Customs House terms, colonial America

[Wilson Gray]

FWIW, HDAS has "I cleared out like a rigger," wherein "rigger" is
presumably slang for "ship," and "I ... cleared out like a white
head," in which "white head" may be slang for a kind of ship, from
1821.

-Wilson

On 7/9/07, Joel S. Berson <Berson at att.net> wrote:
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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
> Subject:      Customs House terms, colonial America
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> I would appreciate confirmation of my deductions about the following
> terms used in Customs House reports in 18th century colonial
> (American) newspapers.  I infer these meanings because not
> infrequently I find a ship listed in one issue with the first term
> and in a later issue with the second term.
>
> The Boston papers use these two terms.
>       "Outward bound" -- having declared an intention to sail for a
> stated destination.
>       "Cleared out" -- having cleared customs, with a stated
> destination, and permitted to sail.
>
> The Charleston, S.C., papers use these two terms, which I assume have
> the same two meanings:
>       "Entered out".
>       "Cleared for departure".
>
> Thanks,
> Joel
>
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