Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-09-11
New York
Letter

LAKE WILLIAM, Nova SCOTIA
What the roundup or rodeo Is 70
the cowboy, the big meet Is TO the
guide I'm the Canadian wilderness.
At this season of the year, when
the salmon no longer leap 10 the
fly and when it's 700 early for the
moose to answer a call, the men
who lead fishermen AID hunters
into the back country" get together
for their own Olympic games.
The riverways and the lakes be-
come the arenas, and the rough
riding canoe takes the place of a
broncho. There's a splash Of pad
dies and the dexter0us spinning or
birchbark craft; there's fitting OF
oars as the knigEts tilted with
lances on the field OF honor; there's
the sprinting or slender boats over
ripping waters: there are barbecues
and feats OF craftsmanship Men
born TO the canoe. who have spent
most OF their waking hours IN
canoes, who know canoes and trails
better than anything else compete
and wocdcraft better than anything
else compete for no other reward
than the local renorn that comes
with the display OF super-skill.
Today a hot summer sun bakes
the perfume from pine needles and
fir branches. q cool bre e spreads
the fragrance for miles about and
the c~ountryfolk from the scattered
settlements have been gathering
since d~aybreak.
This is more than a guides meet:
II is a get-together Of folk many Of
whom see each other but once a
year. Their farms are lonely clear
ings in a vast forest Of trees. Their
colonies are small, sometimes con-
tanning but a dozen families. Their
incomes are small. They do rot
travel much. except by necessity.
There is Little social contact with
colonies that lie Is, 20 or 80 miles
down the road.
The guides meet gives them an
excuse 10 break away for a weeks
holiday. This is the vacation time
OF the lakewood folks. Each COM
munitv has its heroes. There is
keen ~partisanship and much COM
munity pride.
By breakfast time they are arriv-
ing In rafting old autos. In shining
new autos and Gathering horse
drawn buegies. They are pitching
camp under the trees and getting
wood for fires. They are unpecking
supplies. for they have come TO
spend the week: to talk. sing, play
and shout for their favorite guides.
The meet lasts a week. Each day
there are new elimination contests.
Then. as the week closes. come the
finals and the big thrills. They
pack up and 90 home-until an
other year.
Under the stars and around great
campfires they tell Of children who
have come into the world; OF
fathers that have died and of mar
riages. The gossip crackles like
the firewood by the second day. II
passes from camp TO camp. The
guides tell quaint tales Of the ex-
periences with "tenderfeet.r They
whisper certain tips 70 friends.
The trout. they whisper. are par
ticularly large in such-and-su-h a
pool: deer and moose have been
sighted in numbers al another
point: there are submerged rocks
in a certain lake and the water Is
too low for comfort on some far
away stream.
There is counting and remi-
niscinr and tall yarns OF fabulous
figures OF the past: there are shy
flirtations among the youngsters
and much hoasting among lads who
wait for the day when they can
Ego guiding" There IS something
that combines circus day. camp
meeting. county fair and Olympic
games-ard yet. always the back
ground OF silent. unconquered
woods. "a peaceful loneliness
It's a great tonic for a New
Yorker.