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

LAKE WILLIAM. Nova Scotla--
What the roundup or rodeo Is to
the cowboy, the big meet Is to the
guide in the Canadian wilderness.
At this season Of the year, when
the salmon no longer leap to the
fly and when it's TOO early for the
moose to answer a call, the men
who lead fishermen a-d 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 q
broncho. There's a splash OF pad
dies and the dexterous spinning OF
birchbark craft: there's fitting OF
oars as the knights tilted with
lances on the field Of honor; there's
the sprinting OF 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 woodcraft better than anything
else compete for no other reward
than the local renown that comes
with the display OF super-skin.
Today a hot summer sun bakes
the perfume from pine needles and
fir branches, a cool bre e spreads
TIE fragrance for miles about and
the countryfoik from the scattered
settlements have been gathering
since d~aybreak.
This is more than a guides meet:
It is a get-t0gether OF folk many OF
whom see each other but once a
year. Their farms r lonely clear
lngs 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 to break away for a weeks
holiday. This is the vacation time
OF the lakewood folks. Each COM
munity has its heroes. There is
keen partisanship and much CON-
munity pride.
BY breakfast time they are arriv-
ing In rafting old autos. IN shining
new autos and Gathering horse
drawn buggies, They are pitching
camp under the trees and getting
wood for fires. They are u~npacking
supplies. for they have come 70
spend the week: 10 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 I'D and 60 home-untfl 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 70 camp. The
guides tell quaint tales OF the ex-
periences with "~tenderfeet." They
whisper certain tips to friends.
The trout. they whisper. are par
ticularly large in such-and-such a
pool: deer and moose have been
sighted in numbers at 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-
niscsng and tall yarns Of fabulous
figures OF the past: there are shy
flirtations among the youngsters
and much boasting among lads who
wait for the dav when they can
"go guiding" There Is something
that combines circus day. camp
meeting. county fair and Olympic
gamesNand yet. always the back
ground OF silent. unconquered
woods. "a peaceful loneliness
It's a great tonic for a New
Yorker.