MAST-HEADING. A well-known marine punishment, said to give midshipmen the best time for reading. A court-martial, as a substitute, punishes the parents as well as the thoughtless youth.
MAST-HEAD MEN. The men stationed aloft to keep a look-out.
MAST-HEAD PENDANTS. See [Pendant].
MAST-HIGH. A figurative expression of height.
MAST-HOLES. The apertures in the deck-partners for stepping the masts.
MAST-HOOPS. The iron hoops on made or built masts.
MAST-HOUSE. In dockyards, where masts are made.
MASTIC. An excellent cement latterly introduced into ship-building, instead of putty and other appliances, to protect the heads of bolts.
MAST-ROPE [Anglo-Saxon mæst-ràp]. That which is used for sending masts up or down.
MASULAH or Massoolah Boats. Madras boats, of which the planks are sewed together with coir yarn, crossing the stitches over a wadding of coir or straw, which presses on the joints, and prevents much leakage. The vessel is thus rendered pliable, and yields to the shock on taking the ground in the surf, which at times runs from 10 to 16 feet high. They are rowed by twelve men, in double banks, with oars formed by an oval piece of board lashed to the end of a rough piece of wood. They are guided by one man with a long steer-oar, who stamps and yells with excitement as he urges the men to pull when a rolling surf is coming up astern. These boats are from 30 to 35 feet in length, 10 to 11 feet in breadth, and 7 to 8 feet in depth.