818 ADVENTURE IN NEW ZEALAND. Chap. XL 
man's directions, while the latter kills the whale. 
The common men have nothing to do but to ply their 
oars according to orders ; except one, called the tub 
oarsman, who sits next to the tub containing the whale- 
line, and has to see that no entanglement takes place. 
The wages are shares of the profits of the fishery, apr 
portioned to the men according to their rank ; — the 
headsman getting more shares than the boat-steerer, 
and the boat-steerer than the common man. The 
leader of the " party" commands one of the boats, is 
called the " chief headsman," and is said to " head" the 
party, as each headsman is said to " head" his own boat. 
The boat-steerer or harpooner is likewise said to " steer" 
the boat to which he belongs, or, more frequently, its 
headsman. Thus, on meeting two whalers, and asking 
them what is their situation, one might answer, ** I 
" heads the Kangaroo," while the other would say. 
" and I steers Big George." 
Their whole language in fact is an argot, or slang, 
almost unintelligible to a stranger. All their principal 
characters enjoy distinctive appellations, like the heroes 
of the Iliad. Thus I know one of the chief headsmen 
who was never called anything but " the old man." 
Another was called " Long Bob ;" a third " Butcher 
** Nott;" and a fourth, an American, "Horse Lewis,*' 
to distinguish him from his two brothers of the same 
name. I have already said that Joseph Toms, of Te- 
awa-iti and Porirua, never went by any other name than 
" Geordie Bolts." Another was only known as " Bill 
"the Steward." " Flash Bill," " Gipsey Smith," and 
" Fat Jackson," " French Jim," " Bill the Cooper," 
and " Black Peter," may be allowed to conclude our 
selection from the titles of the whaling peerage. Then 
every article of trade with the natives has its slang 
term, — in order that they may converse with each 
