Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-05-11
THE GAY VENETIAN ooNDoLIER.
Delights Of Night Ride with Two Drunk
en- Boatmen.

Delights of "a Night Ride with Two Drunk
en- Boatmen.
AT Venice 1 had my first experience in Q
gondola. After arriving late at night IL was
certainly new sensation TO walk 4 ON the
station down wide slippery steps TO embark
in furnereal looking craft, the covered
center of which looked for all the world
like coffin. The gondolas are covered
with black and the central portion is
studded with oldfashioned coffin nails
Anything more uncomfortable then these
covered compartments IL would be hard 10
lind. Perhaps upon pleasant evening
one could rccline upon a pile of rugs and
by lying perfectly flat get his head low
enough To he able To get n view out Of the
window But in the practical riding Of
everyday life your head is in the top OF
the roof fully foot above the top line of
the window. Ii is SO crampcd that
person cannot sit upright | shall never for
get my departure from Venice the follow
ing night. During the day had taken
short ride in one of the open gondolas,
and found that a fairly comfortable way
of going about. But when night come
again it rained in perfect torrents The
hour of starting was late. The two boat.
men in charge Of the gondola chartered to
take me 10 the station had been drinking
and were much excited by H. They were
in dripping oil skins climbed into my
coffin compartment with young English
friend and or luggage being placed in
front Of Us. filled the box up completely,
Then the gay gOndOlers started of with us
and made short cuts down through the
darkest of side canals where there was not
single light ! could see nothing except
the narrow line of dim light cleaning
from the black waters through the narrow
window The gondolicrs sang and chant
eel uproarous songs and cries whenever
they reached corner or "A bend in the
canal, so as 10 warn approaching boats
against collision. The two gondOicrs tried
TO outrow each other, by way of variety,
and succeeded by their muscular and fur
iOus struggles i'm making the boat wabble
to the right and left in way that threat
ened every moment 10 upset our funeral
craft. Every time, 1.-THE boat would lurch
in the widest possible way the boatmen
would roar with laughter. as if they had
an idea that the occupants of the coffin
were thereby paralyzed with terror. They
evidently laborcd 10 produce that disagree
able impression upon the people whom
they were called upon TO carry through
such a storm at such late hour at night.
But no remOnStrance came from the coffin
Neither the representative of England nor
Of the United States felt like showing any
nervousness. Our silence and composure
were construed in complim ntary way,
for when we filed out ut the station after
our ride the boatmon saluted us and said
"Americanos" as We passed. The peculiar
feature of the gondoliers is the way they
demand their pourboires. They never
wait until they get to the end Of their
Journey. When they are near port they
cease rowing, lay down their oars, and
demand their drink money with the Zero.
cious air Of brigands leaving it to be in
fcrred that if it is not promptly forthcom-
ing the passengers will never reach the
h0rc.