THE CANADA GEOUSE. 107 



would not tire out too soon in travelling. We played 

 away, hour after hour, but could not tell which side won, 

 as the balls were so accustomed to move at eccentric 

 angles, that no amount of science could make them 

 go in another, and tbey generally finished their course 

 by going into the pockets, so that if we, by chance, 

 made a count, it was taken off the next moment. This 

 was rather humiliating, as we were desirous of show- 

 ing the loungers of Blanktown, who crowded into 

 the room to gaze on us, what excellent billiardists 

 we were, but we did not seem to succeed very well, 

 for one old fellow, whose attire chiefly consisted of a 

 ragged straw hat, hinted aloud that we ought to pocket 

 ourselves. We played until five o'clock, and then ceased 

 through irritated exhaustion. On entering the outer 

 room the auditors followed us en masse, and began plying 

 us with all sorts of questions about our business, where 

 we were going, what we were doing, and how long we 

 intended to stay in the neighborhood. The answers they 

 received were more witty than truthful, but instead of 

 showing anger at them, they caught their spirit immedi- 

 ately, and all were soon " yarning " away, the landlord 

 leading. The battle of Hungry Hill, where the Indians 

 were defeated by the pioneers, was the great theme of 

 conversation, and as some of those present "fit into it," 

 they grew eloquent as they described the gory scene. One 

 of our party said he would keep tally and see how many 

 times the story was told, and when he summed up, he 

 found it had been repeated fifteen times, the only addi- 

 tion made to it from time to time, being an account of a 

 war dance, scalping, and how they "swamped the In- 

 juns with a bagnet charge." 



The landlord had more to tell about this than any 

 man present, although he knew nothing concerning it 

 personally. This irritated a native of the Green Isle to 

 such an extent, that he told the Boniface that it was a 



