182 ADVENTURE IN NEW ZEALAND. Chap. XI. 
The boats are fancifully painted by their headsmen 
with mouldings of different colours, and a *' nose " dif- 
ferent from the body. In the nose is generally painted 
some fanciful design, as a star, a crescent, a ball, or an 
eye. The name, too, frequently figures along the out- 
side of the stern-sheets. 
The words of command are, as they need be, short 
and clear: one side is called the two-side, where the 
two oars are in the five-oared boat, and the other the 
three-side ; but in giving directions, the headsman only 
says, " pull two, back three," or vice versa. The other 
terms of head all, starn all, peak, heave up, &c., require 
no explanation. These boats are remarkably lively in 
a sea-way, will run very long before a gale of wind with 
safety, and will land safely through a very high surf. 
They often run on when they are obliged to reef the 
sail by fastening the weather yard-arm to the gunwale ; 
and are believed capable of standing any weather, if 
hove-to with the steer-oar peaked, under the lee of a 
raft formed of the oars, mast, and sail. Some years 
ago, two whale-boats reached Guam in safety from 
Drummond's reef near the Equator, where their vessel 
had been wrecked. During heavy weather, they had 
frequent recourse to this plan, in the course of their 
perilous voyage of two thousand miles. 
The try'Works, or large iron vats for boiling out the 
oil, are also cleaned, repaired, or renewed as circum- 
stances may require ; the ways for launching the boats 
are strengthened and repaired ; the sheers and scaf- 
folding with their tackle, the windlass, and planked 
way, used for cutting the blubber off the whale, are 
looked to, and made fit for use ; the boat-sheds, dwell- 
ing-houses, cook-house, and cooperage are made wea- 
ther-tight against the winter; and the provisions 
and other " property " are stowed away. The proper 
