TilE WHALE FISHEBY. 243 



These vessels are denominated "four-boaters," and carry one boat on the starboard side and 

 three on the port. The Arctic steamers, however, carry five boats on the cranes,* two on the 

 starboard and three on the port side. Schooners and brigs carry from two to three boats for 

 immediate use and a spare boat at the stern on projecting timbers called " tail feathers." The cap- 

 tain's boat (so called from courtesy and habit, but usually headed by the fourth mate) occupies its 

 position on the starboard quarter ; the mate's boat on the larboard t quarter; the second mate's 

 boat at the waist, and the third mate's boat on the larboard bow. They are familiarly known as 

 (1) the starboard, (2) larboard, (3) waist, and (4) bow-boats. Steam barks carry a fifth boat f on the 

 starboard bow. Boats are not carried at the starboard wlTisl, as this portion of the vessel is used 

 on all whalers, for cutting in the whale. 



On a three-boat vessel the captain has the starboard boat, the first officer the port-quarter 

 boat, the second officer the waist boat, and a third man is shipped as a "third mate and boat 

 steerer," to take charge of the captain's boat or to steer the captain as the case may be. On a two- 

 boat vessel the captain has charge of the starboard boat and the mate the port boat. The boats 

 are lowered from and raised to the parts of th'e ship in the order just referred to; but on short 

 vessels the third mate's boat may be lowered from the starboard side, forward of the waist. 



The manner of transporting the boats for active use to the whaling grounds is by means of 

 davits and cranes. The principle of suspension is common to all vessels ; on whalers the boats 

 are invariably suspended outboard. The attention of the reader is directed to the accompanying 

 plate, which represents the manner of carrying the starboard-quarter boat and the spare boats, 

 one of which latter is visible. 



The davits (d d) are made of white oak " butt timber," squaring about 8 or 9 inches when 

 dressed, with a length varying from 12 to 16 feet. Two scarfs are sawed lengthwise in the upper end, 

 in a wedge like form; the timber is steamed, bent on a frame, and fastened with iron bolts to 

 retain the curve from the perpend icular.|| On the starboard quarter (of a ship) the distance 

 between the davits is from 21 to 24 feet, as the requirements may be, in order that boats of vary- 

 ing lengths may be accommodated. On the port side the interval between each pair is about 9 

 feet, affording sufficient room for the boats to " swing" without coming into collision. The heads 

 of the davits, about 10 feet above the main rail, are mortised for sheaves with friction rollers. 

 The falls (/) are of manila, 2J inches in circumference, and connect with a two-sheaved 9-inch block, 

 which hooks into the " hoisting straps" (ee). The hoisting straps are the iron rods or "boat-iron," 

 with rigid eyes at the head and stern of the boat respectively. 



* Triangular-shaped wooden brackets upon which the keels of the boats rest. 



t The whalemen are the only class of seamen who have not adopted the term port instead of larboard, except In 

 working ship. The larboard boat was this boat to their great-grandfathers and it is so with the present generation. 

 More especially is this the case in the Atlantic and South Pacific fleets; but recently the term port-boat has come into 

 use in the Arctic fleet. 



} Some of the new steamers built since 1862 carry sixth and seventh boats. 



$ Nomenclature of starboard quarter of a whale ship, showing the manner of transporting the captain's boat and 

 the spare boats: s, starboard quarter of the ship; a, whale-boat on cranes transported to the whaling grounds; 

 6 b b b, bearers against which the inboard side of baat rests; o, c, cranes upon which keel of boat rests; dd, davits. 

 These are the usual form of davits, although two pieces of conjoined wood have been used ; e e, hoisting straps into 

 which the fallen hooks of davit-tackle are inserted when lowering or hoisting the boat ;//, davit-tackle falls for 

 hoisting and lowering; g g, gripes for lashing boat to prevent chafing, &c.; A A, iron braces to hold cranes in posi- 

 tion when boat has been hoisted ; i i, spare boat on skids or gallows-frame ; j, end of skid resting on stanchion ; fc, 

 lashing to hold boat in position; II I I, shrouds ; mmm m, back-stays, topmast, topgallant, and royal back- 

 stays; n, main brace; pp p p p, running rigging; q, niizzeu mast; r r, ratlines; , spanker-boom ; *, spanker jack- 

 stay; , channels; v, chain-plates. 



|| The davits on whalers are usually made of wood ; iron davits have been tried, but were found too stiff. 



