1.The gondola is the carriage of Venice，and a most delightful one it is.The gondolier is out of sight of the passengers，like the driver of a hansom cab，and nothing obstructs the view except the graceful steelprow，waving slightly to and fro.
2.The gondola is a fiat-bottomed boat，finely shaped and beautifully ornamented.It rests lightly upon thewater，and is propelledand guided as easily as a canoe.
so little water that it can pass through theshallowest canals at low tide.
3.The gondola，however，belongs to the luxury of Venice.It is for pleasure and convenience，not for business.Even when strangers are brought in it from the railway stations and the foreign steamers，the heavy luggage is left to be taken by the “barca，”a morecommon，flat-bottomed boat used for merchandise .
4.Those who have never visited Venice have a vagueidea that to get from one end of the city to another oneis always forced to go by boat.That is not so.Unless one wishes to visit the neighbouring islands，he can reach any part on foot，although he may have to pass through many narrowly streets and climb up and down the numerous steps of many bridges.
5.Few of the inhabitants of Venice ever go about in boats.Only people of the better class possess gondolas.Those of the middle class seldom hire them，and would as soon think of taking one to go a short distance as a poor man in one of our cities would think of taking a cab.When a native must take a conveyance，there are the omnibus boats and the steamboats，which supply the place of our tramway cars.
6.Here in Venice，where all heavy goods are carried by boats，there are large barges instead of trucks，and numerous small ones instead of wheel-barrows for the butcher，baker，and other trades-people.These small boats are of all shapes and sizes，but the usual form is a large，light，graceful skiff called a“sandolo，”which is easily propelled by one oar.
7.I use the word “propelled，”as I do not know whether I should say rowed，sculled，or paddled；for the gondola and the sandolo are alike propelled by a single oarsman with a single oar.He does not paddle，for heuses a rowlock；and he does not scull，for the oar isnot placed over the stern，but at one side.
8.The gondolier stands in the stern on a little raised platform，and plies his oar on the right side.He uses a high rowlock not unlike a fork.He faces the prow，gives a long，strong push，and throws the force of his whole body into the stroke.Then he drags the oar slightly in the water before the next stroke，and by so doing，in some way all his own，he keeps the boat straight.The peculiar stroke gives a slight sidewise movement to the boat which is not unpleasant.It is difficult to learn the art of using an oar in the Venetian fashion，and very easy for the beginner to lose his balance；and I am sure that rew have played at being a gondolier without getting a ducking.
9.The cost of a gondola，all complete，with its steel prow，brasses，cushions，and numerous trappings，is about one thousand lire，or forty pounds，which is a large sum for a Venetian.The gondolier hires out himself and his boat for five life，or four shillings，a day.There is，however，a long winter in Venice，with few travellers，when the gondolier will tell you that he has “much want of money.”
10.All along the quays opposite the Doge’s palace and the public gardens，and at intervals on the Grand Canal，there are gondolier stations，which are alsoferries.Here cluster the gondolas that are for hire，and that do the ferrying across the Grand Canal or to the neighbouring islands.
11.For centuries the gondoliers had great power in Venice，and only a limited number of men were allowed to follow the business.At last the formation of a steamboat company broke their power.They still ply up and down the Grand Canal，and form noisy groups around the ferries，but their days are numbered；for now that the steamboat has come，the gondolier will soon be a picturesque object of the past.
