nd into which the head-toggle is spliced) is the long tack; on this
rope the whole strain is sustained.

FLY, OR COMPASS-CARD, placed on the magnetic-needle and supported by a
pin, whereon it turns freely. (_See_ COMPASS.)

FLY-AWAY. Fictitious resemblance of land; "Dutchman's cape," &c. (_See_
CAPE FLY-AWAY.)

FLY-BLOCK. The block spliced into the topsail-tye; it is large and flat,
and sometimes double.

FLY-BOAT. A large flat-bottomed Dutch vessel, whose burden is generally
from 300 to 600 tons. It is distinguished by a remarkably high stern,
resembling a Gothic turret, and by very broad buttocks below. Also, a
swift canal passage-boat.

FLY-BY-NIGHT. A sort of square-sail, like a studding-sail, used in
sloops when running before the wind; often a temporary spare jib set
from the topmast-head to the yard-arm of the square-sail.

FLYER. A fast sailer; a clipper.

FLYING ABOUT. Synonymous with _chop-about_ (which see).

FLYING COLUMN. A complete and mobile force kept much on the move, for
the sake of covering the designs of its own army, distracting those of
the enemy, or maintaining supremacy in a hostile or disaffected region.

FLYING DUTCHMAN. A famous marine spectre ship, formerly supposed to
haunt the Cape of Good Hope. The tradition of seamen was that a Dutch
skipper, irritated with a foul wind, swore by _donner_ and _blitzen_,
that he would beat into Table Bay in spite of God or man, and that,
foundering with the wicked oath on his lips, he has ever since been
working off and on near the Cape. The term is now extended to false
reports of vessels seen.

FLYING JIB. A light sail set before the jib, on the flying jib-boom. The
third jib in large ships, as the inner jib, the jib, and the flying jib,
set on the flying jib-boom. (_See_ JIB.)

FLYING JIB-BOOM. A spar which is pointed through the iron at the
jib-boom end. It lies beside it, and the heel steps into the bowsprit
cap.

FLYING-KITES. The very lofty sails, which are only set in fine weather,
such as skysails, royal studding-sails, and all above them.

FLYING-LIGHT. The state of a ship when she has little cargo, provisions,
or water on board, and is very crank.

FLYING-TO. Is when a vessel, from sailing free or having tacked, and her
head thrown much to leeward, is coming to the wind rapidly, the warning
is given to the helmsman, "Look out, she is flying-to."

FLY THE SHEETS, TO LET. To let them go suddenly.

FLY-UP. A sudden deviation upwa