268 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



July, 1907 



begin with, and while the initial cost is greater all the way 

 through, it is also far more expensive to maintain. 



A small gasoline launch, which will serve for tender, ex- 

 press and market boat, will be found a great convenience 

 and an almost indispensable adjunct to the house-boat. Aside 

 from its great usefulness, it enables the owner, the family 

 and guests, to make frequent excursions and to visit and ex- 

 plore all the nearby places. The advantages of the marine 

 gasoline motor need not be extolled here, but suffice to say 

 that these handy and simple little machines have now been 

 brought to a very high point of perfection. The aim of 

 nearly all manufacturers has been to make them "fool- 



pose, unless, of course, one insists on having a maid. If the 

 boat is large enough and the owner desires to keep a servant, 

 a man will prove far more satisfactory. Chinese are by far 

 the best; but few are to be had. Swedes and Norwegians 

 come next, and they are invariably good boatmen; they fill 

 the requirements very nicely. They are generally clean, and 

 most of them can cook sufficiently well to prepare In a palat- 

 able way the simple fare one demands when living afloat. 



West Indian negroes have been tried by many with ex- 

 cellent results. Those bred In the British possessions make 

 the best servants. Most of them can cook, and besides being 

 reasonably clean, are usually good swimmers and watermen. 



The Galley Is Conveniently Arranged for Cooking Purposes The " Hostess " and Her T 



proof," and anyone with ordinary Intelligence can handle 

 the motor with ease and safety. 



Power tenders can be had at moderate figures, some good 

 ones can be bought as low as $150. The modified dory and 

 sharpie make admirable launches, and have the great ad- 

 vantage of being most inexpensive. The cost of the engine 

 Itself is very much the same, no matter in what type of hull 

 it may be installed. 



A sailing dory makes a handy tender, for it can be easily 

 propelled with either oars or sails. A canoe adds to the com- 

 pleteness of one's fleet; it Is cheap, is easily paddled, and 

 may be readily lifted out of the water and put on the upper 

 deck out of the way. 



The servant question Is not as vexatious as one might sup- 



When one is fortunate enough to secure a good Jap he will 

 prove to be all that could be desired. But in general the 

 Japanese are hardly to be recommended, for they are con- 

 stantly changing, and many are careless and dirty. The 

 good ones command a high wage, and the poor ones are not 

 wanted at any price. 



For the children one should, of course, select a servant 

 who can swim and handle a boat well, for he can teach the 

 young folks to swim and sail and row; and one may go to 

 town In the morning with the satisfaction of knowing that 

 the little ones are In good hands. 



The cost of living on a house-boat should average a little 

 less than it does in town. Meats will cost a little more, but 

 under some conditions fish and shell fish may cost less. Gro- 



