Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1846-01-10

kitchen, they have breakfast compos.
ed of a mutton or veal stew, buns, po-
tatoes, or peas; the whole washed
down with that light thin wine which
the English derive the name Of Claret,
(clariet,) given by them to the red wine
OF France. While the vintagers are ut
breakfast, the sportsmen, if there hap
pen to be any in the house, put on their
hunting dress, get their guns ready.
and let loose their dogs, which run
about in every direction, skipping and
yelping with JOY. The signal is given,
the stirrup-cup is drank, the yintagers
take up their baskets, the scuttlers
strap on their scuttles, and the troop
puts itself in motion. Ii is composed
generally of from ten to hundred and
sometimes as many as three hundred
persons, who walk arm in arm. Ar.
rived at the vineyard, the carter, with
his enormous vat, stops on the outside,
while every vintagcr has his section of
the vineyard, is put between two Of the
trclliscs, and then the work begins
The grapes fall into the baskets as if
by enchantment; if there arc any small
children among the workers, they fol-
low as rear guard to CLEAN; that is,
to gather the punches that were over
looked and pick up the grapes that
may have fallen on the ground. A
manager or overseer, follows the work
everywhere with his eye, urging on the
slow, and restraining those who are too
rapid to do their work well. The
scuttlers, as running porters, are con-
stantly going and coming between the
vat and the vintagcrs. In the mean
time, the sportsmen have taken their
stations on the summit Of the hill, and
and there wait for the game which is
reused by the laborers. Shots resound
on all sides, the barking Of dogs an
swer, and at every explosion the vim
tagers stop their work TO look up and
ascertain whether the shot has been
lucky or unlucky. In the FIRST place
they give shout Of applause; in the
latter they laugh at the awkward sports
men.
At noon repast, consisting only o.
grapes, bread, and cheese, is made up
on the grass. At this every one has
his bon mot ready, and tells his little
story. Lovers slap each other with
no very light blows upon the shoulders
push each other with elbow or knee,
and pinch one another till they cry out.
These are the three principal signs
amongthesc country lovers-the three
principal articles in their code Of gal
lontry. When evening comes, the
band return to town in the order in
which they left it, and repair again to
the house of the proprietor, who dis
tributes to each one his ten or twelve
SOUS and a small loaf, nothing more.
With that the vintager sups as he
wishes, or rather as he can. General
ly, however, from economy, be goes
to bed, upon the principle that "he who
sleeps dimes" This proyerb never
could have been invented by resiau-
rateur.
Burgundy, during the season Of the
vintage, affords one Of The most pictur-
esque scenes that can be imagined
Every hill is covered with moving,
motley population. The echoes send
back their shouts. An nature seems to
enjoy a holiday. The game alone
finds it season of tribulation. Sur
rounded on all sides, it wanders here
and there, like an exile driven from
the domestic hearth. II is TO the
thrush, particularly, that the yintages
are fatal. That species Of bird, the
flesh of which is as delicious as that of
the ortolan, is fond Of vineyards, for
it prefers grapes to all other food. II
eats them in such quantities that il be-
comes as fat as quail, and as drunk as
"a thrush. The saying is proverbiaI.
But, though they are great drunkards,
they ought not to be killed when they
cannot stand up: the poor little birds
loose their senses entirely, and know
not whittier TO fly. Sometimes they
are caught by the hard.
But now that the grapes arc gather
ed and the vintage over, let us see
what remains TO be done 10 obtain the
wine. II the grapes are Of the white
kind, and intended for white wine,
theyare carried Immediately TO the
press-house. Thus are called the vast
barns in which is fixed a sort of press
composed Of immense beams, which