THE CANADA GROUSE. 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 they 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 stayin 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 
