It Was Not
Less So From The Reposeful Manners And Gentlemanly Appearance Of The
English Canadians, And The Vivacity And Politeness Of The French, To
Yankee Dress, Twang, And Peculiarities.
These appeared, as the Americans say, in "full blast," during the few
hours which I spent on Lake Champlain.
There were about a hundred
passengers, including a sprinkling of the fair sex. The amusements were
story-telling, whittling, and smoking. Fully half the stories told began
with, "There was a 'cute 'coon down east," and the burden of nearly all
was some clever act of cheating, "sucking a greenhorn," as the phrase is.
There were occasional anecdotes of "bustings-up" on the southern rivers,
"making tracks" from importunate creditors, of practical jokes, and
glaring impositions. There was a great deal of "liquoring-up" going on the
whole time. The best story-teller was repeatedly called upon to "liquor
some," which was accordingly done by copious draughts of "gin-sling," but
at last he declared he was a "gone 'coon, fairly stumped," by which he
meant to express that he was tired and could do no more. This assertion
was met by encouragements to "pile on," upon which the individual declared
that he "couldn't get his steam up, he was tired some." This word some
is synonymous in its use with our word rather, or its Yankee equivalent
"kinder." On this occasion some one applied it to the boat, which he
declared was "almighty dirty, and shaky some" - a great libel, by the way.
The dress of these individuals somewhat amused me.
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