PREPARATIONS.
Our search for a second-hand houseboat was not very productive. At
Chicago the choice lay between three, and of these we naturally chose
the worst. It was the old Jackson Park boat, that after long service had
finally become so completely watersoaked that she sank at her moorings;
but this we learned later. In fact, as in many instances, our foresight
was far inferior to our hindsight--and that is why we are giving our
experiences exactly as they occurred, so that readers may avoid our
mistakes.
This houseboat was purchased for $200, the vendor warranting her as
sound and safe, in every way fit and suitable for the trip contemplated.
He even said she had been through the canal as far as the Illinois
river, so there was no danger but that she could pass the locks. The
cabin measured 24 x 14.3 x 7 feet; and there was a six-foot open deck in
front, three feet behind, and two feet on either side, making her width
18 feet 3 inches. One end of the cabin was partitioned off, making two
staterooms and a kitchen, each 7 feet in depth. The rest formed one
large room. It was well lighted, with 14 windows; and had doors in each
side and two at the front opening into the kitchen and one stateroom.
The roof was formed of two thicknesses of wood and over this a canvas
cover, thickly painted.
The staterooms were fitted with wire mattress frames, arranged to be
folded against the sides when not in use for beds. In the large room we
placed an iron double bed and two single ones, shielded from view by a
curtain. There was a stove capable of burning any sort of fuel; two
bookcases, dining table, work table, dresser, chairs, sewing machine,
sewing table, etc. We had a canvas awning made with stanchions to go on
the top, but this we never used, finding it pleasanter to sit on the
front deck.
Among the equipment were the following: A canoe with oars and paddle,
50-lb. anchor, 75 feet ¾-inch rope, 75 feet 1-inch rope, 100 feet ½-inch
rope, boat pump, dinner horn, 6 life preservers, 2 boathooks, 2
hammocks, 4 cots, Puritan water still, small tripoli filter, a tube of
chemical powder fire extinguisher, large and small axes, hatchet, brace
and bits, saws, sawbuck, tool-box well furnished, soldering set, repair
kit, paper napkins, mattresses, bedding, towels, and a liberal supply of
old clothes, over and under. We had an Edison Home phonograph and about
50 records; and this was a useful addition. But many articles we took
were only in the way, and we shall not mention them.
We had a full supply of fishing material, frog spears, minnow seine,
minnow trap, railroad lantern, tubular searchlight with bull's-eye
reflector, electric flashlight with extra batteries, twine, trotline,
revolver and cartridges, 50-gauge Spencer for big game, and as a second
gun, with 150 cartridges; 32-H. P. S. Marlin rifle, with 400 cartridges;
Winchester 12-gauge pump, with 2,000 shells; Browning automatic shotgun;
folding decoys, 4 shell bags, McMillan shell extractor, U. S. Gov't
rifle cleaner, Marlin gun grease, grass suit, shooting clothes heavy and
light, hip boots, leggings, sweaters, chamois vest, mosquito hats, two
cameras with supplies, including developers, compass (pocket), copper
wire, whetstone, can opener and corkscrew, coffee pot to screw to wall,
matches in waterproof box, a Lehman footwarmer and two Japanese muff
stoves, with fuel. For the kitchen we got a gasoline stove with an oven.
There was a good kerosene lamp, giving sufficient light to allow all
hands to read about the table; also three lamps with brackets for the
small rooms.
In preparing our lists of supplies we derived great assistance from
Buzzacott's "Complete Camper's Manual." It was a mistake to buy so many
shot-gun shells. All along the river we found it easy to get 12-gauge
shells, better than those we had.
The boy rejoiced in a 20-gauge single barrel. We had so much trouble in
getting ammunition for it that we purchased a reloading outfit and
materials at Antoine's. This little gun was very useful, especially when
we wanted little birds.
A full supply of medicines went along, mainly in alkaloidal granules,
which economize space and give extra efficiency and many other
advantages. A pocket surgical case, a few of the instruments most likely
to be needed, surgical dressings, quinidine (which is the best
preventive of malaria among the cinchona derivatives), insect powder,
sulphur for fumigation, potassium permanganate for the water,
petrolatum, absorbent cotton, a magnifying glass to facilitate removal
of splinters, extra glasses for those wearing them; and a little whisky,
which was, I believe, never opened on the entire trip.
The boy was presented with a shell belt; and a week before starting we
found he was sleeping with the belt on, filled with loaded shells. Say,
tired and listless brethren, don't you envy him? Wouldn't you like to
enjoy the anticipation of such a pleasure that much?
Among the things that were useful we may add a game and shell carrier, a
Marble axe with sheath, and a Val de Weese hunter's knife. After serving
their time these made acceptable presents to some kindly folk who had
done much to make our stay at Melville pleasant.
We fitted out our table and kitchen from the cast offs of our home,
taking things we would not miss were we to leave them with the boat when
through with her. It matters little that you will find the most complete
lists wanting in important particulars, for ample opportunity is given
to add necessaries at the first town. But the Missis insisted on taking
a full supply of provisions, and we were very glad she did. Buzzacott
gives a list of necessaries for a party of five men camping five days.
It seems liberal, when added to the produce of rod and gun.
20 lbs. self-raising flour.
6 lbs. fresh biscuit.
6 lbs. corn meal.
6 lbs. navy beans.
3 lbs. rice.
5 lbs. salt pork.
5 lbs. bacon.
10 lbs. ham.
15 lbs. potatoes.
6 lbs. onions.
3 lbs. can butter.
3 lbs. dried fruits.
½ gallon vinegar pickles.
½ gallon preserves.
1 qt. syrup.
1 box pepper.
1 box mustard.
6 lbs. coffee.
6 lbs. sugar.
½ lb. tea.
½ lb. baking powder.
4 cans milk and cream.
1 sack salt.
6 boxes matches (tin case).
1 lb. soap.
1 lb. corn starch.
1 lb. candles.
1 jar cheese.
1 box ginger.
1 box allspice.
1 lb. currants.
1 lb. raisins.
6 boxes sardines.
1 screwtop flask.
Fresh bread, meat, sausage, eggs for first days.
The wife laid in her stock of provisions, costing about sixty dollars
and including the articles we use generally.
Among the books we found that seemed likely to provide some useful
information are:
Trapper Jim--Sandys.
Last of the Flatboats--Eggleston.
Houseboat series--Castlemon.
Bonaventure--Cable.
Down the Mississippi--Ellis.
Down the Great River--Glazier.
Four Months in a Sneak Box--Bishop.
The Wild-Fowlers--Bradford.
The Mississippi--Greene.
The Gulf and Inland Waters--Mahan.
The Blockade and the Cruisers--Soley.
The History of Our Navy--Spears.
In the Louisiana Lowlands--Mather.
Hitting and Missing with the Shotgun--Hammond.
Among the Waterfowl--Job.
Up the North Branch--Farrar.
Botanist and Florist--Wood.
The Mushroom Book--Marshall.
Wild Sports in the South--Whitehead.
Cooper's Novels.
Catalog from Montgomery Ward's mail order house.
And a good supply of other novels, besides the children's
schoolbooks.
By writing to the U. S. port office at St. Louis we secured a list of
the lights on the Western rivers, a bit antique, but quite useful. From
Rand & McNally we also obtained a chart of the Mississippi River from
St. Louis to the Gulf, which was invaluable. The Desplaines had a lot of
separate charts obtained from the St. Louis port officers, which were
larger and easier to decipher.
The question of motive power was one on which we received so much and
such contradictory advice that we were bewildered. It seemed preferable
to have the power in a tender, so that if we were moored anywhere and
wished to send for mail, supplies or aid, the tender could be so
dispatched without having to tow the heavy cabin boat. So we purchased a
small gasoline boat with a two-horse-power engine. At the last moment,
however, Jim persuaded us to exchange it for a larger one, a 20-footer,
with three-horse-power Fay & Bowen engine. In getting a small boat see
that it is a "water cooler," as an air-cooler will run a few minutes and
stop, as the piston swells. Also see that she is fitted with reversing
gear. Not all boats are. This was a fine sea boat, the engine very fast,
and she was well worth the $365 paid for her.
The crew of the "Helen W. of Chicago," consisted of the Doctor, the
Missis, the Boy (aged 11), Miss Miggles (aged 10), Millie the
house-keeper, Jim and J. J. We should have had two dogs, little and big;
and next time they go in as an essential part of the crew.
We carried far too many things, especially clothes. The most comfortable
proved to be flannel shirt or sweater, blue cloth cap, tennis shoes,
knickerbockers, long wool stockings, and a cheap canvas hunting suit
that would bear dirt and wet. Knicks attract too much attention outside
the city. One good suit will do for visiting in the cities.