Clew-Garnet, a Rope made fast to the Clew of a Sail, and thence running in a Pulley fastened to the Middle of the Main and Fore-yard, to hale up the Clew of the Sail close to the Middle of the Yard.
Amongst the rest I went up, without dressing myself, and found my people taking a thief in over the bow, who had already cut away my fore-clew-garnet and reeft-tackle fall, and with them jump'd into a boat, he had under the bow, with an accomplice, into which the watch had followed, and taken him out, with the clew-garnet.
Clew garnet. A rope fastened to the clew of the sail, from whence it runs in a block, seized to the middle of the fore or main yard, to haul up the clew of the sail close to the middle of the yard, in order to furl it.
1840, traditional song Spanish Ladies, quoted by Captain Frederick Marryat, Poor Jack, page 117:
Then stand by your stoppers, See clear your shank painters, Hawl all your clew garnets, stick out tacks and sheets.
Lash medium size blocks near the middle and small ones farther out for the sheet and clew garnet leads. … Start the clew garnet by hitching the end to the yard, reeve the end through the block at the clew, through the block, under the yard, and bring to the deck.
