But a change has come over, not the spirit of their dreams, but their practices and estimate of such excesses. I doubt whether any portion of society, or class of men whose intemperate habits were so excessive, and whose excuses, at least for a moderate use of liquor, were so reasonable, can be found where the principles of total abstinence have wrought so thorough and complete a change. Not that the evil is wholly eradicated, for many still continue its use. But it has now been fully demonstrated that men can endure the chilling hardships of river-driving quite as well, and, indeed, far better, without the stimulus of ardent spirits, and perform more and better-directed labor.
At the time alluded to, however, more prominence was given to rum as a necessary part of the supplies than to almost any other article. "The first and most important article," says Mr. Todd, of St. Stephen's, N. B., "in all our movements, from the stump in the swamp to the ship's hold, was _Rum_! RUM!" To show how truly this one idea ran through the minds of the loggers, I present the following original rum song, illustrating the "spirit of the times," and of the log swamp muse.
"'Tis when we do go into the woods, Drink round, brave boys! drink round, brave boys! 'Tis when we do go into the woods, Jolly brave boys are we; 'Tis when we do go into the woods, We look for timber, and that which is good, Heigh Ho! drink round, brave boys, And jolly brave boys are we.
Now when the choppers begin to chop, Drink round, &c., When the choppers begin to chop, Jolly brave boys, &c.; And when the choppers begin to chop, They take the sound and leave the rot, Heigh ho! drink round, &c., And jolly brave boys, &c.
And when the swampers begin to clear, Drink round, &c., And when the swampers begin to clear, Jolly brave boys, &c.; And when the swampers begin to clear, They show the teamster where to steer, Heigh ho! drink round, &c., And jolly brave boys, &c.
And when we get them on to the sled, Drink round, &c., And when we get them on to the sled, Jolly brave boys, &c.; And when we get them on to the sled, 'Haw! back, Bright!' it goes ahead, Heigh ho! drink round, &c., And jolly brave boys, &c.
Then, when we get them on to the stream, Drink round, &c., Then, when we get them on to the stream, Jolly brave boys, &c.; So, when we get them on to the stream, We'll knock out the fid and roll them in, Heigh ho! drink round, &c., Jolly brave boys, &c.