BLACK-LOCK. A trout thought to be peculiar to Lough Melvin, on the west of Ireland. BLACK SHIPS. The name by which the English builders designate those constructed of teak in India. BLACK SOUTH-EASTER. The well-known violent wind at the Cape of Good Hope, in which the vapoury clouds called the Devil's Table-cloth appear on Table Mountain. BLACK SQUALL. This squall, although generally ascribed to the West Indies, as well as the white squall, may be principally ascribed to a peculiar heated state of the atmosphere near land. As blackey, when interrogated about weather, generally observes, "Massa, look to leeward," it may be easily understood that it is the condensed air repelled by a colder medium to leeward, and driven back with condensed electricity and danger. So it is sudden to Johnny Newcomes, who lose sails, spars, and ships, by capsizing. 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 (_Balæna 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.