Conquest

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