Hammock

a hanging bed. The name is derived from the Spanish hamaca, a word of East Indian origin. In the narrative of his first voyage Columbus says: "Many Indians in canoes came to the ship for the purpose of bartering their cotton and hamacas or nets in which they sleep." The Germans have corrupted the name into a word meaning hanging mat. The sailor's hammock is a strip of heavy cotton or other canvas several feet in length and a yard wide. Several cords at each end, called clews, are gathered together into a ring. The hammock is hung by the rings to hooks in the beams of the ship. When not in use it is rolled up and stowed. At one time men-of-war were accustomed to string their hammocks around the edge of the deck to conceal their movements and protect themselves from musket balls. The modern netted hammock, swung under trees or on verandas during the summer season, is made usually of cotton or sisal cord. Bright colors and fringes render hammocks an attractive feature in grove or lawn. See Furniture