The act of dragging the bight or loose part of a small rope along the ground, in a harbour or roadstead, in order to recover a sunk anchor or wreck. The two ends of the rope are fastened to two boats, a weight being suspended to the middle, to sink it to the ground, so that, as the boats row ahead, it may drag along the bottom. Also, a term used for rapidly scrutinizing a certain portion of the heavens in quest of planets, comets, &c.