Galley

Galley, a low, flat-built vessel, originally peculiar to the Mediterranean, having one, two, or three masts with lateen sails, a raised and covered poop and forecastle, and a long open waist, in which, upon one or two tiers of benches, sat slaves, chained to the huge sweeps by means of which the craft was mainly propelled. The galley generally carried guns upon the forecastle, and occasionally also on each quarter. The largest galleys, called galeasses, had a total length of as much as 162 feet, and a beam of 32 feet, with 64 oars and about 350 rowers. The galley of a ship is the general kitchen or cook-room. A galley is also a name given to a light pulling boat, such as is reserved to the use of the commanding-officer of a man-of-war.