The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1846-01-08

PARIS, October Is, l645.
The vintage has commenced throughout
France. 1t is a time offrollic and feVerlsh &C
tvty in certain provinces, such as Burgundy
Champagne, Bordelais, Roussillon, &c. At
this time ofyear, these provinces afford a
picture of manners, few traits of which
viii sketch for you, for they are entirely I'M
known in the New World. Americas the
favored land of Ceres, but hitherto, Baechus
and his green vines have acquitted there no
right of naturalization. s...f
Being son of Burgundy, ] was invited to
the opening Of the vintage at Tonnerre, nv
native town, the couniEg of The Chevalier d
Eon. alidofs giile tel gssJ.o55 sss.sss
ias.e withos;1 eacfaisa.ng Yanaerrc ss Dsesst [
Theirpea should be paIdoned; there is notA-
inc aipaeusin it but tAe. connection of lie
wesa. Isecepted the Invitation. To have
refused gaeisi have shown me iilnutusea, and
10 Bareundian at heart.
In Bagnndy. as elsewhere. the day for
the opening Of the vintagezis fixed by a mu-
nicipal proclamation, which is published IN
haHd-bilis and distributed through the villa
geg by tie the sound ofthe drum No one
is permitted to begin his vintage before this
period ;the general interest, ID this case, gives
the law TO private interest. The eve Of the
day fixed upon, the little town Of Tonnerre
Witnessed tue arrival OF an innumerahle crowd
OF remand women Of all ages, coming from
the neighborings towns as well as from the
more distant, (they. sometimes come ten or
fifteen leagues,) 10 exercise their trade Of
vinfagers and basket-carriers The only tools
of the former consist of a fiat basket with
curved rims, which they carry under the arm
or hold 10y the handle, and small pruning
hook or knife, witha woodenshaft and crook
cd blade, TO cut the buncEes of grapes. The
baskeecarriefs, or scuttlers, as they are com
monty called, are sturdy young men, with a
lscullle, or basket, in The form OF cone,
slung upon the back with leather straps; the
viniagers -empt their basket of grapes into
those of the scuttlers, who, in their turn,
empty theirs into a val or large hogshead,
with single bottom fastened upon wheels
Girls almost monopoze the trade Of vinta-
gers. They are preferred to young men, be-
cause they are more attentive and receive
less wages. Their costume generally con-
sists eft colored handkerchief, or aaarmotte,
which they wear after The manner OF the
West Indiana melatiresses, wooden shoes,
wooslen Stockings, and very short fustain
lpetticoat; if the latter were longer, ii would
draggle in the wet ground when they STOP
ed to cut the grapes. To these two species
Of the class OF vntagers must be added the
carriers, who hire themselves, their vat, their
wheels, and their horses, 10 transport the pro-
duce of the vineyard to the press in town.
A real colony had arrived at Tounerre, a
colony SO numerous that all The taverns in
the little town would not have sufficed to
lodge them. But it is in taverns that this
cohor Of natives seek an asylum; at least it
is moi in the chambers of the tavern, but in
their stables and barns, where, for two sous
night, theyarc furnished with straw dd hbi-
tam. With this straw they make bed for
themselves, or rather litter, upon which they
all bundle together; the men on one side, the
women on the other. The mischevous ways
of the town rarely suffer the vintagers to
pass their short nights in repose. No trick
can he imagined which they do not play
Them Sometimes they are reused by the
cry OF fire, sometimes cold water is squirted
over them by means of enormous syrnges,
sometimes cat or live rat is thrown among
them. The latter always produces tremen-
dous uproar. But when the clock strikes
three, the whole of this ant hill suddenly
spring 10 their feet, and, shaking themselves
like flock Of ducks coming out of the water
their simple toilet is done. Every one re-
pairs to the great square, which soon re-
sounds with an internal concert of songs and
cries of all sorts. The inhabitants of the
nelghborhood, who have no vineyards TO call
| their attention, draw the bedclothes around
their heads and curse the noise, while those
| who have grapes TO gather dress themselves
| in haste and go down 10 the square, with
their cotton night-caps on their heads and
lanterns IN their hands, 10 make their bar
gain with such of the vintagers, hasketers,
and carriers as they want. The common
prices of the days work varies from ten TO
twenty sous for the first, and from one and a
half to two francs for the second. It'll to
gain this wretched sum, that parents suffer
their young daughters to travel on foot for
/ several leagues, Drawing cold, prvations of
every sort, and many perils besides. But it
Is not On that account the less fete for all
the lads and lasses of the villages; it is a la
Dor in common, mingled with many incidents
that serve to enliven and render it attractive
and the country people never absent them
selves from this annual harvest of the vine
As soon as they are engaged by propri-
etor, the vinIagers of both sexes repair TO his
house, and there, in the kitchen, they have
breakfast composed of mutton or veal
stew, buns, potatoes, or peas; the whole
washed down with that light thin wine from
which the English derive the name of CIaret
| (claret,) ginen by them to the red wine OF
France. While the viniagers are at break