What is "swabbers"

Usage examples of "swabbers".

Jack strode through it over the two bodies, calling very loud and clear for his bosun, swabbers and the master-at-arms.

The swabbers, old hands at this job, set to without a word: and with extraordinary speed - no comments whatsoever - the frigate's people cleaned up, cleared away, and even before the deck was quite dry, restored the cabin to a wholly clean and civilized condition.

Be so good as to call for a couple of swabbers, and I will take this poor fellow back to his master.

Lord Keith was a good friend to Jack Aubrey: very early in the morning he had surprised the swabbers at their task and within minutes there were a score of barrows alongside the Surprise: under guard they wheeled the massy little chests to the premises of Gibraltar's three substantial goldsmiths, who reduced the whole to tested ingots of a stated weight well before the Algerine ship came in with its delegation and a present of full-grown ostriches.

The swabbers, old hands at this job, set to without a word: and with extraordinary speed - no comments whatsoever - the frigate’s people cleaned up, cleared away, and even before the deck was quite dry, restored the cabin to a wholly clean and civilized condition.

I am sick of eggs and bonny-clabber, and that villain' - nodding in the direction of Killick, who was banging chairs about in the great cabin behind them, before bringing in a host of swabbers to make the place a wet, spotless misery - 'will bring me nothing else.

Pound, trotting beside me like a small, ferocious bulldog, firmly informed surprised and resentful cooks, carpenters, sweepers, swabbers, sailmakers, and holdsmen that all my wishes-no matter how unreasonable -must be gratified instantly, by the captain's orders.

On deck once more, and a surprisingly respectable deck, with the knotting and splicing almost finished, the swabbers of the afterguard washing the last pale smears from by the wheel, the davits righted, a new foretopsail bent: over the water the French boats were still removing prisoners from the Africaine, the Iphigenia's pumps were going hard, and from the look of the feverish activity among the parties inboard and outboard of her, she would be in no way to get under sail for some time.