A taffrail is the handrail around the open afterdeck or poop deck. Not all ships have an afterdeck or poop deck. The coffins were arranged on the "Texas" afterdeck in groups and covered in canvas. A poop deck usually is higher up than an afterdeck. Izac was in command of the guns on the afterdeck. His hat and neatly folded overcoat were discovered beneath the afterdeck railing. The rear deck of a ship is often called the afterdeck or poop deck. The afterdeck can be used for a number of different purposes.