The Munsey

Contents of Munsey's Magazine, Vol. XXXV, No. V (August 1906)

This issue features two principal works. "In the Pinta," a poem by Robert Gilbert Welsh, draws parallels between a canoeist on American rivers and the historical figure of Pocahontas (Ma-ta-oka), celebrating the romantic communion with nature experienced while paddling through wooded waterways under moonlight. The verse emphasizes solitude, wildlife observation, and the paddler's kinship with untamed landscape.

The main feature article, "The Charm of the House-Boat" by Samuel Crowther, Jr., provides extensive documentation of English river life and house-boat culture on the Thames. Crowther contrasts American and British approaches to recreational boating, explains the Thames Conservancy's regulation of 145 registered house-boats, and details the design, decoration, and operation of these floating residences. He describes typical layouts combining comfort with small-space efficiency, extensive floral ornamentation practices, and the substantial costs—$10,000-$15,000 for purchase, $300-$1,500 seasonal rental—involved in maintaining these vessels. Principal anchorages at Henley, Shiplake, and other locations are identified.