TACTICS OF SCHOONERS ELIZA AND OTAGO. 151 



out the boats : AS'itli these, in themselves trifling jobs, 

 the watch ou deck generally became thoroughly 

 soaked before it was their turn to go below ; and then 

 an anxious period was spent in awaiting a gleam of 

 sunshine to dry their clothes. The weather being cold, 

 to use their own expression, "water was wet" ; and 

 being in the line of a sea coming aboard was neither 

 safe nor comfortable. We passed the time away, 

 however, sleeping day after day about sixteen hours 

 out of twenty-four. 



On the commencement of the gale above referred 

 to, we saw a colonial schooner, belonging to Jacob's 

 River, ]^ew Zealand, square her yards and run for 

 Mary's Bay : her captain, on the approach of a gale, 

 usually running into one of the many safe and 

 pleasant harbors on the coast, remaining until its 

 violence has ceased, and then popping out and cruis- 

 ing during the continuance of good weather. This 

 schooner, Eliza, is manned by New Zealanders — 

 her captain and mate are of the half-caste. They 

 are a manly people, without much intelligence, but 

 make excellent sailors and whalemen. The Otago, 

 another schooner, Avhose mode of conduct corresponds 

 with that of the Eliza, and also belomjs to the same 

 j)lace, has a Maurii crew, with an English captain and 

 mate. Some months after this I had considerable inter- 

 course with these very pleasant people, and shall speak 

 of them more fully as I progress with my journal. 



Some days subsequently we ran in towards the 

 land, and found that the same storm which had so 

 liherally besprinkled us with rain had whitened the 

 mountain caps with snow. We ran close in : there 

 being bold water to the very base of the rocks, 



