Jemmy Ducks was the name given to the crew-member whose duties included looking after any live animals on board.  The walking larder, so to speak (not the seaman, the animals!  Good grief!  Do I have to explain everything!).

‘Boning’ was the seamen’s term for acquiring something by persuasion, not always legitimately – although in a case such as this, his crew-mate would usually have been treated fairly.  Visit the Dictiopaedia pages for an explanation of the origin of ‘boning’.