As the spectators watched her, those among them who knew a little about nautical matters guessed that this must be a man-of-war from the rapidity with which she began to furl her sails-letting the golden light shine along between her spars; while they further concluded, from the fact that only a Kedge was thrown out at her bows, that her stay in these shallow waters would be brief.
"The Beautiful Wretch; The Pupil of Aurelius; and The Four Macnicols"
William Black
Here we are, and down goes the Kedge in six feet of water, close to but just clear of that same edge.
"Two Years in Oregon"
Wallis Nash
As soon as he returned to his ship, he made preparations for getting under way as speedily as possible; the bower anchor was hove up, and the ship rode by a light Kedge, there being then but little wind or tide; the gaskets were cast off the topsails, and their places supplied with ropeyarns, which would break as soon as the "bunts," or middle of the sails, were let fall; the chewlines and other running-rigging were overhauled; and every other plan for making sail upon the ship as expeditiously and as silently as possible, was adopted.
"An Old Sailor's Yarns"
Nathaniel Ames