WALK BACK! A method in cases where a purchase must not be lowered by a round turn, as "Walk back the capstan;" the men controlling it by the bars and walking back as demanded.
WALKER'S KNOT. See [Matthew Walker].
WALKING A PLANK. An obsolete method of destroying people in mutiny and piracy, under a plea of avoiding the penalty of murder. The victim is compelled to walk, pinioned and blindfolded, along a plank projecting over the ship's side, which, canting when overbalanced, heaves him into the sea. Also, for detecting whether a man is drunk, he is made to walk along a quarter-deck plank.
WALKING AWAY WITH THE ANCHOR. Said of a ship which is dragging, or shouldering, her anchor; or when, from fouling the stock or upper fluke, she trips the anchor out of the ground.
WALKING SPEAKING-TRUMPET. A midshipman repeating quarter-deck orders.
WALK SPANISH, To. To quit duty without leave; to desert.
WALK THE QUARTER-DECK, To. A phrase signifying to take the rank of an officer.
WALK THE WEATHER GANGWAY NETTING. A night punishment in a man-of-war for those of the watch who have missed their muster.
WALL. A bank of earth to restrain the current and overflowing of water. (See [Sea-bank].)
WALL-KNOT, or Wale-knot. A particular sort of large knot raised upon the end of a rope, by untwisting the strands, and passing them among each other.