the Southern States of America,
made of the bonga-tree hollowed out.

BUNG-STARTER. A stave shaped like a bat, which, applied to either side
of the bung, causes it to start out. Also, a soubriquet for the captain
of the hold. Also, a name given to the master's assistant serving his
apprenticeship for hold duties.

BUNG-UP AND BILGE-FREE. A cask so placed that its bung-stave is
uppermost, and it rests entirely on its beds.

BUNK. A sleeping-place in the fore-peak of merchantmen; standing
bed-places fixed on the sides between decks.

BUNKER. For stowing coal in steamers. Cellular spaces on each side which
deliver the coal to the engine-room.--_Wing-bunkers_ below the decks,
cutting off the angular side-spaces of the hold, and hatched over, are
usually filled with sand, holy-stones, brooms, junk-blocks, &c., saving
stowage.

BUNT OF A SAIL. The middle part of it, formed designedly into a bag or
cavity, that the sail may gather more wind. It is used mostly in
top-sails, because courses are generally cut square, or with but small
allowance for bunt or compass. "The bunt holds much leeward wind;" that
is, it hangs much to leeward. In "handed" or "furled" sails, the bunt is
the middle gathering which is tossed up on the centre of the yard.--_To
bunt a sail_ is to haul up the middle part of it in furling, and secure
it by the bunt-gasket.

BUNTERS. The men on the yard who gather in the bunt when furling sails.

BUNT-FAIR. Before the wind.

BUNT-GASKET. _See_ GASKET.

BUNTING. A name on our southern shores for the shrimp.

BUNTING, OR BUNTIN. A thin woollen stuff, of which the ship's colours,
flags, and signals are usually made.

BUNT-JIGGER. A small gun-tackle purchase, of two single blocks, one
fitted with two tails, used in large vessels for bowsing up the bunt of
a sail when furling: a peculiar combination of two points, fitted to a
spar to which it is hooked.

BUNTLINE-CLOTH. The lining sewed up the fore-part of the sail in the
direction of the buntline to prevent that rope from chafing the sail.

BUNTLINE-CRINGLE. An eye worked into the bolt-rope of a sail, to receive
a buntline. This is only in top-gallant sails, and is seldom used now.
In the merchant service all buntlines are generally passed through an
eyelet-hole in the sail, and clinched round its own part.

BUNTLINES. Ropes attached to the foot-ropes of top-sails and courses,
which, passing over and before the canvas, turn it up forward, and thus