Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-10-28

therefore Il welcomes the ease and un-
restraint that comes with river cos
tunes. Ladies hasten to adopt the
comfortable blouse or Jacket with
skirts OF serge or cashmere. and man
3oyfully replaces the silk hat and
starched collar Of cities with the cap
and hannels Of freedom. Certainly it
is Bohemia; but 1t is Bohemia of
splendid array, the Bohemia of ease,
of money, and leisure, since the stump
tuous house boat, with Its servants, it's
well equipped tender, Its attendant
pleasure sldff, punt and dingy, is o
somewhat expensive toy.
Twelve years ago there were not
more than twenty houseboats On the
river; at the present time there are
sl4; and while ON this topic of numbers
we may add that there are 400 steam
launches and IL, 600 rowboats, punts
and canoes. The largest houseboat
on the Thames is the Lii, being ll9
feet in length; the next In size is tho
Albany, p5 feet; after that comes the
Golden Grasshopper, so feet; and the
smallest one is the FREELY, "a feet
The ordinary houseboat averages so
feet All the more luxurious house
boats have tenders, which naturally
increase their size and comfort, since
the tender is always the floating
kitchen of the establishment; for ex-
ample, the Mon Reve is fitty-two feet
long, and the Mon Reve tender is nine-
teen feet, so that together they present
frontage of seventy-one feet. Some
OF the names are applicable enough as
indicating their pleasureable uses, such
as Arcadia, Bohemia, Happy Land,
Idler, Lostos, Nautilus, River God,
summernool, Siesta, etc; there is no
Mermaid, a likely enough name, but
there is n Norman, an Uudine, and
Water Nymph. And, OF course, there
is the human desire to be specially dis
tinctive in nomenclature, whereby we
come across houseboats with such in
ventive and fanoiful titles as Cherry
bob, Fad, Deskneshiel, Doddler, Gran
nie's Boat, La Cigarette, Min Pram.
kcufiie, Torment, Tiriwhicle, and Yah.
nehune
The registration fee OF houseboat
80 feet in length is e5 per annum; a fur.
ther sum Is exAoted Of rs. for every six
inches over the size of 30 feet. The
lock toll of big houseboat Ia as. Cd
per lock, OF rowboat ss. In view OF
this large floating population upon our
beautiful river, the general public
will learn with satisfaction that
the Thomas Conservancy have one
very stringent law To the effect
that mo sewage, rubbish or other OF /.
fensive matter or thing" shall be nj
lowed TO pollute the water. and
in this way they very properly
have full power, and can with
hold or cancel any license that
the registration fee entities the
owner to. Neither Is 1t quite at the
sweet will Of the owner where he shall
moor his houseboat or lie with his
steam launch, AZ the Thames Conserv-
ancy publish list of prohibited places
This latter condition "a not vexntious
one by any means, as II simply makes
possibly the easy navigation of the
river, and is, therefore, TO the comfort
of all; for example, no boat OF any
description is allowed In any look, cut
or on the towing path in an part OF
the Thames
There were lis houseboats At Hen.
ley this year. The regatta Is, as II
were, focusing point, and after II is
over those that do not attend the
minor races go their various WAYS,
back TO their favorite haunts, or In ex-
ploration Of yet uptried waterways.
Generally speaking, they go to Pang-
bourne, TO shiplake, MARROW, and
Goodman, some to Datehet, and lots
70 Hampton" 70 quote the remark of a
lady, herself the owner Of n large
hcuseboat.
A. the internal arrangements of one
houseboat are typical of the many, VIC
may take the Reve dor for m exam
pie. The Revs d'cr h q feet long ana
~ feet inches In width (tha width Of
q lock is II feot inches. Tho boat
is built OF polished wood, and con-
tains two ample salooaA four
bedrooms, and good kitchen.
Tho bedrooms arc constructed in
the same way "a the bertha IN the