e rain or sea-water which occasionally enters a vessel,
and running down to her floor, remains in the bilge of the ship till
pumped out, by reason of her flat bottom, which prevents it from going
to the well of the pump; it is always (especially if the ship does not
leak) of a dirty colour and disgusting penetrating smell. It seems to
have been a sad nuisance in early voyages; and in the earliest
sea-ballad known (_temp._ Hen. VI.) it is thus grumbled at:--

"A sak of strawe were there ryght good,
For som must lyg theym in theyr hood,
I had as lefe be in the wood
W'out mete or drynk.
For when that we shall go to bedde,
The pumpe was nygh our bedde's hedde;
A man were as good to be dede
As smell thereof ye stynk."

The mixture of tar-water and the drainings of sugar cargo is about the
worst perfume known.

BILL. A weapon or implement of war, a pike or halbert of the English
infantry. It was formerly carried by sentinels, whence Shakspeare
humorously made Dogberry tell the sleepy watchmen to have a care that
their bills be not stolen. Also, the point or tapered extremity of the
fluke at the arm of an anchor. Also a point of land, of which a familiar
instance may be cited in the Bill of Portland.

BILLAT. A name on the coast of Yorkshire for the piltock or coal-fish,
when it is a year old.

BILL-BOARDS. Doubling under the fore-channels to the water-line, to
protect the planking from the bill of the anchor.

BILLET. The allowance to landlords for quartering men in the royal
service; the lodging-money charged by consuls for the same.

BILLET-HEAD. A carved prow bending in and out, contrariwise to the
fiddle-head (scroll-head). Also, a round piece of wood fixed in the bow
or stern of a whale-boat, about which the line is veered when the whale
is struck. Synonymous with bollard.

BILLET-WOOD. Small wood mostly used for dunnage in stowing ships'
cargoes, also for fuel, usually sold by the fathom; it is 3 feet 4
inches long, and 7-1/2 inches in compass.

BILL-FISH. _See_ GAR-FISH.

BILL-HOOK. A species of hatchet used in wooding a ship, similar to that
used by hedgers.

BILL OF EXCHANGE. A means of remitting money from one country to
another. The receiver must present it for acceptance to the parties on
whom it is drawn without loss of time, he may then claim the money after
the date specified on the bill has elapsed.

BILL OF FREEDOM. A full p