The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-03-27
ON THE SAGUENAY.
SATURDAY EVENING ADJUSTMENTS
AMONG CANADIAN lUM6ERMeN.

National Gayety "a Good Foundation for
Fun The Games of "Codhshing,"
"Buckinu Horse" and "Foxes"-Play-
ing "a Rude Farce.
On Saturday evening, when the cook
allowed us TO sit up late, the men engaged
in games and pastimes, at the order Of the
foreman as well as by their own desire;
for beans, pork, tea and amusements are
needed to keep them from quarreling and
abandoning the hard labor OF numbering.
Their national gayety makes good ioun-
dation for fun, and their national courtesy
prevents them from carrying Il joke too
far and embittering their rough inter
course a small group We're quiet enough
10 play game Of draughts; the brightest
and shyest lad spent half al hour ia writ
| ing letter, while another sat close by him
aud watched him the entire time with
wonder and admiration. The youngest
lad was victim Of many consolatOry prac
tees: he could scarcely appear on the floor
and escape the en- brace Of one or another.
they made sweet speeches 10 him, Rugged
him and kissed him, and insisted that his
hot resistance was due to the shyness and
coquetry of girl. Early in the evening
a man named Francois arrived from the
settlements; and the company at his ell
trance broke out with questions about the
pending election. He was q violent parti
san of the Conservatives aud being Il good
sufferer, an oXcitable character and n
violent gesticulator It soon became evil
dent that he was in some measure the butt
OF his companions.
When at last the debate seemed 10 be
getting too warm, tho foreman spoke,
quietly but sharply: That's enough;
some games" The group dispersed at
that instant with an amazing submission
| And Francois was the first 10 lead in
reparation By suggesting the game OF cod
/ fishing" Ilestood up y indiolded, hold
ing out in his left hand ore end Of q short
leather strap, and raising Il kuotted towel
in the other, ready 10 strike. the others
stepped about bin, eagerly and silently,
to Jerk the strap and retreat before lie
| could deal them blow; whoever should
get possession OF the strap would take his
! turn at fishing. At length Bapiistc
! reached the belt from behind, drew it up
/ between the fshernans legs, and so
] dragged him backward around the camp
} and out into the snOwdnft; and mean
{ while it seemed as if the roof must rise
with the gusts of roaring laughter. Pass
/ ing the rat' was a qUietor game they sat
| close together in @ circle on the floor, with
| their feet together aud their knees raised
| to form an 0rched passage all around the
| circle: the kn0ttcd towel was passed about
under their knees, while one man in the
| center tumbled and scrambled over their
| feet and tried 10 catch it, while he would
! be looking or reaching for it at one point,
! they passed il slyly along % the opposite
/ side Of the ring, where they shOwered
/ blows on his back A. an intimatOu that
/ he was watching at the wrong hole.
! The "buckng horse was a line Of
/ men who bent over rs for leapfr0g. and
| by locking their arms about tie waist OK
! the one next in front formed continuous
| back, the head man held fast to post,
| the riders mounted at the tail end, and
tried 10 keep on their beast while crawl
/ ing along TO thel head, in spite OF the
| jumps, sllyings, and various antics OF the
! men. During pause "a fellow came from
I the cooks corner with his face Whitened,
| and wi N a group saw him and laughed,
! he also laughed and blew a cloud OF flour
T over than. The foxes were two men
on hands and knees, tied together by a
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; the
BUYER felt of them and lifted them 70 test
the weight, and finally, after selecting
one, he lifted it for q final Judgment,
/ while a by stander set a pan Of water UNI
I der it-for surprising effect. IN knock
5 ing down the owl, two men held rigidly
a pole on their shoulders, and third-the
/ owl-straddled Il and hooted defiance
( while holding Oh 10 his perch
/ then tie hunters approached, each
with d bag Oiled with rags, and
dealt their best blows on the feather
/ less bird till he toppled over and hing
head downward Baptste and Francois
/ PLAYED q rude farce called The Peddlets
/ 4 lad WIS securely tied as pack INTO the
back Of each then taking staff they
went around the room, in opposite di
rectiOns, and offered 10 sell Us pins,
needles, aud other notions, while bar
gain was in progress the peddler would
place the end Of his staff under his pack
and relieve himself more OF less Of its
weight, while the wigelng OF the pack set
4 off the crowd in fresh merriment. At
last the rival merchants met, got into
dispute and then fell to cudgeling each
L other-cn their packs, Of course. But the
main Interest Of all these amusemeDts
was the childishness Of the men, even the
I gray haired worked at the entertainment
with perspiring zest; the room rang with
their boisterous laughter the loud talking
4 Of all at once, the orders Of hall dozen
masters OF ceremonies; and the iealing
spirits often jumped and danced about
with uncontrollable excitement &C. II.
Farnham in Harpers Magazine.