BITTS. A frame composed of two strong pieces of straight oak timber, fixed upright in the fore-part of a ship, and bolted securely to the beams, whereon to fasten the cables as she rides at anchor; in ships of war there are usually two pairs of cable-bitts, and when they are both used at once the cable is said to be double-bitted. Since the introduction of chain-cables, bitts are coated with iron, and vary in their shapes. There are several other smaller bitts; as, the topsail-sheet bitts, paul-bitts, carrick-bitts, windlass-bitts, winch-bitts, jear-bitts, riding-bitts, gallows-bitts, and fore-brace bitts. BITT-STOPPER. One rove through the knee of the bitts, which nips the cable on the bight: it consists of four or five fathoms of rope tailed out nipper fashion at one end, and clench-knotted at the other. The old bitt-stopper, by its running loop on a standing end, bound the cable down in a bight abaft the bitts--the tail twisted round the fore part helped to draw it still closer. It is now disused--chain cables having superseded hemp. BITT THE CABLE, TO. To put it round the bitts, in order to fasten it, or slacken it out gradually, which last is called veering away. BIVOUAC. The resting for the night in the open-air by an armed party, instead of encamping. BIZE. A piercing cold wind from the frozen summits of the Pyrénées. BLACKAMOOR. A thoroughly black negro. BLACK-BIRD CATCHING. The slave-trade. BLACK-BIRDS. A slang term on the coast of Africa for a cargo of slaves. BLACK-BOOK OF THE ADMIRALTY. An imaginary record of offences. Also, a document of great authority in naval law, as it contains the ancient admiralty statutes and ordinances. BLACK-FISH. A common name applied by sailors to many different species of cetaceans. The animal so called in the south seas belongs to the genus _Globiocephalus_. It is from 15 to 20 feet long, and occurs in countless shoals. BLACK-FISHER. A water-poacher: one who kills salmon in close-time. BLACK-FISHING. The illegally taking of salmon, under night, by means of torches and spears with barbed prongs. BLACK-HEAD. The pewitt-gull (_Larus ridibundus_). BLACK-HOLE. A place of solitary confinement for soldiers, and tried in some large ships. BLACK-INDIES. Newcastle, Sunderland, and Shields. BLACKING. For the ship's bends and yards. A good mixture is made of coal-tar, vegetable-tar, and salt-water, boiled together, and laid on hot. BLACKING DOWN. The tarring and blacking of rigging; or the operation of blacking the ship's sides with tar or mineral blacking. BLACK-JACK. The ensign of a pirate. Also, a capacious tin can for beer, which was formerly made of waxed leather. In 1630 Taylor wrote-- "Nor or of blacke-jacks at gentle buttry-bars, Whose liquor oftentimes breeds household wars." BLACK-LIST. A record of misdemeanours impolitically kept by some officers for their private use--the very essence of private tyranny, now forbidden.