A Plymouth cloak.

A bludgeon, walking-stick, or staff. As a landsman prepared himself for a journey by putting on a cloak, so a sailor equips himself by cutting a stick out of the first wood he comes to, the active service required of them on board never suffering them to encumber themselves with cloaks. As Plymouth is chifly inhabited by sea-faring persons, this proverb was fathered on it, though, in fact, it as much belongs to Portsmouth, Chatham, or any other sea-port. It must be remembered, that when this proverb was first introduced, what are now called great-coats were not in use.