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The government allows the gondolier to act as dock hand when he becomes too old to handle the oars. Photo by Gribayedoff.

"... he becomes a granchaio., which is to say a 'crab catcher.' At the landing-steps, armed with a hooked pole, he waits to bring in or shove out the gondola. The Venetian gives him a quarter of a cent by way of a fee. Outlanders tip him more abundantly."

Source:
Outing magazine, vol. LI no. 6, March, 1908, p. 654.

Vance Thompson's Cab Drivers / 49

The Gondolier of Venice / 10

Within the House

Giuseppe's home is nearly opposite the little inn were the Castellani were celebrating. There he lives with his father, the great Antonio, and his white-haired mother, for he is still a bachelor. Giovanni's house is near by. There he abides with a pretty wife and a rousing nestful of children. There is business of importance on hand. Keep your hat on when you enter. The freeman of Venice does not doff his hat in his own home, and his guest can but politely follow his example. The pretty wife courtesies. In the dark corners you see vague women in black courtesying. Then your eye goes to the glitter of copper on the wall. Oh, the glorious copper buckets! You are in the house of an heiress. These water-pots and copper pans are evidence of her wealth. The are the onlydot the Venetian girls bring their husbands of the gondolier class. As they are entirely useless – one pair alone serves for water-carrying – they are excessively prized. Children are playing on the floor. How many I know not – I never was a good judge of children. One baby, however, presents certain marks of interest. She is inserted in a box, which is set on a standard, up to her arm-pits. She looks like a cork in a bottle. Already a philosopher, she accepts her position and makes no bones of it. From the window I could see another urchin of the family having his bath. A rope tied around his waist, he was chucked out ten feet or more into the canal; when he had scrambled ashore he was chucked out again and again until he was soaked into cleanliness. On a blue plate, bread and salt were brought to me, and I ate to the house of Penso and drank to it in wine. Then Giuseppe said, "We had best start for the church."