The Collaborative International Dictionary
Wiktionary
n. 1 a dugout canoe 2 by extension, any small boat
Wikipedia
Periagua (from the Spanish language Piragua, in turn derived from the Carib language word for dugout) is the term formerly used in the Caribbean and the eastern seaboard of North America for a range of small craft including canoes and small sailing vessels. The term "periagua" overlaps, but is not synonymous with, " pirogue", derived through the French language from "piragua".
The original periaguas or piraguas were the dugout canoes encountered by the Spanish in the Caribbean. Small craft of greater capacity were created by splitting a dugout and inserting a plank bottom, while the freeboard was increased for sea voyages by adding planks on the sides. By the 18th century the term "periagua" was being applied to flat-bottomed boats, which could be 30 feet (10 m) or more long and carry up to 30 men, with one or two masts, which could also be rowed. Later in the 18th century "periagua" became the name for a specific type of sailing rig, with gaff rigged sails on two masts that could be easily struck, commonly with the foremast raked forward and the main mast raked back. The "periagua rig" was used on U. S. Navy gunboats on Chesapeake Bay in the early 19th century. The term "periagua" was also applied to rowing scows similar to a john boat.
Periaguas were used in fishing and coastal and inter-island commerce. Early in the 18th century periaguas were used by pirates around the Bahamas, Cuba and Hispaniola. Periaguas could be rowed against the wind, useful for approaching potential victims or escaping from pursuers. Benjamin Hornigold and Sam Bellamy began their careers as pirate captains operating from periaguas.
Usage examples of "periagua".
Presently a canoa or periagua would come round the headland from the sea, under a single sail--the topgallant-sail of some sunk Spanish ship.
On Cape Corientes there was a Spanish garrison of forty soldiers, chiefly mulattoes and caribs, who owned a swift periagua, fitted with oars and sails.
Meanwhile Richard Sawkins ran his canoa--which was a mere sieve of cedar wood, owing to the broadside--alongside the second periagua, and took her steering oar.
To this he answered that he would be very glad to leave that association, and that he would take one of the prizes, a ship of fifty tons, and a periagua, to carry his men up the Santa Maria River.
Having equipped their canoas or periaguas they secured them to the stern of their ship, and set sail towards their quarry.
The buccaneer force has been variously stated, but it appears certain that the canoas, and periaguas, which took part in the fight, contained only sixty-eight of their company.
The five canoas, and one of the periaguas, got under her stern, and so plied her with shot that her decks were like shambles, running with blood and brains, five minutes after she came to the wind.
It cost me near three Months more to clear the In-side, and work it out so, as to make an exact Boat of it: This I did indeed without Fire, by meer Malett and Chissel, and by the dint of hard Labour, till I had brought it to be a very handsome Periagua, and big enough to have carry’d six and twenty Men, and consequently big enough to have carry’d me and all my Cargo.
There were trees enough in the island to have built a little fleet, not of periaguas and canoes only, but of good large vessels: but the main thing I looked at, was to get one so near the water that we might launch it when it was made, to avoid the mistake I committed at first.
There were trees enough in the island to have built a little fleet, not of periaguas or canoes, but even of good, large vessels.