FELLOW. A sailor's soubriquet for himself; he will ask if you "have anything for a fellow to do?"
FELLS. Upland levels and mountainous tracts.
FELT. Stuff made of wool and hair. Patent felt is saturated with tar, and used to place inside the doubling or sheathing of a vessel's bottom. Employed also in covering the boilers and cylinders of steam-engines.
FELUCCA. (See [Luntra].) A little vessel with six or eight oars, frequent in the Mediterranean; its helm may be applied in the head or stern, as occasion requires. Also, a narrow decked galley-built vessel in great use there, of one or two masts, and some have a small mizen; they carry lateen sails.
FEN. Low tracts inundated by the tides, capable, when in a dry state, of bearing the weight of cattle grazing upon them; differing therein from bog or quagmire. When well drained, they form some of the best land in the country.
FENCE. A palisade. Also, the arm of the hammer-spring of a gun-lock.
FENCIBLES. Bodies of men raised for limited service, and for a definite period. In rank they are junior to the line and royal marines, but senior to yeomanry or volunteers.
FENCING. The art of using the small-sword with skill and address.
FEND. An aphæresis from defend; to ward off.
FEND OR FENDER BOLTS. Made with long and thick heads, struck into the outermost bends or wales of a ship, to save her sides from hurts and bruises.