Weekly national intelligencer., 1845-11-29
SKETCH OF THE VINTAGE IN FRANCE.
Translated from Gaiilardefs Letters from Paris tr the
National HfelRgencer from The Courier des Etais Uns

1
Translated from GaiAardefs Letters from Paris r the
National LfelRgencer from The Courier des Etais Unis
Pans, OcToEER l6, ls45.
The vintage has commenced throughout France. It is a
time of oGc and eversh activity certain provinces, such
Burgundy, Champagne, Bordelais, Roussilon &C. Al
this time Of year. these provinces afford picture OF manners
few traits Of which will sketch for you for they entirely
unknown in the New World America is the favored land of
Ceres, but hitherto Bacchus and his green vines have
quired there right of naturalization
Being of Burgundy, was invited to the opening Of
the vintage, at Tonnee my native town. the country OF the
Chevaer Enn and of wine which good judges never taste
without excaming Toere de Deu! Their pun should be
padoned there is nothing mpous in il but the connexon OF
the words accepted the invitation To have refused would
have shown ll-natured, and no Bugundan at heart
In Burgundy elsewhere, the day for the opening Of the
vintage fixed by municipal proclamation, which publish
ed in handbls and distributed through the villages by the
sound Of the drum No permitted to begin his vintage
before this period the general interest," in this gives the
law private interest The of the day fixed upon, the
little town Tonnere witnessed the arrival Of nnumerabe
crowd of and Of all ages coming from the neigh
boring towns well from those distant hey
times ten fifteen eague exercise their trade Of
vntagers and basketears The only tools of the former
consist Of flat basket with curved rims, which they carry
under the or Mold the handle,
hook knife with wooden hah and crooked blade cut
the lunches of grapes. The basket-carers, scue
they commonly called sturdy young men, with
e or basket in the form Of cone, sung upon the back with
leather straps the ntages empty their baskets of grapes
those of the scuers who, in their turn, empty theirs into
vat, large hogshead with single bottom fastened upon
wheels Girls almost monopoIze the trade of vintagers.
They preferred young men, because they at
entve and receive less Their costume generally
of coored handkerchief marmote which they
after the of the West India muattresses, wooden
shoes, woolen stockings and very short ustian pecoa
the latter longer it would draggle in the ground
when they stopped cut the grapes To these two species
the class of vntages must be added the caers who hire
themselves their vat their wheels and their horses
port the produce of the vineyard to the press in
real colony had arrived at Tonnerre, colony
that all the in the little would have su
ced TO lodge them But it is in aves that this cohort of
natives seek asylum at least is not the chambers of
the taverns bat in their stables and barns where, for
sous night they furnished with straw ad Hbtum With
this they make bed for themselves, rather litter
upon which they all bundle together the side, the
women the other The mschievous wags of the town
rarely suffer the ntagers to their short nights IN rpose
No trick be imagined which they do not play them
Sometimes they reused by the cry of fire, sometimes cold
water is squed them by of syringes
sometimes cat live rat is thrown among them. The
latter always produces tremendous uproa But when the
clock strikes three the whole of this anh suddenly spring
their feet and shaking themselves like flock of ducks
coming out of the water their simple toilet is DONE Every
repairs to the great square, which resound with
Internal concert OF and cries OF all Sorts The nhab
of the neghborhood who have to call their
attention, draw the bedothes around their heads and
noise while those who have grapes gather dress them
selves in haste and go down to the square, with their cotton
nghcaps their heads and lanterns in their hands, make
bargain with such of the vntagers basketer and carriers
they may want The common price of the day work
es from ten twenty for the FIRST and from and
half francs for the second Ii is gain this wretched
sum, that parents suffer their young daughters travel
of
and many perls besides But is not that account the
less ete for all the lads and lases of the villages is labor
common, mingled with many incidents that to eniven
and render attractive and the country people absent
themselves from this annual harvest of the vine.
As they engaged by proprietor the vntagers
of both repair to his house, and there in the Kitchen
they have breakfast composed of mutton veal stew,
buns, potatoes peas the whole washed down with that
light thin wine from which the English derive the of
Claret caet given by them to the red wine of France
While the vntages at breakfast the sportsmen, if there
happen to be in the house. put their hunting dress
get their guns ready, and let loose their dogs, which
about every direction skipping and yepng with joy The
signal is gyen the sirrupcup drunk the vnagers take
their baskets the scHrs strap their scutes and the
troop pusitse in motion II is composed generally Of from
ten 10 hundred and sometimes many three hundred
persons who walk in Arrived at the vineyard the
carter, with his vat stops the outside, while
vntager has his section OF the vineyard put between
two Of the treise and then the work begins. The grapes
fall into the baskets by enchantment if there any
small children among the workers. they follow rear-guad
ge gather the punches that nave been
looked and pick up the grapes that may have fallen the
ground. manager follows the work every
where with his eye urging the slow, and restraining those
who too rapid to do their work we'll The scuters,
running porte constantly going and coming between
the vat and the vntagers In the time, the sposmen
have taken their station the summit Of the hill, and there
wait for the game which reused by the aborers Shots
sound all Sides the barking of dogs answer and every
explosion the vntagers stop their work look and
tain whether The shot has been lucky unucky. In the first
they give shout Of applause in the latter they laugh
the awkward sportsmen.
At repast, consisting only Of grapes bread, and
cheese made upon the grass AT this every has his
bon mot ready and tells his little story Lovers slap each
other with very light blows upon the shoulders push each
other with elbow or knee and pinch another till they cry
out These the three principal signs among these
try lovers-the three principal articles in their code Of gaan
try. When evening comes, the band in the
order in which they left it, and repair again the house Of
the proprietor who distributes each his twelve
and small loaf nothing With that the vntager sups
economy he goes bed, upon the principle that " he who
sleeps dnes This povcrb could have been invented
by restaurateur.
Burgundy during the Of the vintage affords one Of
the most picturesque that be imagined Every
bill is covered with moving motley population The echoes
send back their joyous shouts All Nature enjoy
holyday The game alone finds il a Of trbuaton
Surrounded all sides, il wanders here and there, like
exile driven from the domestic hearth is TO the thrush
particularly that the vinages fatal That species Of bird
the flesh Of which delicious that Of the ortoan, is
fond Of vineyards for prefers grapes TO all other food 1t
them in such quantities that il becomes fat quail
and drunk asa thrush. The saying is proverba But
though they great drnkad they ought not to be killed