Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(Anglo-Ind.) to moor (a boat).

1832		Capt, Mundy Pen and Pencil Sketches 181: The fleet luggowed, about three miles below Colgong, on the bank of a large island.
1837		[Edward Thornton] History & Practices of the Thugs II 417: [I]n Bhatee of Hatkholapoory all the boats lugao’d together.
1843		Stories from Bentley II 46: Arthur here desired his head dandy (boatman) to lugow (the act of fastening the boat to the shore).
1848		J.H. Stocqueler Oriental Interpreter 139/1: LUGGAO, to make fast. The word is used on board the budgerows and other boats on the Ganges, and signifies casting anchor, or making the boat fast to some object on the river’s banks.
1854		H. James Volunteer’s Scramble Through Scinde II 88: We always started just before break of day, and towards sunset lugowed, or came to an anchor, at the first convenient landing-place.
1860		E.A. Langley Residence at the Court of Meer Ali Moorad I 100: [O]ne of the advantages of a sloping front is the facility afforded for running in on the banks, when required to luggao [or fasten to the shore].
1886		Yule & Burnell Hobson-Jobson 820/1: Lugow, To. v. [...] H. inf. lag?-n?, imperative lag?-o. [...] one of the most common uses of the verb, in its Anglo-Indian form lugow [...] is ‘to lay a boat alongside the shore or wharf, to moor.’.