BLACK'S THE WHITE OF MY EYE. When Jack avers that no one can say this or
that of him. It is an indignant expression of innocence of a charge.

BLACK-STRAKE. The range of plank immediately above the wales in a ship's
side; they are always covered with a mixture of tar and lamp-black,
which not only preserves them from the heat of the sun and the weather,
but forms an agreeable variety with the painted or varnished parts above
them. Vessels with no ports have frequently two such strakes--one above,
the other below the wales, the latter being also called the diminishing
strake.

BLACK-STRAP. The dark country wines of the Mediterranean. Also, bad
port, such as was served for the sick in former times.

BLACK-TANG. The sea-weed _Fucus vesicolosus_, or tangle.

BLACKWALL-HITCH. A sort of tackle-hook guy, made by putting the bight of
a rope over the back of the hook, and there jamming it by the standing
part. A mode of hooking on the bare end of a rope where no length
remains to make a cat's-paw.

BLACK WHALE. The name by which the right whale of the south seas
(_Balaena australis_) is often known to whalemen.

BLAD. A term on our northern coasts for a squall with rain.

BLADDER-FISH. A term for the tetraodon. (_See_ BALLOON-FISH.)

BLADE OF AN ANCHOR. That part of the arm prepared to receive the palm.

BLADE OR WASH OF AN OAR. Is the flat part of it which is plunged into
the water in rowing. The force and effect in a great measure depends on
the length of this part, when adequate force is applied. When long oars
are used, the boat is generally single-banked, so that the fulcrum is
removed further from the rower. Also, the motive part of the
screw-propeller.

BLAE, OR BLEA. The alburnum or sap-wood of timber.

BLAKE. Yellow. North of England.

BLANK. Level line mark for cannon, as point-blank, equal to 800 yards.
It was also the term for the white mark in the centre of a butt, at
which the arrow was aimed.

BLANKET. The coat of fat or blubber under the skin of a whale.

BLARE, TO. To bellow or roar vehemently.--_Blare_, a mixture of hair and
tar made into a kind of paste, used for tightening the seams of boats.

BLARNEY. Idle discourse; obsequious flattery.

BLASHY. Watery or dirty; applied to weather, as "a blashy day," a wet
day. In parlance, trifling or flimsy.

BLAST. A sudden and violent gust of wind: it is generally of short
duration, and succeeded by a fine breeze.--_To blast_, to blow up with
gunpowd