Bottomry
a contract by which the owner of a vessel borrows money on the security of the bottom or keel, by which, a part being put for the whole, is meant the ship itself. If the ship is lost the lender loses all his money. If, on the contrary, it returns in safety, he receives back the principal, with interest at any rate which may be agreed upon between the parties, and this was allowed to be the case even when the usury laws were in force. Bottomry is sometimes corrupted into bummaree.