar, main Cape currency
rooibos native red bush, leaves of which are used to make a herbal tea
rutter old term for pilot book in navigational use
Seringapatam, battle of 4 May 1799; final confrontation of the fourth Anglo-Mysore war
shageerijen pot house frequented largely by sailors
swallowtail distinctive v-shaped cut in a flag
tarpaulin officer who has risen from before the mast and doesn’t care who knows it
tie-mate special friend, helped plait each other’s pig-tail
umngqusho savoury porridge, a traditional Xhosa dish
vrouw housewife, woman
Zuurveld buffer area between the Great Fish river and Sundays river to separate Boers and Xhosa