1845.] SWORDS AND BOATS. 21 



and who attended him closely, that my party became 

 suddenly thinned. The scabbard is of shagreen; the 

 smaller sword is nearly a fac simile but with a shorter 

 hilt. They are very handsome articles of dress, and to 

 judge from one which I saw drawn, of excellent workman- 

 ship. When I mention the word drawn, my readers must 

 not suppose that it belonged to any of the superior Chiefs, 

 as it would be a great breach of etiquette, almost an insult, 

 to show a naked sword ; but it was amongst some of the 

 younger branches in communication with officers between 

 decks. The lower orders or labouring classes, appear to 

 be of a larger, or more lengthy, build, and from their 

 exertions, which we witnessed in their boats, of consi- 

 derable power. Their boats are very neatly built, of good 

 model, very sharp and swift. An arrangement similar to 

 our river barges, or a light housing, is adapted to them, 

 which completely shelters the inmates from the weather, 

 carrying, conveniently, about twenty persons. As this 

 construction prevents the use of oars, three large sculls 

 are adapted on each side, abaft the beam, and the impulse 

 is so great that their velocity equalled that of our boats, 

 generally reckoned swift. The general length of these 

 boats I should imagine to vary between thirty and forty 

 feet, the extreme beam and bearing being abaft the centre, 

 forming a very sharp wedge to the stem, which being 

 much raised, as in the Spanish boats, gives them a very 

 rakish appearance. The official boats carry two small 

 banners on the quarters which denote their office, and 

 lanthorns, with devices, by night. No person is permitted 

 to move, by sea or land, at night, without this accompani- 

 ment, and upon the visits of the officers by day, they were 



