Wichita eagle., 1888-04-01
ON THE SAGUENAY.
SATURDAY EVENING ADJUSTMENTS
AMONG CANADIAN luMBERMeN.

National Gayeey . Good Fsansiasfou fsr
Fun The Games of 'Codfishiue.
"Bucking Horse" and "Foxes--Pray.
ing n Rude Farce.
On Saturday evening, wh,n the cook
allowed us 10 sit up late, the men engaged
in games and pastimes, a. the order Of the
foreman ss well as by their own desire;
for beans, pork, tea and amusements are
needed to keep them from qusrrelins ard
abandoning the hard labor Of lumberinS.
Their national gayety makes q good foun-
dation for fun, and their national courtesy
prevents them from Carrying joke too
far and emhittering their rough inter
course. A small group were quiet enough
20 play q game OF drauShts; the brightest
and shycst lad spent half an hosIr in writ
ing letter, while another sat close By him
and watched him the entire time with
wonder and admiration The youngest
lad was victim of many consoistory prse-
tees. he could scarcely appear on the floor
and escape the embrace of one or another;
they made sweet speeches To hin, bugged
him and kissed him, and insisted that his
hot resistance was due to the sayness snd
coquetry of girl. Early in the evening
settlements; and the company nc his en-
trance broke out with questions about tho
pending election. He was a violent parsi-
san Of the Conservatives, and being n good
stutterer, an excitsble character and q
violent gesticulator, it soon became evi-
dent that he was In some measure tho butt
OF his companions.
When At last the debate seemed to be
getting too warm, the foreman spoke,
quietly but sharply: That's enough;
some games" The group dispersed at
that instant with an amazing submission.
And Francois was tbs first TO lead in
reparation by suggesting the game Of cod
fishing" He stood mp blindfoided, hold
ing out in his left hand one end of short
leather strap, and raising knotted towel
in the other, ready 60 strike; the others
stepped about him, eagerly and silently,
TO jerk the strap and retreat before no
could deal them blow; whoever should
get possession of the strap would take his
turn at fishing. At length Baptisto
reached the belt from behind, drew il up
between the fi.herman's legs, and 50
dragged him backward around the camp
and ont into the spowdrift; and mean
while il seemed rs II the roof must rise
with the gusts OF roaring laughter. Pass
ing the rath was quieter game: they sat
close together in a circle on the floor. with
their feet together and their knees raised
To form an arched passage all around the
circle; the knotted towel Vas passed about
under their knees, while one msn In tho
center tumbled and scrambled over their
feet and tried TO catch IL; while he would
be looking or reaching for IL st one point,
they passed il slyly along 10 the opposite
side OF the ring, where they showered
blows on his back as an intimation that
he was watching st the wrong hole.
The ''hucking horse was line OF
men who bent over rs for lespfrog. and
by locking their arms about the waist OF
the one next in front formed n continuous
back; the head man held fast 90 post;
the riders mounted at the tail end, and
tried To keep on their beast while crawl
ing alon to the head, in spite OF the
jumps, shyings, and various antics of the
men. Daring pause fellow came from
the cooks corner with has face whitened,
and VIZ IN . group saw him snd laughed,
he also laughed and blew a cloud of -four
over tb.m. The foxes" were two men
on hands and knees, tied together by .
strap about their necks; growing.
grimacing, and backing apart, each tried
To pull the other over the floor. In ''sell-
ing sheep, a number OF them. covered by
blankets, sat in group on the floor; tho
buyer felt of them and lifted them 10 test
the weight, and finally, after selecting
one, he lifted 10 for a final judgment.
while a by stander set = pan OF water un-
der it-for a surprising effect. In knock
ing down the owl, +" two men held r,gidly
a pole on their shoulders, and third-rfo
owl-straddled it and hooted defiance
while holding on % his perch;
then the hunters approached, each
with a bag filed with rags, and
dealt their best blows on the feather
less bird til he toppled over aud hing
head downward. Baptiste and Francois
played . rude farce called 'Srhe Pedflsrs.'
A lad was securely tied ~ pack INTO tho
back Of each; then taking a staff they
went around the room, in opposite di-
rections, and offered 20 sell us pins.
needles, and other notious; while bar
gain was in progress the psddIer would
place the end Of his staff under his pack
and relieve himself more or less Of i;s
weight, while the wigglinR OF the pack set
OF the crowd in fresh plerriment. AZ
last the rival merchants met, got into n
dispute, and then fell 20 cutpeiiag each
other-en their packs, q course. But the
main interest o. all thess arnussrnsnta
was the childiShness u the men; even the
gray haired worked m The entertainment
with perspiring zest: the roorn rang with
thsir boistcrous laughter the sonc talking
Of all q; once, the orders Of bali q dossn
masters Of ceremonies, and the leading
spirits often jumped and danced about
with uncontrollsbls excitsuent-C. IL.
FarnhaIn in Hsfper's Magazine