Grabs

Ve els peculiar to the Malabar coast. They have rarely more than two masts, although some have three; those of three are about 300 tons burthen; but the others are not more than 150 tons; they are built to draw very little water, being very broad in proportion to their length, narrowing from the middle to the end, where instead of bows they have a prow, projecting like that of a Mediterranean galley, and covered with a strong deck level with the main deck of the ve el, from which, however, it is separated by a bulk head, which terminates the forecastle. As this construction subjects the grab to pitch violently when sailing against a head sea; the deck of the prow is not enclosed with sides as the rest of the ve el is, but remains bare, that the water which dashes upon it may pa off without interruption. On the main deck under the forecastle are mounted two pieces of cannon nine or twelve pounders, which point forwards through the port holes cut in the bulk head, and fire over the prow; the cannon of the broadside are from six to nine pounders.