Bur pump

A Bur Pump.: The Dutch men vse a Burre pumpe by the ship side, wherein is onely a long staffe with a Burre at the end, like a Gunners spunge, to pump vp the Billage water that by reason of the bredth of the ships floore cannot come to the well: In pumping they vse to take spels, that is, fresh men to releeue them, and count how many strokes they pumpe each watch, whereby they know if the ship be stanch, or thite, or how her leakes increase.

John Smith: A Sea Grammar, 1627. p 9.

Transcribed by Lars Bruzelius