14 



FOREST AND STKBAM, 



ST, CATHARINE, Out., Jan. 22.~The annual shoot of the 

 Welland County Sportsman's Association, has just closed alter a 

 tnree days 1 session. The weather was very much against largo 

 scores. The first day, the 19th, a very strong wind \\ as blowing 

 from the left rear and very cold, but the live birds, on the wh> le, 

 were a very good lot. The Niagara Falls blackbird was also tried 

 for the first time here, and was v ery satisfactory. The visiters 

 gavo Them great praise tor the good ihght they ma-tie in the heavy 

 wiud, and too koine shooters found tlu mas hard to get on to as 

 the live hM. Quite a number of shoolers from New York State 

 were present, among them being Mr. Ed. Hudson, of Syracuse, N. 

 Y., who did some very fine scoring. Match No. 1—12 live pigeons, 

 gun below elbow, V& shot . H. & T. ground traps, 26yds. rise, 80yds. 

 boundary, shot under Domnion rules, prizes: 



C Forsyth 1111011 11111 -11 W Stroud 111101111011-10 



T S Clark 111111111110-11 Ed Hudson Olulllll 1111-10 



J E Stroud lllimoini-11 Beldam lDlllOUllll— 10 



Thirty-eight contestants r. tired after missing 3 birds each. In 

 shooting off ties Forsyth won first, J, C. Stroud second, Clark 

 third. Ties on 10 divided fourth, fifth and sixth prizes. 



Match No. 2.-9 Niagara Falls blackbirds, 13yds. rise, National 

 Tules, 3 prizes: 



Clarke 001U1111— 7 Adams 010111011-6 



Ned" 010011110—5 Lansing 1 11101010— 



Harrison 001111000-4 Roade 111000100 — 1 



Fe) stead 110110111-7 Smith 010001101-4 



First and second divided. 



Match No. 3.-9 Niagara Falls blackbirds, 3 traps, 18yds. rise : 



Me Arthur lCOOlOOll-4 Harrison 11 011011 1—7 



Dyer ..103101110-5 Hudson Ill 111111-9 



Stroud 110111111-8 Clarke l!llhi110-7 



J Stroud 100101010—4 Adams lOilOllll— 7 



Neff 0101 lOHO-i) Fclstead 11110111 1-8 



Hudson first. Fe 1 stead second. Clark third. 



Match No. 4-3 Niagara Fall blackbirds, 3 trap3, 18yds. rise, 2 

 prizes: 



Adams J 11001C111-6 McArthur 011000110—4 



Lansing 001001 101—4 1 i udson 1 1 1 1 1 111 -8 



Clark T 111110101-7 W Stroud 111011100-0 



Felstcad ....111110111—8 



First divided, Clark second. 



Match No. 5— Niagara Falls blackbirds, 3 traps, 18yds. rise, 2 

 prizes: 



T Clark .. , - 111111101-S Adams 101111111-8 



Ed Hudson HF.lllOl-S McArthur 001001101—4 



F. lstead 011101101-0 



First divided. 



Match No. 0—9 Niagara Fall 4 blackbirds, 3 traps, 18yd-. rise: 



H Graham 010001011-4 Neff '4011010— i 



T Clarke 101111001-fi Hudson 111111111-9 



Mc Art h ur 11 Of 01 1 01—5 A d ems 11 01 1 00 i 1 - (1 



Fel stead 1 mill 01 -8 George 1 11011110-7 



Mat;ih No. 7—18 blackbirds, 2 prizes: 



Fels tend 1111 101 10-7 Hudson 11111 111 0-8 



Clarke 011111011-7 Graham 01011 1011— G 



McArthur 11010.JX1-3 Smith 011110111-7 



George 101011110-0 George 111001101-6 



Nert 1030111 !0-5 



Hudson first, second divided. 



Match No. 8.-3 Niagara Falls blackbirds, 3 traps, 18yds. rise, 3 

 prizes : 



Feist end ''11101101—0 fell wartz 1 10001101-5 



McArthur 110101 110— G Gibson 100010110-4 



Clarke 1 1 101 1 (40-7 Talsma 101 1011 11-7 



Hudson HlinOU-8 Wayper 111110110-7 



Adams 111111111-9 Neff 0111011 10-0 



George 101111111-8 Rogers 010101011-5 



Koch f iiommi-7 



A 1 inn tint, Hidsra and Georp second. Clar'e third. 

 Match No. 9.-3 Niagara Falls blackbirds, 3 trapj, l'yds. rise, S 

 prizes : 



Koch 101111011 -7 Schwarz 000131101-4 



Clarke 01011001 l- r ; Gibson 01310011 1 -5 



Adams 1 1 1 0001 01-5 Talsma 1 1 11 10011-7 



Hudson 011111111-8 Neff 011100110-5 



MoArty 101000101-4 Wayper 111110100-0 



Felstoad 101100001-4 



H.idsou first, second divided, Wavp ;r third. 



Match No. 10-3 Niagara Falls blackbirds, 3 traps, 18yds. rise, 3 

 prizes: 



Koch 111111111-9 Talsma 110111131-7 



Warper lWlinOll-li Clarke HUH 110-7 



Neff lllKDlOl-C McArthur (X)101lOO:)-2 



Hudson liilllll 0-8 George 010U1001-5 



Felstcad 101011110-6 



Koch first, Hudson second, Talsma and C arke third. 



Match No. 11—9 blackbirds, ISyds. rise, 2 prizes: 



Koch 111111101-8 Clark 111100010-5 



Talsma 0101 1 1 101 -6 Wayper 000 1 00 w. 



Harrison 013001101-4 G Rogers U1101100-6 



Felstcad 010011001—1 



Km h lirst, Rogers and Talsma second. 



Match No. 12 -Mo Arthur challenged Clark to shoot at 13 black- 

 birds for §25 a side, 18yds , 3 traps: 



Clark r l11fi001l1(1-7 



McArthur 11110010iUCl-7 



In shoot off Clari wen. Another mtcju was arranged beivnou 

 these gentlemen at live birds to take place at Buffalo tor $,',0 aside 

 on Jan. 26. 



IOKGSTCN-MIDDLESEX.— Kingston, N. J., Jan. 19.— Tho re- 

 turn match between the Middlesex Gun Club and the Kingston 

 Gun Olub, at clay-pigeons, 5 traps, 18yds. rise, was shot here this 

 afternoon. The wind and cold made it anything but a desirable 

 day to shoot or make a good score: 



Kingston. Middlesex. 



C McDonald . . .000003110010011— 5 Wyekoff 110011100110110— 9 



-.C Allen 010 1 1011)1 111 10— 10 Craft 011001111111111-12 



F Puilcn. ... . . . .1110010001UOOO- 7 For.ie 110001 3001 11 011— 8 



J Strvkor.. . . . .OlOlOulQl 1 10111— 9 Squire OOOOOlOGOOuOJll- 3 



(i Pnook 11001 1010010111-10 Smith UtOI 1000010110- 8 



FAArou 111010011001101- 9 Dnrley (.0 401010100111-7 



J Pilacfewell. . . .011111011000101— 9 Williams lOUCOHOl 01011- 9 



IPullen 0101111110 10001- 8 Terry OlOllOOlCOTOll'J- 



M Fo.; 013H11U003101- 9 Dickins ODOOlOUO.OiOOl- 4 



76 06 

 In tho morning two sweepstakes at live birds were shot, the first 

 with 12 entries: C. Sampson first, C. Houstan second, WTliamson 

 and Smith divided third. The seeoud sweepstake had 16 ontrie:: 

 Sampson and Dickins divided lirst, Houstan socond, Fox and 

 Fouler divided third. 



BROOKLYN. Jan. 19.— Tho Washington Gun Club held their 

 first regular shoot of the season at Dexter's Park, L. I., to-day, for 

 a gold badge and money prizes. Out of 98 birds shot at 68 were 

 killed and 30 escaped. '1 lie score is as follows : 



J Newton, 25vds 11111 10-5 E Gateson, 21yds 1001011— 4 



A DeGraw, 25yds 1111111-7 J Miller, 21 yds .0310310—2 



A Rockteller, 23 .'da.. . .110410— i F Foldhas, 25yds 1111111—7 



J Bohliug, 25yd8 1011101-5 J Smith, 2r<yds 1011111—0 



C Bookictler," 33yds.,., 11H411— if Jonos. 25yds 0311111-5 



A Altenbrand, 21yds. . .1111000 -+ 1) Morgan, 23rds 1110110—5 



C H Smith, 23yds 0011011—4 II Winauts, 23yds 0101011—4 



Ties divided. 



TORONTO, Jan 17— Some of the members of the St. Thomas Gun 

 Club favor the use of the English sparrows instead of pigeons as 

 targets at the shoots of the club. The quarrelsome, dirty, noisy, 

 and destructive little sparrows, they claim, are of no earthly good 

 and no better use could be found for them than for trap-shooting. 

 Those favorable to the change conteud that there are ideaty of 

 reasons good and sufficient fur such a course. In the first place 

 the flight of the birds is such as would make ibem very good marks 

 and then another good feature is the readiness with which they 

 may be trapped. Trap-shooting my be called a sin, but charity 

 covereth a multitude of such, and even in trap shooting there is a 

 charity— in ridding the country of such a bird. Our advice to tho 

 club is to go ahead aud try them, ns they would undoubtedly make 

 firs .-class marks and a pleasing change from the targets generally 

 in use.— St. Thomas Times. The attention of local gun clubs is di- 

 rected to our contemporary's remarks. Sparrow pie does no go 

 amiss occasionally.— Toronto Mail. 



dan. 20.— A blackbird shoot took place at John Oulcott's, Eglin- 

 ton, to-day. Five sweepstake matcaes were shot during the after- 

 noon. There were two prizes in each. Following is the score: 



First sweep, at 6 birds, 18vds. rise— W. McDowall 6, G. Car- 

 ruthers 5, C. Duncan 4. J. Bailie 3, T. Loudon 2. 



Second sweep, same terms— G. Carruthors 7, C. Dunoan 6, F. 

 Loudon 5, W. McDowall 5, J. BaiUie 4. 



Third sweep, same terms— C. Duncan 7, T. Loudon 0, G. Cur- 

 ruthers 5, T. Baillie 4, W. McDowall 3. 



Fourth sweep, 6 birds, 18 yds. rise— T. Loudon 5, W. McDowall 5, 



G. Carru'.hers 4, T. Bailie 3, C. Duncan 3. In shooting off Loudou 

 hit three straight and took first prize, McDowall hitting two out 

 of taree. 



Fifth sweep, 6 birds, 18yds. rise— G Carrnthers 6, W. McDowall 

 4, T. Baillie 4, C. Duncan 3. In shooting off ties for second prize 

 McDowall won with 2 out of 3, Baillie only hitting 1. 



§achting. 



Address all communications to the Forest and Stream Pub. Co. 



HOUSEBOATS AND HOUSEBOATINO. 



AS the winter passed there was cviuced a deep concern as to 

 what the club should do in the .... summer; .... and 



various were the schemes propesed Water entered largely 



into all the projects that were advanced, with a marked reserva- 

 tion .... in favor of the calmer variety Finally one eveu- 



iug the Owl sat down in his place, with an expression on Ids coun- 

 tenance indicative of the agreeable possession of an idea; and 

 .... said: 



"Boys, I know what we'll do next summer." 

 "You do!" said the club; "out with it." 

 "We'll hire a canal boat." 



Tho Owl proceeded to unfold his plan; and after tho fltst blush 

 of insanity had faded away from it, tho club became deeply im- 

 pressed with its practicability and attractiveness 



At last fortune smiled upon them .... thev found in the dock 

 a new and neat-looking boat A bluff, hearty and well- 

 favored navigator came up ... . from tho cabin. The boat was 

 new, he said .... and ho finally consented to charter .... at 

 seven dollars a day. 



The next day all was bustle nnd activity A new coat of 



paint was being put upon her deck, and Rossil .... had his 

 wagons going all day, collecting bric-a-brac, canvases, easels, 

 dra prries, costumes, paint-boxes, portfolios, aud all maimer of 



ctl'octs, domestic and personal A colored gentleman of a 



culinary turn named Daniel .... was promptly commissioned to 



buy a large stove and all tho necessary utensils of his craft 



He came down to the boat with five tons of ice, a big refrigerator, 

 a small cook'ug range, about one hundred pap^r parcels. 2001bs. of 

 fresh beef and mutton neatly sewed up in ongs to go inside the 



ice house, quantities of vegetables and two coops full of 



chickens. 



Daniel made a splendid impression. He ... . saluted each one 

 with au obeisance .... looked upon tho wealth of color and rich 

 tranpings without betraying the faintest trace of the plebeian 

 emotion of surprise .... aud .... betook him to arranging his 

 kitchen and putting away his various storee. His kitchen in- 

 spired confidence, and bis appearance in a snowy linen cap and 

 jacKct and long white apron was most reassuring." 



The Committe on Decoration and Home Comforts covered itself 

 with glory. With unlimited bric-a-brac and tapestry, and stuffs 

 oriental and domestic at its disposal, the interior .... under- 

 went a surprising transformation. If it erred at all it was in the 

 direction or positive luxury, but the artistic and decorative effect 

 that was produced was excellent. To those who looked at it ... . 

 from the point of viewof having to dwell in it ... . it was par- 

 ticularly grateful. The divans that were easily translated into 

 beds; the cushions, that were but pretexts for the diurnal con- 

 cealment of pillows; the piano, the violins, the big dining table, 

 the armchairs and hammocks, the neat pile of fresh tablecloths 

 and napkins, the excellent, glassware on the sideboard, the decency 

 of the cutlery, the neat student-lamps and Chinese lanterns, and 

 a certain grace in the profusion, and a quality of case iu the gen- 

 eral disposition, were extromclv alluring. 



The day of departure .... The last valise was on board .... 



it was evening ...... a small parasite of a tugboat .... towed 



her to the comparative privacy of 1 he outer river. Great appre- 

 hension had been felt that the cabin would be insufferably hot. 

 but .... a delicious draft of ccol air entered at the forward 



hatch and 6wept through tho room from end to end, producing a 

 most agreeable temperature. Hot as the weather subsequently 



was, the cabin was always pleatant, and upon no evening 



was it desirable to sleep without more or less covering or without 



partially closing tho hatches The city crept slowly by, 



darkness descended on the waters, Hie lights on the shore came 

 out one. by one, and everybody went below. 



Daniel .... lail the table .... and .... brought on 



a most fragrant repast There were porterhouse steaks done 



to a turn, deviled kidneys, cold roast beef, roast Potatoes, lot bis- 

 cuits, fried chicken (after the fashion of Daniel's native Balri- 



more), tea, coffee, and the club's regular b— evi rage In the 



conversational pause that ensued, the consumption that took 

 place was little short of marvelous .... the faculty of speech 

 began to be restored .... aud the members reclined in their 

 armchairs and sent long wreaths of smoke out of th? hatches. 



Later .... there was music It was after mid- 

 night when the pipes and lamps went out by common consent, and 

 the club retired in great comfort. 



and .... the gray mist had stolen down between the 



hills .... aud hung low upon the river. Nothing was visible 

 around but the still water melting into the softcloud, and nothing 

 was to bo heard bat the gent'.e ripple of the eddyim? current. 



— The lila Club Afloat. 



The fascinating story, from which tho foregoing has boon 

 culled, of the primitive houseboating (for such it really was) of 

 the Tile Club, might well inspire the reader with a desire to share 

 in similar enjoyments. Not that there is auy thing partieularlv 

 new in a houseboat, for from the time of the first one of which 

 wc have any record, in which Captain Noah must have found it a 

 task of no ordinary difficulty to provide for and provision his 

 varied crew, these fashionable dwellings have in one form or an- 

 otbor subserved purposes of utility and pleasure in all ages and 

 nearly all mar-time conntr.es. 



vVitu the mere utilitarian houseboat this paper has little to do, 

 but the reader who has resided in China will readily call to mind 

 the r ghts and sounds of its floating population, the thousands 

 who live and move and have their being in apparent happiness, 

 and more or less of comfort on board junks, which are not only 

 houseboats in the broadest meaning of the word, but which in 

 many instances, iu their size, and in the nature of their uses, 

 aspire to the dignity of emporiums. 



In this country the houseboat is almost unknown, but a rude 

 form, which might more properly be termed a "houseraft," has 

 already had its tisos as a safe retreat and a defense, when in the 

 early days tho marauding Indian would have annihilated the 

 encroaching paleface, and the early settler drove his ] low afield 

 with a musivet In the hollow of his arm. On the foundation which 

 these rude fcrsfaiherr. so firmly laid has been built a civilization 

 which has brough; with it new desires, motives, aims and methods 

 as well as conveniences and enjoyments to which we are so accus- 

 tomed that we have come to regard them as necessities. 



In Eugl.nidthe houseboat is of the latter class, and has of late 

 years multiplied so rapidly that its genus can now be met with 

 snugly moored against the banks of nearly every picturesque lake 

 and navigable river, or swinging to an anchor in quiet coves and 

 cozy inlets of the sea wherever a snelterad harbor and pleasant 

 surroundings can be found. 



But the pleasure and luxury of life on a houseboat, its freedom, 

 comfort and heaUhfuluoss, aud its immunity from the host of 

 cares and annoyances which beset the summer cottage owner, or 

 hovel boarder on shore, are not yet thoroughly appreciated or even 

 understood in this country. Occasionally a returned traveller 

 from England brings with him tho story of a brief sojourn on one 

 of these pleasaut floating dwellings, and treats his hearers to an 

 enticiug description of the mcrhing plunge inte the sparkling 

 waters-, the sun bath on the upper deck, the keen appetite 

 and tho temptiug breakfast, with the summer breeze playing 

 through the cabin windows; the morniug smoke under the deck 

 awning, the row in the launch up the river, the lunch at the 

 neighbors in tho next houseboat, the return with the tide and the 

 ladies at the oars, the perfect cooking of the diuner which awaited 

 them, the enjoyments cf the musical evening which wound up the 

 pleasures cf the day, and the deep and dreamless slumber in the 

 luxurious stateroom preparatory to kindred enjoyments ou the 

 mc ivow. 



In his eager rush from place to place, the Europe-trotting Amer- 

 ican does not, as a ride, see much of all this; but occasionally one 

 more fortunate or wiser than his fellows comes back with a "story 

 like the above, and puzzles hiB heareis with the query: "Why has 

 no the houseboat been introduced into this country'/" 



The houseboat, as its name implies, is a house and a boat in one. 

 Like other houses and other boats, it is costly or otherwise ac- 

 cording to its size and fittiug and the means aud desires of its 

 owner. For a few hundred dollars a single man who finds pleasuro 

 iu "roughiug it" can own a houseboat, in which he can compass 

 his simple enjoyments in a thoroughly satisfactory way. Add to 

 the above figures until they become say a couple of thousands, and 

 a houseboat can be produced in which a gentleman and wife will 

 find in saloon, stateroom, bath room aud domestic conveniences, 

 completeness and even luxury, which cannot be duplicated for 

 twice that expenditure on shore: while to the fortunate few who 

 can contemplate tho addition of yet another cypher, can be in- 

 sured a floating palace with which, for its purpotes, no yacht at 

 three times the coat can compare. 



Though comparatively costly iu the first building, for it would 

 bo unwise to construct it in any but the best manner, the house- 

 boat has many features of economy which are denied the summer 



dwfrllor on terra ilrma. No costly lot of land lw»i to be bought to 



build it on, aud the maintenance of fences, walls, lawns, terrace*, 

 fruit, flower and kitchen gardens do not figure on the expense ac- 

 count. In domestic management the houteboat is freed rrom the 

 wasteful tyranny of the Bridgets The peaceful serenity of the 

 houseboat mistress is not disturbed by any questions involving the 

 issue of "Sundays out" or the desirabilit y or cvherwlse of Bridget's 

 "young man," tor all the work on board la usually done by men, 

 and from stemhead to rudderpost the genus Bridget has no neces- 

 sary place. 



In small honseboata, one man to act in the role of cook, steward 

 and general utility is sufficient. A larger boat may make advis- 

 able the addition of a boy to wait at table and "help round," but 

 even in the family houseboat of Lay four staterooms besides the 

 saloon and domestic offices, two good men will not only do the 

 work with ease, but It not kept too busy with the tender to and 

 from the shore, will find lots of idle time upon their hands. 



In furnishing the houseboat, the expenditure necessary for fur- 

 nishing an equivalent i ouee on shore need not be exceeded, and In 

 "running" the houseboat tile same rule will apuly. Perhaps the 

 last remark is not sufficiently strong, fcr in point of fact, the in- 

 telligent service of the men on board, as against: the almost invari- 

 able incompetence of hired "summer help" on shore, will, in the 

 majority of cases, show a marked advantage in favor of the purse 

 and temper of the houeeboater. 



One of the pleasontest of the larger English houseboats is owned 

 by a ret.red East India merchant, and has, or had, fcr its crew, 

 three coolies. One is monarch of the kitchen, auother looks after 

 the "below deck" and the third Is responsible fcr the "on deck" 

 arrangements from entry port to signal halliards. This boat Ilea 

 moored stem and stern so close to a bold bank in a lovely river 

 that a swinging drawbr.dge reaches freni entry-port to shore. 



In another case of which the writer has very pleasaut memories, 

 a family houseboat with three staterooms, tne service is most ex- 

 cellently rendered by a man and his wife, old and trusty servitors 

 of the family. Hero the man performed all on deck duties, while 

 the wife, with her husband's occasional assistance, took charge of 

 the kitchen aud entire "indoors," and as this houseboat lays to an 

 anchorage under the lee of a small island some little distance from 

 the, shore, a steam launch is added to the man's responsibilities. 



Another houseboat, one of the smaller kind, has for its occupants 

 and owners, two clerks, thnu whom no more enthusiastic house- 

 boaters can be found. A convenient inn on the river bank 

 furnishes thoir meals and guards their property while during the 

 day they are attending 10 their business in Loudou, and as these 

 clerks (who are, by the way, very jolly and exceedingly hospitable 

 fellowt) attend to their own bed making, dusting, and other acmes* 

 tic duties, they avoid the expense of hired help and IP. e a life of 

 exceeding independence aud enjoyment. In their case economy 

 aud contentment evidently go hand in hand. 



But even houseboats (t.iough always economical in the sense 

 that small expenditure gives comparatively large returns) can be 

 conducted in a costly manner. The writer calls to mind one case, 

 a large and exquisitely appointed vestel which usually summers 

 (or used to) in the romantic regions of the North of Scotland, to 

 wh.ch a domestic staff of eight adults and eight boys is attached. 

 The butiness cf the toys is to lock as 1 ret ty as possible in their 

 uatty man-o'-war uniforms, and to row the owner, his family and 

 hie guests from place to place in the handsome cignt-oared galley 

 in which all such excursions are made. When tho boys are not at 

 this duty, an admirable course of study employs their minds and 

 lits them for tho more serious duties of the life before them. The 

 boys themselves are .selected from the street waifs of Edinboro, 

 Glasgow and o + ,hor cities, and tho wise extravagance of their em- 

 ployer may, and probably will, save eight souL from prison or 

 worse. With such a numerous retinue, a servant's houseboat Is a 

 necessity, and one is In this instance moored well out of eaisnot of 

 the other, at uight tho servants, save one man on watch, withdraw 

 to their own boat, where ample sleeping accommodations are 

 found, and where tne lai ge cabin used by the 1 ovs as a school rcom 

 give3 them facilities for the social evening which ordinarily winds 

 up the pleasant duties of the day, for cne of the unwritten laws of 

 housebcathcg is that everywhere, above and below deck, in the 

 saloon or in the servant's quarter.-, at all times a.id under all cir- 

 cumstances, Happiness, with a b'g H, shall reign. 



It would not be surprising if, to the minds of those who may be 

 here gathering their lirst information on the subject, comparisons 

 between houseboats and yachts should present themselves, but 

 thetruthis.no such comparisons can fail ly be instituted, ^s a 

 houseboat the yacht is of necessity both incomplete aud unsatis- 

 factory; wivle as a yacht, tho homeboat pioper has really uo 

 claims to consideration at all. The desire or the need for the one 

 cannot possibly be satisfied by the possession of the other, and 

 although the enjoyments pertaining toeachare of close relation- 

 ship, tnat very fact establishes an entente cordial' and emphasises 

 the absence of any competition as to merit or des.'rai ility. 



The majority of yachlsmeu tind their chief pleasure in sailing, 

 in moving their crafs from place to place by the ageucy of wiud or 

 steam, and more especially of the former. Of these an influential 

 minority own vessels of sufficient she to "keep the tea," to cruise 

 from port to port and to risk the chorees of wind and weather. 

 On board such vessels the spaciousness aud completeness of the 

 below deck accommodations and the convenience of the appoint- 

 ments enable one to live and res-do with considerable comfort. 



But even on the largest yaclits, the "domestic y' so to speak, ar- 

 rangements VT3 not of a nature which admit 01 such craft being 

 devoted to family uses for anv extended periods without consider- 

 able t iKOtnfe rt of a certain k'nda droine Inconvenience. On smi ll 

 sailing craft, 1 he designs for which ought not tc be mfluenejed by 

 any considerations whatever, save those of speed and safety, the 

 sacrifice of the former probably and of the latter most certainly, 

 must always attc vd an oudsavor to combine small tonnage, 

 great speed and disproportionate 1 elow deck accommodations. 

 Yet strangely euough the endeavor almost invariably continues 

 to be made, and a craft as unsafe as i f. is uncomfortable", and there- 

 fore wholly unsuited to family yachtir g, is the result. 



From this it naturally follows tnat yachting is mainly restricted 

 to the sterner sex, and the married yachtsman is compe.led to con- 

 sent to temporarily "shelving" his family ties, duties aud pleas- 

 ures, or else has to forego enjoyments in which tl.oce who are near- 

 est aud dearest to him cannot convenient! v share. 



Tc the married man then, the man with a family, the institu- 

 tion of the modern houseboat should surely commend Itself. It 

 literally bristles with those good qualities which appeal to him 

 most strongly. In I to perfect safety the fond mother aud father 

 are relieved of anxieties which on other pleasure craft often take 

 the keen edge lrom their enjoyment. Its roomy and well-fenced 

 deck affords ample and secure playground for the children, whero 

 they can indulge unrestrictedly in the healthful use of limbs and 

 lungs in the open air, aud at the same time be assured the most 

 absolute immunity from undesirable associations. As a house 

 it can be in every way as complete and convenient as a dwell- 

 ing on shore, and in some respects (no fatiguing stairs for in- 

 stance) it can be even superior; while as a boat, not even the 

 largest yacht— wdven at anchor— can be considered m any particu- 

 lar a more satisfactory abode. 



The houseboat has many features peculiar to itself and uot 

 shared by other pleasure craft. One of these Is its inability to 

 move from place to place w ithout outside assistance. To some 

 this might appear in the light of a deprivation, but by the genuine 

 houseboat er it is regarded as a privilege. And such indeed it is. 

 for stability of location as well us stability of model all go to add 

 to the enjoyable features of the "housi " part of your craft with- 

 out detracting from those of the "boat." The ability to change 

 the location of your house when it is desirable to do so, aud the 

 lack of temptation to do so unless it is desirable, are items which 

 have a very direct bearing on your comfort and enjoyment. Your 

 naval architect, free lrom all problems involving centers of effort 

 or saii-cprrying power, has given you a form of hull in which 

 great initial stability aud prodigality of cubical contents have 

 been most successfully combined. And your interior architect, 

 taking up the thread where his brother dropped it, has so divided, 

 apportioned and decorated the space at his command, that it has 

 become iu arrangement a very marvel of convenience, and in de- 

 sign and adornment a realization of beauty in a way which would 

 not have been possible had the exigencies of boiler space or other 

 means of self propulsion entered into the calculations. 



Aud the moving of the houseboat is not, after all, a matter of 

 much difficulty. A skillful utilization of wiud and tide and the 

 assistance of a couple of men in a rowboat are often all that are 

 necessnry, except when great distances or too swiftly opposing 

 currents have to bo traversed, and in such cases the ubiquitous 

 towboat will take your hawser and bear you with rapid ease to 

 your destination at an. expense which, comparatively speaking, 

 may be termed trivial. 



But. it may be urged, to live on a boat and not be able to sail,, 

 would be as iucompleto as to live on shore andnot.be able to nde 

 or drive. Before arriving at any such hasty conclusion there are 

 many tldags which should be taken into consideration. At the 

 worst (if such a conclusion has to be admitted at all) it is only a 

 question of compensating advantages, and no houseboater will 

 for a moment allow there is opportunity 011 that point for argu- 

 ment. You oannoi, but, concede that, wore you living on shore, you 

 would not take your house for a ride or drive, but you would order 

 your horse or your carriage. So, 011 the water, you do not take 

 your houseboat for .an outing, but if you wish to row you take one 

 Of your tenders. Should tho breeze be propitious and sailing be 



