In the Tourilli Bush. 
Having arranged for a two weeks’ outing in 
he Tourilli region, a little northeast of Quebec, 
[ met hry two Canadian guides, secured through 
he courtesy of Oliver Potivin, the club steward, 
it the Tourilli club house, Sept. 3. My guides 
vere French Canadians, Remi Dion and Antoine 
Huard. One of them could not speak a word 
of English, while the other had a very limited 
knowledge, which might reach half way in 
completing a sentence, if the other party could 
supply a few missing words in French. A 
friendly pocket dictionary occasionally en- 
serious, upon one occasion, was promptly re¬ 
paired by a strip of birch bark and turpentine. 
Remedies for sickness of a character not too 
serious, as well as plants that constitute 
articles of diet are known to the French Cana¬ 
dian guides. 
Among these people, the artificial life has 
not so far supplanted the self-dependent 
habits of the wilderness as it has elsewhere. 
The wild life of the aborigine, improved by 
the superior intelligence of another race, has 
been retained by them to a considerable ex¬ 
tent. The tendency to entirely abandon one 
life, as another supplies all that is apparently 
merly a guide, managed his end of the busi¬ 
ness well. The president of the club arrived 
during my stay, and it being known that his 
birthday fell on the day second after his ar¬ 
rival, the superintendent, unknown to any one, 
prepared a little surprise in the nature of a 
sumptuous banquet, which informally in¬ 
cluded a few people who happened to be pres¬ 
ent. Everybody was in the best of humor, 
particularly the president, who is very apt in 
relating any anecdotes and in making a good- 
natured rejoinder quite to the point. When 
the repast was finished, while coffee and 
cigars were passed, the superintended intro- 
TWO VIEWS OF LAKE BRULE AND A BEAVER HOUSE IN LAKE SEYMOUR. 
ered the conversation to the advantage of all. 
It is surprising how limited a supply of 
vords will suffice for absolutely necessary con¬ 
versation, and how rapidly during the first 
lay or two the intercourse will narrow itself 
0 essentials. The social instinct, however, 
eads to conversation, and the interchange of 
houghts, and I soon found myself boldly 
vading into the refinements of the French 
anguage, as understood in the back woods of 
Zanada. 
The French Canadian makes a good guide, 
nd comes nearer than most guides to pre¬ 
serving the primitive ways of old frontiersmen 
vith merely some of the rough edge taken 
>ff. He reminds one of the coureur de bois, 
vho, breaking through the conventional re¬ 
straints imposed by civilization, almost re- 
erted to the condition of the aborigine. He 
possesses a good knowledge of woodcraft, and 
/hen the emergency arises, can make shift 
vith less artificial assistance than most guides 
know. An accident to a canoe, which seemed 
necessary, is almost inevitable. The race con¬ 
servatism which causes the French character 
to tenaciously preserve its individuality is 
very manifest in the French Canadian, who 
holds on to his acquired character, as a deni¬ 
zen of the Canadian wilderness. 
Travel in eastern Canada, where everything 
must be carried upon the back of guides—in 
rare instances assisted by the sportsman—is 
in marked contrast to hunting experience in 
the West, where horses serve the purpose of 
conveying everything. This strenuous life de¬ 
velops remarkably sturdy physiques. The 
guides are always obliging, cheerful and ever 
ready for any pleasantries, and quick to catch 
the point of a story. Indulgence of good 
nature toward him never seems to impair the 
efficiency of the guide. He does not pre¬ 
sume on it nor does it cause him to forget his 
duty. 
My two days’ stay at the main club house 
waiting for the weather to clear, was very 
pleasant. The superintendent, who was for- 
duced a dozen guides in the adjoining room, 
who sang the inspiriting song Vive Compagnie 
with a slight change, the word Tourilli being 
substituted for compagnie, thereby giving par¬ 
ticular point to the song, at the same time 
preserving its meter and inspiriting effect. 
After the mild dissipation, I prepared for my 
journey. 
The country throughout this section is 
thickly timbered and abundantly diversified 
with lakes and water courses, and travel is 
almost impossible except by the beaten trails 
which are none too good for the sportsman 
fond of his ease. There is game sign in 
plenty, but the thick vegetation and the 
natural secretiveness of the hunted rendered 
the quest of sport with the gun difficult at this 
season of the year. Fishing, when the trout 
are in the least bit of humor, is simply a mat¬ 
ter of casting a fly in the water. 
A tramp of six or seven miles, including two 
short portages, and 1 arrived at Lake Seymour. 
The lake is small, the fishing, however, is 
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