IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) 1.0 I.I ^m iiM " IIM IIIIIZ2 IM ^ 2.0 1.8 1.25 1.4 1.6 ^ 6" — ► <^ w 'a % % '^r o 7 Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) 873-4503 CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHIVI/ICIVIH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques 1980 Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliographiqurs The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checlted below. 0 Coloured covers/ Couverture de couleur D Covers damaged/ Couverture endommagde Covers restored and/or laminated/ I I Couverture restaur^e et/ou pellicul6e □ Cover title missing/ Le titre de couverture manque □ Coloured maps/ Cartes gdographiques en couleur □ Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) □ Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur D D D D Bound with other material/ Reli6 avec d'autres documents Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin/ La reliure serree peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distortion le long de la marge intdrieure Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajoutdes tors d'une rnstauration apparaissent dans le texte, mais, lorsque cela 6tait possible, ces pages n'ont pas 6t6 filmdes. Additional comments:/ Commentaires suppldmentaires; L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a 6t6 possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-dtre uniques du point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la mithode normale de filmage sont indiqu6s ci-dessous. □ Coloured pages/ Pages de couleur □ Pages damaged/ Pages endommag^es I I Pages restored and/or laminated/ -/ D Pages restaurdes et/ou pellicul6es Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ Pages d6color6es, tachetdes ou piqudes □ Pages detached/ Pages ddtach^es Showthrough/ Transparence I I Quality of print varies/ Qualitd indgale de I'impression Includes supplementary material/ Comprend du matdriel supplementaire Only edition available/ Seule Edition disponible Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to ensure the best possible image/ Les pages totalement ou partiellement obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure, etc., ont 6X6 film^es 6 nouveau de fapon 6 obtenir la meilleure image possible. □ 10X This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est filmd au taux de reduction indiqud ci-dessous. 14X 18X 22X 26X 30X / 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X 32X The copy filmed here has been reproduced thanks to the generosity of: National Library of Canada L'exemplaire film6 fut reproduit grdce A la gdnirositd de: Bibliothdque nationale du Canada The images appearing here are the best quality possible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in keeping with the filming contract specifications. Les images suivantes ont 6t6 reproduites avec le plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition et de la nettet6 de l'exemplaire film6, et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All other original copies are filmed beginning on the first page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impression. Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en papier est imprimde sont film6s en commengant par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la dernidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second plat, selon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont filmds en commenpant par la premidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la dernidre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol ^^> (meaning "CON- TINUED "), or the symbol V (meaning "END "), whichever applies. Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la dernidre image de chaque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole — ^' signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbole V signifie "FIN". Maps, pli;*e$. charts, etc., may be filmed at different ducfion ratios. Those too large to be entirely inclu;*'»a /i ona exposure are filmed beginning in the 'ppev left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre film6s & des taux de reduction diffdrents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul cliche, il est film6 d partir de Tangle supdrieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 t 2 3 4 5 6 in 'VI ' i A •h s ,1, J i^ ^ '^i^* H 'V ^ ^-R A A ^>^i^^i/Mi>**. .1- ^t. iy V. > ^ If ^. .»^ ^ 1? *!*. Js? :>rS, 1R* ti T^ >'■ '^■"' t» '^ >- >>> >> > 'S*' 1?^ > ^f' I') VJ) H^ ■r •1 *\ 'VI) ■/ •V ,\ -^ A f It I y* y. f A. HOOK FOU TOLUlIfc*T8 MAPLE L II A V E S CANADIAN HlsrORV— LITERATURE— SPORT QUEHEC PHINTEI) UY AUGUSTIN COTti A C' 1873 IV If V 'd /c V iA ^-^ 'W -^ f -i* -^1*^ ^'-H *^>. ^•h-'i T' '^•>i^ '«'«« 'i-J^ ''^■•>* •''*>•> -s'-r^ •■« > ^,!S^ '!*'"^.-¥ ' i-' l^ ■■•? f,; jf^f -^ '^ -■^. -^ ^i M ^ .if .4 ,», ^/ .w < ^ Si* A' i V i f // :f ^1. ■^ i;^' * I ■• <^ 1 If vf^: -•a *^i MAPLE LEAVES CANADIAN rtlSTORY-LITERATURE— SPORT NEW SERIES " Like a virgin goddess In a primeval world, Canada still walks In unconscious beauty fiinong her golden woods and along the margin of her trackless streams, catcliing but broken glances of her radiant majesty, as mirrored on tholr surface, and scarcely dreams as yet of the glorious future awaiting her in the Olympus of nations. "-(i>Vo»» Lobd DurFKKiN'ii apeach at Bel/tut, lUhJum, 1872.) By J. M. LeMoine AUTHOR OF "l'aLBUM DU TOURISTE. QUEBEC PRINTED BY AUGUSTIN COTft 4 C» WTO \7^ 291287 Spi 'mity 1873, TO HER EXCELLENCY • THE COUNTESS OF DUFFERIN " THESE SKETCHES" ARE, KY PKRMISSION, MOST RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED BT TBI AUTHOR Spekcer Qranqk, SlUery, aoth Sept, 187& f ^ INTRODUCTION In offering to our patrons, a new seriew of Papers on Canadian History, Literature and Sport, a few explanatory remarl^s may not be out of place. It wan in 18G3, that for the first time, appeared in book form, the several Canadian sketches, previously published in the Canadian Reviews and Magazines, under the emblematical name of Maple Leaves. Their success led to the perpetration of a second volume in 1864— descriptive of our battle fields. A. third Series followed in 1860, depicting the environs of Quebec. Since the latter date, no other series was published. It is now proposed to collect in the present volume, some of the best sketches and detached Papers of the author, contributed since 1865, to the various Cana- dian periodicals, and also to reprint with them four or five of the most popular papers of the preceeding Se)ie8f now out of print. VI It ia unnecessary here to enlarge on the aim anH contents of the volume : the title of th wo" cates that sufficiently. '"^'" Should the author succeed in amusing and instruct- ng the general reader-let it be ever so little-his task IS accomplished, ample his reward. Spencer Grange, ^"^ Author. SiLLERY, 20lh Sept., 1873. and indi- ruct- -his R. D'lEEETILLE. THE CID OF NE"W FRANCE. 1642- 1706. We purpose sketching here biitfly, a Canadian worthy, viho once tilled the two hemispheres with the gloiy of his name — the naval hero d'lhervilhi: LeMoine d'Iberville who triumphantly hoie the banner of France, from Hudson Hay to the Mexican Gulf, at the cK>seof the seventeenth century. At the period in (|ueslioii, Quehc^c was the key to the extensive transatlantic possessions of Louis the Great ; it was the fulc- rum which moved the vast military power that so ellectually kept in check the Eniilish Provinces beyond its border. On the loftiest peak of Cape Dinmond, floated a royal banner, "Nvhose lord could trace his lineage beyond the crusades, beyond Charlemagne, up to the fourth century. From the stalely council-chambers of the Chateau St. Louis, issued those dread(Hl decrees which presaged war or peace; from the shores of the St. Lawrence to the fertile valley of Ohio, or the green banks of (he Mississipi. The capital of the French King in New^ Franci! was indecnl animpoitantcily in those days, filled with a warlike race, which needed not consciiption to push its squadrons across the border, whose martial ardor was dimned neither by arctic cold nor by tropica! heats. A most resolute nobleman held his courlalthe Od^'aw 5/. Louis — Count de Frontenac. Never did the Gibraltar of America appear so imiwsing as when the lion-hearted de Frontenac, in 1090, it it 2 D inERVILLE. warned off so summarily Sir William Pliipp?, who, in tho name of King \S1iliam 111, lliroatcned, unless (he place surrcndod within an hour, to bombard it with his powerful fleet, which lay moored in view of its battlements. The Count's reply to the British Admiral has been preserved in history. (1 ) There were, also, brave men amongst the garrison ready to make good the warlike answer of their valiant commander. Foremost amongst the defenders of Quebec was dlberville, oneof deLongueil's (2) illustrious brothers. To Montreal is due the honor of having given birth, in 1042, to this sludry sea- captain — one of eight brothers destined to shed lustre on the French aims, by land and by sea, for more than half a centuiy. IVIberville may be counted the representative man of de Fronlenac's glorious administration. More fortunate than other Canadian worthies, whose merit has been sedulously ignored in the mother country, under French and under English rule, d'lberville's fame was proclaimed far and wide, all over Europe ; national vanity prompting the French, if they even did feel inclined to drop the colonist, to remember the great sea-captain who, in so many instances, had humbled the old foe. Our own historians have minutely described the feats of d'Iberville ; some, however, may say these accounts are too flattering, and liable to be doubted. Let us then, borrow the text of reliable foreign writers of the present day. Pierre Margry, for many years and still in charge of the French Archives de la Marine, in Paris, in his researches on the part taken by the early travellers from Normandy in discovering and colonizing the valley of the Ohio and the Mississippi, sets forth (1) •' I do not, " said de Frontonao, " acknowledge King WiHiam ; I weU know that the Prince of Orange is an usurper, who has violated the most sacred rights of blood and religion. I will answer your master by the mouth of my cannon." To this Phipps replied by sending a tremendous broadside into tho town. But de Frontenao did answer by the mouth of his cannon ; and his reply was found so much to the point that, notwithstanding the advantage gained under Major Walley's detachment, lauded at Beauport, Phipps, on the 11th Oc- tober, set sail at night for Boston, where ho arrived on the 10th November following, mtJius nine ships wrecked in a storm. (2) On a recent visit to Montreal, the writer had the pleasure of seeing in the late Jacques Vigor's Album, a good drawing of the ruins of Baron de LongueU'a manor at Longueuil ; lot us hope it will yet figure in the ANTIQUARIAN. well sacred of my nto tho reply ained th Oe- ember in the lueil's THE CID OF NEW FRANCE. 3 most ably the doings of d'Ibcrville and his brothers. There is also, amongst other books, a beautifully illustrated work, « Les Navigateurs Franoais par Leon Guerin, » in which an ample sketch of the celebrated Monlrealer is contained. As this account, written in France, is new to most of our readers, we will attempt to render it in English for their information. « At the time, w says L. Guerin, « when Louis de Biiade, Count de Frontenac, was administering so gloriously New France, eight Canadian brothers, whose ancestors came from Rouen, in Normandy;, were vieing to excel one another in feats on land and on the sea — equally at home on both elements — ever ready, brave, active, venturesome, under the impulse of national honor. They rendered the country (France) services the more honorable and meritorious that they fought far away from the eye of the court, with little prospect of obtaining the great rewards they might merit, and which they did not obtain in the proportion due to them. « These eight brothers, whom it would be proper to call eight heroes, were d'Iberville, de Saintellelene, deMarieourt, de Longueuil, de Serigny, de Chateauguay, and the two de Bienville. The second, d'Iberville, was one of the greatest and most skilful sea-captains France has ever had. Margry calls him « une especc de Jean BartCanadienw , the historian, Ferland, awards him, the title of « Le Cid du Canada.)) The company which had then recently been formed in con- nection with Hudson's Bay having applied to King Louis XIV, to be protected against the usurpation of the English of Fort Bourbon, — called by them Fort Nelson, — a decree of the 20th May, 1683, vested in it, the property of the river Ste. Therese; without delay an expedition, commanded by the Marquis d'Enonville, Governor General of New France in the absence of Frontenac, was fitted out to repel the English during the short but glorious peace of Nimeguen. D'Iberville, Sainte Helene, and Maricourt went the year following under the Che- valier de Troyes, a captain of infantry, serving at Quebec, and chief of the expedition, to capture the Forts Monsipi, Rupert, Kichichouami, which the English had built on the Bay. They left Montreal by land in March, 1685, drawing their canoes DIBERVILLE. and supplies over the snow and swamps, the roads being nearly impassable. They travelled thus until the 20lh June, enduring hardships and fatigue almost intolerable wilh a courage and spirit of which Canadians only are able, and the party, eighty-two strong, arrived at Monsipi, at the southern extremity of Hudson Bay, at that part since called James' Bay. "Without losing a moment, preparations were made to attack the Fort — a square redoubt surrounded by palisades sixteen or seventeen feet high, and flanked by four bastions, on the top of a moimd, thirty yards from the edge of the river. A guard was left in charge of the canoes ; two merely were drawn, loaded with provisions, shovels, pics, gabions, and a battering- ram. D'Iberville and de Sainte Helene made the assault on one side, whilst the Chevalier de Troyes and Maricourt attacked the other, and were battering in the main entrance of the Fort with the ram. Followed by five or six men, they scaled the palisade, opened a door which looked on the forest, and reached, in order to destroy it, an outer door of a redoubt, built in the centre of the Fort ; at the same time, the Chevalier de Troyes rushed into the interior of the redoubt, whilstd'Iber- ville and de Sainte Hclene, and their followers kept up a brisk fire on all the apertures. An Englishman having rashly replied, declining all offers of quarter, de Sainte Helene shot him dead at the gun he was pointing towards the French. Soon the ram was brought to bear against the door of the redoubt, but as the door was still held up by one hinge, an Englishman from the interior closed it, leaving all in darkness. D'Iberville might have considered his case desperate, but, retaining his pre- sence of mind, he kept striking even in the darkness, and hearing some one decending a stair-case, he fired at him at random. In the meantime, the ram had re-commenced bat- tering in the door. It fell and allowed free ingress to the French who hurried to the assistance of d'Iberville. The English, having scarcely had time to dress — (the attack was at midnight) — so sudden had been the assault, asked for quarter. It was granted, and the Fort handed to the French, he victorious party then, following the sea-shore, took ,«.«; direction of Fort Rupert, situated forty leagues further THE cm OF NEW FRANCE. on ; whilst a suitable boat, accompanied them, mounted with two guns taken at Fort Monsipi. After five days marching, the party arrived during the night of the 1st of July, before Fort Rupert, of which de Sainte Helone made a reconnoissance, favored by night. The English had an armed vessel there to protect it. D'Ibervillc and his brother Maricouil, aided by nine men in two bark canoes, were entrusted with the boarding service. The enemy being taken unaware, the boarding party noiselessly and at leisure got on board, and stumbled over the man of the watch fast asleep in his hamac. He received a blow just as he was preparing to alarm the crew ; d'Ibervillc, striking the deck as is customary when it is intended to give the alarm to those on ship-board, split open the head of the first man who attempted to venture on deck. The next sailor shared the same fate, and they then attacked the cabin with axes, until diberville considered that his party was numerous enough to hold out against all comers. The vessel once captured, he gave quarter. Amongst the prisoners was the Governor of Hudson Bay. "Whilst this sea-fight was going on under the lead of Iberville, the Chevalior de Troves was beating in by force the door of the Fort, and en- tering in with drawn cutlass. Grenades were used, causing dreadful havoc amongst the besieged. A redoubt, which had been also built atMonsipi, in the centre of the Fort, after having been battered with a ram, was on the eve o: being blown up with powder, when the enemy, seeing that no hope remained sued for mercy. All the prisoners were then placed on board of a sloop which was aground at some distance from the Fort ; as it would have required more men than could be spared to garrison the place, the palisades were destroyed and the Fort blown up. Diberville and de Sainte Ilelene remained there, however, a few days. The en|j;lish armed- ship was sent to Monsipi, and was soon followed by the lugger, which had been repaired. The Chevalier de Troyes, who had re- turned to Monsipi, was desirous to close the campaign by the capture of Fort Kichichouami. None, however, knew exactly the geographical position of this English Fort, and the roads were impassable ; these obstacles were insufficient to stop i * 6 D IBERVILLE. the Canadians. It was necessary to carry the canoes when the tide did not answer, or when ice or points of land, inter- fered. The parly had been for a long time (ravelling in this manner, wiliiout having the means of knowing whether they would reach the object of their search, when the report of eight guns suddenly broke on their ears. Kichichouami must be close by, and some festivity going on there. On de Sainle llelcne, devolved the task of reconnoitring the position of the Fort. D'Iberville had had much trouble to ponolrate through the ice with the prize, containing the flags of the English company. He entered the river without accident* and, during the night, landed ten guns. After some useless proposals to the governor of the place, the ginis were placed in positic.i, and aimed at the very room he occupied. A masked battery on a wooden height, got up such a cannonade that more than forty discharges took place in an hour and a quarter, riddling the enemy's work Soon melancholy voices issued from the subterranean passages, sueingforquarler. No English- man had shown himself to strike the flag, and soon alter the Fort capitulated, de Sainle Ilelene entered it. D'Iberville removed on board of his prize the governor and his suite to the Island of Charleston, to wail for English ships, in conform- ity with the terms of the surrender. The remainder of the English were sent to Monsipi. The Clh August following, the Chevalier de Troyes returned to Montreal to enjoy his success ; d'Iberville, who had left his brother Maricourt in charge at Iludiion Bay, arrived at Montreal two months after. « War re-commenced in Europe, and spread to America. DT- berville was, by deFrontenac, re-appointed naval commander in New France, and specially intrusted with guarding Hudson Bay. Two English men-of-war had appeared before Fort Kichichouami, whose name he had altered to that of Fort Sainte Anue, and where he commanded in person. He cajv tured them, and conducted triumphantly the largest to Quebec, whilst his Lieutenant, La Ferle, was making a prisoner of the English (loveinor of Fort New Haven, who had been sent from London by the Company to proclaim William III, who pre- tended he was sole proprietor of Hudson Bay. D'Iberville THE CID OP KEW FRANCE. iilc relumed at the commencement of the following year, 1690, in [hti s\\\[i Sainte Anne, togclher with the ship Annes de la Compagnie, Capt. llonavonlure Denis, with the view of expel- ling the English from Forts New Haven and Nelson, which they still occupied. He anchored, on the 241 h September, close to the river Sainle Therese, and came ashore wilh ten men, intending to make a few prisoners and find out the stale of the Fort. A sentry saw him, and the English instantly despatched a vessel of 30 guns to intercept the retreat (»f the French, but without success. D'lberville got on boai'd of his boat, made his way in spite of pursuit to his vessel, and made sail. The fall of the tide having caused the English vessel to get aground on some rocks, the French commander, in order to mislead the enemy, steered as if he intenled to leave the Bay ; but altering his course, he came to the Kouachaouy river, and there found a ship, the Saint fran^ois, com- marided by Maricourt. The two brothers left for New Haven, an English Fort, situated thirty leagues from Foit Nelson. The English then found themselves under the nectissily of burning it down and breaking it up. D'lberville, however, secured a quantity of provisions and fuis, which he conveyed to Fort Saiule Anne. He wintered there with his ship, the Sainte Anne, whilst Maricourt, with the Saint Fran[oifi, sought winter-quarters at Rupert, after having relieved Fort Monsipi. The ship Annes de la Compa' previously to leaving, he despatched a boat to do Fronteuac to inform him of the success of his expedition to the north. At this period, several of d'Iberville's brothers were keeping up the honour of the family by valiantly defend- ing Canada. All New France was in a blaze. The English hud excited the Iroquois tribes to rise, as well as other Indian tril)es who had recently been allies of France. They were helping tliem to attack the west of Canada by Montreal, whilst a lleet 8 DIDERVILLE. at Qufibcc, under (Sir) William Pliipps, Ihrcalenod the east- ern section. Fortunately, there had recently been re-appointed Governor-General in New Fiance, a chief gifted with all the attributes of a great man, firmness which ensures command, with kindliness which inspires love. De Fronlenac was'great, generous, magnificent like a king. lie was at Quebec, the worlliy representative of what Louis XIV was at Versailles. A word, a glance of his eye. electrified Ihe Canadians, always ready to fight. lie was the love and delight of New France, the terror of the Iroquois, the father of the tribes who were allies of the French. His activity was only equalled by his courage. After having pacified the country round Montreal, and slain a considerable number of the Iroquois, he had sent three detachments to attack the English of New York. De Sainte Ilelene, in company with his relative, deMartigny, and leading , a party of French and Indians, two hundred and ten in num- ber, alter a tramp of twenty-three days, through snow and ice,— sometimes wading in water up to their knees, — had arrived at Fort Corlard, which they captured, after slaying the whole garrison. Marligiiy had been wounded twice during this expedition. Another captain, named de Portneuf, had compelled Fort Kaskebe to capitulate ; and a third, called Hertel, alter a march just as fatiguing as that of de Sainte Ilelene, had taken possession of Fort Semenlals, in Acadia. At the same time, Fronlenac had undertaken prodigious works to fortify Quebec, which, though thickly peopled, had no for- tifications which it could depend on. He had dispersed, with- out striking a blow, an army of English and Iroquois, who were advancing from Lake St. Sacrament, and had been enabled to devote himself entirely to the defence of his capital. The fortifications which de Fronlenac had built began at his palace (1) and then ascended towards the upper town, which tliey surrounded, and ended at the brink of a mountain at a spot called Cape Diamond. The openings where there were no gales were barricaded with timber and puncheons filled with stones and surrounded with earth. The avenue from the (1) Where the Queen's wood-yard now stands. TIIE CID OF NEW FRANCE. 9» lower lo the upper town was intersected by three entronch- menls, made with punclieons and bags of earth. Numerous' batteries had been, mounted. The Nxholc soon presented a respeclable system of defenses. » We shall pass over the incidents of the gloi'ious siege of 1690, related by us elsewhere (I). D'Ibcrville was intnisledby gov*;rnment with a small fleet, and hoisted his flag on the Pelican. His mission was to harass the English wherever he could meet them. lie obtained some important successes ; but the spot where fortune seemed always to favor him was Hudson Bay, where the English had re-captured Fort Nelson. He look a signal revenge by the capture of the place, in 1696, for the death of his brother Chateauguay, killed in 1694 whilst defending it. He also had the satisfaction of securing as a prize the English frigate, the Hudson Bay. But his own vessel, the Pelican, was nearly in a sinking stale. Having manned his prize with a portion of the crew of the Pelican^ he was preparing to attack the enemy when, in a furious storm, and notwithstanding his skill as a mariner, both vessels were driven ashore. Nothing daunted, the brave commander, having waited for the arrival of some other vessel of his fleet, succeeded in capturing, a second lime, Fort Nelson, which gave France, for several years, the possession of the northern part of North America. Peace being signed at Ryswick, d'Iberville took advantage of it lo press on his government to resume the project of dis- covering the mouth of the Mississipi. He sought as a compa- nion the brave Chaleau Morand, worthy nephew of the great Tourville. Both sailed from Rochfort in October, 1698, with two ships. They anchored at St. Domingo ; and having left that place on the 1st December, they came in sight, on the 27 Ih January, 1699, of Florida. They sailed as close lo the land as prudence would allow, and sent one of their officers to hold parley with the inhabitants. That officer, on return- uig, staled that the ships were Ihen opposite to a bay called Pensacola, where three hundred Spanish had recently settled (1) See Second aeries of Maple Leaves. iO D IBERVILLE. in anticipalion of French selllcrs. On (he 31st Janunry, d'lberville, whose ship had outsailed the oilier to reconnoitre the coast, anchored at the south-east of the enslern point of the nv(M' Mobih;, which runs parallel with the Mississipi. On the 2n(l February, he landed on an island close to it, and four leagues round. It had then a harbor tolerably commodious, which has since been obstructed by sand. D'lberville called it iMassacre Island, from having noticed towards the south- west point, a large quantity of human heads and bones. From Massacre Island, whose name was soon to be changed to that of Dauphin Island, the great mariner crossed over to the main land, and having discovered the river Pascagoula, he left it, in company with his young brother de Dienville, Ihc-n an ensign, and lorly-eight men, in two long boats, carrying provisions for twenty days, to find Uie Mississipi, of which the aborigines had made mention to him under the name of the Malbouehia, and the Spaniards, under that of the Palisade river. He entered the mouth of the river on the 2nd March. In prosecuting his discovery, d'lberville arrived at the village of the Dayagoulas, composed of seven hundred huts, amongst which could be distinguished the temple of these savages, filled with smoked furs, olfered to propitiate their fantastic gods. The French discoverer ascended as high as the Oumas, w here he began seri- ously to doubt whether it was the Mississipi. However, a letter, found by an Indian chief in a tree, handed to his brother de Dienville, soon dispelled all doubts on this point. It was dated April, 1083, and bore this address : — « To mon- sieur de la Sale, Gouverneur de la Louisiane, de la part du Chevalier de Tonli. » Tonti had, in his fruitless search of La Sale, deposited this letter in the hollow of a tree. D'lberville, re-assured, then sojourned in the Day of Diloxi, situated bet- ween the Mississipi and Mobile rivers ; built a fort there, where he left de Dienville as his lieutenant, and then returned to France in January. On the 8th January, 1700, d'lberville returned to Diloxi. In 170G, he got together a small squadron and attacked the English island of Nevis, and captured it. On the 9th July, 1700, this successful sea-captain died at Havana, whilst commanding the vessel Le Juste. The eldest of the THE CID OF NEW FRANCE. 11 brotliors, dc Bienville, lind been killoil in an nltnck on a fort. Mnricoiirt, an ensign, ^vas burnt to death in u house with forty I'lviich, in 1704, by the Iroquois. Dc Seiigny and Ihi; second of the do llieiiville brothers, died whilst coinnmiiding vessels. Do Loiigiieuil, the eldest brother, di(!d in 1718, Ciovcrnor of Mon- treal. In 1722, when the East India Company laid the found- ation of New Orleans, on the banks of the Mississipi, to be the centre and capital of Louisiana, it was a son of de Chaleau- guay who was second in command iu this vast country which had originated so many bright dreams. After serving at Mar- tinif|uo, he was Governor of (luyanna. The Treaty of Utrecht, in 1713, had deprived the French of Hudson Day, Newfound- laud, and Acadia. To compensate this loss, they immediately set about to colonize Cape Dreton, called He lloyale, \>!iero they founded Fort Dauphin, I'ort Toulouse, Ntrika, ajul chiefly Louisbourg, and her arsenal. De Cliateauguay, junior, was called, — from 17ia to 1717, when he died — to defend this key to Canada, and did so successfully. « Thus, )) concludes Guerin, « from the Gulf of St. Lawrence to that of Mexico, from equinoctial France to New France, continued to shine with undimmed splendour, probably Uio most glorious family which ever existed in the French colo- nics. » D'lberville had thus closed at Havana his brilliant career, after gatheiing laurels at Quebec, on the frozen shores of Hudson's Day, on the coast of Acadia, in the Mississipi, at New Oileans, and in the West Indies. Pierre Margry is then justified in describing the illustrious Montreaier as « Uno espece de Jean Dart Canadien. » Mr. Morgan has ably sum- med up dTbcrville's career in his work intituled ctCELLBii.vTED Canadians. » BOLLARD DES ORMEAUX. THE CANADIAN LEONIDAS. 1660. The memories of brave deeds — of sacrifice of self for the general good ; instances of extraordinary endurance for some noble end, >vhilst they chullcnge the admiration of the palriolic or the reflective man, afford wholesome teachings for all. In placing them before the eye of un enlightened public, no apology is needed. The wave of time, for twenty-three centuries, has rolled over the feat of the champions of Thermopylw : has the deed lost aught of its fragrance ? My friend I My fellow-toiler, all is not hollow — a sham — a lie here below ! The lion-hearted crusader, Richard of England — the Suisse patriot Tell — the Maid of Orleans, or she of Saragossa, will be remembered with respect, nay with veneration, so long as brave men, so long as heroic women shall endure — beacons from above lighting up this dismal vale of sorrow — heaven born, lasting witnesses to some of the noblest instincts the Deity has implanted in the human breast. Elsewhere, we took pleasure to state, with a feeling not unmingled with pride, that the early history of our own country exhibited several of these traits, which men delight to honor. Let us now unveil in a few words, the career of a youthful Canadian hero, as yet but little known to fame. Fellow countrymen, keep fresh his memory ! To our mind, the whole story of the chivalrous commander of the Montreal garrison in 1660, whose name prefixes this sketch, reads more like one of those thrilling romances pecu- liar to the era of the crusades, than anything else we know of in Canadian annals. 14 DOLLARD DES ORMEAl'X. Tlioufih llic records of beleaguered cili;'S occasionally depicl. cases of despairing bul dauntless men rushing to certain death to snatch trembling mothers, chaste wives — tender infants from the edge of the s>vord, we seldom read of a youth coolly and premeditativcly — without the spur of imminent danger — cheerfully resigning all which makes life attractive : position, nay existence itself, sacrificing all to a mere sense of duty. Nor are we called on here, to comlemplate a mere ti-ansienl, impulsive act of devotion suggested by exti'aordinary peril, or the olTspring of high wrought feeling. It is a rarer spectacle which awaits us : it is the relleclion of mature age in youth ; the earnest young christian, who, ere he steps forth of his own accord, towards that mysterious land of shadows, beyond the grave, deliberativcly settles all his sublunary affairs, solemnly makes his peace with his creator and his fellow-men, and then quietly and with much afore thought, at the head of compa- nions as intrepid, as devoted as himself, binds himself and them by a fearful vow, such as in his opinion, tlie welfare of his country requires — « not to take, nor grant, any quarter.)) All this and more do we find in the act of the youthful commander of the Montreal garrison in IGGO — Dollard des Ormeaux. Though noted by Ferland, it is specially to the abbe Faillon (1 ), we are indebted for acquainting us so minutely with the history of the gallant youth, aged then twenty-live years^ whose name still clings to the street, he once inhabited (2). The elaborate His- toircde la Colonie Fran^'aise en Canada, or rather the history of (1) IfUtoirc de la Colonie Fran<;iilsc en Amdrtquc. Vol. IIj P. (2) " Docs any ono whoso business docs not call him daily along St. James street, know whore Dollard street is ? And of those who do know that it is bounded atone end by the \Vitncs8 oQico, and at the other by a saloon, how many know after whom it is called, if after any ono at all ? Most people think it is a misprint for Dollar. Such is fame. A dirty narrow lane, frequented by gaming newsboys, and an entry in the parish register of/lOGO are all that remain to remind us of Adam Dollard, siour DesOrmeaus, better known as Daulac. Tho early history of Montreal is as full of romance, of suffering, and of heroio achievement as the most sensational could desire. Those deeds aro far better authenticated, too, than the legends of the Drachonfols, or tho talcs of prowess of tho Crusaders. Only it is not the thing to weep or thrill over the achievements of a handful of emigrants who, two hundred years ago, were scalped and massacred and burned alived within gunshot of St. Catharine street. We reserve such tri- butes fur the woes of the oreatious of Miss Braddou or Mrs. Henry Wood. (Allid.) TlIE CANADIAN IE0NIDA3. 15 of io d i- ) tlio colt^bralcd order of 5»//)j"cj>»»s, in Canada, to which Iho learn- ed alhe belongs, is cerlainly a historical monument of which ]\Ionlreal may well he proud : the ahhe Faillon has compiled the details he luruishes about Doli.aud i>es Ormeaix, from the liislory ol Montreal by Dollieu de Casson ; Lcs Icltres dc la Mere (le r Incarnation; from the Relatione iles Jmiites and from the Iti'gialrea dea baptvmes, mariagvs el si'pnllures, for ICOO. It is not (hen a romance >vhich is here presenb'd to the reader, but a plain, unvarnished tale of christian heroism, of Avhich Montreal was once, the theatre. In order to understand thoroughly, the precarious footing of French Colonists at Montreal in ICOO, it is necessary to fami- liarize one self, with its liis history, since its foundation in 1012, and for several years later on. The annalist can note year after year the struggles, some- times the bloody defeats, oft' the merciless revenge sutTered or inllicted, by the pent-up, despairing colonists : the blood thirsty Iroquois had vowed to exterminate the last of the pale faccn who came from beyond the sea ; they very nearly succeed- ed. A constant slale of warfare — ambushes by day — midnight raids : such were the ever-recurring incidents which marked the existence of the sparce population. At page 123 of the second volume of the history, the Abbe tells how the alarmed residents scaicely ever left the Fort unarmed, not even on the Sabbath, to attend to their devotions. On Sunday, the 18th May, 1051, four colonists were sur- prised between the Fort and Pointc St. Charles, on their re- turn from the morning service. Overwhelmed by the savages, they took refuge in a rude redoubt, and commenced liring so briskly on their pursuers that the crack of their muskets at- tracted the notice of the people of the Fort. Out ran a stout- hearted fellow, named Urbain Tessier dit Lavigne to their relief ; and although sixty shots were aimed at him from the distance, he escaped them all. M. de Maisonneuve, the Gov- ernor, immediately sent reinforcements to the besieged, and after a sharp skirmish, in which thirty savages bit the dust, the rest retired to the shades of the forest. Some years pre- viously, directions had been issued that no man should leave 16 DOLLARD DEB ORMEAI'X. the Fort singly, and that those tilling the soil should return «ach day in a body, well-armed, within its wails, at the sound of the bell. Various were the artifices employed, says Dollier de Casson, to abate the Iroquois nuisance. The Governor soon saw that the days of his colonists were numbered, if these savage beasts of prey were allowed to roam any longer round Ihe settlement. They must be got rid of. The inhabi- tant of Bengal beats the jungle for tigers and lions ; Ihe French colonists must beat up the thickets and woods round Montreal for foes as merciless — the skulking Iroquois. Mastilfs were brought out from the mother-country, and battues organ- ized. These sagacious animals were broken in to hunt for the savages, and Father Lalemanl tells of a remarkable mas- tiff slut, called ((Pilot,)) who, in 1647, used to load to the woods a litter of fierce pups, and took a ramble each morning in the under-brush, scouring carefully every bush round the Fort ; if she noticed any of her whelps shirking his work, she would worry and bite him. It was wondei ful, says the same writer, to witness her return from the hunt, baying fiercely when she had discovered a marauding savage, to proclaim the presence of danger. Nor could you have said of her, what Coleridge wrote of Sir Leoline's dog : A toothless mast iir, which From her kennel beneath the rock Maketh answer to the clock Four for the quarters, and twelve for the hour I Ever and aye, by shine and shower Sixteen short howls, not over loud ; History tells of the ardor of the Montreal NImrods of that day, to bag the big game, and how often they used to go to Governor deMaisonneuve asking him beseechinj^ly, (( Shall we then never be allowed to go and hunt our foes ? » You read next the animated description of one of these hunts, or fights ; a party, headed by the Governor himself, and by M. D'Aille- boust, against the Iroquois. The unfortunate but spirited colonists barely escaped annihilation in this skirmish, and it did seem at one time likely that the scalp of M. de Maison- neuve would shortly grace the belt of a famous chief, bent on IHE CANADIAN LEONIDAS. 17 lil In capturing his fleet Excellency. However, when escape appeared hopeless, brave de Maisonnciive drew a pistol on his pursner, and fired ; it flashed in Uk; pan, and the colony was nearly lost ; but, recovering himself, he drew another pistol, and shot the red-skin dead : and the colony was saved. In those days the country round Montreal certainly swarmed with this sort of game ; its Nimrods were just as spirited as those of the present day : the dogs, of sure scent, and the quarry, wary and wild, amidst imp(MiPtral)le forests. Times are changed now ; elegant villas, fragrant conservatoiies, landscape gardens, adorn the green slopes of the Royal Mount, which once resounded to the war whoop or expiring groan of the lithe savage. Peaceably inclined are the royal snccessois of this warlike M. de Maisonneuve : on his hunting grounds now stands the great metropolis of Canadian trade. They were fiery hunters, the men oi IGGO, spreading with their mastiffs amidst the thickets, peihaps to the joyful notes of the French horn, or carolling a hunting-song: II passe, il passe, le clairon du Roi, in»;s lanios. These sturdy Nimrods, subjects of the Grand Monarque, are replaced by a milder race. Out of the same thickets, on a fine September morning, two centuries later, you may have seen equally spirited dogs issue with a band of gaily dressed and well-mounted sportsmen ; Messrs. Davidson, Alloway, Lorn McDougall, Thorne, Rimmer, Crawford ct alii. Rut fear them not ; you might with impunity confront them in lull Indian dress, and wearing as man [dumes in your hat as the proudest Iroquois chief ever bore. You are perfectly safe, unless taken for a fox. Sporting readfT, f"rgive our digression. We have told you of the scenes of blood with which our lathers were so familiar. Their fiery disposition had grt»wn with danger ; on the authority of Abbe Faillon, we can say that even the sav- ages were impressed with awe when dealing with them ; the Iroquois cadet was gravely told to beware of these men whom they called « des diables, » nor to presume to attack them, unless well prepared for a fight. 2 18 DOLLARD DES ORMEAtX. The savages were increasing each year in numbers and audacity. In the year 1658 and 1659, they had been cons- piring secretly. About a thousand of them had resolved, by a coup de main, to strike terror at the same time at Montreal and at Quebec, of which latter place M. d'Ailleboust, the Governor was to be beheaded. Some inkling of the dark deeds in contemplation had spread amongst the helpless and sparce populalion of the valley of the St. Lawrence. Those residing under the cannons of Fort St. Louis, at Quebec, were safe ; but what hope was there for the unfortunate peasant outside of Quebec ? The dismay had become very great ; public prayers had been otfered in the churches. Nor was the excitement in the Montreal district at all less. Unless Providence specially interposed, the colony was threatened with utter ruin. These reflections had occured to every colonist. None had pondered over them more earnestly than the young Com- mander of the Montreal garrison, Bollard desOrmeaux, called by some historians Daulac. Though of French origin, he was intimately acquainted with Indian waifare, and came to the conclusion that a blow struck at the proper time might disor- ganize the machinations of the enemy, and gain delay until the reinforcements arrived from France; He thought that an ambush might be planed ; that a small party of good marks- meuj such as Montreal then could provide, in a very short time might, by taking advantage of the ground, slay so many of the enemy, that a precipitate flight would take place, before the Montreal Indians could join their forces to those of the Quebec and Three Rivers settlements. The plan, though it savored a little of desperation, when the number of com- batants on both sides were compared, had much to recommend il. By the latter end of May, 1660, Bollard had succeeded in working up the enthusiasm of the Montreal youth to the same pitch as his own. Sixteen promised to follow where their commander would lead, provided the Governor of the colony, M. de Maisonneuve, approved of the expedition. One, how- ever, reconsidered his determination, and did not go. The remainder made their wills, received the last rites of the THE CANADIAN LEONID AS. 19 church, and took, in presence of the altar, a vow to fight until death or victory crowned their career, without sueing for, or granting, any quarter. Several other colonists, such as Major Lambert Closse, Picot6 de Beleslre, Charles LeMoyne, also olfered their services for this important expedition. They, however, were of opinion it might be delayed until the corn-fields were sowed ; but to a mind constituted like Dollard's, delay was impossible, and the miraculous escape from death of these three latter brave and indispensable men showed, as the Abb^ Faillon remarks, that the hand of Providence was there. Montreal could not have afforded to lose such colonists. Had the spirited com- mander deferred the departure of the expedition, as he was requested to do, the 500 Iroquois, who had ensconced them- selves at the islands of the River Richelieu, would have had time to be joined by the 500 savages who were coming down the Ottawa, and the blow would have fallen on Three Rivers and Quebec. The brave warriors launched their canoes on the waters of the great river. They met the enemy sooner than they expected, and seem to have closed with them at the He St. Paul, close to Montreal. The first encounter took place on the 19lh April, 1660, the Europeans having the better of the fight, but losing three of their party, viz., Nicholas Duval, Blaise Juillet dit d'Avignon, and Mathurin Soulard, — the two latter having been drowned in the attack. The savages took to the woods, leaving behind an excellent canoe, which Bol- lard subsequently put to good use. This brilliant hand-to-hand fight produced a good effect at Montreal, and the recusant colonists who had left Bollard at the beginning, returned to fight under him. They were detained eight days at the end of the Island of Montreal, at a rapid which they had to cross. They crossed, however, and on the 1st May, they were at the foot of the Long Sau/f, on the Ottawa, eight or ten leagues higher than the Isle of Montreal, and lower down than the Sault de la Chaudiire. Bollard there discovered a small fort, which the Algonquins, the fall preced- ing, had built with pickets. There they decided to make a stand. They were then reinforced by four Algonquin and 20 DOLLARD DES ORMEAUX. forty Huron Indians, the flower of the tribe, who had marched up from Quebec during the winter, intending to attack the Iroquois when returning from their hunting grounds. These wairiors had obtained a written authority from M. de Maison- iieuve, Governor, to take part in the campaign, unwilling though he was to grant it. Nor had they long to wail for the returning Iroquois canoes. The French strengthened as much as possible their pallisades, with earth and branches, and valiantly repulsed the first assault. The Iroquois' ferocity increase with each repulse. Their numbers allowed them to invest closely the rude fort, to burn the canoes of the French and to prepare torches to burn the fort ; but, finding all their plans frustrated, they sent a deputation to the 500 Iro- quois camped on the Richelieu. But there was, inside of the fort, an insidious enemy, more to be feared than the blood-thirsty Iroquois. The water failed, and thirst soon troubled the beleaguered Montrealers. By dint of boring, they came to a small gush of muddy water, in- sufficient to alley their thirst. They had, under the fire of these insurgents, to go and fetch water from the river close by. The Iroquois, seeing their straits, look occasion to re- mind the Ilurons of the uselessness of their defence, and that, unless they surrendered, they would be so closely invested, that they would die of thirst and hunger. These savages decided to surrender in a body. All did, except their cou- rageous chief, Anahonlaha, who, on seeing their determina- tion, seized a pistol, and atlemped to shoot his nephew, who was amongst the fugitives. The fort contained in all, Ana- honlaha, the four Algonquins and their chief, and the Fi'ench. Soon the four hundred Iroquois arrived from the Richelieu encampment, and during three days a new attack was made every hour, but unsuccessfully. The enemy then tried to fell some large trees, in order that, by their fall, they might in- commode the daunlless garrison. Some prodigies of valor at last induced the Iroquois to believe that the garrison must be more numerous than they had been led to credit ; they delibe- rated whether it would not be better to raise the siege ; and a detachment having come closer than usual to the redoubt, THE CANADIAN lEOMDAS. 2i the garrison received tliem with such a iniirderons fire, that they were again completely routed. On the eighth day, the Iroquois were meditating their departure ; but, on being as- sured that the fort only contained seventeen French and six Indians, they thought that, should they, with their overwhel- ming nambers, give up the contest, it would reflect eternal shame on their character as warriors. They then resolved to die to the last man, at the foot of the fort, or conquer. Accordingly, in advancing, they took to cutting junks of wood, which they carried in front of their bodies — a rude species of helmet, ball-proof. The French muskets, well- aimed, mowed them down by the dozen ; but numbers re- placed the fallen warriors, bent on escalading the redoubt ; and Bollard saw that in a few minutes the sword and the axe must be his last resort, before the close of an unequal con- test, the issue of which could not be much longer doubtful : so, loading to the muzzle a large blunderbuss, and retaining in his hand the fusee, he attempted to let this instrument of des- truction fall in the midst of the carnage, hoping that, by its sudden explosion, it might terrify the enemy. As bad luck would have it, the branch of a tree intervening, it fell inside of the redoubt, and spread death amongst the exhausted gar- rison. The enemy, taking courage from this incident, charged afresh. Dollard received his death-blow, but despair firing the expiring elTort of the remainder, all seemed doleimined to sell dearly their lives ; and with the sword or axe, each man flinging himself in the melee, struck unceasingly, until he fell. The Iroquois, collecting their courage for a final assault, rushed on, and, bursting open the door of the redoubt, crowded in, when the few survivors, plying well and fatally their hunting-knives, were massacred to the last man. Euro- peans, and their Indian allies, all behaved nobly. The news of the carnage was taken to Montreal by some of the Ilurons who had surrendered in the beginning. The num- bers of dead Iroquois left on the battle-field, and the severe lesson they thus received, made them return hcstily to their own country. Thus fought and perished seventeen of the bravest men of 22 DOLLARD DES ORMEAVX. Montreal, in 1660, as the Abb^ Faillon correctly remarks, without that incentive to heroism, the hope of immortalising one- self, which spurred on the Grecian or Roman warrior in his career of glory. They could count on no poets, no historians, to commemorate the brave deed ! The devotion of the Christian* the spirit of the soldier, alone animated these French colonists, it was by mere chance that their glorious end was made known to their fellow-colonists. The parish Register of the Roman Catholic Church of Ville- Marie (Montreal), furnishes the names and ages of these seventeen heroes, as follows ; — Adam Bollard (sieur des Ormeaux), aged 25 years ; Jacques Brassier, aged 25 years ; Jean Tavernier dit la Hocheliere, aged 28 years ; Nicholas Tillemot, aged 25 years ; Laurent Hebert dit la Riviere, aged 27 years ; Aloni6 de Lestres, aged 31 years ; Nicolas Gosselin, aged 25 years ; Robert Juree, aged 24 years ; Jacques Boisseau dit Cognac, aged 23 years ; Louis Martin, aged 21 years ; Christophe Auger dit Desjardin, aged 26 years ; Etienne Robin dit Desforges, 27 years ; Jean Valets, aged 27 years ; Rene Doussin, soldiers, aged 30 years ; Jean Lecomte, aged 25 years ; Simon Grenet, aged 25 years ; Francois Crusson dit Pilote, aged 24 years ; Anahonlaha, Hu- ron chief ; Metiwemeg, Algonquin chief ; and then their fol- lowers, &c. : Nicholas Duval, Mathurin Soulard, and Blaise Juillet, who died in the first skirmish near Montreal. DE BREB(EUF AND LALEMANT. THE SHORES OF LAKE SIMCOE. (1649. I sing the raen who left their home. Amidst barbarian hordes to roam, Who land and ocean crossed,— Led by a load star, marked on high By Faith's unseen, all-seeing eye — To seek and save the lost ; Whereer' the curse on Adam spread. To call his offspring from the dead. (MONTOOHEBT.) The Indian missions, (1) which formerly existed in the neighborhood of Lake Simcoe, will be ever memorable, as furnishing to the historian the materials for one of the most thrilling pages of the early history of the colony : indeed, it may be safely asserted, that nowhere on this continent has christian heroism shone with brighter lustre. The reader is doubtless aware that many of our early missionaries have sealed their faith with their blood. Foremost in this devoted band, stand out two men, distinguished alike by birth and by the extraordinary amount of physical suffering which precede(| their death. Let us place before the reader a truthful sketch of these two Christian heroes, whose fate, as Canadians, as Christians, and as men, is equally creditable to Canada, to Christianity and to manhood. Let us watch them leaving behind t1ie gaieties of (1) According to recent researches, the St. Ignnce mission would have been in the township of Medonte ; the St. Louis mission in the township of Tay. Until recently, there existed ruins of the St. Mary mission, on the banks of the ilivor Wye. The present village of Coldwator must be in the vicinity of these ancient Huron missions. All these localities, according to Mr. Devin's map of 1859, must be included in the county of Simooe. See Bressani, page 304, for several interesting details about Nicholas Viel — Jean De Brebceuf — Anne do Noue — Antoine Daniel — Chs. Garnier — Isaac Jo- gae6 — B^n^ Menard — No^fl Chabanel— Gabriel Lalemant. 24 DE DREBOEDP AND LALEMANT. Parisian lifo, tho nltribnlcs of birlli, the advantages of science ami nit'iilal culliire, in orilor lo tlivo lliroiigh the pathless forest in (luiisl of the red man of the woods, — the bearers of a joyous messagt', — with iirivalion and siin\;ring as a certainly before thim, find generally a horrible death as the crowning reward : perchance, the speclablt; of self-sacrifice may slill awaken an echo, even in an age in whit h seilishness and th(; almighty dollar, seem to lule siipriime. (iabriel Lahmianl was born in Paris ; some of Ihx; members of his family had allained eminence at the French bar; he Inmself, had discharged for several years the duties of a pro- fessor of languages. Of a delicate frame, he had attained his Ihirly-ninlh year when he landed in Canada. His colleague, Jean De llnibceuf, on Iho other hand >vas a person of most commanding mien, endowed wilji colossal strength and untiring endurance. Like the brave Dr. Kane in our own day, ho was not long before discovering that no truer way existed to secure the respect of the savage hordes he had to deal with, than by impressing them with an idea of physical superiority. With this object in view, he never hesitated when a portage oecured, to carry, unassisted, the travelling canoe heavily laden, accomplishing also, with ease, a variety of other feats indicative of extraordinary muscular strength : the llurons would look with awe on the blackrobed giant. Himself a man of education and literary taste, hewas the uncle of the poe' De Drebceuf, who versified in French Lncian's poem of Pliarsalia : it has also been staled that from his family sprung the English house of Arundel. In 1048, these two men undertook the spiritual charge of the five missions or residencies in the Huron country, on IMatchedache Pay, near Lake Simcoe : these five settlements were but a few miles apart from each other. A deadly hatred at that lime existed between the Hurons and Iroquois or five nations. In the fall of 1618, a thousand Iroquois warriors, \>ell provided with fire-arms, procured chiefly at the Dutch settlements, resolved to exterminate entirely the Hurons: they accordingly spent the winter hunting in the woods, stealthily diaw ing nearer and nearer to their foes ; they thus advanced. THE SHORES OF TARE SfMCOE. 2r> unporcftivnd, some three Inindrod miles. On the ICth March, 1049, they had arrived in the neighborhood of the St. I^naco selllonicnt, which they roconnoilred during the night timt\ A deep lavine protected throe sides of the residency, the fourth side being surrounded with a pahsade fifteen or sixteen feet high. At one point uk)ne the place was accessible, and Ihcro at the break of day the attack commenced. Operations had proceeded so noiselessly, that th(^ place was in possession of the en«;my before the garrison had time properly to provide lor its defence : this was owing to the few warriors left in charge, the bulk having gone up on a distant hunt and war expedition. The assailants lost but ten men : mostly all the inmates were scalped, these were the best off ; horrible tor- tures awaited those whose lives were spared. The attack having taken place at night, the only survivors who escaped were three llurons, who made their way over the snow to the next residency in a state bordering on complete nudity. The tidings they brought created the utmost consternation : close on their heels the blood thirsty Mohawk followed, hurrying on before the enemy could prepare : they arrived at the next settlement, the St. Louis residency, about sunrise : the women and children had barely the time to quit, ere theysur- I'oiinded it. Kighly stout llurons rushed to the palisades to conquer or die. They actually succeeded in repelling two attacks and in killing thirty of the foe, but overpowering num- bers prevailed. With axes the besiegers cut down the slakes or palisades, rushed through the breach. An indiscri- minate slaughter look place inside. Fire was then set to the fort, and the smoke and flames soon warned the inhabitants of the third settlement, — the St. Mary's residency — distant but Ihiee miles, that the Iroquois were butchering their com- rades. Some few had fled from the St. Louis furl, in which Lalem;mt and De Drebceuf were located : they were not the men to fly from death. De Brebajufs herculean form might be seen close to the breach, admonishing the fallen warriors how to die, and encouraging them in their last moments. Duthwere seized and marched prisoners to the St. Ignace settlement. Scouts were immediately sent out to ascertain whether the St. .. .«...«JO.-V* 26 DE DREBOEUP AND LALEMANT. Mary's sottlcmcnt could stand an assault. On their report a war council decided on attacking it the next day ; amongst, the inmates of this fort were some Europeans, who where determined to sell dearly their lives. The Ilurons then num- bering ab(^ut two hundred, had to retreat for shelter into what remained or the St. Louis settlement. Several engagements followed, and fmally the Iroquois remained in possession of the Held of battle, having lost about one hundred of their bravest men. The Indians, who had got possession of Fort St. Ignaee, hurried to prepare the two missionaries to undergo the usual tortures reserved to prisoners. De Brebocuf had previously staled, on his arrival in the colony, that he expected to be soon put to death, nor was he long kept in suspense ere he saw his prophecy verified. A large Ore was lit, and an iron caldron placed over it ; the prisoners were then stripped and tied to a post erected near each fire ; they were first beaten with sticks ; then a necklace was made of war-axes heated in (he fire, and this was applied roiind their neck. Bark thongs were also tied round Ihem, on which rosin and pitch was smeared, and then set on fire. In derision of the holy rites of Christian baptism, the savages then poured boiling water on their heads. Amidst these hor- rible sufferings, Lalemant would raise his eyes towards heaven, asking strength and courage to endure Ihem. De Breboeuf seemed like a rock, perfectly insensible to pain ; occasionally he moved his lips in prayer ; — this so Incensed his execu- tioners that they cut off his lips and nose, and thrust a red hoi iron down his throat. Firm and resigned, the Christian giant, of a whole head taller than his torturers, would look down on them ; even in his agony, he seemed to command to his executioners. The implacable savages then unbound Lale- manl, much younger and more delicate than De Breboeuf ; he threw himself or fell immediately, at the feet of his intrepid colleacue, praying earnestly to the Almighty for help. He was then brought back and tied to his post, covered over with birck bark, and soon became a mass of living flame : the smell of blood awakening the ferocity of these cannibals, they, TBI SHORES or LAKE SIMCOB. 17 >vilhout wailing till his flesh was baked, cut out with thoir hunting knives largo slices out of Ihc fleshy part of his arms and legs ; then, amidst horrible yells, they devoured greedily the reeking repast. They then substituted burning cools for pupils in his eye sockets. De Dreboeuf s sulTerings lasted threo hours ; his heart was extracted after death and eaten. Lale- mant was less fortunate ; life was not extinct till next day ; a savage more humane than the rest, put an end to his existence by cleaving open his skull w ith his tomahawk ; at the departure of the ennemy, the mutilated and charred remains of (he two missionaries were found, and christian burial given to them on the 21st March, 1649. De Drebccuf's skull was taken to Quebec : his family sent out from France a silver case, in which it was placed, and it remained in the Jesuits^ College (now the Jesuits' Barrack, Upper Town Market place), until the last of the order, Father Jean Joseph Gasot, of Suiss descent, whodied in 1800, presented it a short time before his dealh^ to the Religious Ladies of the Hotel-Dieu Nunnery, where it can be seen to this day. Amongst the numerous witnesses of the Gospel put to death by the Indian tribes of Canada, none fell more heroically than De Drebceuf and Lalemant. (1) (1) Vide, in Canrer'a Tr&vels in America, in 1728, page 340, a remarltable instance of cruelty. See Breggani's Mii»ion» de» Jlauifcs dans la Nouvella France, from page 309 to page 319, for gome curious and instructive data relative to tlio peregrinations of those unlucky Hurons — once a powerful race amongst savages. After the brealcing up of the settlement hereinbefore described, on Lake Simcoe in 1649, we find them, located under the very guns of the ChiUeauSt, Louis, in 1658 ; knoobed about from post to pillow — tracked, persecuted and hunted by their impla- cable foes. In 1667, they founded four miles and a half from Quebec, the mission of Notre-Dame de Foye, since corrupted into Village de Ste. Fox. On the 29th December, 1693, they left the spot, for Ancienne Lorette, thus named from the Caia Sancta of Loretto in I taly. Several years later on, they moved to the village called Jeune Lorette, whore their descendants still survive. :j«^ 1 THE BELL OF SAINT-REGIS. FACT AND FICTION. Let US lell of the peregrinations of the Bell of St. Regis, and see how some very airy fictions have become incorpo- rated wilh solid hisloncal facts. We shall not do our readers the injustice to suppose that any one of them is not minutely conversant wilh all the parli- culars of the great Lachine massacre, perpetrated by the Iroquois (the allies of the New Englanders), on the ^olh April, 1689, a few miles only from the centre of the spot where now stands the proud city of Mount Royal The scalping, burning, and disembowelling of soir.e 200 men, women, and children, and the entire conflagration of their once happy homes, during profound peace, ant without a moment of warning, was cer- tainly a deed calcula.jd to call down on the Indian tribes the Ilcrceslretribution, especially when it became known that these hideous b>tcheiies where to have been repeated at Quebec and at Three Rivers, to please their New England allies ; a con- summation which a merciful Providence alone averted. Ma- rauding excursions on both sides of the border were then, the order of the day. One of the most remarkable expeditions of these times was that of Roiivillo, undertaken shortly after the English had ravaged, by fire and sword, the country of the Abe- naquis Indians. M. de Vaudreuil sent, during the winter of 1704, two hundred and fifty men, under the command of Hertel de Rouville, who, followed by his lour brolheis, bade fair to replace his brave father, then too stricken in years to share the dangers of such a service. The expedition ascended Lake Champlain, and, by way of Onion river, soon struck Con- necticut river, which it followed over the ice until it reached the habitation nearest to the Canadian border, Deerfield. This plac(? was surrounded by some outer works of defence, which the snow covered, and Governor Dudley had placed there about 30 THE BELL OF ST. REGIS. twenty soldiers to assist the inhabitants in defending them- selves. Uouville invested the place, unperceived, during the night of the 29lh February. Guards had been patrolling the streets during that night, but had retired to rest towards morning. Two hours before day-break, the French and their Indian allies, not hearing any stir, scaled the walls, and, des- cending into the settlement, surprised the inhabitants, rapped in sleep. Little resistance was offered. Forty-seven persons were slaughtered ; a large number of prisoners taken, and the settlement given to the flames. A few moments after sunrise, Rouville was retracing his steps towards the Canadian frontier, taking with him one hundred and twelve prisoners. Pursuit was organized against the spoilers, but without success. Rou- ville escaped, with the loss of three Frenchmen and some savages, but he himself was wounded. The party was twenty- five days returning ; their provisions were merely the wild animals they killed in the cha?e. The Rev. Mr. Williams, Pastor of Deerfield, and his daughter, were amongst the pri- soners brought to Canada. Several of the young girls were place in the Ursuline Convent at Quebec, and at Throe Rivers. Miss. Eunice Williams, daughter to the Pastor of Deerfield, having subsequently married a christianized Iroquois, settled at Sault St. Louis. (1) Such, the outline, fournished us by historians, of this memorable Canadian raid. Cut there are some unwritten particulars of interest handed down to us, by tradition, for instance : the peregrinations of the Bell of St. Regis, or rather of Sault St. Louis. We find this incident alluded to, in a correspondence, in the Erie Despatch, dated « Massena Springs, 24th July, 1865 : » — « St. Regis contains a small Catholic Church, on the Canadian side of the line, built about the year 1700. When completed, the priest in- formed the Indians that a bell was highly important to their worship, and they were ordered to collect fuuds sufficient to purchase one. They obeyed, and the money was sent to France for the purpose. The French and English were then at war. The bell was shipped, but the vessel that conveyed it, fell into the hands of the English, and was taken to Salem in 1703. (1) Ferland's HiBtory of Cftudft. FACT AND FICTION. 31 i The bell was purchased for a small church at Deerfielil, on the Connecticut river, the pastor of which was the Rev. Mr. Williams. The priest of St. Regis heard of the destination of his bell, and, as the Governor ot Canada was about to send an expedition against the colonies of New England, he exhorted the Indians to accompany it, and get possession of Ihe bell. » The particulars of Ihe Rouville expedition are then given in the Erie Despatch. « The only house left standing at Deerfield was thatofCapt. Seldon, which Ihe assailants themselves occu- pied after securing the prisoners. It was still standing near the centre of the village, in 1850. The bell was conveyed through the forest to Lake Champlain, to a spot were Burlington now stands, and there they buried itwith the benedictions of Father Nicholas, the priest of St. Regis, who accompanied them. Thus far they had carried it by means of poles, upon their shoulders. They hastened home, and returned in early spring, with horse and sledge, to convey the sacred bell to its desti- nation, r The Indians of the village had never heard the sound of a bell, and powerful was the impression on their minds, when its deep tones, louder and louder, broke the silence of the forest as it approached the village at e^ening, suspended upon a cross-piece of timber, and rung continually by the delighted carriers. It was hung in a frame tower, separate from the church, with solemn ceremonies. Some years after it was removed to the tower of the church. The old bell was cracked by some means, and last year it was sent to Troy, N. Y., and Ihe material re-cast into the new one which they now have. » To an inquiry, addressed by me to the Rev. R. C. clergy- man of St. Regis anent the bell, in order to reply to a ques- tion submitted by a member of the Historical Society of Massachusetts (Mr. Davis), I have received the following courteous answer : — « Saint-Regis, nth Nov., 1867. « J. M. LeMoine, Esq., Quebec. « Sin, — The history of the aforesaid bell iscorrect, with the exception that it was brought back by the Indians of Sault St. 32 THE DELL OP ST. REGIS. Louis, for which mission il was destined, and not lo SI. Uegrs. Saull St. Louis is a >iliage situate on the s-hore opposite to Luchine. The version in favor of St. Uegis was propagated in the United Slates by a young lady who wrote a legend, in \erse, on this famous bell. I have forgotten the name of the writer. The best proof Ihat it could not be St. Uegis is, that St. Regis was founded in 1759 by a Jesuit, >\ilh a paily of Indians from Sauil St. Louis ; and tliat in 1704 it was but a wilderness were the Indians came to bunt ; so that this bell was conveyed lo its place of destination, Sault St. Louis — now known as Caughna^^aga, which is a corruption furKakna- v>aka, \Nhich means « Th(! Rapids » — about 55 years belore the first settlements at St. Regis. « Yours truly, » « (Signed) Frs. Marcolx, Ptre. » The pnblicalion of these details brought to the front, a Portland Antiquarian of note — Hon. Geo. N. Davis, who whilst on a visit to Quebec in 1869, honored me with a call and sub- sequently investigated the story of the mysterious Rell ; the result of his investigation, as communicated to the Historical Society of Massachusetts, of which he was a members runs thus : THE SATNT-UKGIS BELL. On the 29th of February, 1703 — 4, the town of Deerfield, in Massachusetts, was sacked and burned by a jjarty of two hundred French and one hundred and forty- two Indians, under Major Hertel do Rouville, and one hundred and twelve men, women, and children wore carried into cajitivity, including the Rev. John Wil- liams, and his wife and children. A full account of this ruid is given by Iloyt, in his book on " Indian Wars, " published in firecnficld in 1824. In that book, as I believe, appeared the first printed statement in relation to what has been sinco commonly known as the story of the " Boll of St. Regis. " That story has sinco been the basis of many publications in poetry and proso, and has invariably been led by my own inquiries as to its authenticity. Hoyt, who is a perfectly honest and truthful historian, states that Eunice, a daughter of the Rev. John Williams, never returned from her captivity, but married an Indian ; and he adds that " recently one of the great grandsons of Mr. Williams, under the name of Eleazor Williams, has been educated by his friends in New England, and is now employed as a missionary to the Indiana at Qroen Bay, on Lake Michigan. " Hoyt goes on to.say as follows ; — "In a recent visit to Montreal and Quebec, Mr. Williams made some osertiona to seoure doouments relative to his anoeiton, partioalarly on bis graadmothet'4 FACT AND FICTION. 33 Bide. ... Ho found a Bible, which was the property of his great grandfather, the Rev. John Williams, in which is the date of purchase with his name; also the journal of Major Rouville, kept on the expedition against Doerfield in 1704, in which he frequently mentions John Williams as ' an obstinate horetiok. ' From the journal, it appears that Rouvillo's French troops suffered extremely from a want of provisions on the march to Deerfiold, and wore in a mutinous state when they arrived before the place; but were kept to their duty by the Indians, who, from their greater facility in procuring game in the woods, and superior hardiness, were faithful to the commander. Mr. Williams has also procured the journal of the commanding officer on the expedition against Schenectady, in 1690. These journals were obtained at one of the principal convents, where copies were re- quired to be deposited on the return of the commanders of parties, as well as with the government. Mr. Williams states that when Deerfield was destroyed, tho Indians took a small church bell, which is now hanging in an Indian church in St. Regis. It was conveyed on a sledge as far as Lake Champlain, and buried, and was subsequently taken up, and conveyed to Canada. Mr. William's father and other Indians at St. Regis, are well acquainted with the facts relating to the bell, as well as the destruction of Deerfield. " Uoyt adds in a note, " Communicated by Col. Elihu Hoyt, who recently con- versed with Mr. Williams. " It will be observed that Hoyt, born in Deerfield, and always residing there, does not suggest the existence of any tradition or record in Dectield, bearing upon this subjeoc ; nor does he appear to have seen the journals spoken of by Eleazer Williams. The evidence, traditional or documentary, existing in Deerfield in relation to the matter, is fully and fairly stated in a letter dated Feb. 21, 1870, addressed to me by Mr. George Sheldon, of Deerfield, who has devoted much time to the inves- tigation of the history of Deerfield, and whose statements are worthy of full credit. He writes as follows : — " This romantic legend, so often repeated, has at length come to be accepted by most people as an historic fact. As a student of the early history of my native town, the bell story has become to me a subject of intense interest. In the course of my investigation, from a firm believer I became an utter sceptic, but at pre- sent am all out to sea. If there exists any satisfactory evidence anywhere, it would seem it must be lodged in the old convents or churches in Canada. In ac- cordance with your desire, I will give some of the reasons fur the lack of faith which is in me. . . . While not one particle of evidence has been found (by me, at least) to support the statement of Mr. Williams, on the other hand nothing better than negative evidence has been found to disprove it ; but there is a good deal of that. The town records, covering a period of twenty years before the event, are complete, but give not the slightest hint that there was ever a bell ia town. Town and parish where then one. In the ' Redeemed Captive, ' a minute narrative of the events of the assault, the march to Canada, and of the captivity, and the repository of many reflections on the conditions of his church and people, Mr. Williams gives us no hint that a bell over summoned his flock to wership. His son Stephen has left us another account of the same events, entering into par- ticulars, even more minutely than his father, and it seems almost impossible that the bell from his father's church could have been conveyed by the party either on poles or men's shoulders, or drawn upon a sledge, without so attracting hin hoyish notice as to leave some trace upon his Journal ; but we get no hint from him, though be was carried to St. LouiB, aod lived there long enough to learn the language. 34 THE DELL OF ST. REGIS. " Aaron Denio, who was born in Canada of parents captured by Rouvillo at Dcerficld in 1704, was a very prominent man, and lived to a good old ago in the town of flroenfield. Many stories are told of him to this day, but none of them convey the faintest tone of a bell. Much is known and told of the Kellogg boys and girls, who grew to be men and women amongst the Caughnawagas, and who figure largely in the history of this part of the colony as ofScers and interpreters, but not tho faintest tinklo of the bell can wo wring from them. There lives in this town a bright, smart woman of eighty-eight years, with an astonishing memory, who tolls many stories of her grandmother, who was born loss than thirty years after the massacre, and whom she remembers perfectly ; but not the faintest murmur of the bell is heard in them all. " The church, at Deorfield, was square, with a four-sided roof, from the centre of which sprung the centre belfry, which must have been fully exposed in every direction ; at a distance of about eight rods stood the house of Benoni Stebbins, which was successfully defended to the last by a party of sharpshooters, and several Indians and at least one Frenchman were killed by their fire. A party in the belfry, it would seem, must be at their mercy. A service of such a peculiar nature, in the face of such imminent danger, could hardly have been accomplished without leaving some mark on the traditions of the times, but none have been discovered as yet. The field of inquiry, in this region, seems to be about ex- hausted ; and I earnestly hope that some interested antiquarian, qualified for the ■work, will unearth those musty records, which are said to be deposited in convents or churches in Canada, and set the matter at rest, one way or the other. " In further illustration of the diSicalties which the attacking party would have found in carrying away an article so cumbrous as a bell, I annex a copy of a petition, of which the original is to be seen in the Massachusetts Archives, with the legislative order indorsed on the original paper. To his Excellency the Governor togfther with the Hon, Council and Representatives met in the Great and General Assembly at Boston, May 31, 1704, The humble petition of Jonathan Wells and Ebenezer Wright in the behalfo of the company who encountered the French and Indians at Deerfield, Feb. 29, 1704, sheweth : 1«(. That we, understanding the extremity of the poor people at Deerfield, made all possible haste to their relicfe, that we might deliver the remnant that Were left, and doe spoil on the enemy. idly. That, beingjoyned with a small number of the inhabitants and garrison aouldiors, we forced the enemy out of town, leaving a great part of their plunder behinde them, and pursuing them about a mile and an halfe, did great execu- tion upon thorn. We saw at the time many dead bodies, and we and others did afterwards see the manifest prints on the snow, where other dead bodies were drawn to a hole in the river. Zdly. That the enemy being reinforced by a great number of fresh men, we were overpowered, and necessitated to run to the fort ; and, in our flight, nine of the company were slain, and some others wounded ; and some of U8 lost our npper garments which we had put off before in the pursuit. itUy. That the action was over, and the enemy withdrawn about fourscore rodi from the fort, before any of our neighbours came into the fort. Wherefore we doe humbly supplicate the Hon. Assembly, that according to their wonted justice and bounty, they would consider the service we have done in preserving many lives and much estate, and making a spoil on the enemy, the haizard that we run, the losses ve sustained, the afflicted condition of luoh M FACT AND FICTION. 35 hftvo lost near relations in this encounter, nnd bestow upon us some proportion- able recoinpenco, that wo and others may be inpounigcd upon such ovornor-Qeneral of Canada, who por- oeirod their inclinations, has always treated thorn with great icindnoss, and has privately engaged them to come and settle near hiui, knowing well, by expe- rience in the last war, that they were the only Indians to be feared on the side of Fort St. Frederic and Lake Champlain. A great number of them are determined in consequence of this, and it is im- possible the rest should stand out a grout while. In the moan time, the village of the Fall of St. Louis being very numerous, is too much crowded ; and, moreover, the quality of the land not permitting them to push out further there because of the marshy places that are throughout, several families of the Fall of St. Louis, with a great number of Iroquois Agniors, have desire to make a now settlement tn a place where the land was more fertile : in the first place, for the convenience of life ; and, next, to be out of the way of drunkenness, to which the nearness of Mountroyal exposed them ; and the readiness of the French to sell them brandy, notwithstanding the severe prohibitions of the Oenerals. Agreably to this pro- jection, they have made choice of a place in the King's territories, situated towards ths south at the entrance of Lake St. Francis, half-way between the mission of the Falls of St. Louis and that of ths Presentation. As this place ap- pears to have all the properties for making a solid and advantageous settlement for the Indians, I came here with them ; and it is actually the mission which I have now the charge of, under the title of St. Regis. But as the Agniers desire to have the peaceable possession of said territory, I take the liberty to ask in their name, — Ist, That they have granted to them the property of the territory lying south, at the entrance of Lake St. Francis, between two rivers ; one to the north-east, called Nigenteiagoo ; the other south-west, called Nigentsiagd ; being in flront six leagues, comprising the two rivers, together with the islands thnt lie towards the shore, for the said Indians to hold so long as their village shall there subsist, upon condition that if the mission is dissolved, the said hands shall to the King. 2nd, That the Jesuites missionaries be authorized under the title of feoffees in trust to make the partition of said land among the Indians, and amicably decide any controversies that may hereafter ensue relating to this matter ; and to ma- nifest that the said missionaries in no wise seek their own interest in this, they desire it may be expressly prohibited both now and hereafter to make any grant to the French, as likewise to reserve for themselves, the missionaries, in said place any land for ploughing ; and then the distance of the French will take away from the Indians the opportunity of copying their faults, and ruining them- selves with strong drink. 3rd, That you would please to favor the good dispositions of the Oovernor- General by giving orders that they may have some assistance in this settlement, advantageous, at the same time, to the interest of religion and the good of tha colony. P. R. BiLLiABD, Juuit*, Miuionary to the Iroquois of the Mietion of St. Regie, St. Regis, Dee. 7, 1754. Under date of " St. Regis, lat April, 1870, " Rer. F. Maroonz favors me with information ai follows :— " I will further add the tradition on the testimony of the most ancient inha- bitants of this place, of whom some are almost contemporary with th« foundation FACT AND FICTION, 37 Iwith Lha- Ition •of thoir villngo in ]7fiO, . . . that from 1760 down to 1835, there have boon but two bells in 8t. Kc)»i» ; ono came from the Catholic Chiirrh of Fort Frontenne (now KiD;,'-(o;i, Ontario), and was given to thorn, at thoir roquost, by ono of tho first governrrs of Quebo •, after tho conquest ; tho other wn» purchased lit Albany in 1802. Tln'S" two bolls, having been erackod, were carried to Troy, N.-Y., in 1S'<5, and re-cast into a single boll. This is the tradition of St. Regis. " It lias nioru recently boon stated, however, that the tradition, though untrue a« to St. Ucjxis, is in fact true of a boll which is hanging in St. Louis (now Caugh- •nawaga), a )placo situated on tho south 8itory of St. Lawrence and Franklin Counties, " i>ublishod in 1853, tho statement is luado as follows : — " While on a visit to Caughnawnga in October, 1852, tho author found in the village a dircc! and consistent tradition of tho boll, which is still used in their church ; and among tho records in the hands of tho priest, a manuscript, in tho French InuL^uapo, of which wo shnll give a translation. The bell is a small ono, and once jiosscssed an inscription, which has been effiioed. The legend purports to hiive been found some tiftoon years since in an old English publication, and is regarded by tiiu prie?t of the missiiin. Rev. .Joseph Mnrcoux, who has for many years resided there, as, in the main points, reliable. " Tho Rev. Francis Marcoux, of St. Regis, has also expressed his full belief in tho existence and authenticity of the tradition as applied to the bell of St. Louis. I am fully assured that tho negative evidence wliich 1 have produced is suffi- cient to show that the tradition, if ever it existed, could have had no foundation in trutli ; and I have a.'- yet not discovered any precise and detailed evidence of the existence of this stoiy before tho preparation of lloyt's book, nearly fifty years ago. Tho " legend, " of which i'r. Hough gives a translation, is calculated to cause doubt rnlhor than belief. It does not profess to be founded on tradition, but is said to have been tal — not men of [il(>asure such as those with whom Louis XV, surrounded his throne and oppressed his subjects, but honorable men such as Victoria and the Kngllsh people are proud of; men well represented by that aristocracy (tf merit u specially charged to peipetuate traditions of chivalry and honor, » whose door Is open to the peopl(», as the highest recognition of popular merit ; whose worth is testified to, by IheKnglishas well as by the French ; who are eulogized in lolly terms by men of commanding intellect, such asMonti'squleu. .Montalemberl, Guizot, Chateaubriand (1). (1) " The nobility of Great Britain is the finest modern society since the Ro- man Patriciate, " said ths illustrious Chateaubriand. His vast rescarchoi, his presence at the English court as French ambassador in 1822, had gireu him Ample opportunity of judgi'ig. CANADIA?i NOBILITY. 41 Iflby jale the lose l^vlio iCt, 1(1). Ro- him Merit is (lion the toudi-slono wiiichon trinl, wiiing from llicso bi'illianl writiMs llio uii(|iialiihMl piuise llicy beslowud on lliu nobility of uld Eni^land. Lot us see whether we can apply this test to one of the okb.'st and most iionon^d names in our own history — we mean that of tlie Haron do Loii;;noil. In lornuM' times, too, we had bloody wai's to wage ; merci- less I'oL's existed on our frontiers ; the soil th.-n found gene- I'ous and l)i'ave soidiijrs to defend it . men who went forlh cachday with their lives in their hands, ready to shed the last drop of blood for all Ihey held dear : their homes, their wiv(!s, lh(!ir children, lias the stout race ul other days dege- nerated, j^rown callous to what ils God, its honor, its country may conimaud in the hour of need ? ^Ve should hope not. We said the IJaronMe Lonj^ueil. \Mio was the Baron do Longueil ? Willi your porniission, kind reader, lei us peruse together the royal patent erecting the seijiiiiory of Longueil into a barony : it i ■ to be found in the Register of the pioceediugs of llie SU| rior Council ot Quebec, letter!}, page 131, and runs thus : « Louis, by the Grace of God, Kingof I'lauce and Navarro, to all present, Greeting : It being an attribute ofourgreatness and of our justice to reward those whose courag(i and merit led them to perfoiui great deeds, and taking into coiisideiali(Hi the services which have been rendertjd lousby the lal(i Charles LeMoyne, (i) Ksipiire, Seigneur of Longueil, who left France in 1640 to reside in Canada, where his valour and fidelity were so often This estimate does not quite agree with that of the author of " Ropro- gentative .Men, " R.W. Einorson : " Twenty thousiind tiiievos landed at Ilnstings. These founders of the House of Lords were greedy and ferocious dragoons, sons of greedy and ferocious pirates. Tliey were aU alilco ; they took everything thoy could carry. They hurned, harried, violated, tortured and kiUod, until everything English was brought to the verge of ruin. Such, however, is the illusion of antiquity and wealth, that decent and dignified men now existing, boast their descent from those petty thieves, who showed afar justor conviction of their own merits, by assuming for their types, the swine, goat, jackal^ leopard, wolf, and snake, which they severally resembled. " It took many generations to trim, and comb, and perfume the first boat-load of Norse pirates into royal highnesses and most noble knights of the garter ; but every spark of ornament dates back to the Norse boat." — Enr/lUlt Traitt. (1) He was nephew to the celebrated Surgeon Adrien Duchesno. 42 THE BAnON OF LONGUEIL. £J conspicuous in the wars against the Iroquois, that onr go- vernors and lieulouanl-goVL'rnors in tliat country emjtloyod him constantly in ovory military expedition, and in every negocialion or trcaly of peace, of all which duties he acquitted himself to their entire satisfaction; — that after him, Charles LeMoyne, Esquire, his eldest son, desirous of imitating the example of his father, bore arms from his youth, cither in France, where he served as a lieutenant in the Regiment de St. Laurent, or else as captain of a naval detachment in Canada sinc(; 16S7, where he had an arm shot oO" by the Iroquois when figliling near Lachine, in ^^hich combat seven of his brothers were also engaged ; — that Jacques LeMoynede Ste. Ilelene. his brother, for his gallnitry, was made a captain of a naval d( achment in a colonial corps, {I ) and afterwards fell at the siege of Quebec, in ICO'V leading on with his elder brother, Charles Le Moyne, the Canadians against Phipps, when; his brother was also wound;'d ; that another brother, Pierre Le Moyne dlberville, captain of a sloop of N^ar, served on land and on sea, and captured Tort Corlard in Hudson's Bay, and still commands a frigates ; that Joseph Le Moyne de Bienville, was commissioned an ensign in the said naval de- tachment, and was killed by the Iroquois in the attack on the place called Uepentigny ; that Louis Le Moyne de Chaleau- guay, when acting as lieutenant to his brother, dlberville^ also fell in the taking of Fort Bourbon, in the Hudson's Bay ; that Paul Le Moyne de ]\Iaricourt is an ensign in the navy, and captain ot a company in the naval detachment, acting in the capacity of ensign to his brother d'lberville ; that, in carrying out our inteidions for settling Canada, the said Charles Le Moyne, the eldest son, has spent large sums in establishing inhabitants on the domain and seigniory of Longueil, which comprises about two leagues in breadth on the St. Lawrence, and three leagues and a half in depth, the whole held from us with haute, moycnne et basse justice, wherein he is now striving to establish three parishes, and uhereal, in order to protect the residents in limes of war, he has had erected at his own (1) Trnufies de hi marine and troupen de lu cnlnnie, meant the sauio : tUo Frciich Minister uf Marino liad charge of both Departments. CAlSADIAPf NOr.ILITT. 43 Le ling us ring L'ci Iwn luch 'I cosi, a fort snpportfrd by four strong towers of ston" and ma- sonry. ^vilh a guard house, several large dwellings, a fine clnircli, bearing all the insignia of nobility ; a spacious farm yard, in which there is a barn, a stable, a sheep pen, a dove «ot, and other biiiltlings, all of which are wilfiin thearea of the snid fort ; next to which stands a haual mill, a fine brewery of masonry, togolher with a large retinue of servants, hoises and cqiiipnges, the cost of which buildings amount to some GO^OOO livres ; so much so that this si'igniory is one of the most valuable of the \%hole country, and the only one fortified and built up in this way ; tliat this bas powerfully contributed to protect the inhabitants of Ibe neigbboring seigniories ; that this estate, on account of the extensive land clearings and work done and to be done on it, is of great value, on which thirty workmen are employed ; that the said Charles Le ]\b)yne is now in a position to hold a noble rank on account of bis virtueand merit: For which consideralioiis we have thought it due to our sense of justice to assign not only a title of Inuior to the estate and seigniory of Longiieil, but also to confer on its owner a proof of an honorable distinction which will pass to posterity, and which may appear to the children of tliesaid Charles Le >b)yne a reason and inducement to follow in their father's footsteps : For tb' - . causes, of our special grace, full power and royal auth'^i'*), we Ijave created, erected, raised and decorated, ahtl do create, erect, raise and decorate, by till! present patent, signed by our own hand, the said estate and seigniory of Lonj;ueil, situate in oiu' coinitry of Canada, into the name, titlt; and dignity of a barony ; the same to bo P' acefully aiid fully enjoyed by the said Sieur Charles Le Moyne, his diildren and heirs, and the descendants of the same, born in legitimati^ wedlock, ln'ld undisr our crown, and sidijtset to fealty {fni et liommage avec (h'no)nl>rctnen() according to the laws of our kingilom ami the custom of I'aris in force in C mada, together with the name, title and dignity of a baron ; — it is our pleasure he shall designate and qualify himself baron in all deeds, judgmeiUs, &c. ; that he shall enjoy the right of arms, heraldry, hon(us, prerogatives, rank, preced- ence in lime of war, in meetings of the nobility, &., hkc the 44 THE BARON OF LONGUEIL. other barons of our kingdom — that the vassals, arricr«ras.saMx, and olhoi's depending of Iho said scigiiiury uf Loiigueil, noble- ment et en roture, shall acknoN>ledgo the said Cliarh'sLcMoyne, his heirs, assigns, as barons, and pay them the ordinary feudal homage, which said lilies, &e., it is our pleasure, shall l)e inserted in pioccjedings and sentences, had or rendered by courts of .justice, without, however, Ihe said vassals being held to perform any greater homage than lliey are now liable to This deed to be enregistered in Canada, and the said Charles Le Moyne, his children and assigns, to be maintained in full and peaceful enjoyment of the rights herein conferred. « Thus done at Versailles, the 27th January, 1700, in the fiftieth year of our reign. « (Signed), Louis. » We have here a royal patent, convoying in unmistakable terms on the Great Louis' loyal and brave Canadian subject and his heu's, rights, titles, prerogalives, vast enough to make €ven the mouth of a Spanish grandee water. 11 is a little less comprehensive than the text of the parchment creating Nova Scotia knights, but that is all. The claims of the Longueil family to the peaceable enjoy- ment of their honors are set forth so lucidly in the following document, that we shall insert the manuscript in full ; — it was written in Paris by an accomplished English gentleman, M. Falconer. t Wlicn I was in Canada, in 1842, a newspaper in Montreal, contained some weekly abuse of the Baron Grant do Longueil, on account of liis assuming the lillo of Baron do Longueil. It appeared tome to be some- what remarkable that a paper which very freely abused people for being republicans, and a[recte i'fn- forefathers fort^ ^ """, ^"'l'''':'',''" '"'"""aiero, «.ho^ 11.0 battle-fields of Calt '" '''"""' '" "'^ ^"""'o <«• on Mdlle Verch6res' carer c«l.ii,ii. seni™enls«hichinspit;,;e "T"'' T''"'' "' "'« M.\JOR HUBERT STOBO, H) 1727-I7«0 i I\KVIE\V. Anna, Virumque. On Hk' 3i'(l of .Inly, A. 1)., 17o'k oiU! luiiulnHl and sivlccH yoais iiiii). Iliiit is, in lIj(3oi;-'lilli Nciirol" IlKislnm^lolM'lwoen llie Kni^lLsli iiiiel French in liu! N(!\v World, lwt» lidshiiics and \>i'\- sontjrs (»r wiii' mi^lil Ikinc been seen su^l•u^\lully niari-hin;,' towaids llic fialos of Furl IJii Ui"'>i'<'. vxlioro now sUinds llie lluivin;,' Aniurican cily ul" rillslmig. Not all Hk; genius of Colonel Goorgi; Wasliin^lon. Itja(liii,u on his a sell-willed and nii|i()vei'iialilt' » Yiij^inians, jiad siil'lieed lo save llie English forces beleaguered in Fori .Nei-c^sily. Terms of siiirender were proposed by Ih'' French, and readily accept d by the disheart- ened liritish. On thai inemorabh; .'Ird tl July, 1754, the English garrison Avilhdrew fi(»ni the basin of Ihe Ohio, and lIuMi, in the eloqncnl language of IJancrolt, « In llie ^^llole valltjy of the Mississippi lo its head >piingsin Uk^ Allegliani(!s, 110 standard floaled but that of l"ran(('. » Tlic-e weie glorious limes, indeed, for lh(! Honrbuu Hii(!s ; tliijy weie not lo last forevei". (laplain Jocob Yan Ihaam, a Dulchnian, >vas one of the hostages ; Caplain Uoberl Slobo, a Si'dtchiiian, a favorite of (loveriior Dinwiddle, of Virginia, and lirst captain of a Vir- ginian regiment just raised, was the other. To reviewing succiii' 'v the chequered career of the lalt(!r, as disclosed to us in I Memoirs before us, \\e shall lor the present conlini! our A. (1) ; noire of Major Robert Stobo, of the Virginia Regiment — by a Con- rtoniporu _>■ — 92 Pages — Pittsburgh, ISii. 5G MAJOR ROBERT STOBO. llobcrl Slobo vas born at Glasgow, A. D., 1727. His father, Williani Slobo, was a cilizcii ul nolo and a sncpisslul Glasgow morcbant. Of a dolicalo constilitioii, young Stubo, at an iiarly a.^o, we are told by bis biographer, betrayed a turn for arms, « cmployinii his play-hoiirs at school in drum-beating, iniisler- jiig and exercising his comrades wi'h great ah'rtness, » — a not unappropriatf prelude to the warlike and hair-breadth adven- tint's which awaited th(» dauntless captain on the green banks of the Ohio, and those of the Si. Lawnnice at Quebec. The mode of campaigning df this Virginian officer was not without its altriiction. He started with a retinue of « ten servants, » wliom he had transformed into soldiers, « kept an open table in the wilderness, which was plentifully supplied with the game which the woods alTorded, » such, no doubt, as wild turkeys, prairie hens and grouse, with occasion;dly the tail (da beaver, or tid bits qf red deer venison. He was provided at « bis first setting out with a wt'.ole bull ofMadeira wine. » With sni'h a larder, such a cellar, who would not occa- sionally like to go campaigning as the captain of a Virginian regiment. " In th(! zeazon of the year ' The forc(! to which tlie famed Georgi; Washington had to capilidale at the Great Meadows, not far from the Appalachian Moiinlaius, on the 3rd July, 1754, was a large party of French- Canadians and harbai ians. As there are no French mentioned, accrally assisted by the ladies, » who took great ]»leasMre in hearing him aga'n a child, and learning to pro- nounce his syllables. « His manner was still open, free and easy, which gained him ready access into all their com|iany.» 11 would appear even, that a reunion was consideied incomplete, without the handsome Captain, « in whose appearance there was sonietliing veiy engaging; he had a dark brown conijilexion, a penetrating eye, an aquiline nose, round face, a good cheerful countenance, a very genteel per- son, rather slender than robust, and giacefnl in his whole deportment. » Amongst the delicate attentions of his amiable jailt'i's, one notes the honor bestdwcd on him, when instalbid an Indian chief. The ceremony of iiistnllalicm was more painful than picturesque. 11 was pe> i'ormed with some sharp fish-bones, dipped in a liquid w''- i leaves a blackness under Uie skin which nt'ver wears ofi', « ap|)lied on the leg above the garter, in form something like a diadem. » We are unfortu- nately left in the dark as to whether this handsome Scot, in order to display with advantage! his insignia as a Knight of the fJarter, took to wearing Kilts or not. In order tocarryontmore efiectually his plans, he set to studying Fiench most earnestly. Ihil an untoward event threatened lo cut short his adventu- rous careei'. The French (Jovermnenl having obtained posses- A HOSTAGE OF FORT NECESSITY. 59 sion 6T the letters and plans, Stobo had secretly conveyed to the enemy, issued a memorial, describinj; Stobo, as a spy in Fort Du Quesne, who had commiinicaled valuable information to the British authorities. Upon this discovery, Stobo was com- mitted a close prisoner nt Uncboc, and hardly used, we are told. His dungeon is most dismal and dark, but by degrees his eyesight became so sharp he could discern a « running mouse » on the floor. It is to be hopi.'d this is the last of these running mice. These credentials against him were remitted to Paris by the very first opportunity, and the next year, a commission was sent out to Vaudreuil, the (iovernor of Canada, to try the prisoner for his life. Some time, in 17oG, he effected his escape from prison. A n^ward of 0,000 livres having been olfered for hisre-caplure,di'adoralive, thousands scoured the woods for him ; he was soon replaced in his confinement — a most dismal dungeon, from which on the 28th November, he was dragged bcfon; the M;u(]uis of Vaudreuil. As president of the court-mai tial, lh(^ Marquis sentenced him to death for violating the law of nations by breach of faith and treasonable practices against the govermnent which held him as a ho-tage ; the Governor referred to F/ance to havethesen- tence confirmed ; the hapless prisoner with his arms well tightened down with conls, by \\ay of consoling himsidf, used to say, that he hoped the day woiilil come whcm he could twist otf the noses of those who caused him such disgrace. His motto however was : lortuna favct fortilnii ; so he had soon contrived a plan of escape, which instead of landing him in Virginia, took him only to the Falls of MoiilnKtnMicv, where he was re-arrested on the 3rd May, 17o7, and recoiiveyed to his prison. His new misfortune is bewailed by his biographer in alfecting language. The evil day however cannot last forever. There were then in Quebec, — there are still, ladies with marriageable daughters. Let us allow Stobo's words to speak out : « There dwelt, by lucky fate, in this strong capital, a lady fair, of chaste renown, of manners sweet, and gentle soul. » This lady fair thus addressed the proud Canadian Viceroy : m MAJOR ROBERT STOBO. — « Mighty Cousin, our good Canadian Court most sure" were right when Ihoy condt.Mniied this haughty prisoner to lose his forfeited life to our Grant Monarch, (Louis XIV) whose great benevolence gives peace to mankind, his mighty arms give empire to the world. » Now, dear reader, shall we confess it ? wo have grave, very grave doubts that the court cliaimcrs, in Bigot's frolicsome days at Quebec, pleaded the cause of distressed cavaliers, in such « hifalutiu » accents. Be this as it may, Stobo, then very weak and ill by close confinement, was allowed to take up his quarters on the ram- parts with the « sweet hostess and her yet sweeter daughters. » Amongst the English prisoners of Quebec, there was a Lieu- tenant Steveftson, of Roger's Rangers, and one Clark, a Scotchman, from Leilh, a ship-carpenter by trade, with his wife and two small children ; he, to improve his prospects, had be- come a Roman Catholic. A plan of escape between them was agreed on, and carried out on 1st May, 1759. Major Stobo met the fugitives under a wind-mill, probably the old wind- mill on the grounds of the Goueral Hospital Convent. Having stolen a birch canoe, the party paddled it all night, and, after incredible fatigue and danger, they passed Isle aux Coudres, Kamouraska, and landed below this spot, shooting twoliidians in self-defence, whom Clark buried after having scalped them, saying to the Major : « Good sir, by your permission, these same two scalps, when I come to New-York, will sell for twenty-four good pounds : with this I'll be right merry, and my wife right beau. » They then murdered the Indian's faith- ful dog, because he howled, and buiied him with his masters. It was shortly after this that they met tho laird of the Kamou- raska Isles, le Chevalier de la Dui'an ' /e,whosaid thatthebest Canadian blood ran in his veins, and that he was of kin with the mighty Due de Miiapoix. Had the mighty Duke, however, at that moment seen his Canadian cousin steering the fuuroared boat, loaded with wheat, ' he might have felt but a very quali- fied admiration for the majesty of his demeanor and his nautical savoir (aire Stobo took possession of the Chevalier's piimace, and made the haughty laird, mlms volens^ row him A HOSTAGE OF PORT NECESSITY. di ired iali- his ;r's lini with the rest of the crew, telling him to row away, and that, had the great Louis himself been in the boat at that moment, it would be hie fate to row a British subject thus. « At these last mighty words, » says the Memoirs, « a stern resolution sat upon his countenance, which the Canadian beheld and with reluctance, temporized. » After a series of adventures, and dangers of every kind, the fugitives succeeded in captur- ing a French boat. Next, Ihey surprised a French sloop, and, after a most hazardous voyage, they finally, in their prize, landed at Louisbourg to the general amazemeut. Stobo missed the English fleet ; but took passage two days after, in a vessel leaving for Quebec, where he safely arrived to tender his ser- vices to the immortal Wolfe, who gladly, availed himself of them. According to the Memoirs, Stobo, used daily to set out to reconnoitre with Wolfe ; in this patriotic duly, whilst standing with Wolfe on the deck of a frigate, opposite the Falls of Montmorency, some French shots were nigh carrying away his decorated and gartered legs. We next find the Major on the 21st July, 1759, (1) piloting the expedition sent to Deschambault to seize, as prisoners, the Quebec ladies who had taken refuge there during the bom- bardment— « Mesdames Duchesnayand Decharnay ; Mile. Couil- lard ; the Joly, Mailhiot and Magnan families. » Next day in the afternoon, ks belles captives, who had been treated with every species of respect, were put on shore and released at Diamond Harbour. The English admiral, full of gallantry, ordered the bombardment of the city to be suspended, in order to alford the Quebec ladies time to seek places of safety. Stobo next points out the spot, at Sillery, where Wolfe landed, and soon after was sent with despatches, via the St. Lawrence, to General Amherst ; but, during the trip, the vessel was overhauled and taken by a French privateer, the despatches having been previously consigned to the deep. Slobo might have swung at the yard-arm in this new predica- ment, had his French valet divulged his identity with the spy of Fort Du Quesne ; but fortune again stepped in to preserve (1) See Journal du Si4ge d« Quibee, 1750 ; J. Q. Panet : p. 16. ilrstfaS 62 MAJOR ROBERT SipDO. the adventurous Scot. There were already too many prisoners on board of the French privateer. A day's provisions is allowed the English vessel, which soon landed Slobo at Halifax, from whence he joined General Amherst, « many a league across the country. » « He served under Amherst on his Lake Champlain expedition, and there he finished the campaign; which ended, he begs to go to Wi'liarasburgh, the then capital of Virginia. » It seems singular that no command of any importance ap- pears to have been given to the brave Captain ; but, possibly, the part played by the Major when under parole at Fort Du Quesne, was weighed by the Imperial authorities. There cer- tainly seems to be a dash of the Benedict Arnold in this trans- action. However, Stobo was publicly thanked by a Committee of the Assembly of Virginia, and was allowed his arrears of pay for the time of his captivity. On the 30th April, 1756, he had also been presented by the Assembly of Virginia with £300, in consideration of his services to the country and his sufferings in his confinement as a hostage in Quebec. On the 19th No- vember, 1759, he was presented with £1,000 as « a reward for his zeal to his country and the recompense for the great hardships he has suffered during his confinement in the enemy's country. » On the ISth February, 1760, Major Stobo embarked from New York for England on board the packet with Colonel West and several other gentlemen. One would imagine that he had exhausted the vicissitudes of fortune. Not so. A French privateer boards them in the midst of the En- glish channel. The Major again consigns to the deep his letters, all except one, which he forgot, in the pocket of his coat, under the arm pit. This escaped the general catastrophe ; and will again restore him to notoriety ; it is from General A. Monckton to Mr. Pitt. The passengers of the packet were assessed £2,500 to be allowed theii liberty, and Stobo had to pay £125 towards the relief fund. The despatch forgotten in his coat, on delivery to the great Pitt, brought back a letter from Pitt to Amherst. With this testimonial, Stobo sailed for New York, 24th April, 1760, to rejoin the army engaged in the invasion of Canada ; here end the Memoirs. Though Stobo's conduct at Fort du Quesne and at Quebec, A HOSTAGE OF FORT NECESSITY. 63 can never bo dcfcmded nor palliated, all will agree that lie exhibited during his eventful career, most indomitable forti- tude, a boundless ingenuity, and great devotion to his country —the whole crowned with final success. « It has been suggested, » say, the Memoirs « that Major Stoho was Smollet's original for Captain Lismahago, in the adventures of Humphrey Clinker. It isknown by a letter from David Hume to Smollet, that Stobo was a friend of the latter author, and his ren^arkable adventures may have suggested that character. If so ; the copy is a great exaggeration. » The Memoirs of 3Iajor Robert Stobo, printed at Pittsburgh in 1854, were taken from the copy in the British Museum, chiefly through the instrumentality of Mr. James McHenry, an enterprising Liverpool merchant. Mr. James McHenry is a son of Dr. McHenry, the Novelist and Poet, formerly of Pittsburgh. Robert Stobo is a name which must find its place in our annals. What a hero, for a Canadian Novel I 'mmm'^mmmmmmimm CADIEUX, THE OLD VOTAGEUR 'f,iii;) J Utawa's tido I this trembling moon Shall see U8 float over thy surges soon. Saint of this green isle I hear our prayers, Oh I grant us cool heavens and favouring airs. Blow, breezes, blow, the stream runs fast, The Rapids are near, and tho daylight's past. int., r,i ■Moo*-'- Every country has its legends, its wild stories of love or revenge ; Its traditional accounts of heroes ; of battles won or lost ; of brave men saved from certain death by some unac- countable superhuman agency ; of wicked ones summarily punished. Poets, chroniclers, and historians mould these me- mories into more or less attractive form, throw light or shade on the picture, as suits them ; surround it with the halo of genius, or leave it a dreary record of the past. It were strange, indeed, if our own inland seas, (1) ourwild lakes, our romantic forests — which for centuries resounded with the tread or echoed the warwhoop of the innumerable Indian tribes bent on exterminating one another, and equally hostile to the white man — rshould be an exception to the general rule. There is indeed an ample harvest awaiting the future Walter Scotts, the Washington Irvihgs, or the Coopers, whom Canada may produce. •I'-fuiil mi Jtitil ^u rttioi ,!'.w)\n-.\tiH i'i KVhW.nii'x (1) Lake Superior according to U. S. Surveys is 367 miles in extreme length ; gieatest breath, 159 miles ; me$xx depth, 1,000 feet ; elevation above sea level, 627 feet; area, 10,665 miles. Lake Michigan : extreme length, 860 miles ; extreme breath, 108 miles ; mean depth, iK)0 felfe Ontario : extreme length, ^QO; utiles; extzems breath,. 6<6 miles; moaa depth, 500 feet ; eievation 260 feet ; area, 098 miles. Total length of the five Lakes : 1,350 miles— total area, 28,863 miles. 5 66 CADIEL'X, THE OLD VOYAGEUR. AVe shall in this paper select for our Ihcme, one of those ancient trudilions, carefully collated, and divested of many of its marvellous episodes. Amongst the numerous songs yihkh old Voyageurs and Northwesters were in the habit of singing a few years ago, after the toil of the day was over, and when the aroma of the weed rose in circles round the camp-fire, few had a wider range of celebrity than one generally known as the a Gcmplainte de Cadieux ; » it portrayed in simple but vivid language the sin- gular fate of an educated and roving Frenchman, of which class the Baron dc Saint Castin is the truest type ; Cadieux was his name ; the banks of the Ottawa River, close to Portage du Fort, the theatre of his exploits and unhappy end. But I fancy I hear an inqiiisive lady friend ask : « "Who was Cadieux ? "What brought him out to Canada ? "Was it to escape a leltre de cachet, or was he a blase Court roii(4, or a disappointed lover, seeking oblivion or concealment in the fastness of a Cana- dian forest, like the old Hermit of the Island of St. Barnab^, of whom you have given us so glowing an account?)) Lady fair, I cannot say ; I can only translate for you, the history of the solitary tomb, which you can visit any day you like, near Porlaop. du Fort, as Dr. Tache has related it. Evidently, Cadieux must have united to bravery, and to a ro- mantic mind, a poetical genius : he finds his place amongst that resolute band of intelligent pioneers, the Marsollets, Mar- gueries, Hertels ; the Coutures, the Nicolets, &c., who were sometiines employed by government, sometimes by the mis- sionaries, to interpret the various Indian dialects. Dr. Tache, to whom we are indebted for the narrative of Cadieux in his Forestiers et Voyageurs, tells us that he himself had fre- quently, in the course of his travels in Iha back-woods of Canada, heard detached stanzas of this mysterious wail of suffering and death ; until recently, the singular tradition, as embodied in poetry, had, as a whole, coostanlly eluddd his grasp. Nor was he alone in his efforts to rescue it from obli- vion ; an indefatigable searcher of the past, the vene- rable Abi)^ Ferland, had diligently set to work, making enquiry in every quarter, writing even to the Red River settlements for 2 C\D1EUX, TOE OLD VOYAGEUR. 67 inroimalion. To llie ploasing author of Les Foretiliers et Voyayeurs, was reserved the salisfaclion ofgiaphically record- ing lli(! old Iradilion. Audubon liiniself, when he discovered Ihe nia^iiilicenl eagle to which he gave the name of IheBmitOF Washington, did not experience keener pleasure than Dr. Tache on receiving from the lips of his old Indian guide Mo- rache, Ihe whole complaiute or song of (ladieiix. « In ascending, » says he, « the great River Ottawa, one has to stop at the rock of the high mountain, situate in the middle of the portage of the seven falls at the foot of the island of the Grand Calumet : it is there that lies Cadieux's tomb, surrounded to this day by a wooden railing. Each time th(; (liuupany's canoes pass the little rock, an old Voyageur relates to his younger companions the fate of the brave inter- preter. « Cadieux was a roving interpreter, who had married a young Algonquin girl : he generally spent the summer hunt- ing, and in winter he purchased furs for the traders. After a winter thus passed by Cadieux at the portage, where he and the other families had their wigwams, it had been decided in May, to wail for other Indian tribes who had furs for sale, and then all were to come down to Montreal. Profound peace existed in the settlement, when one day a young Indian, who had been roaming about, close to the rapids lower down than Ihe portage, rushed back out of breath and shouted like a death kneli amongst the alfrighted occupants of the huts : Nattaoue ! Nattaoue I ! The Iroquois ' the Iroquois I ! ' « There was in reality at that moment, lower than the rapids of the Seven Falls, a parly of Iroquois warriors, waiting to pounce upon the canoes, one which generally descended at that season loaded with skins. One chance only of escape remained : to risk running the canoes through the rapids — a hopeless pro- ject, though it had ever been considered. Nor was this all ; it would be necessary to station some parlies in the woods in order, by firing, to draw off the attention of the Iroquois from the desperate attempt which would be made to shoot through the rapids and prevent pursuit. Cadieux, being the ablest and most resolute of the tribe, choose a yyung Algonquin wariior ■i ^ 08 CADIEUX, THE OLD VOYAGlPAn. to s(>convns soUIimI Ifiat once llio inlcrproUM' and his comrade should have sui;cecded to inveigh; Ihe Iroquois in (he woods, lliey would try u eir- cuilous route, and alleinpt to join their own friends who were to send after them, should they he too lon^ absent. « I'reparalions having been nmde for a slarl,il>\ as settled that C.adieiix and the Alj^'onquin wariior, well armed, should ad- vatico towards the Iroquois encampment, and that Ihcsi^n for the eanoesto break cover and venture on their learfid race, would ))e the (iring of their guns. Soon the report of a fire-arm was heard in the dfslance ; it was followed by three or four others in ()nick succession ; on went the frail birch canoes, amidst the foam and rocks, skimming like s(>a birds, over the boiling caldron ; it was a race for dear life, Iht; extraordinary and superhuman skill of the red skins alone, under Provid(!nce, saving them from death in a thousand forms. « ' 1 saw nothing during our passage over the rapids, ' said Cadieux's wife, a pious \Aomen, ' but the form of a tall lady in uhilc hovering over the canoes and showing us the way. ' They had invoked Sainte Anne, the patron saint of the mariner. « The canoes escaped and safely arrived at the Lake of Two Mountains ; but Cadieux and his devoted follower — what had become of them ? This was ascertained some time after by the party sent to their rescue, and from the Iroquois them- selves. « Cadieux had quietly watched for the Iroquoisattheporfa^e, placing himself about an acre from his colleague, allowing the Iroquois scouts to penetrate to the centre of the portage, he wailed until he heard the death yell of one of them, shot by his helpmate, and then marking his victim fired with unerring aim : the war whoop resounds, and the Iroquois fancying that they are attacked by a large parly of warriors, separate and chai ge in .difi^tirent directions. 11 is supposed that the young Algonquin fell here in attempting to pin Cadieux^ as was agreed on. For tbiee days the blood-thirsty aborigines scoured the woods to find out traces of the encampment, never think- ing for a moment that the enemy had been fool-hardy enough to attempt descending through the rapids. For three days and CADUXX, THR OLD VOYAGEUR. CO llircenij^lils Ihcy senrdicd forCadioiix — ; llicse wnro sleepless mollis for llic uhitc mail! Mnl'lli'd, llioy relnct'd llioir s(('ih and rctiirjicd to llicif canoes. Si'\(>ral (I;iys liad elapsed, and as iiu tidings of C.adieiix eaine, a party ^^il^ ioiined and >eiit to his reliel' ; traees of the Iroquttis were tiiiniij'takrable, and in- dications also of llio presniee of (!adi(Mix in llio vieinily. At, the Portnvliieli, appnretilly, liad l)ren abandoned; tliey passiul on, alter (!\aniining il and eoiiliniied llieir route, tb'iikin^' that perbaps Cadieiix might have b'cn eom])elIed to aseond the Ottawa and take refuse with lln; Indians of the island. Two days later — it was the tiiirleeMlli alter the skitniisb — they notiet'd, with surprise, on their relnry, on repassing what had provionsly appeared to them an abamloniied hiit,a smalleross. It stood, on iIk! snrl'aee, at the head of ji IVe«.hly made grave ; in it, was deposited the corpse, still Iresli of (ladienx, half covered with green branches. Ills hands were claspi'd over his chest, on wliicli rented a large slKii't of biicli bark. The general opinion was, on reading the writing seril)bled on the bark) and from other ijltendant ciii'iimstanees, that (xbaiis- tion, hiing(!r, and anxiety had jirodnced on the nnroilnnat;' interpreter that kind of mental Hbcialion or hallneinalion which tlie French (lanadian^ call, la folie des hois ; one of its pecnliarilie>, being the piopensity its viclims have of walking in thew'(K)ds, imiiitentionally in a circle witbonl making any progress, Cadieux had, imdiably lived on wild fruit, never daring to light a lire, for fear of betraying bis place of con- cealmtMil to bis merciless foes. lie bad iiiown weakt r daily ; when the relief parly had passed the li il two days pre\ioiislN, he had, il would seem, recognized tliein as friends, but lb ; :sudden joy at the [trospect of a speedy deliverance was so ^real that he fell to the earth speeeliless and iiia;iitnale ; that when they passed him, seeing llie last lio|ie \iinish,and feeliim his strength fail, he bud scribbled bis adieux to the livin. and then prepared his last resting place ; this done, and the cross erected, he laid himself down to sleep the long «limiber covering his body as best he could with spruce houghs. Cadieux was a Voyageur, a poet, and a waiiior. 70 CADIEIX, THi: OLD VOVAGfXK, ^^IlJ(l Ii(! Lad wiiUon Oil lilt,' biicli Itaik \mis liis dir^e, lifs I'lnuM'cal cliaimt. Hofoio lyiii^ hinisclf down lo rosi, li(!,\v!iost^ Miui^iiialioii liad for so loii^', revelled in naluro's grand scenery, and who eoi'.ld write .so/t/y.s /"o?' ro^fif/t'f/r.s, reeling' a Kitnrn of the sacred tire, emhodied in verse Ids own dii'^e, « This lay, by its siini)licilv. is very alliaeiive; it is much in th > slyl(M)f the old Norman «Lameiils » iiiiiiorlediiilhecolony by tin; lirsl settlers, wilh a dash of for.'s'i life superadded. Th(^ (lyin)4 hard addresses himself lo th(( ohjeds which snrroiind him, tel|i:.g them, of his rrgrel for (|iii!tiiii; ; fe ; Iheii, phy- sical |iain wiiiif^s from liiin a pman of anguish >vhich is. fodowed by a sori'owfiil Ihonglit ai the loss of those iieaiest and dearest to bis heart. Anon, he expresses liisap|)i(di-'nsion on wilii'ssing smo'.e rise near bis hut pni far dislau! — theij, l(!lls of lh(? int(!n ■(! joy be experiiiiced on ivco^ni.dng 'he ieatiip. s of frieiids in the party sent out to r(!sc,ue him — of his shout oil! Avliere lie is — and of Uienans which ly I' «i ieir linal de[)artnre »;ost him. Cadi(Mi\ n'xl sees a wolf and a rav(m prowling ronnd his emaciated frame ; the ardor of the bimler and of t.lie backwoodsman tires bis eye for a S(H'ond. lie threatens lo sbool one ; lo the other, hi; cries avaiint ! go and feast on the bodies of the Iroqinds 1 have slain near by. II • then chai'ges tfu; song sj)arrow (f.e l\ossigno!) to coiivev bis adieiix lo bis wife anil bis ' well-belowd children, nnaliy winds lip by an invocation lo the Virgin Mary The pieci; of bark on which (ladieiix's (b'alh-son,; was wrilfen was brought l»y the itdief parly lo the post of the l.al.e of Two Moiiiilains. The' Voijajctm have set il lo a plainti\(' melody, well suited to a lay intended lo portray the arduous lite of u bunler and Indian warrioi. ll runs thus : — Tctit roolicr ilc i;i Hniile i'i(inli7;^ne, ,hi vioiiH liiiir 'km oetto i-iiiiiiiii^iH; ! All 1 (loux {■■oliofi, cnteiul (!Z luos stmims 1' Ell liiiigui.ssnnt, je vai.-f bii;iiU>t iiioiuir. Pctits oiacaiiA, vosi iluucos lutrinunios, QutiticI rolls rhnntoz, nu; ntthielient ?l Inrie r Ah 1 i^i j'avai:? doti alios coniine voiia, Jo s'rais houruux uvaut (jiril I'ut deus juura t CADIEIX, THE OLD VOYAGEIR. Soul en cos boi&, que j'ai cu do soucia ! Ponsant toujoiirs i\ mos si chors amis ; Je demandais : 1161a8 1 sont-ils noyds 7 Leg Iroquois los auraiont-ils tuds 7 Un de ees jorrs quo m'6tant (Eloign*?, En revenant jo vis uno fuiiirt- ; Jo mo suia dit : •• All 1 grand Diou qu'cst coci 7 Leg Iroquois m'ont-ils jiris mon logis 7 " Jo me suis mis un pou i I'ombassado, Afin do voir si o' hurlant viont prt^s do macabano, Voir si inon fou L'avait plus de boucano ; Jp lui ai dit : Reliro-toi d'ioi ; Car, par ma foi, jo porcerai ton liabit ! Un noir corboau, volant h I'aventuro, Viont so porcher tout pri^s do ma iuiture ; Jo lui ai dit : Marigour de ohairo humaino, Va-t'oa chorcLer autre viande quo luienno ; Va-t'en l,\-bas, dans oca boisetniarais. Til trouvcrao plusicurs corps Iroquuis : Tu trouvoias. dcs ohairj, auasi dos os ; Va-t'en plus loin, laisso-iaoi on ropos I Rossignolet, va dire H ma inaitrcssc, (1) A mos onfaiits qu'un adieu je lour laisse. Quo j'ai gat'le iiion amour et mn fui, Et d':'sormaia i'aiit rouoncer a moi ! Cost done ici ({uo lo mond' m'abandonne, Mais j'ai scours en vous, Siiiivour do.-- Immmes ! TrOs-Sainte Viorgo, all ! in'Mbandonncz pas, rermettez-moi d"iiiOurir cutro vos htn^ 1 7i (1) Thig word, in old Canadian songs, is used for wife or betrothed. ^tf'li. 'I Vii.. ■ .;., . ■ .1,. I I • A SELECT TEA PARTY AT THE GENERAL HOSPITAL ' ' CONVENT IN 1759. j, ' Tea-drinking in modeialion is condueivo to lieallii ; who daro gain-say ? To some il is exhilarating — to others calm- ing in its efiecfs. Nay, according to Waller — it upes to inspi- ration, the portals of the soul : '. I , The mind's friend, lea, dons our fancy aid, ' ; Hepress those vapours whicli oui Ljad juvade. , ,, U counteracts the ctTects of alcohol — prevcnis gout and (1) calculus. What a hiessing thou art, cele>lial heverage of the celestials, taken at all limes : as Gay has it :— ■ ■ . , - , ,.^ ' , - , ,,| , At noon (Iho lady's nialin hour) ,r ,, I s\]) tea's delicious llowr. i . Nor is tea-drinking, as some incorrigihlc topers basely pre- tend, necessarily associated in one's mind with scandal — vinegar-faced old crones — spinsters of an nnceilain age. Prelty Peg Woffinglon, mixing for Garrick and Dr. Jolmson a cup of the celestial beverage, does not, in the least d(!gree, appear before the mind's eye as a « scandal-munger. » « I re- member, )) says the old buHcr, « drinking tea v.ilh him (Garrick) long ago, when Peg WoHinglitn made it, ;ind '■'^. gi iimbled at her for making il loo sti'oiig. » « In IGGO, )) writes old Pcpys, » I did send for a cup of lea (a china drink) of which I had never drank before. » Seven years later, the h(Mi) had found its wiiy into his own house. ((Home, and then; lind my wife making of lea, a drink for her cold and delhixions. » Good Mrs. P( pys serving up her (1) That ExeoUont, nnd 'iy aU Phj'sioians nppri'Ved China Drink naUed by the ('hineiins Tcha, by other nations Tay alids Teo, iH uohl (it llie ,SultuneiiH Jlead, Cojihee IIouw, iu Swcetinr/'a routs, by t'.ie lloi/dl Kjnhnn'j- Londmi. (^Mcrcui-iwi Politicus, .September 30th, 1C68.) 74 A SELECT TEA PARTY frst « dish » of Bohoa — there is a subject for a painter ! But let us hie from the busy banks of the Thames and attend one of the first lea-parlies, of which we have a record, on the banks of the St. Lawrence ; if. we do not hear much about tea, we shall at least mix wilh several of the elite of the period. Follow Capl. John Knox, then, into the spa- cious refectory of the General Hospital Convent, on the 11th October, 1759. This is an eventful, very eventful year, for all Canada — nay, for North Ameiica in general. The worthy British ollicer, you know, holds an important command, in the victorious army — ; he has devoted two quartos to chronicle his North American campaigns ; in which, reader, you will find details ample and true, of thai momentous era of our history. The General Hospital Convent was founded as an hospital for the sick, by Bishop St. Valier, in 1690. The grounds on which this ancient pile is situate cover an extensive area on the shores of the meandering St. Charles, about two milesfrom the city of Oiiebec, in a westerly direction. They belonged to the Uecollet Fathers, who exchanged them for a lot, in the Upper Town, of Quebec, in 1690 ; whereon they built a church and monas- tery : both these buildings were utterly destroyed by fire in 1796. Their site is now occupied by the English cathedral and the Place d' Amies, or ring. The French king had, previous to 1759, endowed this institution with ^ bounteous salary for the support of physicians, surgeons, directors, clerks, stewards, inspectors, as also officers o'" the troops labouring under any infirmity. The mother abbess, that year, was Mere Sainte Claude, the fiery and haughty sisl(!r of Chevalier de Ramsey, during the siege, commander and governor of Quebec. Mere Sainte Claude, though a humble and devoted nun, could not forget the noble blood which coursed in her veins. Her par- tiality to the French, during their fallen fortunes, called forth about that period the wrath of General Muriay, the English governor of the city. The testy general, in a fit of temper, in order to rebuke elfectually her interference in mundane mat- ters, vowed he would confer on her the first vacant sergeant's commission and put her on active duty, for which her stature, AT THE GENERAL HOSPITAL CONVENT. 75 par- Ifoith fcilish in Imat- uit's lure, bearing and martial laslcs, in liis opinion, eminently fittetllier. Crowded with the sick and the dying (1) (hiring the summer of 1759. The General Hospital was a great place of rendez-vous for the high officials of Qnebec — civil, military, and ecclesias- tical. It stood nearly in a line with the bridge of boats, over the St. Charles, with which Montcalm communicated with the city and with his camp and army, at lieauporl. TIkho is something eminently touching, shall I say, dra- matic, in the simple words in which the nun, who wrote the siege narraliv(», chronicles the arrival of the English guard, during that « night which greatly added to our fears, » when these delicate, unprotected women « prostrated themselves at the foot of the altar to implore Divine n ercy. » « The consternation which prevailed was suddenly inter- rupted by loud and repeated knocks at our doors. Two young nuns who were carrying broth to the sick, unavoidably hap- pened to be near when the door was opened. The palor and fright which overcame them touched the offlcer; he prevented the guard from entering ; he demanded (he superiors and desired them to assure us of protection : he said that part of the English army would return and take possession of the house, apprehending tha' our army (the French), which was not distant, might return and attack them in their entrench- ments. » This was, no doubt, the Captain and guard which Brigadier Towushend had posted there on the 14th of Sep- tember, 1759. |,,,^;, :t:.uJi)iv Thu (leueial Ilospitai was also the theatre during the strug- gle, of Bishop Pontbriand's devoted and incessant ministra- tions to the sick and dying. The Bishop, with his chapter, had retired early in the summer of 17o0, to Charlesbourg, opposite Quebec. We shall now allow gallant Captain John Knox to tell (1) Wc were in the midst of the dead and the dying, who were brought to us by hundreds, many of them our close connections ; it was necessary to smother our grief to relieve them. Loaded with the inmates of three convents, and all the inhabitants of the neighbouring suburbs, which the approach of the enemy cau.-^ed to fly in this direction, you may judge of our terror and confusion. The enemy, master of the field, and within a few paces of our house, exposed to the fury of the soldiers, we had reason to dreaii the worst. (iVi •' ative of the Siege of 1759, iy a Nun of the General Hospital, Quebec.) 76 A. SELECT TEA PARTY how matters went on at the General Hospital, on the 161h October, and how h« enjoyed the sel(3ct lea-party ho alleiidi'd there. « 1 was sent on a week's eoniniand, this diiy. to llie convent of the Augiislines, or General lIos|iital ; n»y orders were ' to prevent soldiers and others from phindering or ma- rauding in tlial neighbourhood ; to protect the house, with all its inhabitants, gardens, and enclosures from insult ; to examine all persons that arrive fiom the countiy ; to give im- mediate notice to the garrison, if any number of m(!n should appear in arms, either by detaching a sergeant, or firing three distinct muskets ; ' and if not instantly answered, must be re- peated, nor to suffer any luggage, horse or cart loaded to depart the hospital without a positive order or passport ; to s(!ize all fire-arms, ammunition, or whatever may be useful to the enemy, which may happen to be in the environs of the guard, and finally to gtani i)ermits to surgeons, mates or domestics belonging to the convent, when they are nec(;ssi- tated to pass towards the town on their lawful occasions.)) (1) 1 lived there, at Ihe French king's table, with an agrceabli!, polite society of officers, directors and commissaries ; some of the gentlemen were nuirried, and their ladies honoured us with their company ; they were generally choerlul, except whcui we discoursed upon th(! late revolution, and the aHairs of the campaign ; then they seemingly gave way to grief ut- tered by profound sighs, and followed by an 0 man Dicuf The officers soon perceived that though I did not express myself with great facility in their laugu.ige, I perfectly understood them, and therefore they agreed to conveis(i in Latin ; which, though far from being consistent with their boasted politessc, did not affect me so as to be oireud(!d ; for I was more upon an equality with them in that tongue, especially as they spoke it with less fiuency than their ovmi. They generally coueluded with some rapturous sentences, delivered Ihealrically, such as : Per mare, per terras, per lot discrimina re'riim Nos palriamftifjiniiis, Jios diilcia linquimus ana : — at length, after racking my memoiy for a distich, or a line (1} Knox's Journal, Vol, II., p. 171. AT THE GENERAL HOSPITAL CONVENT. 77 applicable to the times, I interrupted them with this citation from Virgile : 0 Melibiv, Deus nobis hxc otia fecit .' which so surprised Iht^m, ihat, having stared at each other for some moments, one of them approached me and asked if I couhl speak Latin. Thus ended the Latin speeches. We dined every day between eleven and twelve, and afterwards were respectfully served with a cup of laced cofl'ee ; our dinners were generally inditlerent, but our sup- pers (what they call grand repas, or best meal) were plentiful and elegant. I was at a loss the lirst day, as every person was obliged to use his own knife, and wine, there being only a spoon and a four-pronged fork laid with each napkin and plnle ; however, in the evening my servant attended me with some excellent port, a goblet, knife and fork ; the latter being ditTcnMit from theirs, particularly the knives' being round, and not sliarp-poiuted, together with the superior strength of my wine (which they by no means disliked) to their poor sour stuff, afforded us a copious subject for agreeable conversation, with variety of opinions aud remarks upon the different cus- toms of countries. Each person here produces an ordinary clasped knife from his pocket which serves him for every use ; when they have dined or supped, they wipo. and return it : the one 1 had, before I was provided with my own, was lent me by the Frenchman who stood at my chair, and it gave my meat a strong flavour of tobacco. * * * • xhe hour for supper was between six and seven in the evening. As we dined so early, I gave myself no trouble about breakfast ; but after being there two or three days, one of the nuns deli- vered me a polite billet from Madame St. Claude, the Mother- abbess, requesting my company to partake of an English break- fast as she called it, to which the bearer added : « If you are ready, sir, I will do myself the honour to show you the way. » I instantly followed my conduclBess to a spacious apartment, where I found the lady with several of the sisters employed at needle-work. A table was placed in the middle of the room, on "which stood two large silver coffee-pots, one quart and one-pint mug, a plentiful loaf of bread, a plate of butler and a 78 A SELECT TE\ PARTY. knife ; on another plate, lay five or six slicos of bread, not less than an inch thick each and half the circumferenciTof the loaf, covered with a profusion ol hulter. Upon my entering.^ I paid my compliments to the eldest of the ladies (in m\w\\ I happened to be right, she being the Ciouvcrnantt') and then to the others ; two chairs were immediately set to the table and Madame St. Claude desiring I would take my place, we both sat down. She then pointed to the coffiM'-nots telling me one contained tea, the other milk ; but, perceiving it was not to my taste, for the tea was black as ink, she assured me there was half a pint in the pot, and it had been well boiled with the water. I told her that it was rather too good for me, and that I should make a goi.d repast of bread itnd milk. Hereupon I was not a little incommoded with apologies, and 1 remember she observes, ' thai they arc not accustomed to such diet, for that they never drink tea, except in cases of iiulisposition, to work as an emetic, when it is always boiled in water to render it as strong as possible.' •****! ftn-ed exceedingly well upon the other provision that was made for me, and spent nearly two hours most agreeably in « the society of this an- cient lady and her virginal sistei-s. » • All this at Quebec, on the 1 1 th of October, 1 759. ' :'),■ • \,.. m\\\'.)"i hivv. tkijiT 7'jdl Jj*i(j<]n- -T./r jMWo {n\ tili/f i»*.i»i/n'!(j «frw I ;noS'»d .tiofi. 1 \\ 5'Vf:y Ji Imn .-lind;* nn hi Iiool;^ o(|« nv,m\'nv.n'\ - ift /(f <\u\ \(\:A nii'f * * * * .i;.'«'»fi(..'/ -ii'il) ^jjim ruli h» 'Miy't ,> ■ ' -ill -JO o//l !.n;ui) „iiif.i I'lJIij Jiiu -'I'uiiol'. 'Jfil ,.'il*ifi;r> ''•■ ''"•'■' ■* \'>\VsA ftjiJi'C] r/'uu h')'!!)/ vi»3 U'l'f 11 >> : b'jhiw! -iMfr.'sd odj ibid'J? .••.! ,Ji li;)fl(.'; •MVr'.hi', Jriol « .'{G7^'>dJ i»(j{ #/'»d>! ol luouod i>dj ll'.t','{m ob'iii// I .'li^ Mnvn ^Jfiomhuqri >f(t()i->6<{« jj i\i n<{i-i\'M,him> nn bM//ollot yJiiwUK.ui I Jfil'Tf «t'{''t'> ^T'l-:i^ '■ 'iii'il f tn'jil// .tuuoi ■ ^ ■ -il If, .: 1. ,.: , 1 1 1 : 1 THE LOST OF THE " AUGUSTE- " j^iii '(lii iHii iWjU i>. FRENCH REFUGEES, r It was on the 22nd February, 1762 ; night's silent shades had long since closed round the grist mill of S(. Jean Port Joly, County of L'Islet ; the clock had just struck nine, when a tall man, in tattered garments, walked in and begged for a night's rest. Captain d'Uaherville, as he was wont lodo, when unoccupied, was sealed in a corner of the room, his head depressed, evidently a prey to sombre thoughts. It requires considerable resolution to reconcile with poverty he, who was previously cradled in ease and luxury, especially when a numerous family depends on that man ; still greater courage is needed to bear up with fate when mistortune cfnnot be traced to improvidence, expensive habits, prodigality, bad conduct, but is simply the result of unconlrolable events. The man whose folly cau "s his own downfall, whilst smarting under remorse, if he is reflective, soon discovers the expe- diency of speedily submitting to circumstances. Captain d'Haberville felt no remorse ; in the solitude of his heart, he would occasionally repeat to himself : « I cannot think 1 deserved sucb " heavy blow. 0 heaven ! grant me strength ; give me ;uruge, since it has plca.sed you to smite me down, w .'■ ,"!i ? \i"r'^ 'M^'h- '■r^^'Vi^ Ir- ,( i ^ -fe ^^ 1.0 I.I IIM IIM mil 2 2 1^ = tiAo mil 2.0 1.8 1.25 1.4 1.6 ^ 6" ► # c^J r^/^ '-;' Photographic Sciences Corporation 33 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 " ^ 82 THE LOST OF THE AUGUSTE. the English governor, odious to the colonists. Amongst the victims, were Madame de Mcziere, — a grand aunt of Mr. l)e Gaspe, and a daughter of the Baron de Longueil — ; she perished with her child. Mr. DoGaspo also furnishes a lively account of the interview of the Chevalier de la Corne with the governor^of the colony, in the Chateau St. Louis. (1) How Governor Murray was (1) The compilers of JTawl-ln'a Picture of Quebec, the lato gifted Andrew Stuart and tlie late Dr. J. C. Fisher, thus graphically describe the Chateau St. Louis : — " Few circumstances of discussion and enquiry are more interesting than the history and fate of ancient buildings, especially if we direct our atten- tion to the fortunes and vicissitudes of those who wore cnnnectcd witli them. The temper, genius and pursuits of an historical era are frequently delineated in the features of remarkable edifices : nor can any one contemplate them without ex- periencing juiiosity concerning those who first formed the plan, and aff-jrwards created and tenanted the structure. These observations apply particularly to the Bubjeot of this chapter. The history of the ancient Castle of St. Lewis, or Fort of Quebec, for above two centuries, the seat of government in the province, affords subjects of great and Btirring interest during its several periods. The hall of the old Fort, during the weakness of the colony, was often a scene of terror and despair at the inroads of the persevering and ferocious Iroquois ; who, having passed or overthrown all the outposts, more than once threatened the fort itself, and massacred some friendly Indians within sight of its walls. There, too, in intervals of peace, were laid those benevolent plans for the religious instruction and conver:jion of the savages, which at one time distinguished the policy of the ancient Qovernors. At a later era, when, undei the protection of the French Kings, the Province had acquired the rudiments of military strength and power, the Castle of St. Lewis was remarkable as having been the site whence the French Governors exorcised an immense sovereignty, extending from the Gulf of St. Lawrence, along the ahoroB of that noble river, its magnificent lakes, — and down the course of the Mississippi, to its outlet at New Orleans. The banner which first streamed from the battlements of Quebec, was displayed from a chain of forts, which protected the Battlements throughout this vast extent of country : keeping the English Colonies in constant alarm, and securing the fidelity of the Indian nations. During this period, the council chamber of the castle was the scene of many a midnight vigil, — many a long deliberation and deep-laid project,— to free the continent from the intmsion of the ancient rival of France, and assert throughout, the su- premacy of the Oallio lily. At another era, subsequent to the surrender of Quebec to the British arms, and until the recognition of the independance of the United States, the extent of empire, of the government of which the Castle of Quebec was the principal seat, comprehended the whole American continent, north of Mexico I It is astonishing to reflect for a moment, to how Bmall, and, as to Bice, comparatively insignificant an island in the Atlantic ocean, thiB gigantic territory was once subject I Here also was rendered to the representative of the French King, with all its ancient forms, the fealty and homage of the noblesse, and military retainers, who held poBBesBions in the province under the Crown— a feudal ceremony, Buitod to igst the Mr. l)e )crished jtcrvicw colony, 'ay was d Andrew iftteaii St. interesting our uttcn- ;hom. The ated in the fithout cx- afHrwards larly to the : above two great and during the I inroads of rown all the le friendly were laid ion of the ernors. At ivinoe had St. Lewis exercised along the se of the d from the itected the Ih Colonies luring this midnight continent the su- 'ender of loe of the Castle of |oontinent, ., and, as gigantio all iU len, who luitod to FHEMII hllt'.F.ES. 83 niovod lo pily by IIk; siulit [)i\ S.iinl Luc's omaciatod form piv- sciilfd. How li« gtadiitlly safi iifd lowaids tlio porlioii of llio o/(/ HoWcss*^ VNliirl/ rcinaiui'd in tin* I'oiiiiliy, and cvoiiliiaily Ixcanie llii' Iricnd of Ilic cliivalicr. This inlorvicw of 1)(! Saint Liu; (I) and Capliiin dllidjervili.' is not an iinii;;inary occni- Vi'iiM : it rctractis whiil n-ally did lake place bclwcen .Mr. 1).^ (iaspc's grandlallicM', l;^naci! Aid) Ml D.Gaspe, at one limn a c'aplain in till' Innili iiiivy, and IIk^ (iKJvaliiT, as relaled lo Mr. Dc'diispe, some filly years iv^o, Ity his aniil, Madame IJailiy de Messein, >\lio was ahonl liftecn years of H'^a when Ihis oeenred. We are llnis hronghl face lo face >Nilli those fieri'e S|!iri!s vt \h{i amieumjime, who, like Ihe Sewells, ()gdens, Smilhs, Robinsons, Jarvisscs, and other Uniled Empire Loyalists, laler on, had preferred renoinicinj^^ fortune, posilion, and early times, which imposed a real and giibftaiitiiil obligation nn thnso who per- formed it, not to be vinliitoJ without rorfeiture ami dishnnor. The King of (Jreat Britain having 8U"i ■-. .1 ^il to the riglits of the Frcni-h ctown, this ceremony is still (in 1S34) maintained. Fealty and homage is loi. jrcd at this day by the Seigniors to the (Jovornor, as the representative of the Sovereign ii. tl»o following furm ; His Kzcellcucy being in full dress and seated in a state cliair, eiirroiiDiIed by his statf, and Hitended by the Attorney General, tlin Seignior, in an evuning dress and wearing a swonl, is introduced into bis proserico by the Inspector (Jencral of the lloyal Domain and Clerk of the Land Koll, and having delivered up his sword, and kneeling up>in one knee before the Governor, plaeen his right hand between bi», and repeats tlie ancient oath of fidelity ; after wliii-b a solemn act is drawn up in a register, kept for tliat purpose, whit-h is signed by the Governor and Seignior, and countcrsignud by the proper officers. In England, it is also still performed by the Peers at the coronation of our Kings, in Westminster Abbey, although the ceremony is much curtailed of its former impressive observances. The (.'astio of St. Lewis was in early times rather a strong hold of defence, than an embellished ornament of royalty. Seated on a tremendous precipice, — On a rock wIio.kc haughty brow Frown'd o'er St. Lawrences foaming tide — and looking defiance to the utmost boldness of the assailant, nature lent her aid to the security of the position. The cliff im which it stood rises nearly two hundred feet in perpendicular height above the river. The Castle thus commanded on every side a most extensive prospect, and until the occupation of the higher ground to tiie south-west, afterwords called Cape Diamond, mn£t have been the principal object among the buildings of the city. (I) We follow in history and in old memoirs the subsequent career of the Che- valier de la Corne, and find him serving under General Bufgoyne. There is a spirited letter still extant of the Chevalier to the General, in wbiob he tells him hard truthsr.which will appear elsewhere. 84 THE LOST OP THE AlCl'STE. IVionds, to accepting a foreign yoke. It would be ciirions (o follow up the destinies of the Canadiiin exiles : some, impli- cated in the Bigot frauds, returned to the mother country, to rot in the Bastile ; others, such as the DeLerys, culled laurels and titles in the wn»'s of the Republic and of the first Empire (1) Possibly some of their grandchildren, now counts or barons under the new regime, (1863) enjoy the distinguished honor of an entree to the cerde imperial, together with the privilege of mingling «£n Salambo, » in the mazy wallz under the approving eye and bewitching smile of llie Grandes Dames de la Cour, whilst others again remained in the colony and are now allii.'d by marriage to some of England's best blood. (2) (1) Some formed part of the distin;;uishcd Canadians who, on the 8th Juno, 1775, ofTored their serrices to Major Preston, at Montreal, tc take and hold Fort St. John, from the Americans, andeffoctuaUy did so, on the 10th June, placing it into, the hands of a detachment of the 7th Reg. or Royal Fusileers, under Capt. Kineer. They were the Chevalier de Belestre, d« Longueil, de Lotbinit^re, do Rouville, de Bouchorrille, de la Corne, de Labrudre, de St. Ours, Perthuis, Her- Tieux, Gamelin, de Montigny, d'EschambauU and others. For this serrice, Oeneral Carleton publicly thanked them. In September of the same year, this party, with the assistance of a number of Quebec and Three Rirers Tolunteers, viz : Messrs. de Montesson, Duchosnay, de Rigouville, de Salaberry, de Tonancour, Beaubien, Demusseau, Moquin, Lamarque, Faucher and others, started for St. Johns, near Montreal, to relieve a detachment of the 7th and 26th regiments, then in chargv of the fort, and who expected a siege, but Hfter being beleaguered, the fort !>ur- rendered on 2nd November to General Montgomery. The Canadians and the •oldiers were carried away prisoners of war — Cungiess refusing to exchange the Canadians, " they being too muck nttnchtd to the Emjlith yovernment and too in" /luentitd in their own country. " Two, Messrii. Deuiontesdon and de Rigouville, died prisoners of war ; de la Corne, Perthtiis and Cenubien, had been killed dur- ing the siege; da Lotbini^re bad an arm shot off; de Salaberry was twice wounded. " Amongst those who garrissoned Fort St. John, was the unfortunate but brave Major Andr£, of the 26tb or Cameronian Re^'imeut. " Tbe fort waa besieiged by a strong American force, under the gallant General Montgomeryr and during November of 1775, Preston defended himself vigorously, amid severe snow storm8,till he was compelled to capitulate, but upon honourable terras, " nearly 700 men surrendered ; but they were allowed their baggage and effects, tbe officers to retain their swords, the arms of the soldiers to be put in arm-chests and restored to them when the troubles were over. Andr^, with all the other pri- soners, was sent up the Lakes by the way of Tioonderoga inland ; but be boob after effected an exchange, though Major Preston would seem to have returned homo. He was subsequently hanged as a spy, by orders of Washington's Court Marshal at Tappan, in the State of New York, on the 2nd Oct., 1780, when only in his twenty-ninth year. " (Army and Navy, Review for Feby. 1804, p. 33.) (2) " A Montreal, le 26 aoftt 1863, demoiselle Mari«-Charlott« Lennox, fille d« feu John Lennox, hi''t<'- do Montri'al vl de tout le Canada, t^pousa en secondos nocog fell M- lo {'•omiuanclf.ur Jaoqut-.s Vi;ier, )>rcinier Maire de .\:ontr(5al, et si bien e(rnnu dun? la littiT: (ire panaflienne cotiiiiie arcli<>ologHc. " II est cxtrOiiiemoit p*^iiiblo pour n'i'ii)f,\)y Mr. (»aiiir;iu. I tihiill willinply say with that patriiili'.' writtcr " U'f tlio Ciiniiiliiin.s I'c fiitbful to thcmiiclvcs! " and I shall add ; Let tticiu CMiiMitc ilico'..'^clv(;.s t'> r the foimiation, by the fortune of war, from the in(!thur-on he thun entertained of the fidelity and tiouor of tbc Cunailian ui'lirvie. Air Du lu luinu llim^<.'.':' in hi.s Journal states that on his arrivlDg at Quebec 8G Tin: LOST OF THE AlJGl'STE. the Ilnldiinniuls, as well ns llioso (»f ll»o lator, whoso palate had never coino in contact with the frij^'id delicacy, soon camp to tho conclusion' that Tiliat every one apkeil for, niupt be very V siraldc. '• Waiter, "said he, " «yo(oW<'7 moi, eumiiinit (ifiilrr.-iiiv^ <■". i'-e-vrime ' " " Yes sir, " replied laecjcey ; and instanter, tho (.'aniulian Solon was provided with an am] lo plate of ice-creatn, from whiih lie transferred to his unsuspecting jiulnte a larjjo spoonful. 15ut, 0 horror I liis tijelli imiucdiately chattered IVnui i!old, as if iio had a fit of agno. lioiling over with pntrictio riii^c, ho roared to tlio scaled waiter, " Pexdnril f «i c'eut 4i( }>nnr vn Aif/'iiii, In I'lniniin fuit rhmiflcr ! " •' You aboininablo raical ! bad you intended this for an Knt^li.'-iininn, you wiuild have taken tho cliill oiri" Tho company from Jlis E.xcellency dowi. wards, were convulsed with lau^^hter. .Some of my readers may not ho conversant with tho origin of the pictiire?qu» Fren'di oxjirossic^n, respeotin,^ lloirstbcij umlcrdone. " I)u Ixruf qui beuii/e ri:eoie, " tlio following may throw lij^'it on it. Tho ancestor of n respected Senator, Mr. IJadelart, was ono day dining at the Cli;\toftii St. Louis. His birth and educa- tion, were such that ho could not b.liav« otherwise than like n polite rrenrhman. Whetiior His Kxcellency wished t') enjoy a quiet joke, or whether he wanted ti> treat his guest to tho most juicy tid-bit on the di.-h, he h:id set a.-i le for >ii iitucnr, a slice of very rum beef — which lie waruily recoumieuded. " Mdnjezilunc ; nmrnjiz done, mon uini" said llis K.xecUeucy, r',:ii f.ryiii\-. " Monsieur liadclart, who appears to have been but one degree less polite Iban the jiolitost man in Lower Canada, the late .Jiid^o A.N. .Morin, who on leaving tho bench ono sunny day, is said tu h:ivo b"gged tho jKirdou (d' the Chief Justice, his collea'^ue,/oc fiavinij Irodiieii dti hii ihinidon-, replied. " Oui, nui, milord," le Ixruf est tX(jHii : c'eut un jtlat de roi. II fnlt hmiinur <'u Ciiiin (iraiith' Plan or llspkimuk ihi Fort. [\w s(nilli\v('>t('ni pnrl of >vliit'li iio>v coiihliliilcs IIk; J'lave ilAnnes or liitig. Tlio direct Mliicli il liiKMl — Hiiitdi? stri'il — look its iiiuiic IVoin Imius tie JiiiaJe, llii! slunly old Count dL\Froiiltna«', \>lio in l(j!U), in- hnl>il('(! IIk; iidjoinmu Taslh; St. Louis, fnr in\;iy IVuin coiirl iiili-i^ut!s. Sfaiidiil liiid :isso(-inl*>d Ids iianii', in youth with one ol llinpcci'lcsslicfuilics ol tlii! riiMuli t^oiiit, Mi>daini'd(! Mon- t, willi ditsi-ilion on hclialf nf his pi'oud, licailli'ssaiid hi'aiilifid spouse, Anncdi^ la (iran^c-Triniioii ! (1) On lh(! (irnmh' Phtce, in l(>."»S, tlio I'liW doouK^l Ihnons, >vlio had cscapi'd lin! drcadrul h.itcln.'ry ol" UI'iO, on L;d\(i Siinciic, Jiad aski-d andi>l)taiiu>d, \v\\\{\ toi-ncainp. solhattli(!f.'inisn, when slie wns known as Mdllc. do Murtcinnrt. 1 e Frtiitinae was sent out to Canada ; in exile, some s^aid, a:< thu Freiudi King did not Uli"r/<'//f, vliihl liis ciilic, Mr. .laciiiirs Vi^er, lius (xliiljik'il rcniaikiiblc acumen aiul a deep uc- (1) Wo itlmll innrnly givo tlio oonulusion : Nli'i'lii.s Jin(|iiiii i"iiilil>ui't, wnx a ijiicln-c iiionliiint, soinoli. w f.r otlmr ho liii'l iniviiru'l till' (li»|ilr:i.' iitiiiny I'liilibcrt, h it Mlluto I tr 111 n, ill) 1 orlurod n FriMV'lj lioutiMiint liv ii.ti V 1<")^ ird','!ir, ■-ioiir du 11 •)) Miti;^i)y, to .|iiiirti)r on tlii; (i.H'l)uo inon-liiinf. Thi< in''eni^('(l M. I'liililivit very inni'h, iind wli the liuutcniint iit(ei>i|iU'd tu onU' thi) hiiiifo with fho "idor, I'liililuTt iliji'i'tccl, tinyln^ lio wmiM Iiutc i)!<> crdor ro- c'llli '1, III wliii'li do Kejiontiijiiy rL|plit'd, •' \c.ii urn ii ("lA. " A hlmv trnni ii w.ilK- iii^' .-ti'!;, wiw tlio :in-»vor. Tho oflii-cr tliun dri w lii.i mvuiJ, und iriflicl<'d mi hi.* ('].|niii(.'iit II wiriiiiij, i.t" uhitdi lie died in tlin 'Jlst Jiiniiiiry, I'H. Tlio di'inlly thrn.^t i.* sii|»|nisod tu Iiutm hiu^ii given on tht- Vfry etvyn nf Iho ( Iiicn iJ'Or l>uild- in^;, whiih ho (ii-uu|iied. bn llcionti^jny, in ouioi tu oludo a I'liii.intil priiiiocutii ii, csiMiiud iViitii "iui'lii'.', and retiiod ill Ni)Va Sdtia, tlion milled AmJir, whtro ho njijiliod to Lonis XV for his (larJun. Lt'tters cf n-jiriovo and ]iiirdun woic sent out friiiii I'uriH, and do Kt'|u;iiti^iiy rctiiinfd tu t^m-hfo in \'H'.i with tlioso lottin;', in ord r tu moot any ii]i|,u»itii n whiidi tiit.' widuw Thilihcrt iiii;;ht uiKc, wiion ho thuiild ajiply tu tlio Sii|i.'iiur Coiinoil of the oulony tu havo thoin n'j.'i.-tt'rcd, Mrs. I'hiliboit having bcc-n indcimiillcd hy ]iccnniary cuniiicnsati"n fur the losx i.f hoi" Lufhaud, did nut (j|ipoiio thu ri');istratiun ;i tten llieso tiietj' ; all, favo one" jierson, and thi« w:!.'* a yuiin^ man wliu had juft .■■■een tweiity-threo funimer.'f ; his uaino was J'iorro .\ii'liulM-i I'hilibert. i^oveio in his d" riieiinipr, stod:i ii.< and reserved in hi.s habit.«, yoiinj;f I'hilibert hnd ^ruwn i:)i tu nuinhuud, tho eliief Hiipjii'rt and n n.^u- latiun iif hid wiiluwed mctlior. At tiiiics, several hud remaiked in his an.stcro but bOiiitifiil f.ioo, a .luMibro exjirc^-iun, wlii'di wuiild iinmodiately niult into a siib- d.iol sadness, tho real oauso of whii'h few ."eemed to an.spcet. IJeluved, a.- ho certainly was, by all who knew him, it was a mournful day for tho forlorn widi-w, when, fullowed by soiuo friends, she oseorted hor oldest sun to tho Lower Town wharf, on his way to old Franco to obtain a coaimissiou in the army. AVhother ho Buoeoeded or not, does not ajijiear. Ten months after his departure, Madame Philibert one morning received a letter ; it caino from Europo. On breaking the seal, the lint words which mot her eye were, as follows :— " My Dearest Mother, — Wo are avenged ; my father's murderer is no more. " Tho two had met at Pondichorry, in the East Indies. De Repcntigny had fallea under a sword wound which youug Philibort kud iullictod on hiui iu a duel. LE CIIIEN DOR. qiiniiitnncc y,\[)\ dotes : tlin only point woriliy of rcmnik, is thai the urave nilic appenrs to have taken the novel for his- tory aiul crilised i( accordingly. (1) As apiiears liy the corner stone recently found at the Chien d'Or, it was Nicholas .lacquin IMiiliherl who cans -d this house to bo erected, tin; 2()lli Aiignst, 17.'jii. This corner stone i- a lingular relic. IJiider the dale 17:t.'> can Im; see (he two capital letters V and H ; the space between the li^lters is taken up with a (ireek or a St. Andrews cross, engraved in the stone and colored in red. On the stone was fonnd a lead plate with the following inscription : MCOLAS lAOVIX DIT IMIILinKU M'AlUSKLK2oAUYST 173j. There were traces of the inipn;ssion of coins on the lead, bill these coins have not hecn found : either the masons en- {^iiged in the laying o(' llu; sloni; abstracted them, or some of those later since, en,uagod in repairing or altering tlx^ building may have done so. The lead plate, with the corner stone, are now de|)osiied in the office of Mr. 1'. (iaiivrcan, Inspector of I'nbliv. \Vorks, I'arliament Ilonse. On the stone wlujre the date — 173G — stands, under the insciiplion of the Golden Dog, can be seen traces of letters, with a ciMnent adiiereing, imi- tating thegrey colour of the stone. It has been found impos- sible to reunite and reform the inscription, wliicli nuisl originally have been placed (»n this stone. According to Mr. .1. Viger, the 21sl of January, 1748, Nicholas Jaccinin dit IMiili- berl quarrelled wilh Pierre Lcgardenr, Sieur de Rcpenligny, respecting a mililary ordeV billetting him on I'hil bcrl. From words came blows, and de Repentigny wounded bis adversary mortally. (1) Thoro wcro also apparent traces of fire, on the walls wbon tUc^- were re- cently removed. THE HISTORY OF AN OLD IIOUSK. n load, «;n- In those fli^liliiig dnys of nilv«;nti]rcs aiul duels, when du(>dft ofwor, niidai'ily or Vidoiir, made or uiiinado men, the blood of n ftjllow-ciealure wns easily atoned for, especially if Ihe traiisuressur bnro a iiublu name and stood well at Court. I)e HepiMili'n'ny reeeivcul the year f(dlowing a |Mirdon from Kini,' Louis XV, and ri>lurn(>d from Acadia, >vhi(her he bad rrlired. Pliilibeil biH'ore dyiii^ bad forgiven his murderer. The iiami! of this same Pierre Legardeur. 8ieur de Ucpentigny occurs amongst those officers serving under (dievalier de Levi, al the batlle of St. Foye, on 28th April, 1760. In Uawkint Jlislorical Picture of Quebec, published in 1834, occurs a plau- sible (ixplanalion of Ihe enigmatical verses inscribed on the stone hasso-relievo of the Chien d'Or. Mj. fiegon, Intcndant in New Fnniee, formerly a merchant in Bordeaux, had arrived in Quebec in 1712. Philibiut quarrelled with him touching some claims which he had preferred against Government. Failing to make them good, Philibert caused the following words to b\ ii a-. his liody did not l)elon.; to the carl, his omnipol -nl master. So much for English charters. I shall now, in order lo illustrate one of iht; pecul ar institutions of tho country, and for the benefit of non-legal readers, insert, as a sample, a donation entrevifs, in plain English, a deed of annuity, which I shall translate from a city paper, the Courrier du Canada. This form of donation was formerly and is still used by some (1) This reminds one of the prerogatives of the Baron of Bradwardine. CUSTOMS AND BIGHTS. 103 •t, or ll a! vo subjoin an in^lance in point. (I) (1) FIERI FACIAS. Circuit Court — Dintrict o/ Juliette, DiiUiot of Juliotto, to wit Mo. 820. : I piKUUK VENNE, faimtT of tlio parish of St. ) ' .Tii'viiics, in tlu- coniity (if .Nri>t\tna!iii, in the dis- trict of Joliottrj. I'laintilT ; vn. EIISEIJK nKAUCiCAMP, farmor, of tho parish of St. A!u.\id, (llatriut afuruBuid, L>ofuiidiint, and iMossrs. Gudin ic UoatwUon, pluin- tifl'd attoruuyd. A f:irin sitiintn and ticino; in tho jiarisli of St. Alexis aforesaid, contiiining thrno arpent" and a lialf in front by twonty-two arponts in depth ; boiuidcd in front liy tho liiif IJayoiil, in roar by I'laoido I'inault, on ono nido by tioloraon Chaput, and on the cither I>y Ihu heirs uf the lato Luui:j Kiupol — with a huuso, barn aud othur iMiil linjrs tliiii'iin erected. Said farm being 8ii))joct to tho clauses, conditions and charges horeinaftor montiiinod, in faviir of Dame Mario Anno Bour^^ooif;, widow of tho into Jusepli Loaiiclianip, in his life tiiiio, I'linuer (if tho ]lHli^h of St. Alu.\id uforodaid, tiiu aniiuiil and life rent, j/vnniun rlnjiri:, oaeli ye.ir, i-oiupused of what follows : Toii bushels (if w!icat, V.\i: Iialfof a fit pi;,', said half n, it to weigh loss than ahiindrod pound.', with tlio lard (/'">i'i'), a lamb .'it her ehoioo out of tlio purchaijer'ii liook OTury year, a cow at tho choice of tlio said Daiuo Mario Auuo liourgoois, thu lirat thiit til ill have calvod, to bo returned when sho runn dry, and to be kept during tho winter and pastured by tho purcliaser, replaced by another in tho event of her death, sickness or illness such as to deprive the said Damo Mario Anno Bourgeois of tho bcnollt of her ; a half bushel of good peas for soup ; four pounds of rice, three pounds of tea, twelve pounds of candles to tho said Danio Mario Anno Bourgeois, a half pound ground popper, a(iuartor of a pound of cinnamon and of allspice, a half pound of .toda, four jtouuds uf spring wool, as long as the said Dame Marie Anno Bourgeois, will bo able to work thu same hor«olf, six ells of home- mado linen, eight buahols of good sound potntoes fit to oat ; fifteen cords of cord- wood, good ar 1 sound, whereof five coi Js must bo of hard wood and ton cords of soft wood, split and put into tho said Dame Mario Anno Bourgeois house, as re- quired by hor, tlroo loads of dry wood for tho oven, split into smalt pioviil serve to illiistrule what extraordinary gibl)erish the learned ancestors of Englishmen used to convey their ideas in, and exceeds in quaintnoss the clauses of a Donation enlre vifs. (t) « Si jeo vend chivall (jue ad null oculus, la null action gisi, autcrment lou il ad un counterfeit, fau et bright eye ! » This being interpreted, means : « If I sell a horse that has lost un eye, no action lies against me for so doing ; but if 1 sell him with a false and counterfeit eye, then an action lielh. » thoroof shall belong to tho laid parohasor without hii being held to account therefor to any porson. To bo sold, subjoot ai aforof aid, at tho oburoh door of the parish of St. Alexii, district aforesaid, on WEDNESDAY, tho TWENTIETH ciay of PEBRUAUY, at ELEVEN o'clock in tho forenoon. Tho laid writ returnable on the twenty-fourth day of February next. B. n. LEPROnON, BhuriiT's OfCce, ShorifT. Jolietto, 16th October, 1871. (Quebec Offieinl Gatctte), 2l8t October, 1871. (1) Southorne vs. Howe, Addison on Contracts ; American Edition, page 54, tho note. It would take nso too long to show how, under this apparently inoongruoui tenns, a groat deal of sound meaning was conveyed. Ih tho c mo- [ shall olation ; iUvill learned n, and )n gisl, » This lost an cU him ,0 account St. Alexia, .UAllY, at Bnty-louttb :oN, Sheriff. page 64, noongruoua "LE DKOIT DE (H(Ex\OUILLA(IE,» AND OTllEll ItlGlITS. (WrUlenin 1863.) " £t lo dit Siour, on aa quality do gontilhommo, a ddolar6 no aavuir algner. " In nolinj; (liemnrchof civihsalioninlhis, ouryoiingcoimlry, Iho palriol and lh»< historian, amidst some causes of re{,'rot, will find more tlinn one subject of loRilimate pride. Canada, it cainiot he denied, in the race of progress, op(;n to all nations has in more cases than one, a«siimed a proud place, over some very boastful communities of the Old and the proudest of the Now World. Long beforiH 829, at Ihe time when an Important por- lion of the subjeels of Britain, as Roman Catholics, wero gro.ming under disabilities and penal statutes, an Iri>hman in Canada might be a man and a citizen, though he had the misfortune of bi-'ing a U. C. The laws of Canada made no (liffercnce. Thus again, the Colony had poaceiibly obliterated as early as 1803, the foul stain of dome^jlic slavery — ; it took sixty years more, for ourerdiglilened neighbors amidst scene of blood and fratricidal war to stamp out from their free constiluliun this plague spot. Thus agaii!, ill 1832, a Canadian Parliament had decreed that a Jew was a man and a citizen, not only as a financier but civilly — this latter fact, all the hoary wisdom of Great Britain had not until lately, been able to discover ; and a Jew was a pariah in the Council Chamber of the nation — though he might be a Lord Mayor of London. The early PYonch, and afterwards the early English, allowed lis true, to grow on the trecofournationality, branches, which Nvitli lime assumed proportions altogether too vast and which LE DROIT DE fiRENOT'ILLAGE cast a (Inrksomo shade all around : the Feudal Tenure and the Clergy Reserves. The good-sense of Hie people guided by wise polilical leaders such as Lal'onlnine, Rnldwin. Drnmmondj rid the country of this incubus iu I8;)i. Let :is not, however, be looswcepinginourcondemnalionof the Seigniorial Tenure. Tlionii:h bnrlhcnsome to s country fully developed, some of its obligations were highly beneficial to a sparsely popnlated country — a poor community such as that of New France, at its birth. Who else, amongst (he poor pciasantry, but the sei(]neur, \ho. Laird, could have built the banal mill for the parish? This obligation was quite in favor of the ceniHairc. Some of these rights, which came in the country with the Gallic Lily were curious in their rise ; curious, in Heir fall. We are led to thi' present inrpiiry by the perusal of a cle- verly written book, compiled by Louis Vciiillot, ex-r Jlarlenr of the r/H'j'f/'.s, a Paris newspaper I'oeiMitly suppressed liy Napoh'on 111, Hie elect of thirty-two millionsof freemen, either b(!causu his people were not sufllcien'ily advpjieed to have a fi'ee press, or that a free pi-ess was a malum per sc. But says llu^ clilitarian praclicallv, what have we in Canada to do with Louis Yeu'llo! "r his liook ? N(»t!iing. cei- triinly, nn.tre than this : il cout;ing and so r<'ady lor Irivi.d olTences, to roast and (piarter their nntoi'lu'iate serfs, were in very many cases the very reverse of cruel ; nay, soiui; were humane and considerate to a d(!uree. lie tells of some being quite satisfied with the gift of a pig, a goose, a sheep, for the AND OTHER RIGUT8. 109 right to pasture the whole flock on the domain of the landlord ; sometimes their eccentric humors betrayed Ihem into strange fancies, lie shows us a seigneur in France, to whose manor the peasantry drove each year, in a vehicle drawn by four horses, a lark ; in another locality, an egg was substituted. We are also told that at Bouloj^iu; the rieiiediclinu monks of Saint Prtculus exiiited fruni lliusi; who had lease-hold pro- perly under lluMn, the slea,n uf a boiled capun ; the operation was perfurmed Ihus : on a (ixed day in each year, the tenant drew near the table of the seigneur, bearing theboilcd chicken between two dishes, when I'le upper dish was removed to allow the fumes to escape ; this done he would remove the dish and the chicken. (1) lie had accpiilted Ids feudal service. (1) Wo find several in.itnncos of toniirci' oq'inlly sin(:;nlar in England: — " A. farm at J3rookhou?o, in Iiang.'ott, in the parish of Poniston, and couiity of York, pays yearly to (lodtVcy Uosvillc, Edij., a sno\ ball iUjUiidsummur auJ a rod roBO at Christmas. " William do Albomarlo Iiold.i tho manner of Iioston " by tho porvico of finding for his lord tho kiu;.;, two arrows and a loaf of o'lt broad, when ho should hunt in tho forest of Dartmore. Solomon Attot'uld licld land at Ucporland nnd Atborton, in tho ('()unty of Kent, upon condition " thiit as often as our lord tho king would ero?!) tho son, tho said Solomon and heirs outflit to yo with him to hold his head on tho sea if it was needful. " John roinpos h:id thi" mnnor of lMnohiii,L;lield j^ivou hira by King Edward Til, for tho sorvioo of turninj; iho pit iit his t-oroniitiun. " tieollVy Fiui.ilmnd io'ia .«i.\ty ikmcs of land in Wiiij^liold, in the; county of Sull'ilk, by tlu; toivico "l' i)aying to our lord tho Uinj; tfr,, ii'hilv dn-f,, yearly. J('lir' do l{o''h"? iiojd-- till,' miiuor of W'iiiterslow, in V/i'tshire, by tho sorvioo that when tlio UiuL,' siiouid abide nt Olnrondon, ho should j^o into tho butlory of tho iviug"s Palaco there, and draw out of wiiii.t vessel ho chooses, as uiuch Hvino as sli./ulJ bu iicedfil f.r aiakiu^ the king sauulu drink tlio clartL. The town if Yarnioutli i^, by r'larter, bj'.uid to .-(uul tho shcrilT of Xorwiek a hundred Jicvrhii/i, which uro to bo Iiaked in t>i-cntij-jour picf or pnt'uK, and deli- vered to the lord of tiie manor of 15ast Onrlto-;, wlio ]■> to oiuivey thorn to tho kini^. At tho coronation of James II., the lord of the manor of lleydoii, in Essex, claimed to hold the hwiin and cirer to tlie Icing by virtue of one moiety, and tho towrl by virtue of tho other moiety of tho same manner, whenovor tho kinf]f washed before dinner, but the claim was allowed only as to the towel. Sir Walter Scott gives tho following anoodoto relative to James V. of ?fotlnnd : "Another adventure, which had nearly cost James his lifo, is said to havo taken place at tho village of Cramond, near Edinburgh, where ho had rendered his addrcasos acceptable to a pretty girl of the Io»v..>r iunk. I'our or five peraons. 110 LE DROIT DE GRENOUILLAGE Now we do not uish to spoak ill of Benedictine or any oilier monks, but we do slate, without fear of contradiction, even by M. Veuillol, that at that remote period there existed many abbes, whose appetite was not salislied merely from inhahng the steam of a boiled chick(!n. Some of these feudal land owners, however, were right good fellows. It is recoided that before the year 1450, the peasan- try of Vaulx, ill Normandy, residing within live miles of the Abbey of the; Holy Trinity of Caen, were annually treated, on the fete of the Holy Trinity, to a substantial repast within the walls of the monastery The carte de cuisine stood thus: « They wijii; (list to wash their hands (not altogether a super- lluous preliminary fui- laboring men) ; then all sat down, a cloth was spread before tlicm ; to each, was served out, a sniall loaf of biead weighing from twenty to twenty-two ounces, a square piece of pork six inches long, after which came a slice of grilled ham {une rihelelle de lart routy sur h gfrci/), a paiiikin of bread and milk, and cider and ceivoesie ad libitum during a four hour's silting. With such royal cheer and such considerate masters, it is not at all surprising to hear whi'thor relations or Ifiveri! of hi? rtiistroRS is uncertain, bosot the disfjuised mo- narcli, as ho returned from his rcndez-vous. iS^ituraMy giilliint, and an admirable niiidtor cf liit: weajjon, the liin}^ took ]iost on t!io higli and narrow bridge i vor the Almoud rivnr, nnd (k'fendcd liiti'?clf brnvoi.v with liis sword. A (iRisant, who was thrashing in a ncighborinGf bnrn, come out upon the noise, iind whether moved by comiiassi.in or )iy natural gallantly, took tliu weaker side, and laid about with liifi llail So effeotiially, as to dirjjersc tlic a?:>ailiiiita, well llirai-Led, even aeeor. A Icnniod writer, D(disio, from these and other inslanees, concludes that several of the customs which now appear to us as the most obnoxious, were th(; very ones which in tli(! teud.il limis were considered Ihe lighlcst, astheir performance was attonded with no trouble. And lo this class bidontred Ihe f mniis Droit de (irenouiltage, lh(( sub- ject of Messrs. I)u in and Michtlel's irreverent mirth. These writers had perversciv I'urbisJKid up some old worm eaten charters on whose aulhoritv they tax(Ml the landed aristocracy of the middh; ages with Ixuii;,' in Ihe habit of compelling Iheir serfs to turn out on the wedding night of l!i(! lord of IIk; manor, to beat the frog ponds, in order thai his lordship's rest on such an auspicious occasion, juight not be disturbed by the noisy croakiiigs of the frogs ; and wliiit was worse in the eyes of Veuillot, c{;rtain jolly I'riais, su(;li as the Ahbe de Luxeuil and the Abbe de I'riim, stood also charged with having re([iiired the perfurmaiice of this sardauapaliun service, not of course on their wedding iiigiil, [Un- none hut bad xil)l>cs marri(id in those times), but whenever they resideil in t'leir domains, as the following lines showijd : — « Pa I I'a ! raiiioUe, I'a I (silence, frogs, silence ') « Voici monsieur I'abbe (jut! Dieu ga. (Near you rests, mon- sieur I'abbe, whom may heaven watch over.) » Not only were the peasanlscompelled to beat the frog ponds, but during the operation in order to keep themselves awake, they were expected lo croak out (in asubdiiedvoice, we should imagine) this cabalistic lormida. The performance of the croaking service was confined to those vassals whose land had on that ciuidilion been freed I'roui terciludc. A large poriitui of th(! volume before us is taken up in discussing this custom, of which few instances can be fu:;iid ; amongst others, tho case of a drowsy (lerman empei'or is addiictjd, who having to sojourn over night in the village of Kreinsenn, was threateuijd with being kept awake by the concerts of frogs ; fortunately for his llighniiss, the peasantry mustered in lime and com- 112 LE DROIT DF, GRENOtllLLAGE pclbd A.ristophanes ; noisy horoos to knock under, on whicli Ihe mighty emperor freed his considerate vassals. Although it is said that at one time it was considered a special seigniorial privil ge for a haronia! ben;Mlict to sleep soundly on his wed- ding night, nothing exists to sliuw that this is the real cause why Mynheer Deutchman had so higldy prized his uninter- rupted nap ; the probahiliLy is that lie felt lired after travelling and wanted more than « forty winks. » (1) Mr. VeuilJot thinks that this Droit de Grenouillage was not a whit more humiliating than the obligation the ordinary sei- gnior was under, to poor out drink for his superior, and his superior did not consider himself degraded for havini to hold the shirt of his royal mnst(T when dressing. Counts and barons stood protracted law suits to enlorce their rights to do homage to those above them, and th(^se slr'gglerl as hard to get rid of an homage too expensiv<^ for them to keep up. When the Count of Cahors, who was also a bishop, approached his chief city, the I^aron of Cessac was wont to precede him to a certain spot, indicated in old titles, where he was bound to meet him. Once there, ho would dismount, and having saluted tlie prelate with bis hat oif, his right leg bare and wearing a slipper^ he would take the bishop's mule by the bridle and (1) I'ity it is, tho Broit de (rrenauiUaije should bo obsolots, cspociiiUy in such a locality us Lako Boauport, where bull-t'iogs of fabulous size occasiouullyiuaiio tho night slcoplops with their l(i<>mincd to it Youj- |p of his to be allowed to attend on the count on his entry in his chief town, quoting various old Uoman customs and Latin texts in support of his position. The bishop lost his suil in Ilia!, court and in the Court of Appeals, and by decree [ornH) of the lOlh July, lOHO, th(^ baron was maintained in his clin- ished homage toward the count Mr. Veuillot having show it pretty conclusively that all feudal rights and ser\ices \ver(; iidi necessarily oppressive and odious, discusses wilh his usn;! eloquence another feudal custom, which, if well aulheuticahui, is undoubtedly one of the gravest charges against tlii; moraiiiy of those times. This custom is known lo ohl Ereiich wiiteis as the />rot7 (/« Jambage; the apologist of the middle ag calls it simply Droit du Seigneur ; he simimons to his aid n his erudition, all his ingenuity, to explain clV the arrets ai I 9 cs II 114 LE DROIT DE GRENOUILLAGE. passages invoked by Messrs. Dupin and Miclielet, with what degree of success the reader ef his book can judge for himself. Want of space compells us, albeit reluctantly, to adjourn this inquiry into the institutions of limes gone by. We may again le vert to it hereafter, but before concluding, we must, on the authority of Mr. Veuillot, and \ve do so with pleasure, deny I ho correctness of a charge frequently made respecting the pmnnanship of our ancestors, as embodied in the words piefacing this sketch, and said to be found at the end of several old deeds and charleiti : — « Le dil Sieur, en saqualite (le genlilhomme, a declare ne savoir signer. » A careful examination of many thousand deeds and charters enabled him to assert Iho contrary, most positively. Since writing the foregoing, a friend has placed inonrhands lli(^ l)nng(3nl and elaborate reply which Mr. Veuillot's book has elicited from a Frencli savant, under the heading, uRefu- lalion du Livrc de M. Veuillot sur le Droit du Seigneur. Par Jules Delpit)) (1), a most wonderful repository of feudal lore. In such a fiery controversy as the one raging between the two writers, and on which we merely look as disinterested outsiders, it would be prcsomptuous for us to decide who is right. Veuillot, as a pamphlet writer, a publicist, and the or- igan ol what is ilenominaled the clerical party in France, is iir.iloubledly a great name — a tower of strength to his party. On the ollK'r hand, the confident tone, biting irony, and formi- dabi(3 array ofermlition, law quotations, old charters, arrets, produced by his adversary, challenge enquiry and investiga- tion. Jules Delpit asserts positively that the Droit du Seiyncur, in itswoist acceptation, existed in several European kingdoms, (pioles seventy-two instances. We are quite satisfied, in ap- ]iroucl)ing this subject, which to us, is of no actual moment, to inscribe over both combatants — Non noitrum inter voa tantaf componcre lites. (1) Jules Dolpit, t'is said, is tho no»t deplume, under vthieh tho celebrated Mr. Duiiiu, with tho aid of a very learuod broUior, replies to Mr. VeuiUot. A REPRESENTATIVE MAN. 1758. • M. Luc DE CiLiPT DE LA CORNE SaINT-LuC. If there be an era in the primitive times of Canada, in which the mailial spirit of its inhabitants shone forth more brighlly than al others, of a verity it is that war-like period which im- mediately precluded Ihi; cession of the conntry by the ImtucIi Crown, known to our historians as the « Seven years' war. » No where in the nnnals of Ihe past, did the Canadian militia and vohjuteers exhibit [,Tcatcr endurance, — morepeisevciance, — more stout and successful resistance on many a hard-fo!!'j;l!t battle field. Though after all, it must have ninttorcd lilllo what the French commanders did achieve, having at their dis- posal merely a handful of regulars, aided by the new militia of the country and their Indian allies. France also had in those days itsGoIdwin Smiths : the colony was voted a bore ; and niggardly reinforcements sent out when the whim of \ho mo- ment prompted — perhaps, not at all. Pitt had vowed to plant the flag of England on the summit ofCapeOiamoiid. Agigfintic army for those times, 50,000 men — including legnlars. New England militia and savages — were to invade Canada at Unci! points : the St. Lawrence, — the lakes, — Ihe interior, under the guidance of Wolfe, Amherst, Ilaviland, .lolmstou. Ardent admirers of Gen(>ral Levi, the victor of Murray, have ventured to assert thai had this general, who bad never sullei- ed defeat, been present al the lirst battle of tlui Plains df Abraham, the fule of the colony would have been dilVenMil ; however great the military genius of the hero of St. Foy may have been, and none are more ready than ourselves to render itdue hommagc, at best, he could in the face of the over- whelming forces sent m(M"ely have retarded the fall. At th(^ time to which we allude (1758), with much larger armies in the Held, a new system of warfare had, lo a certain extent, superseded ilG A REPRESENTATIVE MAN. thooUl desultory moilo of altack ; the midnight raid and murderous assnult of former limes — witli Indian allies as guides and sliarp-slioolers — still continued for both comba- tants to be a military necessity in bush fighting ; but the largo armies of Knropi'ans, to \\liom iiie savagiss acted as pionetTs and aiixiliarit.'s, in a measure sei ved as a cli'ck on the atro- cious and peculiar system of fifiliting of the latter, although a memorable exception to the ml" occured in the Fort (Jeoige tragedy ; this outrage, however, was chiefly traceable lo the elfects of the ardent spirits purloined by the redskins from the iMiglisli camp. Could wt^ r(>asonably hold European com- mamlers — Kiiglish as well as French — responsible for the nameless horrors perpetrated on our soil by their Indian allies, one would be inclined to believt; our European forefathers had left their humanity at home lo v.d the :-avage on our shoi'es. Take for insiauee the great Laei.iiie massacre. On the 2;itli Apiil, KiSl), diu-ing a proloimd peace, I.'JOO savages stealthily siirroimd, before day-break, tlii; ha!)itatious at Lachine, nine miles from .Montreal ; the u!isus[ieeling inmates are soon secunnl, slaiiglii(!i'ed, in a fi.'w minutes a Itu'id conflagration alone marks tlu! spot where once stood a smiling, ha|»py villr.ge ; men, wouKin and children are sacrilled indiscrimi- nately. SoiU'-. are burnt ; others, disend)owell"d ; mothers made to roast their live infants over the lire and to luin the si)it ; every when;, groans, lorlines, despair. Two hundred victims butchered in cold blood, all this accomplished in less than an hour, wlls pousserent, dil C.iiarlevoix, la fiu-eur meme a (les exces d(»nl, on ne les avail pascru capables. llsouvraient le seiii (les fennnes enceintes, poiu' arraclier le fruit qu'elles portaient ; ils mirent des enfanls Ions vivanis a la broche el contraigiiirent les nieres d(! les tourner pour les faiie rotir. llsinventerenl quanlites d'autres snpplices inoui'sct deux cents jieisfumes de lout age el de lout se.ve perircnt aiiisi en moins d'liiie heure dans les plus aflreux lourments. » These scenes, Charlevoix relates, W(;re repeated within one league of the city ; only when these infuriated demons v.ere satiated with lunnan goie, did they retire with two hundred prisoners whom they allerwurds burnt. The island M. DE LA CORNE SAINT-LUC. 117 of Montreal romninod in their possession until Ihn fall following. In October, an Indian ally of the French, whom they had tor- tured and mutilated, oscaiK'd and apprised the French that the Indians intended reliiriiiiig in the winter to haveart>p:'lillo!i of th(!sc sickening horrors at the town of Three Iliviirs, after which Quohec was to be visited on Ihii same (M'raiid ; Ihat, wlien tiKsy would have extirpated Ihe Fr.iiich settlers lo the last man, they would meet in the following spring an English fleet at Quebec, (no doubt Pliipps' ships which did appear before Quebec in October, 1000.) Providence frustrated !heir dire designs. OfcoiU'se, such doings were not conlined to the allies of the New-Englanders. The savages in leaguewitlilhe French carried fire and the sword amidst the peaccifu' dwellers of the adjoiningEnglish provinces ; SehMiectady as wolj as Lachiue has its bloody records.. Oui' early liislory teems with such in- cidents. Happily Ihe extension of the colony in I7'i'', ajid Ihe rapidly -increasing power of Ihe whiles were calculated to rendtir lh(!sc scen(!s less frequi-nt. Apart from Ihe several Furopeancommauders who acquired fame during the seven vtsirs' war, some of the settlers or habitants (1) of Canada became famous in bailie. It is one of the most remarkable soldiers of lliat day we purpose sket- ching heie — Morts. Luc de la C.orue Sainl-Luc, previously Introduced lo our notice in Mr. DiHIaspc's book. The Cana- dians of Old, and in the Maple Leaves, as one of Ihe few sur- vivors in the shipwreck of thi! Auijnste, in 1701, on its voyage to France with tlu; French refug(!es. The careei' of de la Corue also commends ilself to our atlenlion from its analogy to that of other Canadians of lal(M' days : lie loughl as bravely under the Hag of St. George, when it liecami; that of his coimlry, as he had done previously when the lily-spangled banner of the French monarch waivcid over Ihe houK! of his youlli. Ueing no Utopian, la Corne cheerfully accepted the new regime under which his hilherto distracted country was destined lo enjoy peace, liberty and progress. IJeing a man of rank, talent and (1) Ihhitrintii : horo is a word whoso moaning has boon singularly porvortoJ. Hfilntant meant forinorly tho permanent settler, who eiiino to hnhiier lo pny, in contradistinction to tho military and oivil functionaries who wore transient. The riohoflt merchant might bo a habitant : that is, a permanent resident. 118 A BEPRESENTATIVE MAN. courage, high civil and military honors were soon wilhin his roach. We purpose in this paper viewing the Chevalier do la Cornc as a type of Iho Canadians of Old, the representative mail of that thrilling era of 1758 — Carillon and its glories — ^vh(Ml every Canadian peasant was a soldier, the stirring times of 1 759 wh(Mi octogenarians flodvcd to the loved standard of France and hoys hogged to he allowed to shoulder the musket, when the parishes were so diaiiied of their able-hodied men that the duties of husbandry devolved entirely on the icomen and children. History makes mention of two la Cornes. Do la Come La Culombiore, who commanded in Acadia, and foui:ht with success against tlie Eiiglidi in 1756 ; he retnrncd to France at Iho lime of the conquest and became the friend and com- panion of the famous naval commander, de SufTron, in his sea voyages. The oHkm', the subject of this notice, la Corne de Saint-Luo, « a Chevalier de Saitit Louis, » Avas a most inllu- cntial personage both amongst Iho Canadians and amongst the Indian tribes, under French and niidor English rule ; one of his fnsl ftjats was the capture (if Fort Chnlon in 1717. He also, at the head of the Canadians and Indians, distinguished him- self at the battle of Carillon (Ticondoroga), in 1758, >Nhere Abercrombie was defeated by Montcalm and Levis ; la Corne captured from the English general one hundred and fifty wag- gons of war stores. Allei- st i\ ing through the hard-fought engagements of the catupa^gn, we find him subscfpKjnIly at the llatlle of the Plains of Abraham ; we Ihenco follow him to Montreal, and sec him under rieneral Levis at the head of his old friends, the Canadians and the Indians; in April following he was wounded at Murray's defeat on the St. Foye heights, and took a promininil part in the last victory of the French in Canada ; a bailie which permilled them, on leaving the coun- try, to shake haiuls with their bravo antagonists, the English. (1) In 1761, he decided to return with his brother, his children (1) How singular tiro tho fortunes of war ! Wolfo, Amherst, and povcral other English oflicors, who, under the " butcher " Cumberlnnd and under Ligonier had boon disastrously defeated by Marshal Saxe, at Fontcnoy and Laufeldt, met on tho Plains of Abraham their old rivals, ivith Scotch Jacobites figliting on both side*. A few months later and the second battle of tho Plains — a brilliant though bootless victory — again asserted the martial qualities of the French legions. M. DE L\ CORNE SAINT-LUC. 110 Jicrc and nophfiws to France, and, havin,!:; plenty of ready money (some j£6,000), lie was on the ove of purchasing a vessel at Quebec, in Sijptember of that year foi* that purpose, when the generosity of (li-neral Murray made this unnecessary, and the /lu^u^/e was fitted up at (iovcninioiit expense. In this ill> starred ship, la (loini^ and one hundred and twenty of the chiff persons hi the colony, includiuj; several ladies, officers and soldiers, sailed on the I7lh Dctober, 1701. The ehiivalier has left an inlereslin^' Journal Kejtt by himself, of the appalling disaster which befoU the Auyuale (tn tlu; coast of Cape Hrelon, where the ship was stranded on Ihi; lijth November, 1701. This narrative (1), which has recciillv Ixu'ii published, is alfecting from its Iruthl'tilncss and simplicity ; no boasting, no flourishes of rhclorie in this short record of death and human sull'ering. On reading of tlii3 seven survivyis,— out of one hundred and twenty-one suuls, — slowly wending their way over the fog and snow-clad sea shore of Isle lioyale, occa- sionally one droppingdown benumbed, fatigued andexhausled, to sleep the long sleep of death, one is reminded of another gallant band who nearly a century later on, a few degrees closer to tin; pole, could Ix; seen equally forlorn ; they loo dropped down and died as they walked along the ice-clad strand ; « soim^. were buried and some were not, » as the old Esquimaux woniiin slated to McClinluck's parly — the latter band was Sir Jolmb'rankiin's devoted but despairing followers. We shall condense la Coriio's narrative of the shipwreck. The ship sli lick on the loth November ; la ( oriie and his six sur- viving comp;iiiiou«, including the captain, were washed ashore in a boat, more dead than alive ; the 10th was employed in digging graves ; none of his children, none of the ladies had been saved ; the young, the fair, the highborn strewing in hideous confusion a rock-bounJ coast amidst fragments of the wreck, — in all one hundred and fourteen corpses. Such were the dismal objects which met the gaze of la Corne and of his fellow-sulferers on the morning of the lOlh November. Amidst the roar of the sea and of the tempest, the last rites were per- (1) Journal du Naufrago do I'AutjnHe par M. Luc do la Corno Saint-Luc on 1781— COt lind him, in spite of all reuion- lianee, starting; in a birch eanoe, in that inclement season, with two young men whom Ik; had templed to this fool-hardy enterprise, by olTering them twenty-live lonis d'or ; they afterwards landed at Cheda-iJoncton, and after encountering great privation, fatigue, and divers perilous adventures, he arrived at Tort C.umbeiland, formerly Tort lleausejour, when after a short rest he continued his journey on foot, having worn out his strength and his snow shoes. The Temiscouata portage brought him subsequently to the lower parishes, then lo Kamouraska ; and the night he spent at (he Manor of Saint Jean- J'ort-.Ioly is graphically described in the Canailiaits ofiUd. lie arrived at Quebec, on the 2;{rd b'ebruary, laid an .iccount of his shipwreck bid'orc (ieneral Miuray, and left for Montreal to see (Ieneral fJage. This iron-framed man closes his.lournal by staling that the fatigues, dangers and starvation he was ex- posed to, were very greal — that the circuitous road he followAh their confidence ; men worthy of the position, — able to maintain their dignity, — distinguished by their abi'ities. <( You also charge me withhaving withdrawn from the army. You will permit me to inform you, sir, that those who, like myself, left it, did not, more than you, dread the perils of war. Fifty years' service will dispose of this charge. You, sir, better than any, know who made me leave the army ; it was yourself. « The 16th August, 1777, the day of the Bennington affair, you sent m(i, through Major Campbell, an order to hold my- self in readiness to start on the morning of the 17th with the Canadians and Indians, ahead of General Eraser's brigade, to post ourselves at Stillwater. But that same day M. de Laiiau- di6re (1) informed you of the defeat of Lieut.-Col. Baiun's detachment, and of that of Lieut.-Col. Breyman, who had (1) Luo de La Come was with Ouy Carleton and de la Naudiiro in the abip coming down to Quebec, io Nov. 1776, the Oatp4.—iSanguintt.) 124 \ IIEI'IIESEMATIVE MAN. advanced to support the lallcr. lie apprised you llial these two delacliments had lost at least seven hundred men. You ap- peared to put little faith in his slateniculs, and you told nie the loss did not amount to one hundred and fifty men, although the real figure, showed that the first report was exact. Counter orders were then issued to the wholearmy which iiad intended to march on that day, and the next day we were made to cross North River, and, with General Fraser's brigade, to camp at lialtenkill. The Indians, startled by your grand manceuvres, to which they were not accustomed, had noticed that you had sent no force either to collect the remnants of the corps dis- l»ersed at Bennington (some of whom, to my knowledge, returned to your camp \i\'e days after), or to succour the wounded, of which a portion were dying. This conduct of yours, sir, did not convey a very high idea of the care you would lake of those who might fight under you. The indifier- ♦Mice you exhibited to the fate of the Indians concerned in the IJennington encounter, to the extent of one hundred and fifty, had disgusted them very much ; a good number of them had fallen there, together with the irgreat chief, and out of the sixty-one Canadians, forty-one only had escaped. « bear in mind, sir, so that you may not form an erroneous opinion of this matter, what passed in council, when you re- presented our loss as trilling. I told you, on behalf of the Indians, whose interpreter you had made me, that they were very deserving. They said many things which it would have been useless to repeat ; amongst others'^ that they wished to speak their sentiments to you in plain terms. I warned you of what would be the final result. Finally, sir, their discontent became such that they left on the spot, although you refused to allow them provisions, shoes and an interpreter. Two days subsequently, you had seen yourerror ; Brigadier Fraser had anticipated what would be the consequences of your acts towards the Indians. You then sent for me, and I had the honor to meet vou in the tent of the brigadier, when you asked me to return to Canada, the bearer of despatches to General Carleton, to induce His Excellency to treat the Indians kindly and send them back to you. I did so, and I would have M. m Lit COUXK SAINT-LLC. 125 oncous oil re- of Uio were have led to you of ontent efiised rojoined (he army, 11" the communication had not hecu cut olT. After lliat, of what use could I have hecn, I, whom you liad represented as good for nothing, and as one of the Indians who had left the army. Ah I sir, having ceased to he a general, do not at least cease to he a gentleman ! On the latter point, I am your equal. You hear the rank of a general, and I may not he your equal in talent, hut I am your equal in birth, and claim to he treated as a gentleman. « He that as it may, sir, notwithstanding my advanced age (07 years), I am ready to cross the sea to justify myself before the King, my master, and before my country, of the unfounded charges you have heaped on me, but I am quite indilTerent as to what you, personally, may think of me. » A Legislative Councillor of Canada, in 1784, we find this sturdy old soldier at the ripe age of 74, equally ready in camp and in council, — manfully battling for the rights of his country- men to enjoy all the privileges of Ihilish subjects, and siding against the old family compact, — remonstrating loudly hut respectfully, and holding forth in the resolutions he proposed, in favor of the constitution of 1771. When the stern old llonian died does not appear ; he seems to have attained a very great age. hi a measure, arc we not justified in saying of him what Cla- rendon wrote of Hampden, « Ihat he was of an industry and a vigilance not to be tired on tor wearied by th(» most laborious, and of parts not to imposed on by the most subtle and sharp, — of a personal coinage e(pKd to his best parts. » ? ligadier Ices of and I when ches to Indians Id have 1 I r S Ji ([ hi F] ba be els pa lod Jiii< all rea tclli Can com tot] (») U. E. LOYAIISTS. ((Outline OP A FEW CONSPICUOUS!, e. loyalists, who fled to nova SCOTIA AND UPPER CANADA AFTER THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION ( 1 783) , WITH PERSONAL REMINISCENCES OF EARLY SETTLERS. » — Parlia- mentary Manuscripts collected by Geo. Coventry, Esq. {Revieiced in 1864.) The foregoing is a subject about which, I am lolh to say, tlie bulk of the French Canadians, notwithstanding their know- ledge of Canadian history, know very little ; in fact, those who have the courage to be candid, will promptly admit that in their minds a haze of uncertainty has hovered for a long lime over the exact meaning of the word (( U. £. Loyalist, » nor do they clearly understand what is meant by (( Nova Scotia Knights. » They can readily tell you how many trips Jacques Cartier or Champlain made to New France; of the thrashing General Levi gave General Murray on the Sic. Foye heights, in 1760 ; of the harrowing tale of the shipwrecked French refugees on Cape Breton in 1761 ; of the arbitrai7 banishment of the Acadians ; but be cautious how you parade before their eyes the mystic combii^tion (( U. E. Loyalists ; » else, many will fancy you are attempting to enlist their symr pathy in favor of some new Masonic order, mayhap an Orange lodge, or perchance some secret political organization, possibly like the Knights of the Golden Circle, or the D. M. D. (1) With all due deference to their historical lore, I see no cogent reason why the 10,000 English refugees who, Mr. Coventry tells us, (( were the founders of the present prosperity of Upper Canada, » should be more ignored in the annals of this, our common country, than were the French refugees who returned to the parent state a century back. At their removal, honors (1) Dafenderi of the Monro* Dootrine. 128 U. E. LOYALISTS. >vcrc lavished on both classes by their respective sovereigns, uiul several of them have left their mark in history. Before proceeding further in this inquiry, let us award our meed of praise to the enlightened statesmen who have hcen instrumental in rescuing from oblivion the memories of the biave and honoiable men who, at the close of the American revolutionary sliuggle, made the western portion of Canada their home. To the late Hon. William Hamilton Merritt and to the Hon. James Morris, the descendants of these worthies owe a debt of gratitude for having procured the support and sanction of the legislature to the measures they devised in order to compile the important parliamentary papers and ma- nuscripts now styled « The Simcoe Papers and Manuscripts relating to the U. E. Loyalists ; » and if I should venture to say that what has been collected can only be considered as a first instalment, it is not with the view of disparaging the labours of Mr. Coventry, the gentlemen employed by Parliament to trans- criber these doGuments. Far from that, I merely wish to record my opinion, that compared to the rich mines of historical facts and data procured at government expense in France, in the Uni- ted States and elsewhere, relating chiefly to Lower Canada, the Coventry Manuscripts appear but the forerunners of a compre- hensive compilation necessary for a full history of thai pro- gressive western portion of the Canadas. Any one viewing what material the Archiven de la (iuerre, the Archives de la Marine, the Albany State Documents, the parish Registers of Lower Omada, and the old censuMables of France have furnished to Mr. Faribault, Mr. (larneau, Mr. Bibaud, Mr. Tauguay and others, for the history of Lower Canada, will confess that our portion of the country has been dealt with most liberally. It is not every day, be it remembered, that a Lower Canadian is warranted in saying that Lower Canada has in one respect had a larger portion of the loaves and fishes than its sister pro- vince I To prevent disappointment, let us, at the onset stale, forthe benefit of the 20,000 descendants of the famous 10,000 « loundcrs of western piosperity, » that it is not in this short sketch, penned by a French Canadian in a leisure hour, that BRITISH REFUGEES. 129 they are to look for the whole pedigree and domestic history of their worthy grandfathers. Should the nephews of U. E. Loyalists be ansed for the pay of the troops. « Those who were fortunate enough to have located in the vicinity of an encampment, or a fort, were liberally paid for their produce, and the cash was speedily put avvay in an old stocking, or locked up for posterity to gloat the eye upon. « Thieves were unknown, and crime of any description was a rare occurrence. « The (juvernment was as liberal as the most fastidious could desire. It gave them land, tools, materials fur building, the means of subsisting for two or three years, and to each ot their children, as they became of age, two hundred acres of land. Families at the present day speak with pride, pleasure and thankfulness of the liberality of the British Government in alTording them assistance in the wilderness ; they continued staunch and loyal to their sovereign, ever ready in any emer- gency to preserve untarnished the honor of the country. ' Thank God, I am a true BritOxN ' was instilled into their mind from infiincy. Intimately connected with the rise and progress of Upper Canada, there is an important class of settlers who demands our especial attention. I allude to the U. E. Loyalists. « Those extraordinary men underwent the severest trials and privations for their determined loyalty to the House of Uanover. « No one can have the slightest conception of the misery that civil war entails until after the perusal of Mr. Sabine's History ; every refined cruelty of which the human mind is susceptible was practised on those upholders of the cause of a liuiiled monarchy. « Doubtless, retaliation was, in a measure, the order of the BRITISH REFUGEES. 133 Igress who [lists. trials te of [sery line's Id is of a llie day ; so that scenes were daily witnessed as Imirowing to a plilanlliropist as during the reign of terror in France, under Robespierre and Danton. « The lives tliat were saerificod during the seven years' struggle for iudiipendence, can never be ascertained ; so that, rather than prolong the war, and to spare the further efTusion of blood, the Minister adopted the humane principle of com- pleting a treaty that was by no means satisfactory to the greater portion of enlightened politicians. (( Those who are interested in the history of nations, should by all means, obtain Mr. Sabine's useful and interesting work; hut as it is now scarce, I shall subjoin a few notices of ex- traordinary characters who figure intlie revolutionary struggle, who afterwards took refuge in Canada and Nova Scotia, who acted as pioneers in clearing the wildei nt'ss, and by per- severance and industry reared families whose descendants have since shone consiiicious lu the annals of the country. As Upper Canada had few actual settlers previous to the termina- tion of American hostilities, nor any accommodation for the reception of refugees, we have to trace the stream of loyalists who made their escape to the shores of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, were they arrived in British ships by thousands, and afterwards branched out in divers directions, as Ih' y ob- tained grants of land in various sections of the colony. « Some few came over by way of Niagara, under the aus- pices of Sir William John^on, and afterwards under the admi- nistration of General Simcoe. Their history is extiemely inte- resting, shewing the wonderful vicissitudes of human life, and may as beacons, help on those grumblers of the present day, who have not the same manliness, fortitude and presence of mind to meet the casualities incidental to the changes that at limes, take place under every form of government. « The loyalists oflicers, at the close of the war, retired on half-pay. « This stipend they received during life, and they also re- ceived grants of land according to their rank. « Many were appointed to responsible and lucrative civil offices, and some even administered the Government of the 134 U. E. LOYALISTS. colony in which they resided : General Simcoo, for inslnnco, who commanded liie Queon^B Rangers in the Revohiliotiary war. Nolhing in the history of ihose extraordinary men is so remarkable ns th(!ir longevity. Several lived to enjoy their pay for upwards of half a centnry ; so eonnnon among them were the ages of eighty and eighty-five, ninety and even ninety- five, that the saying became proverbial — ' Loyalist half-pay officers never die. ' So courteous and liberal was the British Government, that even after the death of those old officers, many widows and orphans were recipients of various sums, amounting to between i;20,000 and £30,000 per annum, (aye and as much as jESO.OOO.) « We have previously remarked that those who arc curious to know the fate of from 7,000 to 10,000 loyalists should con- sult Mr. Sabine's valuable work. \ ^'\\ « In our selection we shall notice a few conspicuous fami- liei who fled from the States at a very early period of Upper Canadian history. » It is with those prefatory remarks that Mr. Coventry ushers in the bright galaxy of loyal men whose allegiance to the House of Hanover was so substantially (1) rewarded, whose orphans and widows, received as much as je30,000 per annum from the British Exchequer. Good olden time, Mr. Coventry ! Happy age that was 1 Let us not, however, dwell on the sunny pic- ture too long, lest it should call forth an invidious comparison between the treatment experienced by Governor Simcoe's and Sir William Johnston's fi lends, and that meted out to the pa- triotic reformers of abuses, in 1838-9, in Eastern and in Western Canada. They, too, Avere the sons of men who had stood up for Britain's flag in 1775 and 1812 ; but wlet the dead past bury its dead. » The U. E. Loyalists were brave, let us honor them ; they sacrificed their comforts, their worldly means, to the shrine of consistency, and consistency is a jewel ; let us cherish their memory ! (1) The wealth and ^['osition of the colonists, who sacrificed their possessions in the Republican States, to adhere to the monarchy, may be estimated by the fact, that claims for the logs of property were allowed, by the Imperial Govern- ment, to 3,000 heads of families — the total of whose indemnity (apart from land grants) reached to about (en miUiont iterling I (Adolphut Hiat. of England, Vol. Ill, p. 629.) RUtTlflll REFUGEES. 135 But how shall wo bncomingly recoiiiil the odyssny of Ihoir siiHorings in llie wilds of Wostorn Cnnndn ? How shall wo depict their valor ill war? Let Chrysler's Farm, let Lundy's Lane, lelQiieenslonlleiK^hls; (I) let the battle fields of 1812-13- 14 unfold (heir honored banners. ^sessions by tho I Qovern- rom land \nd, Vol. The Coventry Mannscj-ipls contain sketches of the following U. E. Loyalists and early settlers of Upper Canada : The Smiths, Gambles, Andersons, .Tones, Lynians, Robin- sons, Ilaldwins, Sir Jumes McCaulay, Hon. John Wilson, John Strachan, Capl. James IJitlrick, Roger Rates, Mrs. White, Joseph Branl, Thomas Horner, Hon. M. DeBoncherville, (2) Hon. John Stewart, Hon. W. Morris, Mohawk Chief Marlin, Hon. Samuel Crone, Nicholas Rrowse, Jacob DeWitt, Hon. George Crookshank, Sir Josejih Brook, Hon. James Crooks, George Brouse, M.P.P. ; Dr. Schoelield, Ibm. John Molson, Hon. John lAIcDonald, Thomas Mcrritt, Jacob Bowman, Hon. Henry Rutlan, Hon. John Elmsley, Chief Just,, ; Hon. Peter Russell, Administrator ; Hon. Henry AllcocK, Chief Justice ; W. Weeks, M.l'.P. ; John While, Attorney-General ; Mrs. Secord, of Chippewa ; Col Clark, Port Dalhousie ; Hon. W. Hamilton Merrilt ; Philemon Wright, the pioneer of the Ottawa ; Rev. John Stuarf, Fronlenac ; Tecumseh ; Mis. Clench, of Niagara ; Mrs. John Gibson, of Grantham ; John Kilburn ; James Richardson, of Glover Hill ; also a stalement of the sufferings of the clergy at the American revolution. » These papers seem particularly interesting. Out of such a rich casket of historical gems, who will dare to select '? Here is a lively sketch of an Indian warrior, Te- cumseh— the genuine product of an American forest : as such eminently fitted for the Maple Leaves. Here again arc trails of devotion and disinterestedness, scraps of family history, feats of personal prowes^', incidents of the battlefield ; how shall I (1) Accounts of these battles will be found in tho Third Series of " Maple Leaves," published in 1864. (2) Hon. Mr. DoBoucherville is a lineal descendant of the old Gorernor of Three Rivers, and founder of the village of DoBoucherville. 136 U. E. LOYALISTS. crowd them in tlio narrow limits of this record of Canadian wortii and Canadian gallantry ? Yes, how ? I acknowledge the idea distresses me much ; enough at any rate for to day. But hefore closing, listen to the quaint gossip of a very worthy and ancient dame of some seventy-nine summers, Mrs. \S'hite. (1) « The Bay of Quinte was covered with ducks, of which we could obtain any quantity from the Indians. As to fish, they could be had by fishing with a scoup. I have often speared large salmon with a pitch fork. » « Now and then provisions ran very scanty ; ;>e fared no belter than Frenchmen, there being plenty of bullfrogs .» Good gracious ! to think that after all the U. E. Loy- alists were — veritable frog-eaters ! « Ealing bullfrogs a sumi)- tuf s fare ! » Oh, Mrs. WMiite ! Mrs. White ! However, there was just as excellent a reason for eating bullfrogs in Upper Canada in 1/88, as there was for eating horse flesh (2) in Lower Canada some thirty years previously : there was nothing else to eat. (3) Let us continue. «This,» says Mrs. (1) Reminiscences of Mrs. White, of White's Mills, near Cobourg. (2) Montcalm had had 1500 horses slaughtered for the inhabitants of Canada in 1758. (3) Dr. Canniff, of Toronto, in an interesting work furnishes details, on the settlement of Upper Canada, fully corroborating what is here stated : " Sometimes, says ho, the grain was crushed with an axe upon a flat stone. Many prepared a wooden mortar, by cutting a block of suitable length, about four feet, out of the trunk of a large tree, oak or maple. Sometimes it was the stump of a tree. In this, a cavity was formed, generally by heating a piece of iron, and placing it upon the end. In some quarters, a cannon ball from the garr'.;-on was used. By placing this, red hot, upon the wood, a hollow of sufficient dep^h could bo made. These mortars, sometimes called ' Hominy Blocks ' and sometimes ' Plumping Mills, ' varied in size ; sometimes holding only a few quarts, sometimes a bushel, or even more. The pestle or pounder, was made of the hardest wood, six or eight feet long, and eight inches in diameter at the bot- tom end ; the top, sufficiently small to be spanned by the hand. The pestle was sometimes called the stamper ; and the stump or block, with the pestle, was called the stump-mortar. Generally, it was by tbo unaided hand that the grinding was done ; but after a time, a sweep pole was arranged, similar to a well pole, and a hard weighty substance being attached to the pole, much less strength was required to crush the grain ; at the same time, a large quantity could be at once done. The work was generally done by two men. The grain thus pounded was generally Indian Corn, and occasionally wild rice. To crush wheat required much more labour, and a small mortar. The bran was separated from the flour by a horse hair siere, one of which generally served a whole community, as they were posieiicid only by a few. This rude method continued for many yeaii, especially BBITISU nEFUGKF.8. 137 )gS Canada on the "White, « was the time of the famine, 1 think, in 1788 ; ue wore obliged to dig up our seed potatoes, after planung them, to eat. "We never llioiight of these privations, but were always happy in thoje township remote from tho flouring mill!". Frequently, an indiridunl would possess an old mortar that would be uRed by a whole neighborhood. Mr. Diamond, of Belleville, a native of Fredericksburg, remember?, who* a boy, to have accompanied hia fiilher ' to mill. ' Tho mill w,is ono of these larger mortars, which would contain a bushel of grain when bein^ ground, but which would hold, even measure, two bushels. The grain was crushed by a sweep with a weight attach ad, of ten or twelve pounds. " Tho year of the famine is spoken of sometimes as the ' sonroo year, ' some- times as the ' hungry year, ' or tho ' hard summer. ' The extrosio distress seems to have commenced in the year 1787. With some, it lasted a part of a year ; with others a year, and with others upwards of a year. The height of tho distress was during the spring and early summer of 1788. But plenty to all, did not come till the summer of 1789. The writer has in his possession accounts of many instances of extreme suffering, during the famine, and for years after, through tho ton townships. A few will here bo given, as briefly as may h» possible. " One, who settled in the sixth township (who was subsequently a member of Parliament for twenty yoars), with wife and children, endured great suffering. Their flour being exhausted, he sent money to Quobeo for some more flour, but his money was sent back ; there was none to be had. Tho wife tried, as an oxperi- mont, to make bread outof some wheat bran, which was bought at a dollar a bushel. She failed to make bread, but It was oaten as a stir-about. Upon thisi with Indian Cabbage, or ' Cale, ' ' a plant with a large leaf, ' also wild potatoes or ground nuts, the family lived for many a week. In the spring they procured some potatoes to plant, but the potato eye alone was planted, tho other portion being reserved for food. One of tho daughters, in her extreme hunger, digged l ; at this time, the rest of thi! army came vip in good ordi^r. (ItMieral Miinay havitig thim put himsi'Ifal the head of <»ur Regiment, ordered them !o fidi to the left and march Ihrongh the bu'-^h of wood towards the fitmeral Hospital, where they 2")l a great gun or two to play npon us from the town, which, however, did no damage, but we had a few men killed and officers wounded by some skulking fellows, with small arms, from the bushes and behind the houses in the suburbs of Si. Louis and St. John. » We shall interrupt this quotation of Lieutenant Phraser's journal, to insert some details, very recently furnished to us, by our respected townsman, .lohn Fraser, esquire, whose memory is still excellent, despite advancing years. « In my youth, » says Mr. Fraser, « 1 boarded with a very aged mili- tiaman, who had fought at the balile of the Plains ; his name was Joseph Trahn. In 1759, Trahan was aged eighteen years. Frequently has this old gossip talked to me about the incidents of the fight. « I can well recollect, old Ti'ahan used to say, how Monlcalm looked before the engagement. He was riding a dark or black horse in front of our lines, bearing his sword high in the air, in the attitude of encouraging the men to do their duty. He wore a uniform with large sleeves, and the one covering the arm he held in the air, had fallen back, dis- closing the white linen of his risband. When he was wounded, a rumor spread that he was kitl>'d ; a panic ensued, and the soldiers rushed promiscuously trom the Buttes a Nepveu (near whereWie AsyleChampetre, — nowMr.Dinning's house— stands), towards the Cdteau Sainte Genevieve, thence towards the St. Chailes, over the meadow (on which St. Roch has since been built.) I can remember the Scotch Highlanders flying wildly after us, with streaming plaids, bonnets and large swords — like so many infuriated demons, over the brow of the hill. In their course, was a wood, in which we had some Indians and sharpshooters, who bowled over the Sauvages (TEcosse in fine style. Their partly naked bodies fell on their face, and their kilts in disorder left exposed a portion of their thighs, at which our fugitives on passing by, would make 13 146 FR\SER's HIGHLANDERS Iiingcs with Ihoir swords, cutting large slices out of the flcsliicst portion of their persons. 1 was amoniisl the fugi- tives and received in th(» calf of the leg a sp inl bullet, which stretched me to the ground. I Ihuughl it was all over with me ; but presently, 1 rose; up, and continued to run towards the General llospitiil, in order to gain the Beaiiporl camp over the brid^'e of boats. On my way, 1 came to a bake house, in which the baker that day had baked an ovenful of bread. Some of the exhausted fugitives asked him for food, which he refused, wlnin in a lilof ra;;e at such hearllessuess, one of them lopped olT his head with his sword. The bjnody head was then deposited on Ih", top of the pile of bread Hunger getting the belter of me, 1 helped myself to a ktaf all sm;iared with gore, and with my pocket-knife removing thecrust, I gree.lily devotireu Am crumb. This was in Ihe afternoon, and the s;ni was dcsceudifig iii the West. » Such arc ''"'ails furnished by old Trahan to Mr. John Fraser. Let us now resume Ihethreail of Lieutimanl Malcolm Fraser's narrativ(i wliere we left it off. « After marching a shoit way Ihrouuh the bushes, Brigadier Murray thought proper to order ns to return again to the high road leading from Porte St. Louis, to Ihelleightsof Abraham, where the battle was fought, and al'tcu- niiU'ching till we got clear of the bushes, we were ordered to turn to the right, and go along the edge of them tov\ards the bank, at the descent between us and the General Hospital, under which we understood there was a body of the enemy who, no sooner saw us, that they began firing on us from the bushes and from the bank ; we soon dislodged them from the bushes, and from thence, kept firing for about a quarb^r of au hour on those under cover of the bank ; but as they exceeded us greatly in numbers, they killed and wounded a great many of our men, killed two olficers, which obliged us to retire a little, and form again, when the 58th Regiment with the 2ud Batialion of Royal Americans having come up to our assistance, all three making about five hundred men, ad- vanced against the enemy and drove them first down to the great meadow between the Hospital and town, and afterwards, over the River Saint Charles. It was at this lime and while in BEFORE QUEBEC IN 1759: \M on lis lodged liboul a I but as Lindcd Obliged kimutit up to (n, ad- lo the krards, lile in the bushes that our UegimenlsutTured most : Lieuteimnt Utxit'- rick McNeill of Hana, and Alexander McDoiiell, and .lolin McDonell, and John MePhorsoii, volunteer, with many ol' oui- men, were killed before we were reinfoiced ; and (!a|ilain Thomas Iloss having gone down with about one hundred men of the 3rd Regiment lo the meadow, alter the enemy, when they were out of reach, ordered me up to desire those on the md tin height would wail till he would come i _ I did, but before Mr. Ross could gel up, he unfurtu aloly was mortally wounded in the body, by a cannon b'lll from th(; hulks, in the mouth of the River Saint Charles, of which he died in great torment, butwilh great resolution, in about two hours after. « We had, of our Regiment three oflieers killed and ten wounded, one of whom Captain Simon Fmser, afterwards died. Lieutenant Archibald Campbell was thought to have been mortally wounded, but to the surprise of most |>eo|)le, recovered; Captain John MeDonell, thro', both things ; Lieut. Ronald McDonell, Ihro' till! knee ; Lieutenant xVlexandi^r Camp- bell, thro' the leg ; Lieutenant Douglas, thro' the arm, who died of this wound soon afttjrwards ; Ensign Gregerson, Ensign McKenzie and Lieutenant Alexander Eraser, all slightly ; I received a contusion in the right shoulder or rather bieast, before the action became general, which pained me a good deal, but it did not disable me from my duty then or after- wards. « The detachment of our RegimtMit consisted, at our march- ing from Point Levi, of six hundred men, besides commissicm- ed and non commissioned ol'licers ; but of these, two olTiecrs and about sixty men were hifl on board for want (d' boats, and an olficer and about thirty men left at the landing place : bo- sides a few left sick on board, so that we had about live hun- dred men in the action. We sulVered in men and tl'iiciirs more than any three Regiments in the field. We were com- manded by Captain John Campbell ; the Colonel and Captain McPherson having been unfortunately wounded on the 25th July, of which they were not yet fully recovered. tt We remained encamped till the — October, when the army 148 FRASEU K IIIGIIL4NDERS marched into (own, which is to bo our quarters for the win- ter ; most of the houses are deslroyccJ, and we have hut a very dismal prospect for se\en or eiyhl monlhs, as fresh pro- visions arc very scarce, and every other tiling exorbitantly dear. » The record of Eraser's Highlanders at the battle of SI. Foye, generally callod in old manuscripts the l)attle of Sillery Wood, is not without its interest, altho' the fight ended in a signal reverse. The Scotch sutTered fearfully in comparison with their numbers. « We had, » again says Lieut. Malcolm Fraser, « about sixty ki'ied and twenty wounded, and of thirty-nine officers, Cap- tain Donald McDonald who commanded th(; volunteer company of the army, and Lieutenant Cosmo Gordon who commanded the light inlanlry company of our regiment, were both killed in the (ield ; Lieutenant Hector McDonald and Ensign Malcolm Fraser died of their wounds, all very much regretted by every one who knew them. « We had twenty-three more officers wounded, of this num- ber was Colonel Fraser, who commanded the left wing of the army, and it was with great pleasure we observed his behaviour during the action, when he gave his orders with great coolness and deliberation. He was touched at two ditferent times ; the fii'st took him in the right breast, but having his cartouche box slung, it luckily struck against the tar ol it and did not penetrate tho', olherways, it must infallibly have done his busi- ness. The second, he got in the retreat, but striking against the cue of his hair, he received no other damage than a still- ness in his neck for some days. Here I cannot help observing that if any unlucky accident had befallen our Colonel, ' his regiment must have sulfered an irreparable los> ,il i think 1 can, without any partiality say, it would have biiun a loss to his country. His behaviour tliis winter in particular to his regirienl has been such, as to make him not only esteemed by Ihem but by (he Garrison in general. Captain Alexander Fraser of our regiment, was wounded in the right temple, and thought very dangerously, the rest are mostly flesh wounds. I received a musket ball in the right groin, which BEFORE OVEBEC IN 1759. 149 was thouf^ht dnngorons for three or four days, as Iho boll was supposed to be lodged, but whether it hns wrought out in walk- ing into town, or did not pen(>trate fur (enough at tirsl to lodge, or is still in, I cannot say, but in twenty days 1 was entirely cured, and (he wound which was at first but small was entirely closed lip. » On that unlucky occasion, (28th April, 1760,) the pic- turesque locality now occupied by the smiling country seats of our successful merchants on the Sle. Foy road, wore a very dilTerenl aspect ; fields strewed with corpses — bloody pools on all sides met the eye. The sava^^es, coming out from the bushes where they had been lurking during the combat, set to their old work of scalping, if we are to credit Lieutenant iVial- colm Fraser's nanative : « It appears, says he, the allowed the savages to scalp all the killed and most part of the wounded, as we found a great many scalps in the bushes. (( I have been since informed by Lieutenant McGregor, of our regiment, who was left on the field wounded, and narrow- ly escaped being killed, having received two stabs of a bayonet from two French regulars, that he saw the savages murdering the wounded and scalping them on all sides, and expected every momiMit to share the same fate, but was saved by a French officer, who luckily spoke a little English.)) Scalping was not, however, confined to the Indians; thus on referrin;^ to Lieutenant Malcolm Fraser's M. S. S., we find the British on the 23rd July, 1759, indulging in a little scalping at St. Joachim. In this instance Lieutenant Richard Montgo- mery, then serving in the 17lh regiment, in Western Canada, is made to bear through a mistake of our historians, the res- ponsibility of the acts of a barbarous namesake. Captain Alex- ander Montgomery, of Ihe 43rd. « There were, says Malcolm Fraser, several of the enemy killed and wounded and a few prisone' - taken, all of whom the barbarous Caplain Montgo- mery, o commanded us, ordered to be butchered in a most inhup and cruel manner ; particularly two, who 1 sent pri- sons V a sergeant, after giving Ihem quarter, and engaging that tl y should not be killed, were one shot, and the other 150 FR4SEIIS HIGULANDERS knocked down with a tomahawk (a little hatchet) and both scalped in my absence, by the rascally sergeant neglecting to acquaint Montgomery that I wanted Ihem saved, as he, Mont- gomery, pretended when I (jneslioned him abont il, but even that, was no excuse for such an unparalleled piece of barbarity. However, as the allair ronid not be remedied, I was obliged to let it drop. After this skirmish, we set abont burning the houses with great success, setting all in flames (ill we came to the church of St. Anne's, wh(3re we put up for the night, and were joined by Captain Ross, with about one hundred and twenty men of his company. » Captain J. Knox, in his journal, and others, mention so many cases of scalping amongst the British, that il was apparently as much an institution amongst "Wolfe's soldiery as in the opposite camp. With these deeds of blood and devastation on their escut- cheon, it is not at all surprising if during the war of the cession of Canada, tht; French and Ciuiadians should have formed such exagerated notions of the ferocity of Wolfe's soldiers ; as for the Uighlandeis, they were popularly known as Les Petiles Jupes, on account of their kills, which they wore all winter ; they also were called Les Sauvayes tVJUcosse. The following was one of the most acciedited opinions amongst the Canadian peasantry in 1759 ; — cdhe Iligldaiideis neither would give nor take, quarter : they were so nimble, that no man could catch them, so nobody could escape tht^m — no one had a chance against their broad-swords — with the ferocity natural to savages^ they made no prisoners, and spared neither man, woman, nor child. » As previously stated, tin; Highlanders on b' ing disbanded, settled largely in Canada and Nova Scotia, nor were these loyal men recreant to the call of duty, when the invader threatened their adopted country ; thus in 1775, they huriied under the standard of one of their old officers, Lieut. -Col. McLean, and formed a new regiment, the 84lli, or Royal Emigrants. They had in 1759, materially helped to comjuer Canada ; sixteen years later, they and the Canadian militia niosl materially helped to save it, for tin; Crown of England, and successfully repelled Benedict At nold and his coadjutor, Richard Montgo- BEFORE QUEBEC IN 1759. 151 Hgo- mcry, who, in 1759, had valiantly done battle for England, in the 17lh Rc},'im(Mit. We havo been allowed to clip a few pages from the diary of an aged Qiiebec(!r — Deputy Commissary (Jeneral Thompson, whose respected father had served in the Highland Regiment until it was disbanded. Mr. Thompson's journal bears every impress of truth. MEMOIRS REGARDING FRASER's niGlH.ANDERS 78tII BOSS-SHlRE BUFFS. Colonel Simon Fraser was authorised to raise a corps for special service. They were recruited in the town of Tain, Ross-shire, Scotland, in tlio short period of four days, and they nrmbered upwards of fourteen hundred strong. My late father joined as a volunteer in order to accompany a particular friend of his company, Lieutenant Das id Railie, and who was killed at the landing at Louisbonrg ; these particulars, my father used to ndate as follows : ((The bo it in which our company was embarked, was towed by a second boat under the command of a naval officer. The French batteries firing grape and musket-balls from great guns. Lieut(Miant Railie sal opposite to me, in the; stem sheets of the boat ; observing that he leaned his head on the shoulder of the man who sat next to him, 1 imagined thai he did so in or- der to shelter himself from the enemy's shot ; but he was dead ! The shot came so thick, that had it been any other des- cription of troops they must have gone to the bottom, but the Highlanders stopped the shot-holes with their plaids, and thus kept the boat from filling. The shot coming so thick from the French batteries, decided the naval officer to cut the painter loose, and thus leave us as a mark for the French to fire at. Numbers were killed at the landing. A rel-hot shot came in at the stern of our boat, and killed and woimded several. It passed under my « hams, » and scorched me to that degree that it was near twelve months belore I quite recovered from its effects. It tore away the sword-hilt of the officer who was sealed on my left, and carried it into the thigh of the man who was at the helm, and the shot itself stuck fast in the sternpost of the boat. After the landing, the balls were collected, and 152 FRASER S HIGHLANDERS measure upwards of a quart. When formed into line of bat- tle, one of Eraser's HiglilamlerSj Neil McLeod, seeing the French outside of their forlificaiions. he Ihrew down his fuzee, and, drawing his broadsword, he left the ranks, in a direction towards the French, when his Captain ordered him back. What, said McLeod, am I to stand here, and sec there those rascals of French, and not try and bring away a prisoner ?» He went forward, and was followed by th;; giealer part of the regiment. I overheard Colonel Carleton, Quarler-Mastcr-Gene- ral,to say: « I expected nothing less of those Highlanders, they are a set of rebels. » However, they all soon returned, each having a French prisoner, whom he held by the « sknff » of the neck, and some of the Grenadiers brought in two. It afterwards appeared that the French mistook the Highlanders, owing to their peculiar styh of dress, for savages. They committed the same act of insubordination on the Plains of Abraham, the 13th September, 1759 After the first discharge on the part of the French, they chased them with their broad- swords up to Saint Louis and Saint John's Gates, and down the bank, opposite the Hospital General ; one poor fellow had his left cheek severed from his head, by the cut of a broadsword, and it was hanging on his shoulder, suspended by the skin. The wounded were carried down the bank at Wolfe's Cove, embarked in boats, and taken across the river, to Poinle Levis Church, (Saint Joseph,) which was converted into a temporary hospital. To return to Louisbourg ; it was entirely subdued, the for- tifications blown up, and the garrison dispersed. They were many women and their children who claimed the protection of the British Army, thei: .nisbands being prisoners of war. A Doctor Lejuste, of the French Army, with an Indian as guide, left Louisbourg immediately after its capture, and traversed the intervening forest, to Quebec. He, it was, who brought the first news of the capture of Louisbourg. He settled in Quebec, and was our family physician. He had two sons and a daughter ; both the son> were price's, the elder, Cur^ of Beuuport. The daughter wa£ married to Judge BEFORE QUEBEC IN 1759. 153 le for- were lion of Ir. A jiiide, irersed I'ought He |s, the ludge Bedard, of Three Rivers. » Thus much from my father's journal. I will state the following from my recollections : Of the Regiment of Fraser's Highlanders, who remained in O'iebec, afterthe conquest, were only the following individuals of which I have a knowledge : Lieut. John Nairn, who obtained a grant of land at La Mal- baie ; several of the men of the regiment engaged with him, and many of their descendants still retain their primitive names, but they all speak French. A son of Colonel Nairn was C;iptain in the 49lh Regiment, and was killed at the battle of Chrysler's Farm. II th November, 1813. Lieutenant William Frasvr, who obtained a grant of land, at Murray Bay, on the opposite side of the River Murray. Ho had two sons, William and John Malcolm ; at the decease ot William, who married Miss Mathilda Duberger, and not having any family, the property passed into the hands of John Mal- colm, who is since dead. The seigniory is now in possession of his two daughters, the eldest, the wife of Captain (now Lieut.-Col.) J. Reeves, late of 79th Cameronian Highlanders; the other, the wife of Major Heigham, of the 17th Foot. There was a grant of a third Seigniory soon after the con- quest of Quebec, at La Beance, and these three were the oidy grants under the seigniorial tenure. I forgot the name ot this officer. All subsequent grants of Crown Lands have been in free and common soccage. Sergeant Hugh McKay, who kept a store immediately out- side (ff Palace Gate, but which, with all those beneath the rock, extending as far as Hope (jate, were purchased by the military government, afi<'r the great fires of 1845, as being too near the fortifications, and were demolished. He held th(i first situation of Sergeant-at-Arms of the first House of Assem- bly. He had a family of twenty-two children, two only of wh©m were boys, and both studied medicine, and went to the East Indies. One of tht» girls was married to Mr. John Bent- ley, organist of the English Cathedral ; one, to a Sergeant of Artillery ; all the rest, dii'd unmarried. John McLeody who kept an hotel opposite the Esplanade, at that time the only house along thai line. He had no family. 14 \u FRASEA S HIGHLANDERS Sergeant James Sinclair, who settled on a farm immediately on the north side of Scott's bri Ige, lliver Saint Charles. He had a son and daughter. His daughter was married to Major Hope of the 26th, or Cami3ronian Highlanders ; she who was mother of « litllo Jemmie Hope, » who received the (irst riidimiMits of his education at Mr. John Fraser's school, in Garden street. He left Quebec with the regiment, and returned to Canada with the rank of Brigadicr-Goneral. In 1837, he had coirimand '»f the Monln'al District. On his coining over to Chambly with his Aide-de Camp, to inspect the garrison, he recognised me. Lieut. Colonel Denny, of the 71st Highlanders., having no- ticed lh;il the General and myself were acciuaintiid, I was invited to diue at the Regimental Mess, in order to meet him, th(! General. Mr. Sinclair's son enlisted in the Battalion of Royal Canadian Volunteers, under command of Lieut. -Colonel De Longiieil, aud was made sergeant. Mr. Sinclair was commis- sioned in the then British Militia. He died in the house of Mr. Samson, butchei', (now the Livery Stables in Sainle Aune street,) at an advanced age. At his funeral, the IVev. Dr. Alexander Sparks oflicialed. Lauchlin Smith — Who kept a store just outside of Palace Gate, next to Hugh McKay. He accumulated wealth, and be- came proprietor of the Seigniory of Sainle Anne, below Que- bec. He had two daughters, who were educated at Mr. John Fraser's school. After Mr. Smith's decease, the girls married two French Canadians. 1 snppo^e the Seigniorie to be still in the hands of their descendants. John Ross — "Who kept a store in the house nearest Palace Gale, with n. He became wealthy, and was a commissioned officer in the British Mililii inder Colonel Lemailre. He had three sons : David was Sollicilor-General at Montreal ; John \\a< a lawyer also, and Proihouotary at Quebec , the third, died young. Of three daughters, one was married to the Rev, Alexander Sparks ; a second was married to Mr. James Mit- chell, merchant, and the third to an Army Surgeon. Mr. Ross died at a very advanced age. He is the ancestor of David A Kosb, Ebq., Barrister, of this city. BEFORE QUEBEC IN 1759. Da [iiately i. He I Major 10 was e lirst ool, in Uurned i37, he over to ison, he !ng no- I was ;el him, Df Royal lonel De comniis- -ti of Mr. lie Aline IVev. Dr. f Palace and be- low Qiie- »Ir. John married be slill It Palace lissioiied He had II ; John third, the Rov, js Mil- llr. Ross iavid A John Frascr— He received a severe sabre cut on the foro head in the battle of the Plains of Abraham, the 13lh Sep- tember, 1759, and from exhaustion, he had sal himself iloun on Ihe grass, leaning his back against th(i fence. A Fr>hich year they wore des- troyed by fire, and restored from memory ; he could also con- sult the ample details of the several census tables, compiled by order of the French government, yet in manuscript in our public libraries. It is really singular to notice what a large portion of settlers came from Normandy to New France. Almost all the educated Frenchmen, such as Messrs. Rameau, Ampere, De Puibusque, Aubry, Fenouillcl and others who have visited Canada, have been struck with the resemblance between the customs, man- ners and language of the French Canadian peasantry of this day, and those of the; peasantry of Brittany and Normandy. All of them admitted that, as a general rule, our habitants spoke better French than the same class in the coimtry parts of France. Of course, it is not pretended that even the edu- cated in this country could compare for purity of accent with Parisians, who alone claim the right to speak pure French. Parisian writers, on this point, have promulgated canons which SO' m rather absolute. It is asserted, for instance, that the nicely of the Parisian ear is such, that even a Parisian writer who removes for four years from his native city to the pro- vinces, is liable to be detected when he writes. This is going far, and reminds one of the huckster-woman of Athens, who, by his accent, detected Theophrastes as not being Attic born, though for twenty-five years, he had lived in Athens. When Mr. Rameau was in Quebec, I took occasion to ask him what he thought ol our besl writers. « Sir, » said he, «let me relate to you what occurred to me in Paris last winter. I was acquainted with Canadian literature before 1 came here, and in order to test the correctness of my own opinion, I as- sembled some literary friends and told them that I intended reading them a chapter out of two new books which they had never seen befere ; they assented ; this done, and replacing the books in my book-case, I requested them to tell me can- didly where they could have been written. * Why, in Paris, CANADIAN NAMES AND SURNAMES. 161 where else ? ' lliey replied ; ' none but Parisians could write such French. ' « Well, j;en(lenien, » said I, « you arc much mislaken, these books were written on the banks of the Saint Lawrence, at Quoboc. Flieiine Parent and the Abbe Forlund are the wiilers. » My friends could scarcely credit mc;. I feel pleased in recording this incident, because such a circumstaiico does honor to the country. It also alTuids me particular pleasure to notice this fact, bi.'cause it bears effectually on a stupid asser- tion not altogether uncommon, viz : That French Cauadiuus speak nothing but patois ; if the whole truth were known, it would be manif<»st that our peasantry talk (1) better French than does one half of the rural population of France ; in fact, it is not rare to find the French peasantry of one department scarcely able to understand the idiom of the corresponding class, in another department. Seveial causes may be ad- duced explanatory of this singular feature ; the first settlers in Canada had left Fnince about the time when literature was at its zenith, and when the language was singularly beautiful. Whatever success may have been achieved in literature by modern France, no writer since the great revolution, has sur- passed Corneille, Racine, Boileau, Voltaire orSevigii^, in each of their specific departments ; the language of the peasantry in New France has remained what it was two hundred years ago ; it may not be purer, but it is just as pure. If, on the one hand the French eUjment in Canada has escaped the dis- organizing influence of the revolutionary era (2) of '89, on (1) In connection with this fact, it appears that the French Canadians have alone, retained in their original purity, the simple old Norman songs which their ancestors brought into the country ; that these same popular ballads have bocomo so altered in France by time, that a request has been sent out to Canada to havo them collected in their original purity. An eloquent professor of the Laval University (Dr. Larue) has turned his attention to the subject. (Since this wna written, Dr. L. has faithfully redeemed his promise. — See Foyer Canadietx for Nov., 1863.) (2) Our Canadian ancestors had long since realised the difference which english rule had made in their situation, when their beloved and eloquent pastor. Bishop Plessis, in 17U4, from the pulpit of the same French Cathedral, which now faces the Upper Town Market place in Quebec, publicly, and in the name of his flock, thanked Almighty Qod that the colony was English, and therefore would be free from the horrors enacted in the French colonies of the day ; that there were no human butchers in Canada, to slaughter nobles, priests, women and 15 162 CAWAPIAN NAMES AND SmNAMES. Ihfi othor hnnd, il Iins rocijlvcd Ihn Infusion of no nnw blood ; tho rnco is oswMilinlly consiMvalivt', too much po, porhaps, according to nolionsol'thd lOlh century ; still, ns thocomponLMit pnrl of n gn-nl nationiility, wlio can complain of its boinf? too cohnsivi» ; who, on looking' across llic lino, and viewing demo- cracy with all its disso'vin;; elements, who wonid not prefer at least one million of staunch conservalivo people, who, under proper tn-almcnl, would und(!rslaiid loyalty to their sovereign, ns the Vendeens did, to a (lod-forsakeii people, worshipping no other deily than tlie almighty dollar, as exhibited in their Daily Press? Hut this is wandering nwny from the subject which h^nds this sketch ; revenons a nnsmoutom. There is, in this country, a spice of drollery about some transformations of (I) names worthy of nolo. These rpieer ehildren. — (Soo tho Funeral oration of Bishop Brinnd, pronounced on tho 27th June, 171*4, by Monsoignour Plcsfis. — Clirintie'n JlUtttrj/ of Caiuidn, vol. I, pp. .356-7.) Cniild ho hnvo then furusccn what happunod Louisiana Inter on, ho might again have expro.'sod his thankfulne.ss, that Canada did not bolon^j to France — nlse it might hnvo boon included in the deed of sale and bargain executed between Naj)oleon the Groat, and the occupant of tho White House in 1805. Verily, colonists nro considered small fry by rulers of empires. Our people were again, in forcible tonus, reminded of the superiority of English over Frunch institutions, when civil and religious liberty is at stake. Who has forgotten Revd. Dr. Cahill's eloquent appeal 1 " Threo Bishops," said ho, " cannot dine together in Paris without tho porinission of the police ; no now place of wor- ship can bo opened, without tho consent of government. Why was tho charitable society, the fit. Vincent dc Paul, broken up ? Why were Protestant chapels sum- marily closed by the Pcjlioo and the congregations diipersod ? — Why is tho press muzzled ? Yes, why ? Thnnk your stars, " said tho talented lecturer, " that you live here under tho British flag ! " See Ohampfloury's letter to Dr. Laruo, Foifer Canadien 1864, Appendix, (1) I have exhibited in the Album du Touristi;, several names as originating in some physical deformity, or else in some virtue or fault, of tho owner. " Lebol, Lejusto, Legros, Lebon, Lodoux, Letondre, Lamoureux, Jolicoeur, Logrand, Ledroit, Losage, Leclorc, Leborgne, Vadeboncoeur, Bontemps, Vieu- temps, Boneau, Bellchumeur, Belleavanco, Bellerivo, Beaurivage, Bonnochoso, Beauregard, Beausoleil, Sanspiti^, Sansoucis, Sansfafon, Sanschagrin, Sans- quartier, Labontd, Lavertu, Lajoio, Lajeunesse, Ladouceur, Lalibert^, Lade- bauche, Lavigueur, Laioroe, Lachaine, Laponsde, Lachanco, L'heureux, Lnmu- ■ique. " This latter cognomen will loom out grander still, with its adjunct — Portutjait : dit Lamusique. Some French names have a martial ring : " Taille-fer, Tranche-montagne " : you think yourself back to the middle ages. CANADIAN NA.MKS AND SURNAMES. 163 blood ; lorliaps, nponont oiuj; too ^ domo- ii'(.'f(!r at ), mulor voroign, shipping in tlvMi" h hf'nds III some, sc qijijti' n tho 27th vol. I, jip. n, ho might o Frnnoe — a executed 10 in 1805. of English Who has 10, " cannot laoo of wor- charitablo ipels gum- la the press that you priginating Jolicoeur, hps, Vieu- lonnochoso, |rin, Sans- t16, Lade- [ix, Lnmu- '*oftu\hich seven hundred years before, was a daily occurence on the banks of Thames, was re-celebrated on the bank of the Si. Lawrence, and with the same happy results. In the course of time, English Jack became the respected paterfamilias of a patriarchal circle of small «Scaisriens, » genuine Jean Uaptislesin every respect, except that Ihey were handsomer than the rest of the children of the parisli. An addition to the family name soon took place, and to «J'en scais rien, » was affixed Uie words dit r Anglais, [alias the Enylish- man.) It is a common practice amongst the French Canadians to have this addition, for inslanee : Talbot dit (I(!rvais ; San- souci dit L'Eveille ; Hhiis dit Lafrand)oise. To this day there is a large progeny of wS^aisrien dit I'Anglais)) in the parish of Cacouna. Now, reader, if 1 have made out my case, I pi'ay for a verdict, for, verily, this is the lirst mention of a Know- Nothing, I find in history. There is a very worthy N. P., on the Island of Orleans, a descendant of an Englishman or Scotchman, who^a name was Richard somebody, but his heir has never been able to clear up the point ; and still a family name he must have, by hook or by crook ; so the Rielnid was made into Dick, and Mon- sieur le Notaire Jean Dick, son of Joseph Aniable Richard Dick, is now known all over the island, and executes deeds und(!r that and no olher name. I do not believe that he under- stands or speaks English . A locality near this city, Ihc village on the Si. Lewis Road, which the Hon, Wm. Shepherd, formerly of Woodlield, laid out, has undergone several strange appellations. It was, of course, intend(!d to be named Shepherdville; it did at one time bear that name, under which several know is still ; a number of Kiench Canadians having r.etlled there, considered that as there was no saint in the calendar CANADIAN NAMES AND SURNAMES. 107 [oad, laid hailing under the name of Saint Shepherd, it uas not right to give such a name to tlic I'aiish ; however, on finding out that the palish was nol cnnonii'ally eroded hy the bishop, they cons(3nted to leave Ihe original name, if it were only translated into French, and Slieph(Md meaning Beiger, why they would put up, — iiiilil ;< saint was chosen, — with BergervilJe : this was considered however^ such a concession to nnglificaiion, that the knowing ones suspected that had not the Hon. AVil- h'am's ground rent agent interfered, holding over non-paying malcontents the fear of sundry writs of ejectment, the Saxon name woulii have been swept away and blotted out for ever. Matters were going on smoothly until a numberof Irish, hav- ing also elected domicile in Rergerville, were much shocked at the liberty the French Canadian tenants had taken, in daring to re-christen Ihe settlement; they were of opinion that as a considerable portion of Ihe residents would not bo out of place in St. (iiles, in London, it might be more suitable to call Ihe place Reggarville (1), and not liergorville; and just as parly denoujinaliuns have been in Fngland in time of yore, by-words for strife between the rival houses of York and Lan- caster, so it has been on Ihe estate of the lion. William, on the Saint Louis Road, near Qnebec ! In October last (1862), TomEverell, an octogenarian (ireen- wich pilot, died al Cape Rouge, near Quebec. Tom was well known all around ; he had many years before, married into a French Canadian family, andgrad ually lost his family name of Evercll ; he was called by llu! peasanti'v « Tom, le pere Tom. » He left several numberof children ; they are all now called Toms : Norbert Tom, Gisorge Tom, Ilcnrietle Tom. Jean lUe. Tom. As a comptMis.ition to this loss cf nationality in his offspring, a glorious distinilion was niiule for Ins clues! son, in which primogeniture shines Corth ; of the whole family, h(; alone, is allowed to bear the family palronomicas a christian ille; vera I Itled lidar (1) Odd names seem fashinnablo in thi? viUago ; there is one family coraprifed of nthletic boys ; some aro very hard cn^eg ; one, when drunli, combines the vices of aU the re?t; ho is singularly vicious, just a sliado bettor than a high- wayman ; he goes by the mime of i^ji-und Pirf. ; why ? i. jcver have bren able to find out. Possibly ,it may be from his VieinK supposed to unite the viooi" of throe generations I 168 CANADIAN NAMES AND SURNAMES. name ; Norborl is not called Tom or Thomas Evcrell, but is recognised, as Evkrei.l Tom. In looking over English periodicals, 1 find Ihiif the Irnnsfor- malion ol names is nol. m(>rely coiirnied lo Scotchmen in France, or lo Englishmen in Canndn, but also lo Englishmen in their own country. The Conihill Magazine, wilh which I shall close, Ihiis holds forth : — « Surnames are by no means fully established in some parts of England. In the colliery distiicts, particularly, hereditary designations seem to be the exception rather than the rule. A. correspondent of Knight's Qualerly Mayazine say* : that cler- ^ymon in Stallordshire have been known lo send home a wed- ding party in despair, after a vain essay to gain from lh(^ bride and bridegroom, a sound by way of name.' Every man in these colliery fields, it seems, bears a personal sobri()uel, descriptive of some peculiarity, but scarcely any person has a family name either known lo himself or others. A story is told of an attorney's clerk who was professionally employed lo serve a process on one of those oddly -named persons, M hose supposed real name was entered in the instniment with legal accniaey The clerk, after a great deal of inquiry as to the whiMcabouts of the party, was about to abandon the search as hopeless, when ayoun^ woman, who had witnessed his labors, kindly volunteered to assist him. ' Oy say, Bulhjcd,' cried she, to Ihe first person they met, ' does thee know a mon named Adom (Jreen? The bull-head was shaken in token of ignorance. They Ihen came lo another man. ^ Loy-a-hed, dostlhce?' Loy-a-bed could not answer either. Stumpij, (a man with a woodiMi leg), Cownkin, Spindleshanks, Cockeye, and Pigtail were successively consulted, but to no purpose. At length, however, having had conversation with several friiMuls, the damsel's eye suddenly brightened, and slapping one of her neighbors on the shoulder, she exclaimed — ' Dash my wig! whoy, he means moy feylherl ' Then returning to the asl(mished clerk, she criiul — ' Vou shoul'n ax'd for Ode Black- bird!' So it appeared that the old miner's name, though he CANADIAN NAMES AND SURNAMES. 169 was a man of f-uhstance, and had legal battles to fight, was not known, even to his own daughter.)) (9) lapping 1' Dash J io the iBlack- iigh he (9) A very slight inveptigntion hns already produced a lift of patronymics which throw all Thnckory's ideal (mes, grotesq^ue and clover as many are, into hope- less distance. In proof whereof, a correspondent of the London Titnrs states that a friend of his made the following curious selection of surnames from the wills in the Prerogative Court is Doctor's Commons : — Asse, Bub, Belly, Boots, Cripple, Cheese, Cockless, Dunce, Dam, Drinkmilke, Def, Fleshman ; Fatt, Ginger, Goose, Beaste, Bearhead, Bungler, Bugg, Buggy, Bones, Cheeke, Clod, Codd, Demon, Fiend, Funcke, Froggo, Ghost, Gready, Uag, Humpe, Holdwator, Headache ; Jelly, Idle, Knoebone, Kidney ; Licie, Lame, Lazy, Leakey ; Maypole, Mule, Monkey, Milksip, jMudd, Mug, Phisike, Pighead, Pot, Poker, Poopy, Prigge, Pigg, Punch, Proverb. Quicklove, Quash, Radish, Rurape, Rawbone, Rottengoose, Swette, Shish, Sprat, Squibb, Sponge, Stubborne, Swine, Shave, Shrimps, Shirt, Skim, Squalsh, Silly, Shoe, Smelt, Skull, Spattull, Shadow, Snaggs, Spittle ; Toato, Taylecoate I Villian, Vittols, Vile ; Whale. All nature seems to have been ransacked for the purpose of producing even the abovelist, which is no doubt, only a small sample of that which s»rae further inves- tigation might have produced. Earth and water throw in their ridiculous contri- butions in the names of Asse, Goose, Beast and Gold ; and the mysteries of the unknown world are represented by a Shadow and a Ghost. And Demon, Fiend, uud Ilagg, find also their nominal representatives on this upper earth. The ideal is, however, by no means alone drawn on, for wo find, in a auspicious juxtaposi- tion— Jugs, Punch, Headache — This combination, it must be conceded, is rational enough. The History op Canadian Geographical Names. {ByJohi Iteade.) " Colonists have, moreover, in all times been accustomed to call their new homes after the scenes whore their early years were spent. Of this mode of no- menclature, we have numerous instances in the settlements made by the Greeks and Romans, as well as in the colonics of England and other modern Euroj)can nations. The name, in such cases, was a tender bond of union with the mother country, besides possessing a considerable historical value. In many cases, a place took the name of its discoverer, as Hudson's Bay, Van- couver's Island; in others, it was called after some event or personage of which the day and month of its discovery bore record; as tlie St Lawrence, first seen on the 9th day of August ; the St. John's river. New Brunswick, discovered on the 24th of June; or, it was named from the weather, or some other transitory cir- cumstance impressing the discoverers on fiist seeing it, as Cape of Storms, Baio des Chalours; or from some sovereign or other groat personage directing thepa»ty of exploration ; or, in honor of some person of distinction wholly unconnected with it — as Virginia, Baltimore, Quoun Charlotte's Island, Rupert's Land. The na- tural configuration or the first object which attracted observation, or some aoni- modity evidently abundant, or some obviously marked characteristic, were also frequently productive of names, as Bay Ronde, Cap Cod, Mosquito Bar, Mariposa (California "Butterfly "), Pearl Island, Serpent's Mouth, Tierra del Feugo (land of fire— .'canic), Blue Mountains, Isle of Desolation, Isle of Bacchus (the Isle of Orleni.a, first so called from its vine productiveness), Puntas Arenas (Sandy 170 CANADIAN NAMES AND SIRNAMES. Point), Florida &a. Biblical, classical or fancy names have also been frequently oin[iI(iyo(l, ai Salom, Goshen, Utica, Syracuse, Amaranth, Avalon. In nono of tliuso cases, is tlioro wanting* an interest, if not a benefit, in arriving at a linowledgo of tlie circumstances which caused or the motives, which led to the adojition of a name. We need mal^e no apology, therefore, for siiondiu); a while in seeking the origin of some of our Canadian guogra|iliical or topograjihioal names, espouially tlioso which contain the record of our early history, Tlio names of jjlaoes in Canada may be generally divided into throe classes' marking three stages in the hi.story of the country — the aboriginal, the Frencii and the Biitish, In treating of the subject, however, it will not be necessary to adhere rigidly to this division, nor, indeed, would such a mode of treatment bo historically correct, as French names have been given under British rule, and Indian names under the ii'jime of buth France and England. Canada, for instance, was not used in its present signification till the yonr ]fi(57; neither was Ontario, nor Manitoba. If Canada be an aboriginal wnr'i and mean, as sumo would have us believe "a collcctiim of huts'" — iKMliiipai the des- criptive name of Stadacona or old lloehclaga,— it leads us back to the very beg- inning of our historj', to tlie earliest attemjits at Eunniean ooluuizatioii in tliis part of the continent. Tliere surely must have been some good reason for ]irc- ferring Quebec to such a grandly musical name as Stadac( na. It is a pity that neither the latter, nor llnchelaga was brought into honorable service when a now designation was required for the old Province of Lower Canada. " Kepeo " or " Quebec " is said to mean a " strait" in the Algonc^uin dialect, and it may be thdt Carkier choose lo retain it as indicating the narrowing (jf the river opposite Stadacona. It was betiveen the Island of Orleans and the Beauport shore that the great navigator had his first interview with the Chief Donnacona, who cnine with twelve canoes of eight men each to wish liim welcome. The village of Sta- dacona covered the site of the suburbs of St. Koch's and in part, of St. John's, and, perhaj)?, as the forts which formed the nucleus of Quebec were some (;is- tance from it, the latter name came to be adopted by the French settlers ; and when the city was formally founded in 1608, although Stadavona had then disap- peared, the rival name was so identified with the new-comers that it easily' pre- vailed. However that bo, it is certain that the name of Quebec has won its share of renown. In the minds of strangers, it is the tyjiical city of Canada. Wo still preserve the name of the Iroquois, and r'uoriatiuns of which they were composed— the Oneidas, Tuscaroras, Onondagas, .^enecas and Cnyugas; also, of the 0 ttawas, Chippowas and Missassaugas, the Fries and the Ilurons, the Min- gans, Nipissings and tribes. In Manitoulin, we have enshrined the iiiumory of their primitive faith in the (treat Spirit. In Gaspd (Lands End's), Mackinaw (Great Turtle), Ontario (Beautiful), Saskatchewan (Swift Current), and many uihor names of rivers, lakes and localities are condensed their exact or figuriitive descriptions of external nature. AVith the exception, however, of the names of Brant ('fyondinaga), Tocumseth and Poniiac which are preserved, the Indians names of places possess littlo known historical importance. To the philologist, they present a large and interesting field for research and comparison. The Indian name, " Baccalaos " (cod-fish) would seem to have boon given to a part, if not the whole, of the Island of Ne^^' •midland, at the date of its discovery by John Cabot. In a corrupted form, it is still given to a small island (Bacaliou) otf the extremity of the peninsula between Conception and Trinity Bays. The navigator above mentioned called the Island of Newfi)undland "Prima Vista" as being the land first seen by him. For the same reason it was called Kew- CANADIAN NAMES AND SURNAMES. Mi frequently n arriving liich led to gpoiidinf; u, (igrajihieul rec classes' :hc Froncli oeosBiiry to eatiDont bo h rule, imJ 1 the y j!ir 111 wor'i iinJ iji* tlio iks- 0 vtry lip;^- itiipii in this r-Miu Cur [iro- ,s a pity tliat wlu'ii a ni:w ' Ktiiec" oamo lago I if Sta- f St. John's, ro Fomo i!is- ttlers ; and tlicn disap- It easily pro- las won ita iiiiada. h they vrcro lis ; also, of IS, the Min- ■liifniory of Maclvinaw , and many • figuriitive e names of ho Indians hiliilogist, given to a |s discovery 5acaliou) Says. The Ima Vista" lalled New- foundland, and it was also named St. John's, from having been discovered on the 24th of June, the festival of John the Baptist. In a manuscript of the time of Ilonri VII. in the British Museum, it is mentioned as the " New Isle." There are traditions of sottlonicnts made by Icelanders or Norwegians in the tenth and following centuries, and by thorn it is said-to have been designated " llelluland." Conception Bay received its jiroscnt name from Qaspar Cortercal. Besides the Cafaots — John and Sebasti.in — the Cortereals and Verazznni, Jaenues Cnrtior, Sir ilumpliri-y Oilbert, Martin t'robi.slior and Sir Francis Drake took a greater or less interest in its early colonization. Carlier's jircsence is still recorded in the name " Bonavista " (fine view), which his delight with the scenery induvjed hiin to give to the portion of the island which bears that name. Sir Walter llaloigh also had a shiire in tlie scheme of settlement, the niaragoiiiont of which was undertaken by iii.s step-brotlier, Gilbert. He v roines, (hose Joans-of-Arc of our history, the de Verch^res and the Dru- courts. You will hear the recital of all those great expeditions of our forefathers ; Lasalle and Joliette discovering the Mis- sissipi ; Bienville, at the other extremity of this continent, founding New Orleans ; Rouville and his followers sacking New England ; Nicolet and La Yeyranderie discovering the vast regions of the West ; De Beaujeu falling with Braddock on the batlle-fleld of the Monongahela, just as it was reserved 184 THB GRAVE OP OARNEAU, for WoKc and Montcnlm to perish, ot a later day, beneath our ramparts ; Ibni'villo, b«)aring aloft our victorious standard from Mexico to Hudson's Bay ; — and you may well exclaim : « This « whole continent has been but one vast theatre on which our « sires* exploits have bei^n performed ! » And then, — after those lengthened struggles, those ever recurring wars, that long series of trials of every kind, famines, epidemics, fires, mas- sacres, ill-administration, insufflcient immigration, assistance no sooner promised than refused, reverses born with patience, but of an occurence too frequent for the honor of France and the success of the colony, — the momentous day shall come, that day of the final agony, the last catastrophe, when New France, exhausted in men, provisions and munitions, invaded on every side, by sea and land, by armies and fleets, ever van- quished, ever re-appearing, shall extend her arms in vain for a succouring hand from Old France ; then it is, that, soaring with his subject, the Historian shall well recount lo you the last misfortunes and the last triumphs of that old white flag, with the golden lilies, on the bank of the St. Lawrence. He will relate to you the courageous efforts of the Acadians, strugg- ling to the very last hour, and finally dispersed over this con- tinent ; he will shew you Louisbourg, that Quebec of the Gulf, resisting nobly against the superior forces of Wolfe, and even- tually succumbing, the victim of an error kindred with that which caused the fall of our fortress ; then Montcalm con- quering so gloriously with an inferior force, first at Carillon, and once again, but a few weeks only before the taking of Quebec, upon those tall cliffs of Beauport, where Levis, Juche- reau and Bourlamarque so well seconded his bravery. And, finally, after that great battle, where the two heroes, the Briton and the Gaul, fell together, when Quebec, battered by cannon, shall be but one vast ruin, he will tell you, with legitimate pride, of the last triumph of the French and of our ancestors, that last victory won by the Chevalier de L^vis over General Murray, on the very ground we tread, that final tahleau of the conquest, and which he was the first to bring out in high re- lief and dedicate to posterity. « Bowing respectfully, as did our sires, to the decrees of TUB UISTORIAN. 185 i>ath our ird from : ((This hich our I, — after that long es, mas- ssistanco patience, ance and 11 come, len New invaded jver van- I vain for ,, soaring you the hitc flag, nee. He |s, strugg- lis con- he Gulf, nd even- vilh that m con- arillon, aking of Juche- And, e Briton cannon, gitlmate ceslors. General u of the igh re- srees of Providence, he will once more resume with courage, almost with serenity, the recital of anoth(>r struggle, less hioody, hut not less interesting. He will exhibit to you Murray and Car- Icton following that noble advice of Virgil, u Parcere mbjectis et debellare superbot, » recognizing the merits of the vanquished and protecting them against ignoble porsccutors — England often halting between the coimscis of partiality and (hose of justice ; Dambourges and the Canadians saving Quebec in 1775 ; Salaberry driving Hampton back in 1814, at the close of that long tyranny of Craig ; the fidelity of our countrymen placed beyond suspicion ; that great Bishop, I'lessis, teaching the victors to respect the rights of religion, and saying to the Civil Power : « Thus fur shall thou go, and no farther ! w finally, the constitutional liberties granted in 1791, slowly developing themselves despite the efloils of an oligarchy. With what tenderness, not unmixed with veneration, has he not sculptured those grand figures of that parliamentary struggle : DeLotbini^re, Panet, Bedard, Taschereau, the two Papineaus, the two Stuarts, Neilson, Vallieres, Viger, Bourdages, Lalon- taine, Morin, and those other defenders of our liberties ? « Then coming to new catastrophes, at the close of another rule, with what patriotic fervor has he not related the sanguin- ary denouement of that resistance, at the close of which the true British constitution was granted us^ though under circums- tances so replete with diftlcully and even danger to us? Hence it isj that, in reference to the epoch in which we live, what looks of anxiety and jealous fears for our nationality he cast upon our future / ((That magnificent work, in which, to borrow from his elegant biographer an expression that struck me, « a patriotic shiver runs through its every page, » soars, in its first volumis more especially, almost to the level of the highest inspiration. A fact easily explained : our History is worthy of an epos, and our first Historian was a poet above all things. «Yes, he was a poet ; and the poet it was who impelled the traveller, created the Historian. The poet it was, who, dream- ing of other skies, of other shores than those he had admired so much, felt smitten with the desire of travelling through 18 186 THE r.RAVE OF CARfltAU, America, nnd or soeing o portion of that old Europe which was (hen so far away from u.^. A glance at the interesting narra- tive h(; has given us of his lrnv(>lH, siifdces to assure one that h his rest, ladily, he bequeathed to us very great things ; not the leust of which are our self-respect, our exalted love of country, and faith in our destiny. Assuredly, we had given him but liltitt in return, had our gratitude been limited to this monument, so simple and withal so touching, (hough still so insufflcient, and had not a grander, a more benidiful, and imperishable monument been raised to him in (he memory of a whole people. « Wo bewail the death of great men ; but for (hem, more than for others, is it not well that this miserable life, with all its reverses, its acts of injustice, and its, at least, apparent ca- prices, should one day have an end ? For, on that day, be;;ins the period of a great reparation. « Their glory ascends on high ; higher and liigh(T it rises, like unto those marvellous edifices which the Iravoller sees overtopping cilies, as he leaves them, and lo«es sight of all that surrounds them. « Succeeding generalions learn theirnames, and repeat them with air«>c(ion ; and. of all the (urmoil, the ambidous views, the pre(entions and the intrigues of socie(y, (he only thing thai remains is a few modestand calmreputalioiis, as much thought of after death as they wore neglecled during life. « But such is human justice ; posteiily has its caprices, its forgetfulness, its unjust disdain. At times, in the memory of nations, as in (hat of individuals, an Egyptian darkness reigns. Times breathes his mists on the vast ocean of ages, and rolls ulong the surface the dark and impenetrable fog of forget- fulness. *************** « Alas ! Gentlemen, if a voice of higher authority, if a mi- nister of religion were now addressing you, he would lell you of another immortality, as high above all human glory as Ueaven is above Earth ! « "We may not, it is true, diveinto the mysteries of that other hfe ; but faith has taught us, that our voices may yet reach there, that prayer does not ascend in vain to Heaven, borne fhither on the incense that ha^ just mingled with the tears we have shed over the grave of a friend, that the strong tieswhich bind humanity in one are not severed by death. Thatadmirable r 188 THE GRAVE OF GARNEAU, trilogy of the Ciiurch militant, the Church suffering and the Church triumphant, which, were it not a dogma, might yet have been the most beautiful of philosophical conceptions, and which, by linking in, one world with another, dispels dark terror and sh(>ds upon the dreadful transition the mild light of iiope, kindind by faith and kept alive by charity. « Our friend was ^'ood, retiring, upright, and devoted ; his, was a christian death ; hence may we, with confidence, ad- dress to him, in that other and belter country, our fond fare- well. a Adieu, my friend, adieu, in the name, firstly, of our pro- tracted friendship, in memory ofthose dear gossipings wherein you loved so much to dwell upon the future of our own dear Canada ! Adieu and thanks ! Thanks for the fine sentiments you have caused to germinate within onr souls, thanks for the good you have done onr youth ; thanks for your great, your sublime examples ! « Adieu, in the name of that family to whom you bequeath so beautiful a name ; adieu, in the name of those you loved so well ! « Adieu, in the name of your country. Enjoy in peace, enjoy your two-fold immortality. In the midst of those great destini( s now expanding before her, Canada shall not forget you ; the rival races which surrounded you, shall learn from youi- works to love our ancestors, and will claim a share of our glorious inheritance. « Rest, then I Happen what may to our country, our beloved nationality shall never deplore the want of defenders. Thus much we promise you, in the name of this youth, this reflective assembly grouped around your tomb. And then. Heaven is no prison ! This homage, paid to your memory, reaches you ; does it not ? Of those beautiful sentiments which you have sown, you will behold the germination, the expansion and the development. From the heights of immortality you shall soar, beneficent spirit, above our nationality. For, thanks to holy prayer, already have you been, or soon you will be, greeted above there by your sire, that good old Canadian, who, THE HISTORIAN. 189 and the light yet ions, and els dark [| light of ed ; his, nee, ad- nd fare- our pro- i wherein wn dear iiitimenls ks for the lat, your bequeath loved so n peace, se great )t forget rn from hare of beloved Thus eflective en is no s you ; Du have and the ill soar, to holy greeted , who, with his handy {{) shaking from age, yourself have told us, pointed out to you the scene of the last exploits of our sires ; by that father who gave you the example of courage and of indus- try ; by that mother so good to you, so discreet, so virtuous ; by that Mother of all Catholics, that other mother of ours, her, whose name was ever rising to your lips during the trials of your cruel malady ; by all those Canadian heroes whose deeds you bi'ought to light. You never knew any other than the holy joys of home, the austere pleasures of study, the peaceful triumphs of literature ; your happiness and your glory should be proportioned to your sacrifices « Here your remains shall rest, beneath this tomb, on this battle-field, which you made famous, and nigh unto that other monument, which you had the joy of seeing raised to our heroes amidst those great works of the Creator, which you knew so well how to appreciate. Those lofly pines around shall, in honor of you, preserve their dark verdure, and our winter birds (2), the subject of one of your poetic effusions, will flock above your tomb and gracefully warble there. Those wandering lights of our (3) northern sky, that have also been noted in your song, shall group themselves above you in crowns of many colors. The remains of the heroes who sur- round you, shall mayhap start at the vicinity of yours ; the last aborigines (4), whose plaintive wailings you reproduced, shall wander around this precinct ; you shall, no doubt, hear strange sounds, and again you will say, as, in your harmonious verses, you once said — " Perfide illusion au pied de la colline, C'esl Vacier du fauchcur ! " This gathering, filled with religious emotion, shall pass away ; silence shall reign here ; night shall fall ; but, for you, silence and night shall never be with our souls ! Farewell, once more ! Farewell ! (1) In aUusion to the naval engagement between the Englinh and French frigates, in May, 1760, opposite to St. Augustin, and witnessed by Mr. Qarneau's grandfather, a native of that parish. — (Eu. Q. Q.) (2) Ze» Oiteaux Blanct : (3) h'Hivtr; (4) Lt Dernier Uuron, (For these pieoes, see Reptrtoir* National.') a CANADIAN HOMES. We have many little Edtai, Scattered up and down our dalei ; We're a hundred prettjr hamleti, Nestling in our fruitful ralet | Here the sunlight lores to linger, And the summer winds to blow ; Here the rosy spring in April Leapetb, laughing from the snow. (bt bkh bbooki.) In the detached papers which constitute the Maple Leaves, it has been our aim, amongst other things, to place before the render the early history of Canada, with its peculiar institu- tions in a light, readable form — ever and anon delineating men and events under their representative aspect — as types and exponents of epochs. Luc de la Corne St. Luc, redolent of the memories of Carillon, was exhibited as the stalwart defender of the soil — true to his country under the rule of the Bourbons, not deserting it when foreign conquest inaugurated a new regime ; on the contrary, taking an active part in poli- tics, and in war, under General Burgoynein 1776. The youthful and self-sacrificing Commander, Dollard des Ormeaux, shone forth in his true colours in 1660 — a verilable Leonidas — the bulwark of Canada against Indian ferocity. D'lberville, the Cid of New France, becomingly typefied the proud era when lion-hearted Frontenac, reigning in solitary grandeur at the ChAteau St. Louis, warned off summarily Admiral Phipps and all such invaders. BreboeufandLalemant, wending calmly their steps through trackless forests, to cull the laurels of martyrdom on the fertile banks of Lake Simcoe, fittingly portrayed that epoch of religious enthusiasm and ascetic devotion which characteiized the seventeenth century in some of the French Colonies. Representative men to be found everywhere in our writings. Following on the same course, we purpose here depicting the home surroundings and 192 CANADIAN HOMES. aspirations of a progressive descendant of one of the oldest feudal houses of Canada — one who traces back to the four- teenth century, as calculated to open out unexplored vistas in the history of the Colony. POINTE PLATON. One balmy afternoon in September, \ 868, found me cosily seated next to a friend, Fred. 0. * * * * * , on the upper deck of the little steamer Etoile, en route for Pointe Platon, thirty-six miles higher up than Quebec. Rapidly indeed did steam, wind and tide waft us past the numerous ships in the harbour, amongst which loomed out several men-of-war ; first, the French Corvette D'Estrees, next H. B. M. Paddle Steamer ^aracou(tt, commanded by courteous Captain Beavan, (1) the screw gunboat P^iYome/, the majestic Con^ifance, Capt. Bourgoyne (2) and last, the pondeious (Iron-clad) Royal Alfred, Admiral Sir Rodney Miindy — « li itons amongst minnows. » On we shot, under the overhanging crags of Cape Diamond, close to the mossy heights of dear old SilKjry, just then don- ning their gorgeous russet suit of autumn. Soon we reached the entrance of the Cap Rouge river, taking in at one glance the Cap Rouge Dock Company's solitary piers — and calling on memory to unveil the works of the pass — huts, forts, towers, earth- works, such as crowned Charlesbourg Royal in those by-gone days when the intrepid St. Malo Mariner wintered there in 1340-41. This name his fellow contryman, Roberval changed eighteen months afterwards, in 1542, into France Roy, in honour of his sovereign, Frances I. How graphically are these same localities described in Cartier and Jean Al- phonse's quaint narratives wrilfeu more than throe centuries ago ! One can recognize, to this day. Cap Rouge and St. Au- gustin, by the luxuriant wild wines which cluster on the shores, and the undulating green meadows and serpentine stream « which windeth to the north, » without forgetting the forests (1) Since dead. (3) Cape Finisterre reeently law the sturdy commander of the iU fated turret ■hip, OiPTAiir, disappear with 600 brave men under the bilows of the Baj of Biaoay. POIKTE PI.ATON HOUSE. 103 of oaks and pines which line the top of Cap Roiii^c, where stands « RedcIyfTe, » the seat of Joseph B. Forsyth, Esq., and founded by Henry Atkinson, Esq., about 1820. In a few minutes, we are abreast of the little pointe at Saint Augustin, where sank the ill stared f^leamer Montreal, on the 26lh June, 1857, a seething mass of flames, consigning to a watery grave some two hundred human beings, whose groans of anguish and despair, before taking the fatal plimge, the. survivors will long remember. Nor must we forget as we steam past, to salute Saint Aus^ustin, the parish which gave birth to the ancestors of ihct historian of Canada, F. X. Garneau. Further up a few miles, Pointe aux Trembles nestles close to the river's edge, reflecting its shining church spire far across the blue waters of the St. Lawrence. From this identical spot in April, 1760, an exciting spectacle was witnessed by the grand father of our historian, from his cottage windows, — the unequal con- test of the French Frigate L Alatanle, commanded by Capt. de Yauclain, against the English men-of-war sent to destroy and sink the French ships. Next, stands in bold relief at the entrance of the river Jacques Carlier, the blulT, whereon had been erected in 1759, a large, solid earthwork, or fort, now completely destroyed, in which Levi's jaded squadrons, after their hurried flight from the camp at Beauport, rested their wearied limbs, on the 14th of September of that eventful year — dispirited but unsubdued braveSy longing to be led again against the traditional enemy, and scenting in the dislance the splendid victory, which awaited them on the Saint Foye heights, on the 28th April following. A very few aci'es to the east of this Cape, and uncovering at each tide, we noticed a well known land mark, la rorhed Jacques Carlier, on which Baquevilh; de la Potherie's boat was stranded in 1698, and whereon according to him and to Charlevoix, Jacques Cartier himself came nigh finding a watery grave, though other historians and Jacques Cartier's own narrative, are silent as to this latter circumstanc(^ On we sped on the bosom of the famed river, until the pic- turesque horse-shoe projection, Pointe Platon was in view : loud sounds the steam whistle, and the Etoife hugs closelv 10 194 CANADIAN HOMES. Iho wharf. Three hundred and thirty-four years ago, from this time (1869) day for day, another craft carrying the desti- ni(?s of New France, VEmwillon^ Jacques Cartier, Commander of 40 tons burthen, was spreading her while wings to the breeze, opposite this same point, then known as Achelacy. Gap- tain the Right Honourable Admiral Cartier, as a Cockney ex- quisite once persisted in styling him, tell us in his Diary (pag<) 40) that he was here met by a grand Seigneur du pays, who by dint of « words, signs and ceremonies » slrived to inform him that the river higher up was dangerous on account of rocks and rapids. It was our friend's good fortune and our own to be welcomed rn/.obya grand Seigneur du pays, who neither bywords, signs, nor ceremonies, cautioned us ai,'ninst ntlempting the rapids or rocks of the Richelieu, (as our voyago of discovery, unlike Jacques Cartier's, was not to extend further) but on the con- trary made us welcome to his hospitable manor, and for the night and ensuing day, there did we sojourn. POINTE PLATON HOUSE. The time was, when the Province of Quebec could count many old manors, whose loop-holed and massive stone walls had been designed as much to protect their inmates against maraudering Indians, as they helped to furnish warm lodgings during January frosts, or cool letreats pending July's tropical heats. Of this class was the old manor house of Beauport (a portion of which is still standing south of Col. Gugy's residence). When recently sold, it was remarked that for two hundred years, it had been in the occupation of the warlike race of the Duchesnays. Cap Sante, Ste. Marie, Beauce, Montmagny, have also their old seignioral hails, but they cannot without repairs hold out very long against all-devouring time. Probably the most extensive structure of this kind was that of the Baron of Longueil — at Longueil. On reference to history we find that it comprised a dwelling, armed tower, bakery, brewery, &c. ; all these old piles were located less with an eye to the picturesque, than for the safety of the seignior in times of war, and war was the order of the POIHTB PLATON HOUSE. 195 day in that remote period, and for the general convenience of the cmsitaires in their intercourse with the Lord of the Manor. Pointe Piaton House does not belong to that age. It is a mo- dern structure : the site having been selected by I he respected father of its present occupant solely for its natural beauty : some six hundred acres of corn fields, with here and there groves of maple, oak and fir. Properly speaking, it lies beyond the limits of the populous seigniory of Lotbinii^re, owned by its occupant. Three cultivated plateaux descend from the heights of land to the level of the St. Lawrence ; on the centre one, stands Pointe Plutun House — a commodious, airy dwelling — in a H form, looking towards the St. Lawrence. It is surrounded by ample double verandahs, with maple leaves neatly carved or fretted iu the wood work. In rear, and hid by young firs, pine and mnple trees, stand the billiard-room, out-houses, stables, giainaries in which are stored flax, hemp, and tobacco ; the cultivation of which the proprietor has taken much pains to introduce amongst the farmers — the specimens of each exhibited to uf were of marvellous size. In front of the house, is a sloping lawn, intersected with flower-beds, and crowned, directly in front of the dwelling, with a terraced flower garden separated from the lawn by an embankment, surround- ed by an evergreen hedge, with an inner zone of sweet briar. ' A perfect warren of tame rabbits, some erect on their hind legs are trying to nibble with their pink lips, the buds of the forest trees — others, sunning themselves on the lawn or gambolling under the bushes give a peculiarly animated ap- pearance to this portion of the domain ; adjoining, is the or- chard, fruit and vegetable garden ; also a new vinery, which bids fair to furnish shortly its annual tribute of ambrosial fruit ; the whole skirled by a tiny lake, fed by some unseen perennial springs ; in the centre, a diminutive green islet oflers a refuge to yonder quacking squad of Aylesbury ducks, now convoyed round the lake by a pair of snow white Bremen geese. A wire fence shuts out from the « romping hopefuls » of the chateau, all access to this sheet of water which finds its outlet in the hill skirting the garden. From the house veran- dah a most extensive landscape unfolds on all sides. To the wm 196 CANAOliUI HOMES. eastf the vast Bay of St. Croix, expands in a graceful curve,— once a dreaded locality to raftsmen, in their downward course, on the timber cribs, in the dark days when steamers lent them not their aid. To the west, the Parish of Cap Sante set- tles down to the water's edge ; next, you see Portneuf and its spacious temple of R. C. worship, the massive pile overshad- owing the many surrounding roofs — like a mother watching over the welfare of her young. Six miles further to the east, another sprightly village, Pointe aux TrembleSy shoots up its glit- tering spire. In the full blaze of the setting sun, to the west of the dwelling, sits a small rustic bower with a flag- staff, crowning a blufl' or pointe, known as Pointe a PapineaUy it having been a favourite resort of the Nestor of our states- man, Hon. Louis Joseph Papiiieau, when formerly he made his annual visit to Pointe Platon House, in the days of the father of the present possessor. In our thousand and one rambles over mountain and glen, many a gorgeous panorama has been unveiled to our dazzled gaze, in this our sweet land of Canada. Tea : oft have we been pleased To roam at large among onpeopled glens And Monntainoui retirements, only trod By devious footsteps : regions consecrate To oldest time 1 and reckless of the storm That keeps the raven quiet on her nest. Some spots in their hidden beauty seemed exactly as if they had just left the mould ot omnipotence; fresh in their perennial youth and majesty ; the hand of man had altered nor defiled them. Others bore in every lineament the impress of human ingenuity, cultivated taste, wealth and embellishment. The first, in (heir solitary grandeur, we liked to view, like altars, which the great being had erected for his especial glory ; which we could approach occasionally, and with reverence. The others embosomed in rustic loveliness, associated with human joys and sorrows, pregnant with family memories, health producing health restoring, appeared to us as the natural abodes of men, far from the pestilential breath of the crowded city ; these sanctuaries we never could tire of seeing. We felt the better POINTE HLATON HOUSE. 107 frum viewing them — from dwelling in their midst. Our visit to Poinle Platoii House was too much mingled with the latter thoughts, for us to be entirely silent on this score. Thus, on a lovely September afternoon, a fe«ir hours berore sun set, we stood musing on the spot once rendered sacred by the presence of our great Parliamentary Orator, Louis Joseph Papineau ; at our feet, the wide., azure waters, canUeum marty laving softly the foot of the cape, glorified by the oblique rays of the departing orb of day — many miles of molten gold. More than three centuries ago, a white peniionned bark was haply doubling at the same hour this same promontory. What then, were the thoughts — what the utterings of its historic crew ? Were they pondering in their minds the mysterious meaning of the saiutiition which had greeted them : A-ca-nada — There is nothing^ here ? Or were their youthful voices making the welkin ring with amorous ditties in honour of their beloved King and master, Francis the I, the royal lover of the beautiful Diana of Poitiers ? We looked in vain, in our reverie, for the Emerillon, of other days : aught could we see, except the black hull of a Montreal deal bateau, whose lusty sailors wereshout- ing like Stentors, as they purchased the anchor, to lake ad- vantage of the rising tide : C'est la Belle Frsii{oi8e de Longu6 1 Towards the land, our eye followed the successive p/aWtu? which close in with the beach ; here and there, green meadows, or fields shorn of their waving harvest ; to the east, the model barn of the seigneur, which farmers from the neighbouring counties came to look at, and wonder ; the last p/a(eau fringed with lofty forest trees, as a back-ground to the scene. Presently our eye caught sight of a horseman cantering in the direction of the manor. It was the seigneur, whom his trusty black steed Corbeau, was carrying homeward from his daily tour of inspec- tion of the farm, where extensive subsoil drainage was being carried on . A few strides more and the Laird is welcomed home, by la Chatelaine and all the n young ho|iefuIs. » Had all the ancient Canadian seigneurs lavished as much money on the promotion of agriculture, for the benefit of the 198 aMADlAM BOMU. centitairetf few indood, would have been the urfiy hardy enough to ask the interference of tho Legislature against feudal bur- thens. The Laird of Lotbini^re, though young in years, hos already represented the county in the Canadian Commons, for several Parliaments : a two-fold mandate has been intrusted to him since Confederation. He is a member of the Local and Dominion Parliaments, Chairman of the Donrd of Agriculture for the Province of Quebec, &c. But enough has been said to exhibit progress in agriculture, and socinliy, as it now stands atLotbini6reand Pointe Plalon ; nay, a great deal too much has been uttered for the retiring tastes of its worthy Seigneur. Henri Gustavo Joly, by his mother, Julie dc Lolbini6re, is a lineal descendant of one of the proudest, wealthiest, and most distinguished Canadian houses, that of Chartier de Lotbini^re. Let us open tho voluminous (i) compilation oflheAbb^ Daniel, a French ecclesiastic, now residing in Montreal. « This family, » says the learned Abbi^, ((connected with the (French) families of Chateaubriand, La Rochefoucauld, Polignac, Mont- fort, De Vaudrcuil, Dos Meloises, Soulanges, Duchesnay, as represented amongst us by the Harwood and Joly, is one of the most ancient and most illustrious. » Its head on the soil of Canada was Louis Thcantre Chartier de Lolbini6re, whose first French ancestor by name was Philippe Chartier. ((Recovcur General dos Compl(;s)) in i374. One of his sons became Bishop of Paris — Alain, the fourth son, was the most illustrious of all. He was Secretary of Slat(i to Louis VI, who granted him titles of nobility. His extraor- dinary eloquence struck so forcibly Margaret of Scotland, the Queen of Louis XL, that she publicly showed him tokens of her esteem One of his sons, Clement, married a wealthy heiress of Dritanny in France, Mile, de Chaleaubourg. To him is traced the name of Lotbini^re in his family. Having purchased an estate in Maine, called Bini^res, which he wished to dislin- ,guish from another which he owned in Dyonnais, called Bignii^res, he added the world Lot to the name, which was that of a species of fish found in the ponds of the Chateau, and (1) EusiBR SiviOAL, MoKTBIAi., 180T.— ifMlotr* dea OratuUs Famillea Frati' (a*««« ({m Canada. POINTE PLATON B0U8I. iOO ' enough IdI bur- lars, has ions, for ntrusted lOcal and riculture 1 said to w stands loo much Seigneur. ii6rc, is a and most Qtbini^re. ^Daniel, a . « This B (French) lac, Moiil- esnay, as is one of Charlier lame was h in 1374. ihe fourth ■y of Stale extraor- land, tlic ,ens of her |hy heiress is traced ;hased an to distin- iis, called ;h was that teau, and made it Lotbini6re. A few years subsequently, this domain wai erected into a Darony. Clement de Lolbini^re died in 1560, aged 104 yoars ; one of his daughters married Joseph de Chateaubriand, an ancestor of the illustrious author of the « G^ie du CKrisdanisme. » He liil't three sons, of whom Alain, who after entering the army and subsequently studying for the bar, became the great grand-fathor of the founder of the Lol- bini6re familyin Canada. Passing over a portion of the family records, we find in Canada, about 1650, Theantre do Lotbinii^re. The date of the concussion of his seigniory is 3rd Nov., 1672. His ability soon brought him into notice, and, ho, was made a LieuteMnt' General el Criminel de la Prevoste de Quebec. » It was in 1685, that his son Rdne Chnrtier de Lotbini^re obtained the grant of the seigniory « sur la riviijro du Chesne, » at Lotbi- ni6ro, which is still in the possession of the family. This old feudal nabob died at Quebec, 5th May^ 1710, leaving to his son, Eustache Chnrtier dcLolbinifsro, extensive territorial pos- sessions. We next llnd in order of date, as his successor, Mi- chel Eustache Gaspard de Lotbini^re, a distinguished officer of Engineers, who was intrusted with the building of Fort Carillon (Ticonderoga). He distinguished himself at the memo- rable battle of Carillon, whore (Jeneral Abercromby with some sixteen thousand men was repulsed by Montcalm at the head of less than one-fourth of that number. His services procured him a title of « Chevalier de St. Louis, » and he was made a Mar- quis. When these honours were pouring on him, he was the possessor of some most valuable seigniories on Lake Champlain, named Allainville. After the conquest, he acquired the seig- niories of Rignud, Vaudreuil and Lotbini^re, in the district of Montreal. He was, however, unjustly dispossessed by the Anieiicnn Government, of his seigniories on Lake Champlain, and notwithstanding repeated demands, his claim has remain- ed in abeyance to this day. He died in 1799. Eustache Gasiard Michel Charlier de Lotbini6re inherited from his father the estates of Vaudreuil, Rigaud and Lotbi- ni6re, as likewise the title of Marquis, which, however, he never assumed. He took an active part in favour of the S0(> CANADIAN HOMEI nritishin 1775, and in 1793, snccoodod to Mr. Panel, in the Canadian CommonH, as Speaker of Ihot Mouse. Ho died in his seiKniory in 1821 ; — his lady, gonerally known as the Marquise de Loll)iiii6ro, expired in 1834, leaving to transmit the old family name, vshich had seen thirteen generations, no sons, but three daughters. The eldest married in 1825, the Hon. Hobert Unwin Harwood, a member of the Legislative Council. The second, the beautiful Charlotte de Lotbini6re, became thespouseuf, and married in 1821 Williom Bingham, the weollhy son of Mr. Dingham, of Philadelphia, a senator, whose daughter married Lord Ashburton. Mr. Bingham left two sons, who died young, and three daughters. Mdlle. Louise, the eldest, married Count Abncr Brian de Bois Gilbert, a des- cendant of the famous family of Brian de Bois Gilbert, the renowned Templar immortalized by Sir Walter, in Ivanhoe. The second married Count de Douay ; Mdlle. Georgiane, the youngest, wos united to Count Raoul d^Epresmenil. They all three reside, in France. The youngest daughter of the Marquise, Julie de Lotbini^re, an aunt of the three young ladies just mentioned, married in 1830 a French gentleman, Gustavo .Toly, who died in France in 1866. He was the father of Henri Gustavo Joly, the present seignior of Lolbini^re, and member of Parliament for both Houses, whilst his younger brother, Rdmond, a British officer, fell at the siege of Lucknow, in India. We have not hesitated in entering into these genealogical details, which may appear of secondary importance to some of our readers, but whicli must find their place in these sket- ches of Canadian Homes, as their subject, in this instance, is intimately associated with the early history of Canada. iWritten in 1869.) Bt, in the n died in n as the transmit itions, no 1825, tiic legislative olbini6ie, ighnm.tho I senator, igham left i;. Louise, jrt, a des- ilbert, the n Ivanhoe. ;iane, the They all iOtbini^re, carried in in France e present for both ish officer, |ncalogical to some lese sket- itance, is THE BIRDS OF CANADA- " A POPULAR LECTURE FOR THE TOUAO — 1866. {Revised. ) Mr. President. My yoimg frionds : I shall (o-nighl briefly dir^^ut yournltention to a study, which no doubt to the majority of yon here present has proved ever fince your boyhood an unfailing source of plcnsure, and which, 1 have no hesitation in saying, will afford increased gratification the more it is followed. No season of the year appeared to mo more propitious for bring- ing under your notic»» the feathered race, than tin; period of the spring migration — those; lovely April mornings, when our gardLMis, our fiolds, our forests, resound with th(! soft melody of hundreds of winged choristers. Natural history, in all its branches, has ever been reckoned a most attractive subject ; it is, however, a study so comprehensive, that I find myself to-night under the necessity to take up one department alone : let it then be the most interesting. We shall spend a social hour, and hold confab with the frionds of your youth and of mine — the Birds : nor need you doubt me, when I tell you that it is not in the spirit of exact science, nor with the pedantry of a professor, but nther with the freedom of an old acquaintance, that 1 shall to-niglil intro- duce to you some of the denizens of the woods, some minstrels of the grove — so correctly styled « the accredited and authen- ticated poets of nature. » Do not, then, expect a set discourse on ornithology. Stray jottings — rambles amongst birds and books — that is all I can promise you at present. * The substance of this paper was delivered as a leotnre, for the benefit of the pupils of the Quebec High School and other public institutions, and for the object of making known the contents of the Museum of the Literary and His- torical Society. The lecturer, known by his French work, " Let Oiienux du Canada, " also furnished several specimens from his own museum, at Spencer Orange. The lecture applies to the birds of the provinces of Quebec and Ontario. 20 202 OUR EARLY FRIENDS. That, branch of zoology which treats of birds is denominated ornithology, from two Greek words— opviOo?, a bird, and ^0705, a discourse — a discourse on birds, the history of birds. It is beyond a doubt, that this department of the animal king- dom attracted the attention of mankind in the remotest ages : several birds, as yon are aware, are indicated by name and their peculiarities alluded to, in Holy Writ. Mention is fre- quently made in the earliest and best of books, the Bible, of the soaring eagU , the dismal raven, the tiny sparrow, the grave- looking owl. the migratory stork. The care taken of the prophet Elijah by our sable and far-seeing friend the raven you all remember reading of. This reminds me I am indebted to my neighbor, Colomd Rh' des, for this splendid specimen of the raven, shot last winter whilst cariboo-hunting back of St. Paul's Bay. Like the poet Montgomery's friend in captivity, who rejoiced in the name of Ralp. He is a raven grim, in black and blue, As arch a knave as o'er you knew. Of that incorrigible corn stealer, the Crow (1), I have little to tell that you do not already know. Though the bulk of the tribe migrate southward in October, some few — the invalides and octogenarians perhaps — attempt occasionally to brave out the winter, in Canada East. I can remember a large barn, on the pointe, at St. Thomas, countv of Monlmagny, in which the proprietor, Mr. William Patlon, an old friend of mine, now no more — used to sloie a great deal of wheat. Through some (I) Henry Ward Beeoher says of crows : — " Aside from the special ques- tion of profit and loss, we have a warm side toward the orow; he is ao much like one of ourselves. Ho is lazy, and that is human ; he takes advantage of those weaker than himself, and that is mankind ; he is sly, and hides for to- morrow what he can't eat to-day, showing a real human providence ; he learns tricks much faster than he does useful things, showing a true boy-nature ; he likes his own colour best, and loves to hoar his voice, which are eminent traits of humanity ; he will never work when he can get another to work for him, genuine human trait ; he eats whatever he can get his claws upon, and is less mischievous with a belly full than when hungry, and that is like man ; ho is at war with all living things except his own kind, and with them ho has nothing to do. No wonder, then, that men despise crows ; they are too much like men. Take off their wings, and put them in breeches, crows would make fair average meti. Give men wings, and reduce their smartness a little, and many of them would be good vnough to be crows." THE BIRDS. ominated ird, and of birds, nal kins- 3:*t ages : ame and ti is fre- Bible, of TOW, the taken of he raven indebted cimen of ck of St. aptivity, 203 ave little Ik of the nvalides rave out barn, on ^hich the now no jh some loial ques- ig ao much advantage las for to- he learns lature ; he it traits of 1, genuine ischievoug ^r with all If 0 wonder, leir wings, nen wings, enough to flaws in the foundation, for several winters, a number of crows "sed to enter and feed on the contents of the gra, arv farmers might forgive the crows-though I dont-were they to confine Iheir depredations to murdering young robins ami other insectivorous b.rdsand robbing sparroJs and thr'Ls^^^ their eggs, but what they do not forgive is the havoc these earJv rising, watchful thieves commit amidst their indian corn and -heat lields. Right well did our lamented friend Ta" McGee, sing of that bird who told his beads : " In penance for his past misdeeds. Upon the top I see. II Telling his beads from night till morn -ing alas and woe is me I In penance for stealing the Abbot's corn. High on the hollow tree. Sin is a load upon the breast. And it nightly breaks the Raven's rest High on the hollow tree. '"/''-' '- ' III The Raven pray'd the winter thro'. Sing alas and woe is me. The hail, it fell, the winds, they blew. High on the hollow tree. Until the spring came forth again. And the Abbot's men to sow their grain f , Around the Hollow tree. IV Alas, alas, for earthly vows. Sing altts and woe is rae Whether they're made by men or crows, High ou the hollow tree. The Raven swoop'd upon the seed, And met his death in the very deed Beneath his hollow tree. (.The Peniunthaven-Cauadian Ballad,, ma.) The crow is to be found in every part of the globe ; a crow and a Scotchman, you know, are ubiquitous. I have mvself made some amusing experiments on the haired entertained bv eiows, to owls. Few school boys there are, unacquainted with the noisy proceedings, attending crow .veddings or the mobbing !£04 OUR EARLY FRIENDS, of an owl by Irate crows. You can read In my Omithohgie du Canada, ati account of a trial made by me at Spencer Grange, in iHQ\, by means of a stuffed owl. The Raven, whom you might be tempted to consider the crow's big brother, is much more rare, more solitary in his haunts than Mr. Jack Corby. It occurs more frequently in the Niagara District and Lower St. Lawrence, than round Quebec. Its hoarse croak occasionally startles the echoes on the north shore of thi; St. Lawrence ; possibly, this may account for its vernacular name amongst the French Canadian peasantry « Corbeau de Mer. » The late John Nairn, seigneur of Murray Bay, used to relate the amusement he experienced on witnessing the alarm, caused by sounds amid air, to a party of English genlhjmen, who were travelling by land with him, when overtaken by the dusk of evening, amidst the sublime crags of La Passe des Monts, which at a height of fifteen hundred feet, overshadow the mountain path, in the Saguenay district. Those hoarse, hollow noises or groans, were emitted by ravens, hovering in thB air, at a great height, unseen, close to their nests located in these crags, and which sounded most un- earthly from below. Lower down than Murray Bay, at a spot called La Baie deS Hochers, on an inaccessible peak about one hundred and lifly feet high, the ravens have a nest ; this rock overhangs the St. Lawrence ; the foot of man never scanned it. It is stated that these birds have built there for more than two hundred years ; that the early missionaries of Canada had noted the fact. Alexander Wilson, the naturalist, says that where there are many ravens iliere are lew crows and vice versa ; his sojourn on the banks of Lakes Erie and Ontario furnished him many proofs of the fact. Ravens are found in xNorway, (ireeidand, at Kam- chatka— even in Siberia. Lewis and Clarke noticed some on the 17lh December, 1804, during their memorable voyage — whilst the temperature was 45 below 0. White ravens have, t'is said, been s(;eu in Ireland ! 1 The country also produces Banshees ? an other rarety. I will close these details about ravens with the anecdote of THE BIBDS. ao5 dote of that Roman raven presented to Augustus aner the battle of Actium : « After this memorable battle, several ravoiis were sent to Augustus, each repeating ihc words « Ave Cajsar, Vic- tor, Imperalor ; all hail to you Caesar, victorious emperor. » Augustus purchased them. A poor shoemaker, attra'ted by the price offered, set to work to teach a raven; he had to repeat these words, but as the bird made but slow progress, he was in the habit of winding up his lesson with the words « All my pains will go for naught. » At last the raven managed to repeat the complimentary address intended lor the prince, so that the owner hastened to place himself on the passage of the emperor, and got him to compliment Augustus in the usual language , but Augustus turned short and said, «I have enough of such courtiers as you in my palace, » when the bird added: aAll my pains will go for naught ; » this so amused the victorious Ce^^ar, that he paid even a higher price for the shoemaker's raven. » The dove and the raven were both honoured with important missions by that distinguished and most successful navigator Capl. Noah. You know how much the ibis was petted, nay honoured, in Egypt : the white ibis was embalmed and made a God of, after death. The stork was sung by Herodotus, — the swan by Virgil and by a host of other poets. Aristophanes, some twenty-three hundred years ago, celebrated not only the croaking of frogs, but also the melody of birds. It was, however, reserved to one ot the loftiest minds of antiquity, Aristotle of Stagyra, to furnish the world with the earliest methodical information on zoology. This great man was the first to observe andattempt to explain the organization of animated nature. His tieatise, irepi^wov Icxopia?, will ever be regarded as one of the masterpieces of antiquity. The gene- ration of animals, their habits, their organs, the mechanism of their functions, their resemblances and differences are thorfin discussed with astonishing clearness and sagacity. Aristotle may be reckoned as having established a solid basis for Natural History ; and his principal divisions of the animal kingdom are so well founded, that almost all of them are still substantially admitted. In arranging facts, he carefully goes back to causes from general results. 206 OUR EARLY FRIENDS, We next come to the Roman, Pliny the Elder, born A. D. 23, who died, as you may have read, in the year 79 of our era, from Ihe noxious fumes of Vesuvius during llie oiupliun which, it is said, destroyed Herculanoum. Having the charge of a Roman fleet, he had, in attempting to succour some of the unfortunate inhabitants, ventured too near the scene of th(! calamity : he expired during the following night. I presume some of you have perused the very interesting letter recording the event, written by IMiny the Younger, the nephew and adopted son of the Roman naturalist. As a laborious, but not always reliable, compiler, you have heard of Aldrovandus, born about 1535. I said not always reliable : to illustrate this latter point, I shall now quote from the Isl vol. Canadian Naturalist, an extract purporting to describe one of our most beautiful winter visitors, the Bohemian Chatterer, or Waxwing : a specimen is also in the museum of the Literary and Historical Society. I was fortunate enough to snare three very fine birds of this species in January, 1864 — often have others been seen since, round my house, at Spencer Grange, i kept them all winter in my aviary ; they soon became so bloated, so uncommonly portly, from good eating, that they were struck down by apoplexy, and one after an other, died. I need not tell you the sorrow such a catastrophe brought to my family circle. (1) « That the Bohemian Chatterer was known to the ancients there can be little doubt ; a great deal of obscurity pre- vails as to the names by which it was distinguished. Some have taken it to be the Incendiaria avis of Pliny (bookx., c. 13), the inauspicious bird, on account of which appearance, Rome more than once underwent lustration, but more especially in the consulship of L. Cassius and C. Marius, when the appari- tion of a great owl {Bubo) was added to the horrors of the year. Others have supposed that it was the bird of the Hercynian forest (book x., c. 47), whose feathers shone in the night like fire. Aldrovandus, who collected the opinions on this point, has taken some pains to show that it could be neither the one, (1) Cuadiaa Ifuturalist and Oaologiit, I., p. 467. THE BIRDS. 207 pre- Some C.13), Rome ially in jppari- eyear. cynian ht like point, leone. nor the other. Tho worthy Italian gravely assures his readers, that its feathc'ps do not shine in the night ; for he says he kept one nlivc for Ihre j months, and ol)S(M'ved it at all hours {' qudvisnoctis hord contemplalm sum'). It is by no means improbable that this bird was tho gnaphalos of Aristotle (Hist, anim., book ix., e. 16.) « The geographical range of the Bohemian Chatterer is ex- tensive, comprehending a great portion of the arctic world. It appears generally in flocks, and a fatality was at one lime believed to accompany their movements. Thus, Aldrovandus observes thai large flights of them appeared in February, 1530, when Charles V. >\as crowned at Bologna ; and again in 1551, when theysjiread through the duchies of Modena, Piacenza, and other Italian districts, carefully avoiding thai of Ferrara, which was afterwards convulsed by an earthquake. In 1552, according loGesner, they visited the banks of the Rhine, near Mentz, in such myriads that they darkened the air. In 1571, troops of them were seen flying about the north of Italy, in the month of December, when the Ferrnrese earthquake, accord- ing to Aldrovandus, look place, and the rivers overflowed their banks. « Necker, in hi-; memoir on the birds of Geneva, observes Ihat from the beginning of this century only two cons'derable flights have been seen in that canton : one in January, 1807, and the other in 1814. when they were very numerous, and. having spent the winter there, took their depa'ture in March. In the first of those years they were scattered over a consider- able part of Europe, and early in January were seen near Kdimburgh. Savi observes that they are not seen in Tuscany, except in severe winters, and that the years 1806 and 1807 were remaikable for the number of them which entered Pied- mont, especially the valleys of Lanzo and Suza. » , I could dilate at length on the history of this mys- terious stranger, who appears to have so startled antiquity. Here is the ominous individual ; see how silky his plumage ! mark the lovely wax-like lips of his wings ! this is no doubt the portion which was supposed to shine at night. Be careful, however, not to confound him with the Cedar or Cherry Bird 208 OUR EARLT FRIENDS, —our Slimmer visitor : he resembles him much in plumage, but is twice his size. Nor should we omit the names of Redi, Swammcrdam, Willoughby, John Ray, and especially of Francis Bacon, amongst the laborious tillers of the soil of Natural History. Next to Aristotle and Pliny, ranks the great botanist and naturalist Linnaeus, who devoted a lifetime to reforming and rearranging the history of all natural productions, and lived to see his method triumphant and almost universally received. Nor was he a mere nomenclator ; his vast genius led him to take the most elevated views of nature. He penetrated with a glance into causes which were the least obvious on the surface. Order, precision, clearness, exactitude of descrip- tion and accurate knowledge of relations in detail distinguish his works. He it was who sent to America, to Quebec, the eccentric Peter Kalm : every guide-book reminds you of the amusing account Kalm wrote of Quebec and Montreal society in 1749 ; what a fine fellow Count de la Gallissoniere, the Governor Gf^neral in those days, appeared to the Swedish tra- veller. How our respected grandmothers chatted, frolicked, romped, dressed, danced ; — how well he n-lated all he saw, and somethings he did not see. We are led next to consider the brilliant career of a French naturalist, an elegant writer and profound philosopher. Count Buflbn. Possessed of a vast fortune, moving in the highest circles of a nation famous for its refinement and learning, Buffon, during a half century, from his chateau of Montbard, promulgated his canons to the scientific world : he t"lls us he spent forty years in his study, peifectJng and rounding the sentences of his immortal works ; but, when bearing in mind the life-like sketches of birds writ- ten by Buflbn's successors and contradictors, the writers of the new school, such as Alexander Wdson, Audubon, Chas. Buonaparte, Baird, one is inclined to regret that the sedentary philosopher should have spent so much time indoors describing his favourites, instead of ransacking the forests, the fields, the seashore, " The murmuring streams, their banks and braes " to see for himself, like Audubon and Wilson, how God's creatures lived, loved, sang and died. THE BIRDS. 209 God's No doubt, my young frionds, you would like to have some details of the career of the two celebrated naturalists just mentioned, especially as their fame is identified x^ith the name of America ; both, as you may know, visited On''bec. Alexan- der Wilson, the author of American Ornithology, was born in 1766, at Paisley, in Scotland. At the early a^rtvof thirteen, he was indentured as a weaver to his brother-in-law, William Duncan. His parents were peasants. A few years after we fmd him acting as a pedlar : dealing in camhrics, ?otton, calico by day ; poetry and natural history, by r.ight His rest- less mind, poetic lerrperament and poverty induced him lo seek fortune in a then new and attractive arena, the United States, where he landed on the 14th July, 1794. In 179.S, he again took to the pack, and next became a teacher shortly after. In 1802, he accepted a situation as tutor in a semi- nary, near Philadelphia. There he became acquainted with Mr. William Bartram, the naturalist and botanist, who encou- raged him, and lent him the works of Catesby and Edwards on Ornithology. Space prevents ma from following the ardent admirer of birds through his rural peregrinations. There is an interesting episode in his life connected with the refusal of President Jefterson to second the efforts of the aspiring natu- ralist. He died in 1813, aged 47, from the effects of a cold caught whilst pursuing some rare bird, having had to swim a river in order not to lose sight of it. Although progress has been made in American ornithology since the days of Alexan- der Wilson, his treatise, as far as it goes, serves yet as a text- book to naturalists of every nation. How can I becomingly sketch the adventurous existence of the Prince of American naturalists, John James Audubon? Who can do justice to the memory of this noble-minded son science, whose great work, The Biuds of America, is likely .0 remain in succeeding' ages — a permanent monument of the highest order of genius, celebrating the wonders of nature, in the denizens of the air and songsters of the grove ? John James Audubon saw dayliulit for the first time, in Louisiana, in 1782 : he was of French extraction, and was sent to Paris to complete his studies. It was there, he learned 21 210 OUR EARLY FRIENDS, (he art of drawing from (he celebrated paintor David. On his return to America, at tho age of eighteitii, he lived with his fiilhcr, near Philadelphia, on a beautiful estate surrounded by parks, lawns and gardens. He soon had to give himself up to commercial pursuits; with that object in view, he started for Kentucky. » The whole of his books teem with the vivid des- criptions of his forest wanderings. In 1810, he met, for Ihe first time, his great rival, Aloxandur Wilson. In 1811, Audubon said good-bye to the cash-book and ledger, and, gim and sketch-book in hand, he dived into the depths of the American forests in quest of knowledge and materials to achieve his great undertaking. In 1814, he was favoured with an inlroducliou to Ihii C(3lebrat(;.l prince of C;»iii:io, Charles L'l- cien Buonaparte, a close relative of the present (1866) French Emperor and author of most valuable treatis(!S on American birds ; some of which you will lind on our shelves. After visit- ing the Stales in all dirtu;tions, Audubon sailed lor Paris, Lou- don and lulimburg. His drawings of American birds had al- ready attracted abroad, considrable attention. In England, he soon became acquainted with several men of note in literature : Professors Sedgwick, Whewell, Henslow, Dr. Thackeray, Dr. Buckland, IJr. Kidd ; in Paris, Baron Cuvier, Swainson, (ieofl'roy St. Hilaire, his son Isidore ; — D'Orbigny, Lesson, and other savants showed him marked attention. The sove- reigns of England and France patronised the enthusiastic disciple of BiitTon, heading with their names the subscription list to his great work. I wish, my young friends, I could gra- tify your desire, and follow step by step this wonderful man in his oinithological rambles through the length and breath of this green land : this day, you might be ascending with him one of the bayous of Florida, to watch the habits of the scar- let flamingo, and next month, scaning the |)rairies of Kentucky to catch the Wild Turkey on her nest ; 'he season following might find you toiling up the rugged and barren uplands of Labrador — a locality so desolat«', so rocky, so inhospitable that, to use the words of the late abb<5 Feiiand, « there is not enough of soil to bury decently the unfortunate traveller who may perchance die there. » Audubon visited Quebec in \S\'l, TUB BIRDS. 211 . On his with his unded by ?elf up to larled for ivid des- mot, for In 1811, and, gun IS of thu terials to Lired wilh irlos Lii- 5) French Amnricaii fler visil- iris, Lon- Js had al- iglanii, ho iterature : Loray, Dr. iwainson, Lesson, 10 sove- lusiastic kscription ould gra- ma n in realh of wilh him he scar- entucky ollowing )lands of ospitabio re is not llor who in 18i-i, residing several wt^ks with a Mr. Marten, in St. Peter street, an excellent taxidermist and a great admirer of the feathered race,; on his departure, Audubon requested him to ac- cept, as a token of reni(^mbranee, a copy of his magnilicent work on (he Birds of this Continent. There are yet several amongst us who can recall to mind the dignified, courteous, while-haired old gentleman, with black, pieicingeyes^ eminent- ly handsome in person — one of nature's true nobienKui. Spen- cer Wood in those diiys belonged to Ihe lale Hemy Alkinson, a warm friend of the gifted naturalist Many tlie strolls did the latter enjoy at Spencer Wood, listening, under the umbrageous pines and old red oakSj to the flute- like warble of th(! Veery and melullic notes of the Hermit Thrush. His steps occasionally wandered.Iamproudtosay, over that portion of the estate which has since passed to me ; the shady avenue consecrated by the presence of this man of genius, is i!ow known to my children under the name of u Audubon Avenue.)) These memories, which to some may a|)pear commonplace, I recall with un- feigned pleasure ; and whilst there, and listening to the liai- liingeis of spring, or poring over Audubon's works, I am reminded that lht>re once breathed and stood the possessor of one of the most honoured names in natural science — a noble- minded fellow-man — whose glory and whose fame are inse- parable from that of Norlh America. Audubon spent more than twenty yeius completing his superb drawings and compiling the Biography of the Birds and Animals of America ; he sank to rest in 18o2, aged seventy years, in the full blaze of his glory. Next to Wilson and Audubon, in Ihe field of Natural History, I shall point out to you a name widely respected in America, and well received in Europe — Professor S. K. Baird, of the Smithsonian Institute, Washington ; he is spe- cially known lo us as the chief compiler of the celebrated 9th vol. of the Reports of that Inslitutiun, which elaborate book you have now before you ; he was ably seconded in this laborious undertaking by Mr. Geo. Lawrence, of New York, and Dr. John Gassin, of Philadelphia. Dr. Cassin is also the author, amongst other publications, of a most gorgeously illus- 212 OUR EARLY FRI£^Dg, trat«!d work on some new Western birds, niso forming part of Iho library of this Society. Ill Wilson's Ornithology, published in 1814, we (Ind men- tioned 284 sp(!cies. Bitnapaite, in 183H, had described 471. Auiliiboii, wriling in 1844, brought up the list lo 506. Kuird's Report, which appeared in 1858, enlarged the number to 738, of which more than SOU species are lo be fonnd in Canada, either as accidental visitors or sedentary species. The Smith- sonian report divides the birds into six orders, viz : — I. Baptores Birds of Prey. 11, Scansores Climbing Birds. III. Insessores Perching « IV. Itasores Dusting « V. Grallatores Wading « VI. Natatores Web-footed « Kach of these orders might comprise as follows :— 1st. order, .36 ; II. 18 ; III. 120 ; IV. 15 ; V. 42 ; VI. 69. Canada, not embracing all the varieties of climate and temperature which th(! American Union does, cannot be expected to unite all the varieties of birds to be found in the United Stales. The Cimadian Fauna is nevertheless very beautiful and varied in its features, including a numerous collection of birds of prey. Th'> web-looted order are well represented here. The Wood- peitker f.imily comprises some brilliantly habited individuals. But the most numerous and varied in plumage, are the Perchers or singing birds. Alex. Wilson spoke eloquently and tridy, when he said, « The ornithology of the United States exhibits a rich display of the most splendid colors ; from the green, silky, gold-bospang!ed down of the minute humming bird, scarce three inches in extent, lo the black coppery wings of the gloomy condor, of sixteen feet, who sometimes visits our northern regions ; a numerous and powerful band of songsters, who, for sweetness, variety, and melody, are surpassed by no country on earth ; an everchanging scene of migration from torrid to temperate, and from northern to southern re- gions, in quest of suitable season^ food and climates, and such iig part or ind mon- bed 471. [). Buird's iv to 738, Canada, hu Srnilh- ey. irds. (( n a d(( 1st. order, nadO; not ire which e all the es. The varied in of prey. le Wootl- ividuals. ei'chers d truly, exhibits green, ig bird, wings of isits our )ngslers, ssed by ligration lern re- md such tul; birds. ii3 on amazing diversity in habit, economy, form, disposition and laculties,so unifuimly h(M'edi(ary in each species, and so com- pli'lely adiM|iiale to Iheir peculiar wauls and convenience, as to overwhelm us with asionishmenl at the power, wisdom, and bemdiciMice of the Creator. « In proportion as we bteonie acrpiaiuted with these parti- culars, our visists to, and residence in the country, become more and more agreeable. Formerly, on such occa^^ions, we found ourselves in solitude, or, willi respect to the feathered tribes, as it were in a strange couiili y, who"'e the; manners, laiijiuajie, and face of all were either totally overlooked, or utterly unknown to us ; now, we lliul ourselves amuiig inter- esting ami well-known neighboins and ac(|uaintances, and, in the notes of every songster, recognize with satisfaction the voice of an old liiend and companion. A study thus tending to multiply our enjoyments at so cheap a rate, and to lead us, by such pleai^iiug gradations, to the contemplation and worship of the Great First Cause, the Father and Pi'eserver of all, can neither be idle nor useless, but is worthy of rational beings, and doubtless, agreeable lo ihe Deity. » (The lecturer, by means of the diagiam of a bird draw n on a large board then explained the dilVerenl portions : Primaries. Secondaries, Terliaries, Scapulars, Rhump feathers, Auriailurs, Tarsi, Tibia, Iris, Mirror, Total lemjth, Alar extent, and a variety of other technical terms.) Linna3us, in his Systema Satune, divides the class of birds into six orders. IMumenbach makes nine orders ; Cuvier, — six ; Vieillot, five ; Vigois, five ; Timiminck, in his Manuel d'Ornithologie, sixteen ; Agassiz and (lould, in a n.'cenl work, recognize only four orders. Classiliealion is without tloubl, one of the most important portions of Urnilhology. A new light has dawned on this science, since the learned researches of Dr. Thos. Itrewer, of Boston, and other American and Euro- pean savants who have applied oology lo the classiliealion of species ; thus, severd rare hawks, in diderent plumage, have been recognized by Iheir eggs. The eggs of owls, instead of being elliptical, like those of the generality of birds, are spher- ical. Eggs are also idenlilied by their markings, — lines, — spots. u\ OUR BAHLt rRlENDS, stripes,— or by the absence of them, like the eggs of some of the thrushes. Collecting \iilil birds' eggs has bi;camo quite a trade. ScicntiOu institutions in Rurope have given as much us £15 stg for a rare e^g (1). Several Canadian inslituliont intense of uli dolii^hts — that of eommuninn in the wil- derness with the God of the Universe. I was on a narrow lodge of rooki, covered with the iSileno acaiilis whoso lovely pink blossoms woro itrewn around ; on one aide was n rouKy slope, the rusort of tho ptarmigan; on the other, a rugged proci- pioe, in the orevioes of which hud sprung up luxuriant tufti of Rhodiola ronea. Before mo, in the we^it, was the Rini^gy island of Scarp; toward the south, stretched the rugged coast-line of Harris, margoned on the headlands with a lina of white-foara ; and, away to the dim horizon, spread out the vast expanse of ths Atlantic Ocean, with the lovely Isles of St. Kilda on its extreme verge. The sun, descending in the clear sky, threw a glistening path of light over the waters, and tinged the Ocean haze with purple. Suddenly there arose over the Atlantic a mass of light, thin vapour, which approached with a gentle breeze, rolling and spreading around and exhibiting the most beautiful ohana^es of tint. When I had gazed until tho fading light reminded me that my home for the night was four miles distant, I approached the edge of the precipice, and bent over it, when, from the distance of a few yards beneath, a Qolden Eagle launched forth into the air. The scene, already sublime, was by Ihe flight of the eagle rendered still more so, and, as I gazed upon the huge bird sailing steadily away beneath my feet, while the now dense masses of cloud rolled majestically over head, I exclaimed aloud " Beautiful 1 " Tho great God of heaven and earth, myself, his perverse but adoring subject and the eagle, his beautiful but anen- during creature, were all in the universe of my imagination. Scenes like these niiglit soften the obdurate, elevate the grovelling, convince the self-willed and unbelieving, and blond with universal nature the spirits that had breathed the chilling atmosphere of settishness. Verily, it is good fur one to asoend a lofty mountain ; but he must go alone, and of if he be there in the solemn stillness of midnight, ay I have been, he will descend a better and a wiser man. Beautiful truly it is, to see the eagle sweeping aloft the hill side, sailing from one moun- tain to an other, or i-uaring aloft in its circling flight until it seems to float in the regions of the then white cirri, like the inhabitant of an other world looking down upon our rebel earth, as if desirous to visit it, but afraid to come within its con- taminating influence, and not in its distant flight alone is the Golden Eagle a beautiful object ; viewed at hand it cannot fail to inspire admiration, but then you muit see it seated on some pinnacle of ite native rooks. " {Itapaeiout Bird» •f Grtat Britain, MeQUtray, Page 90.) 216 OUR EARLY FRIENDS, Kaple, one would moslly wish him to take the place of lh(i Beaver, the lloso, the Thistle and the Shamrock, as (he em- blem of our nascent ompire. A pair of these noble birds pur- chased by me recently, were kept in capture at Spencer Grange, when I sent the follow ing to the Quebec Mercury : « One by one, the cherished traditions of our rosy boyhood vanish. Audubon, Bull'on and \Yilson had let us to believe that the king of birds, the royal ea^le, was a species of morose baron, living amidsl inaccessible fastnesses, on innocent lamb- kins, leverets, and tender chickiiis ; occasionally varying his diet, by making a repast on some stray infant, carried away holtis bolus, whilst ils negligent nurse, perchance, had beau seeking, wandered round the corner. The fujrce marauder sel- dom or ever visited the haunts of man, except for mischief. The loftiest mountain had ils eagle — one only ; at most, a pair — averaging in age one hundred years or so. To catch a live eagle was a species ot impossibility ; in fact, if you saw one alive, once during your lifetime, you might consider yourself fortunate. « The (Joldeu or Canadian Eagle, Aquila Canadensis, is a beautiful variety. As slated, many of the dreams of our boy- hood, are disproved by the following fact. Eagles seem to be as common as barnyard fowls at Baie St. Paul, on the Lower St. Lawrence : they are frequently shot, and within a week, a pair were trapped under a crockery crale with a figure four trap baited with a clucking h(!U and her chickens. Their appetite was not proof against while meat. Ilonci; Iheirfa!!. These marauders had already paid a flying visit to tht; farmyard and abstracted a large goose, in spite of the heart rending cries of th(; guard- ian of the flock — ii snow-white gand r, more majestic in gait than the Mayor of any of our opulent cities. The female eagle, since her capture, laid an egg on her way up from St. Paul's Bay : unfortunately this prized specimen for oologists was ciushed and destroyed. These noble birds were presented to me ; and mayhap I shall have a treat denied to the greatest naturalists — xcitnessim; eagles breeding in captivity. I will take care to advise the readers oH\w Mercuiy, of th' birth of the first chick, should such an auspicious evetit crown the connu- bial bliss of (be royal couple. » TUE BIRDS. 217 \ of lh(i the ein- rds pur- Grange, boyhood behove I' morose nt lamb- rying his i3d away lad beau iider sel- niscbief. >\, a pair ;h a live saw one yourself isis, is a oiir boy- !m lo be le Lowor week, a bur trap elite was raiiders traded ijuard- c in gail 0 eagle, . Paul's sis was e II led to grealesl vill take 1 of the cnniiu- These eagles were kept thirteen months ; it afforded me ample opportunity to study their habits in eapti- vily. They did not however breed, but I made more than one experiment, as to their capacity of enduring cold and hunger which much astonished me. Ever patient, cheerful ; robust, in excellent temper at all times, they seemed indeed, unlike any other member of the feathered tribe — Uight well is the eagle called the «King of Birds.)) Fearing some accident might befall my children who were frequently moving round their coop, I ceeded them to C^nt. Rook of the 53rd Foot, who took them to England ; since when, I learn, they have figured in the pages of the Field Newspaper. Shall we quit the Eagle tribe, without directing your notice to that majestic Eagle which Audubon discovered whilst as- cending the Mississippi in 1814 ; his attention having been directed to it by the pilot of the boat — a Canadian. This powerful bird, a specimen of which, he shot subsequently in Kentucky, measured 4o inches by 1 22 — that is, fiom lip to tip of wing, ten feet, and three feet seven inches from the end of the head lo the tremity of the tail. But one specimen, as yet, exists in the American collections — that, in the museum of the Natural History Society of Philadelphia. It is well lo stale that tills gigantic bird which Audubon honored with Uie name of Bird of Washington, has much exercised naturalists ; some, protesting that it was merely an overgrown individual of the Golden Eagle, whilst others, asserted that the scuteUw on his larsi denoted a distinct species. At least twenty varieties of the Hawk family visit our Inli- tudes ; here, is the delic.itely spotted Goskawk, identical with the European species : the breast is of a lovely ash colour, with peucilled markings ; there is I he Rough-lciigod Buz- zard ; next, the Marsh Hawk, whom 1 am sure, on viewing this specimen, you all recognize as that unwelcome prowler who made you miss by his swoop, such a shot, on the Chateau Richer, Crane Island, Sorel, Deschambault or Sle. Clair mar- shes, at some period or other of your sporting career ; there is another species with large I'xpanse of wing, — the Broad- winged Hawkj not so large as the Goshawk, and of pluniagi! 22 218 OUR EABLT FRIENDS, less bright ; then comes the Sharp-shinned ; next, the Pigeon Hawk ; lastly, the little Sparrow Ha^^k, with its elegant cinnamon-coloured back and black bands on its tail. Admire this keen sporlsnaaii, the great Duck Hawk — BuWet-headed Hawk, as some style him — who is none else than the Noble Peregrine Falcon of the days of chivalry ; a tolerably common bird in Canada West ; he can strike his quarry a mid air with his breast bone, so as to cause immediate death. The limits of my discourse prevent me from quoting, for your benefit, the elegant and truthful descriptions of the Peregrine and his fearless compeers, as sketched by Audubon. Shall we leave this fierce band of day-robbers, and investigate the doings of those formidable midnight raiders, the Owls ? " T'it the middle of night by the oastle olook, And the owls have wakened the crowing eook : Tu-whit I— Tu-whoo ! See how grave, how omniscient they look, with their rolling, shining, yellow eyes, their velvety plumage and their warm fur- leggings, impervious to cold the most intense ! There he sits, on his perch, — the dignified patriarch of the whole tribe : the Great Cinereous Owl. Look at him well ; he is not, mind you, an every- day visitor by any means — thelargestof the owls ; in size, he even exceeds that white and fierce marauder, the Snowy Owl — the Great Northern Hunter, as he is aptly styled. As you know, he is frequently shot in the surrounding country during the winter months. How often on a bright, cold January day, have 1 noticed him skimming mageslically over the vast ice (ields, battures, as they are call d which skirt the Saint Lawrence, at St. Thomas, county of Montmagny ! Nature has wonderfully adapted these birds to the climates they in- habit. Th'-y hunt by day as well as by night, and, in the soft moonlight, you can scarcely hear the muffled sound of their winged paddles, when pursuing hares or other small animals. Of the ferocity of the Snowy Ow I, unquestionable proofs exists. The attack of a Snowy Owl, rendered desperate through hunger, on a Roman Catholic Missionary, is amusingly related in a Journal of Travel, on the Labrador coast. The Reverend Padrd THE BIRDS. 219 ^e Pigeon s elegant Admire jt-headed the Noble y common d air with rhe limi's ir benefit, le and his 1 we leave doings of leir rolling, r warm fur- i he sits, on c : the Great J, an every - in size, he the Snowy ityled. As ng country right, cold ically over Ich skirt the ny! Nature les they in- in the soft id of their animals. Of exists. The gh hunger, ilati'd in a Tend Padre was so astounded at the daring of the bird of Minerva, that he sought his safety in flight. Of the Virginian, or Great Horned Owl, there are, according to Baird, five varieties — Atlanticus, Magellanicus, Pacificus, Arclicus, Virginianus. Atlanlicus and Virginianus alone visit Canada. This bird is often caught in the steel traps baited for foxes ; the ferocious attitude and indomitable courage he exhibits, when approa- ched by dog or man, is wonderful to behold ; he snaps his powerful beak, rolls his bright eyes, and erects his feathers — the very emblem of concentrated rage. I have not heard of any successful elTort to domesticate the Great Horned Owl. The Barn Owl, highly valued in some countries as a destroyer of rats and mice, does not inhabit Canada. You remember I am sure, the lines in the Fable of the Butterfly who went to consult her lawyer. Ivy barn was tho Chambers of CounoiUor Owl, And instantly thither he flies. At study he found the learned fowl, His face half hid by his hooded cowl, He winked, and blinked and looked very wise. I have now placed before you in a row, according to their size, the Owls which visit us ; mark the gradation from the Great Cinereous, the size of a large Turkey, to the little Saw Whet, a sweetly pretty, tiny fellow, not much bigger than a Snow Bunting. What an interesting group of wiseacres they all seem ? Legislative or City Councillors in conclave ! You see in the Museum of our Society some fair represen- tatives of the web-footed Order of Birds. First amongst them, conspicuous for the brilliancy of his plumage, note the Wood or Summer Duck, A}ias Sponsa ; $ponsa means a bride, from the gay colours of the individual probably. Here is the Mallard, the Dusky Duck, the Gadwall, the American Widgeon, the Green-winged Teal, the Blue- winged Teal, the Shoveller, the Canvass-back, the Redhead, the Scaup, the Ruddy, the Pied, the Velvet, the Surf Duck, the Scoter, the Eider, the King Eider, the Golden- eye, the Harlequin, the Long-tailed, the Tufted, the Red- breasted Merganser, the Hooded Mergansei, and tlie 220 OUR EARLY FRIENDS, Gooscander. "What a noble-looking fellow the great Diver seQms, with his speckled robe of white and black ? But amongst this splendid array of water-fowl, as I previously said, the handsomest is the Wood Duck, who builds in trees at Sorel, Lake Erie, and other places : he is, indeed, of the whole tribe facile princeps. Those feathered, slim gentry mounted on stilts, you lecognize as pertaining to the tribe of the Waders : the Bittern you all have seen ; many of yon may not have viewed, the large Blue Heron, oft mistaken for a Crane. Doubtless you number amongs your acquaintances as well, the curious and handsome species called the Night Heron from its nocturnal habits. It is a very comely bird and the long feathers on its head, will at once attracts your notice : Wilson has as it were, photographed this bird. There are a few heronries in Canada ; one exists on Nuns Island near Montreal. Have you ever observed how those long leathers, which grow out of the back of his head, tit in one another as in a groove ? For this pretty lillle species, called the Least Bittern, I am indebted to a Kingston friend. You can read, in Charlevoix and Governor Boucher, that two species of Cranes visit Canada — the White and the Brown Crane : Linn»us and Temminck have christened one of the species, Grm Canadensis ; and still the Crane is a West- ern species, and ought not to sojourn often in our Arctic latitudes except when it migrates from Florida to the Arctic wilds, for the incubation of its eggs and rearing of its young. An Island, once dear to sportsmen, thirty- six miles lower than Quebec, bears the name of Crane Island. You have not forgotten the mention Horace makes of the migrating Crane — Gruem ad- venam. And shall I relate to you the nice story Herodotus tells of the manner in which the death of Ibycus, the poet^ was avenged by a flock of Cranes ? You will then understand why the muse-loving Greeks had such a veneration for Cranes : — « The lyric, Ibycus of Rhegium, went to dispute at the Olympic Games the prize of poetry : he came on foot, with no other companion than his lyre, from which he occasionally drew a few soul-stirring notes. At the close of his journey, i ? i I THE BIRDS. 221 eat Diver Qck ? But »reviousIy builds in , indeed, red, slim g to the many of 5taken for aintances he Night bird and ir notice: are a few Montreal, lich grow as in a jrn, I am ler, that and the aned one ; a West- latitudes Ids, for I Island, Quebec, ten the em ad- us tells t^ was lid why nes : — at the ith no ionally urney, I ! musing, he lost his away in the forest. Two men rushed out of a wood and struck him. The poet fell to the earth, and cast an expiring glance towards the setting sun. At that awful mo- ment, he saw a flock of Cranes sailing past : * Winged tra- vellers, ' said he, in an expiring breath, ' behold me ! — make known the assassins of Ibycus I ' The brigands laughed at these words, stripped their victim and disappeared. « The next day, the games began at Olympia : no Ibycus appeared. The people murmured at the absence of the Bard; — his rivals commenced to sing. At Ihat moment a man ar- rived in hot haste bearing a broken lyre, all bloody, and pro- nouncing the name of Ibycus. It was the bard's lyre, found thai morning close to the corpse of the poet. A loud and deep wail was then heard in the amphitheatre : the people deplored the premature end of the young favourite of the muses ; but the multitude is as easily moved to sorrow as it is to forget ; the games proceeded — the memory of Ibycus fading away. Night was closing in and would soon interrupt the amusements of the crowd, when a flock of Cranes flew over the arena ; their loud notes attracted general attention : two of the crowd, in a conspicuous spot, repeated to one another, in a jocular way. * There go the Cranes of Ibycus ! ' This singular remark was overheard by others : the sarcastic tone in which it was ut- tered, the repulsive appearance of the utterers, the sudden and mysterious death of the poet, all conspired to create sus- picion. Jhe murderers were arrested — questioned separately —confessed their crime, and were then and there executed ; so that the avenging mission cunlided by the dying poet to the feathered strangers was faithfully and speedily discharged. » By long and cmlinued efforts on behalf of some enlightened friends of agriculture, the indisciiniinute slaughter of insecti- vorous birds in the spring and summer has been eflectually slopped. You may not be hung for killing or capturing in Canada, a Robin or a Tomlil in the spring, but you make yourself liable thereby, to ten days of jail. I like the old English and French custom of opening the 222 OVn EARLT FRIENDS, game season by rejoicings and eclat. Why should not Saint Hubert, the patron suint of sportsmen, have a day sacred to him in America as well as in Europe ? It is gratifying to see that if our powerful and progressive neighbours have so many things to be proud of, there is one Canadian institution which (hey envy us ; that is, our Legis- lation for the protection of Fish and Game. Mr. Roosevelt (son of Judge Roosevelt), in his interesting book on the Salmon rivers of Canada, « The Game Fish of the North, » testifies to that fact repeatedly. Though as a sop to American amour propre^ he concludes by insinuating that it is aboutthe only sign of progress to be found u in those benighted regions known as the British Provinces, » as he humourously styles them. We \\\\\ allow him, unchallenged, to enjoy his illusions on this as on other Canadian topics, for, as a clever writer has it, « Are not illusions the best part of youth ? » and Mr. Roosevelt is young. With all the protection the law could lend to game during th;3 period of incubation, I dare not however, think it possible to restore to the shores of the St. Lawrence the myriads of ducks, geese, and swans, which are mentioned by Ih ) old writers, such as the Jissuits, in their Relations, Governor Bouclier, in his Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux, des Animaux, et rfes Poissons du Canada, wiitten at Three Rivers in 1663 — for the special information of the Grands Seigneurs of the Court of Louis XIV., his friends. The account of the game met by the Jesuits on the Crane and Goose Island beaches in 1632 (5) apponrs so marvellous as to be mostly beyond belief. The very bene !i facing this city, near the Rifle range at Beauport, took its nime, La Canardiere, from the legions of ducks, Canarrfs, frciiiienting it. It is within my recollection that a Crane Island Chasseur counted he had had but poor shooting if he had bagged less than one hundred Outardes (Wild Geese) in a season : now fifty are accounted a good bag. You are aware that the most numerous order of birds by far is that of the Passeres. It would require a great many lectures (6) Sco Matiotu^Vbn Le Jeune. THE BIRDS. 223 not Saint sacred to progressive ere is one our Legis- Roosevelt the Salmon testifies to 3an amour le only sign i known as them. We on this as 5 it, « Are oosevelt is me during , think it vrence the ntioned by Governor Animaux, in 1663— the Court 16 met by 1632 (5) The very lort, took Canards, ne Island he had 3se) in a rds by far lectures to initiate you into their habits a I history. Let me conse- quently direct your atti-ntion merely to those now before you, wearing th(» gaudiest uniforms : there, you will remark the brightest of Canadian birds, the Scarlet Tanagor, or Summer Red Bird ; how gracefully his black wings do fit on the sur- rounding red ! Hot weather alone attracts him over the Cana- dian border from the scented magnolia groves of Louisiana and Florida. The peasant lad, meeting him in our own green woods, in ecstacy at such a display of sphjudour, hurries home to tell his mother that he has at last seen « Le Rot dts Oiseaux, » for such is the glorious cognomen the Summer Red Bird during his July visits, enjoys amongst the French Cf«nadian peasantry. What a stylish fellow, this Louisiana Piper seems, with his bright purple manlle and red Phrygian Cap ! He does indeed sport his purple robe, like a true Pi iiice of the Church of Rome. Lord Baltimore's feathered friend the Oriole assumed, so says Wilson, the name of his Maryland patron — the French call him le Baltimore : the Americans, the Balliinore Oriole — Why not call the gaudy Cardinal — aMerodeorcnAntonelli? TheCardinal visits the southern districts of Ontario — I have had the good fortune to capture a magnificent Cock Bird in my garden in August 1870, and kept him more than two years. His song on an April morning was delighfid ; some violent, storm must have blown him across our border, as hi; was certainly extra-limital and for us Quebecers, a foreigner : not tlh) less welcome for all that. That graceful individual with a cinnamon-coloured back and wings, a white breast and long rounded tail feathers tipped with white outwardly, is the Cuckoo ; his shrill note K-K-K- Kow-ow-Kow-Kow-ow, is occasionally heard in hed;.;<)s round the city. Unlike his European congener, his habits as a juirent are unimpeachable ; you never catch h'm depositing cjigs in other birds' nests, — waifs at olh(;r in lividuals' doors ; this shabby, unnatural practice may suH his Cockney Cousin, or our Cow-pen bird ; but our elegant. Cuckoo is loo excellent a gentleman, too kind-hearted a fellow, to desert his ofispring. We have two Cuckoos in Canada — the Yellow-bill jd and the Black-billed. 224 OUR EARLY PRiLNDS, An American writer thus describes him : — « The cuckoo is one of the most solitary birds of ourfuresls, and is strangely tame and quiut, appearing equally untouched by joy or grief, tear or anger. Something remote seems ever weighing upon his mind. His note or call is as (»f one lost or wandering, and to the farmer, is prophetic of rain. Amid the general joy and the sweet assurance of spring, I love to listen to the strange clairvoyant call. Heard a quarter of a mile away, from out the depths of the forest, there is something pecidiaily weird and monkish about it. Wordsworth's lines upon the European species apply equally well to ours : » 0 blithe new-comer I I have heard, I hear thee and rejoice : 0 ouokoo 1 shall I call thee bird ? Or but a wandering voice ? While I am lying on the grass, Thy loud note smites my ear 1 From hill to hill it seems to pass, At once far off and near I Thrice wolcomo, darling of tho spring ! Even yet thou art to me No bird, but an invisible thing, A voice, a mystery. Next to him, you notice a bird encased in a sleek, lustrous, black uniform, with gold and crimson shoulder-straps^ a veri- table rifleman amon^^sl the feathered tribe ; that is the Red- winged Starling : is he not a jaunty, military-looking son of song ? sporting epaulettes, he ought to stand well with the ladies. Doubtless his name of Field Officer, is due to the ad- miration, by of some old dowager, of his gaudy uniform. There sits Robin Redbreast ; you have read, my young friends, of the touching legend, explanatory of the blood red line, on the breast of the English Robin : why, should it not be applied to our Canadian favorite, « the bird of the ruddy breast, towards whom the children of every Canadian house yearn with na- tural love.» «. It was on the day, when the Lord Jesus Christ felt his pain upon the bitter cross of wood, that a small and tender bird, which had hovered awhile around, drew nigh about the TUE BIRDS. 22o our forests, untouched leems ever ne lost or , Amid the m to listen mile away, gpeeidiarly s upon the [, lustrous, pSy a veri- the Red- ing son of with the 0 the ad- rm. There nds, of the ne, on the applied to , towards with na- t his pain ider bird, bout the seventh hour, and nestled upon the wreath of Syrian thorns And when the gentle creature of the air beheld these cruel spikes, the thirty and three which pierced that bleeding brow, she was moved with grief and compnssion, and the piety of birds ; and she sought to turn aside, if btit one of those thorns, with hi»r fluttering wings and lifted feel ! U was in vain I She did but rend her own soft breast, until blood flowed over her feathers from the wound ? Then said a voice from among th.i angels ' Thou has done well, sweet daughter of the boughs ! Yes, and I bring thee, tidings of reward. Henceforth, from this very hour, and because of this deed of thine, it shall be that in many a land thy race and kind shall bearupon their bosoms the hue and banner of thy faithfid blood ; and the children of every house shall yearn with a natural love towards the birds of the ruddy breast, and shall greet their presence with a voice of thanksgiving I » What strange anecdotes I could tell you about him, my familiar friend, who returns each spring to nestle in a bushy evertireen under my library window, notwithstanding several murderous raids made in the vicinity, at day break by Jack Corby, or in the dead of night, by some marauderiiig grimal- kin, when, unfortunately for my feathered neighbour, the trusty guardian of the grounds, my St. Bernard Wolf, is wrapped in balmy sleep? You can fancy what a lively memory birds retain of the spots in which protection has been ex- tended to them, when I tell you that for several years past, I have protected the birds building on my property, and that they have multiplied astonishingly and, each spring pun( tunlly returned. Thereare this year, upwards of forty nests of birds round m.' ; one palm tree, next to my library window, contains the nests of no less than two pairs of Chipping Buntings, that friendly little fellow who comes on the very house-steps to pick up crumbs. Close to it, stands a small soft maple tree : a pair of Black-cap Titmice have been industriously scooping a hole out of the heart of the tree for a week. From the hab'ts of this bird, which, 1 presume, is better known to yo«i under the name of Chickadee, none do I prefer to see, building about 23 226 OUn EARLY FRIE.NDS, my garden : llio (iiiantiiy of insncis it dostroys in catering for ils yoiin^, is really prudi^'io-is. About hvo acres from this spot, another fiimily of C.lrcKadees seem intent on applying for a loealion tickel. Wilson's Snow Bird breeds amongst th(! grass, and is as careful about hilling the cradh of his children as the Song Sparrow, llobins', Redstarts, and Yellow Birds' nests are in course of construction all over I he premises : the angle of a siniclure used as a snow-slide, has been taken pos- session of, by a pair of Robms for two seasons in succession. Allow me lo introduce to you a brave, indomitable fellow — the King Bird (Tyrant fly-catcher) ; Ihe peasantry call him Tri-tri, from his rapid, fpierulous note ; schoolboys known him as the Crow-beater. Observe Ihe little orange tuft of feathers in the centre of his top-knot. Next to him you notice a bird with a beak notched like a Falcon : take my' word for it, that is a sanguinary villain. Naturalists call him « The Shrike, » or Butcher Bird, from the remorseless manner in which he deals with small birds, whom he im|)ales on thorns and tears lo pieces ; I wonder how he can rest at night after such enorm- ities. Fie, fie ! Mr. Shrike, you are a vile fellow ! — as vile nearly as a schoolboy who robs birds'-nesls. Dare not, I pray, show your face on my premises I That grey, rough-coat(Ml bird is a Canada Jay ; the lumberers and woodmen, who spy him in winter rummaging round their camp for scraps of pork, call him Whiskey Jack : he is addicted to pilfering ; so say his enemies. There, is a bird whom all of you recognize, the Kingfisher — ladled Kingfisher, — on account of the rust-coloured badge encircling his throat and breast. To heathen mythology he is known as Ceryle Alcyone. Alcyone was the daughter of j^iolus : being a perfect model of conjugal lldelity, she was rewarded, at her death, by being metamoijiliosed into a bird, and the heathen god, her father, whom I shicwdly suspect to have been in Itjague with the clerk of the weather, arranged matters so, that in midsummer, a succession of so many calms, halcydoma, took place that our expert fish- catcher could build her nest on the heaving bosom of the ocean, and rear her young undisturbed. THE BIRDS. 227 Qtcring for * from this pplying for moiigsl l,h(! lis c'liildroii How Birds' misos : llio taken pos- succession. fidlow — tho lim Tri-tri, I liim as the hers in the bird with a it, that is a (hriko, » or ich he deals ind tears to mh enonn- kV ! — as vile not, 1 pray, )Ugii-coaled 'n, >vhu spy ips of pork, ig ; so say I Kingfisher iired badge iulo{^y he is augbler of she was nto a bird, suspect to arranged ny cahns, ould build d rear her " Perq\u ditt plaeidot hihemo tempore tepttm, lacuhat Ilulcyone pendentibun aquore ntdi». " Ovid. Met. lib. XI. This was, to say the least, a great privilege. Hence the origin of halcyon days — days of peace and prolonged security. 1 can guarantee this fact, on the faith of heathen mythology ! One of the most musical groups amongst our native birds is the Thrushes : some six or seven varieties ar*; now display(!d before you. First, tlus llobin, or Migratory Thrusli ; next, the Catbird, an excentric mimic, whom you can easily distinguish from the rest by his ash colour and catlike note ; then, that beautiful variely, the Golden crowned Thrush ; tho Hermit Thrush, which is attracted to the cool shad(!s of damp woods, where he can, imdistiirbed, go and bathe at sunrise and sunset ill some secluded, cool, purling stream, — how oft have 1 wat- ched him I One of the sweetest song birds of Western Canada is the Brown Thrush, or Thrasher : here is a good specimen. You will notice how much longer his tail is than that of the Hermit Thrush ortiolden-crowned Thrush. The Wood-Thrush, I have not seen in our Province ; and 1 am inclined to helieve the sweet songster who, amongst the Canadian peasantry, is known as « La Flute » — the llnle — from its metallic notes re- sembling the double-tongueing of the German flute, is Wilson's Thrush, whilst its congener the Hermit Thrusli, is known to the French countrylad as «Le Hautbois. » The Thrush family in Canada open for young naturalists, a wide field of enquiry. That litth; group of long-winged individuals, you of course recognise as Ihe Swallows, of which live spi^cies visit Canada. The first, supposed to be the rea' harbinger of spring and hot weather, circles over our heads, with its crescent wings, for t!ie first time each year, about the 23rd of April. The Black Chimney Swallow, or Swift, who dives perpendicularly down our chimneys to build its nest, forms part and parcel of every Canadian rural home. As we never see him build elsewhere than in chimneys, will Darwin tell us, where he did build before the invention of chimneys ? You can add that to the other hard problems with which your painstaking teachers try your ingenuity. There is the Purple Martin — a larger ' 228 OUB KAHI.T rhlENDS, species : (?ach doy, in Jinn;, when I pass down llie Uppor Tuwn niarkct-plncc>, and notice the gairulons crowd of Martens twittering round the northern eaves of tiiu old Jesuit Barracks, I ask myself whether they arc all tlie grand children of those Purple Martens whose ancestors, Alexand(!r Wilson saw, in the beginning of llie ciMitury (1813), » in great nu i, at Quebec; » (1) for the memory of locality is great in .vallows as well as in other birds. That broad-mouthed, long winged, short-legged, dark bird squatting on the ground, with white badges on its wings, is the Night llnwk, or Goat Suiker, Caprimulgus. You, no doubt, are aware why he is so persistently calle I (loat Sucker by naturalists ; it is because he nevijr in his life sucked a Goal — never dreamed of it. It is one of those outrageous fabrica- tions invented, by ignorance^ to filch a poor bird of his good name, and fame, and which took root only because it was oFt repeated. In the days of Olaiis Magnus, Bishop of (I) Another man of note, Just dead, visited Quebec about 1824, oentrio naturalist, Ciiarles Waterton, the digcovorer of the WouruU jioi»< author of several works most amusingly and instructively written. CharKs Waterton humorously said that the principal blessings the House of Hanover had con- ferred on the English people wore the suppression of Popery, the creation of the national debt, and the introduction of tiio brown, or Hanoverian, rat. Do not be surprised if the passage of his bouk, relating to Quebec, should contain some- thing eccentric also : — "They are making tremendous fortiHoations at Quebec. It will bo the Gibraltar of the now world. When one considers its distance from Europe, and takes u view of its powerful and enterprising neighbour, Virgil's re- mark at once rushes into the mind, — " Si(^ vo» non vobi» nidi/icatU aveii," " I left Montreal with regret. I had the good fortune to be introduced to the Professors of the College. These fathers are a very learned and worthy set of gentlemen; and on uiy taking leave of them I felt a heaviness at heart, in re- flecting that I had no mure time to cultivate their acquaintance. In all the way from Buffalo to Quebec, I only met with one bug ; and I cannot even swear that it belougod to the United States. In going down the St. Lawrence, in the steam- boat, I felt something crossing over my neck; and on laying hold of it with my finger and thumb, it turned out to be a little half-grown, ill-conditioned bug. Now, whether it were going from the American to the Canadian side, or from the Canada to the American, and had taken the advantage of my shoulders to ferry itself across, I could not tell. Be this as it may, I thought of my Uncle Toby and the fly ; and so, in lieu of placing it upon the deck, and then putting my thumb-nail vertically upon it, I quietly chucked it amongst some baggage that was close by, and reoommended it to get ashore by the first opportunity." — Water- ton'$ Wanderingt, p. 223. the Uppor of Mortens t Rnrracks, an or those saw, in the 1 ;, at n . .vallows I, dark bird s wings, is , no doubt, Sucker by id a Goat — (US fubrica- of bio good because it , Bisiiop of 1, oentrio ( author arks Watorton lovor had oon- croution of the at. Do not be contain gome- ma at Quebec, distance from ir, Virgil's ro- [roduced to the worthy set of ^t heart, in re- [n aU the way [on swear that in the steam- of it with my |ditioned bug. i, or from the Iders to ferry Uncle Toby putting my >aggage that ity."— If ation of the Blue Jay : you are all acquainled vilh his cerulean plumage ; his harsh not, especially before .ain, is familiar to every country school boy. 1 must not, how(»ver, forget lo point out to you that gorgeously dressed individual, wearing black and orange badges : that is the Baltimore Oriole. He visits chiefly the Montreal dislric!, and Western Canada. Black and orange, did 1 say? why that was the official livery of a great English landownei- of Mary- land, in the days when democracy amongst our neighbours was not. We have il on the authority of Catesby and Alexander Wilson, high authorities, as you know, thit this showy July visitor took its name fioni Lord Baltimore, on whose estates a great inimbor of Urioles were lo be seen. It is satisfactoi'y to iind that, even in llemocratic America, the English aristo- cracy is becomingly represented not only at the White House, but also in the corn fields and green woods of the great Re- public. The Jiallimore Oriole is a tolerably good musician. You can see how brillunl are the colours of these Canada birds now exhibited lo you ! 1 think you will all agree with ni.', in saying that no country can furnished a group of brighter onos Ihan those now exposed to view, and composed of Canadian birds only : — the fJolden- winged Woodpecker, or Rain Fowl ; Bbie -lay ; Field Officer ; Maryland Yellov '.noat; Wax Wing; Indigo Bird ; Cocrulean Warbler, B'^b'-throated Humming Bird; Scarlet Tanagcr ; Baltirnure Oriole ; Meadow Lark ; Pine tiros beak ; Cardinal Grosbeak ; Rosebreasled Grosbeak and Towhe Bunting. As for song, we may safely assert, with fue saint! Alexander Wilson (7) that the fauna of America can compete with that (7) " The opinion, says Wilson, which sogcnerally prevails in I'ln gland, that tho music of the groves and woods of Amorioii is far inferior to that of lOurope, I, who have a thousand times listened to both, cannot admit to be conoer. We cannot, with fairness, draw a comparison between tho depth of the forest in America, and the cultivated fields of Englands ; becans« it is a well-known ficf, that singing birds seldom visit the former in any country. But let the latter i)tace be compared with the like situations in the Vnitcd States, and tho superiority of song, I am perfectly persuaded, would justly belong to t!ie Western contiin'nt. The few of our song birds that have visited Europe extort admiration from tho best judges. ' The notes of the cardinal grosbeak, ' says Latham, ' are almu.' Titmouse, 290. Iludsonian Titmouse, 296. Sky Lark, 302. Blue Grosbeak, 303. Pine Grosbeak, 304. Purple Finch, 305. Yellow Bird, 313. Pino Finch, 317. Rod Crossbill, 318. White-winged Crossbill, 319. Lesser Red Poll, 320. .Mealy Hod Poll (?), 321. Snow Bunting, 325. Lapland Longspur, 326. Grass Finchy, 337. White-crowned Sparrow, 345. White-throated Sparrow, 349. Black Snow Bird, 354. Tree Sparrow, 357. Field Sparrow, 358. Chipping Sparrow, 359. Song Spariow, 363. Swamp Sparrow, 369. Fox-colored Sparrow, 374. Black-throated Buniing, 378. Rose-breasted Grosbeak, 380. Indigo Bird, 387. (3) Cardinal, 390. Boblink; Reed Bird, 399. Cow Bird, 400. Red-winged Blackbird, 401. .Meadow Lark, 406. Orchard Oriole, 414. Baltimore Oriole, 415. Rusty Blackbird, 417. Crow Blackbird, 421. American Raven, 423. Common Crow, 426. .Magpie, 432. Blue Jay, 434. Canada Jay, 443, GAI.r.IXACKOtS. I Ruffed Grouse, 465. Rock Grouse, 468. American Ptarmig.in, 470. Partridge; Quail, 471. t: ' (1) I insert the stonochat and the blue grosbeak on the authority of Mr. William Couper, of this city, — who was presented with a specimen of each, shot in Canada— Several warblers and Flycatchers found in Ontario, do not reach Quebec. (2) Care ought to be taken not to confound this bird with its small summer iiongener — the cherry or cedar bud — the wax -wing is altogether a winter visitor. (3) A most brilliant specimen was trapped by me, in my garden, at Spencer Grunge, August, 1869. THE BIRDS OF CANADA. 235 154. 361. 208. 270. 373. 373. 375. 879. 290. 290. 302. 303. 304. 305. 313. 317. 318. 319. 320. 321. 325. 326. 337. 345. 349. 354. 357. 358. 369. 363. 369. 374. 378. 380. 387. 390. 399. 400. 401. 406. 414. 415. 417. 421. 423. 426. 433. 465. 468. 470. 471. ty of Mr. each, shot not reach I summer »r visitor. It Spencer Sand-hill Crane (7). White Heron. Great Blue Heron. Least Bittern, Bittern; Stalce Driver, Green Heron, Night Heron, (1) Glossy Ibis, <}oIden Plover, Kill-deer, Wilson's Plover, Semipalmated Plover; Ring yQTf Piping Plover, Black-bellied Plover, Turnstone, (2) American Avoset, Northern f halarope, American Woodcock, English Snipe, Red- breasted Snipe, Gray-back ; Knot, American Swa-j, Trumpeter Swan, Snow Goose, White-fronted Goose (?), Brown-fronted Goose, Canada Goose, White-cheeked Goose, Hutohin's Goose, Brant, Mallard, Black Duck, Sprig-tail; Pin -tail, Green-winged Teal, Blue-winged Teal, Read-breasted Teal, Shoveller, Gadwall, Baldpate, Summer Duck, Greater Black-head, Little Black-head, Ring-ueekod Duck, Red-head, Canvas-back, OKDEB V. — WADRRS. PIo- '•79. 486. 487. 491. 492. 493. 495. 500. 503. 504. 506. 507. 508. 510. 515. 617. 520. 522. 523. 524. 526. ORDKK VI, 561 a 562. 563. 565. 566. 567. 668. 569. 570. 676. 677. 578. 679. 681. 582. 683. 58-1. 585. 587. 588. 589. 590. 591. 592. Jack Snipe, 'Least Sandpiper, iSanderling, Semipalmated Sandpiper. jWillet, *^^ iTell-tale; Stone Snipe ! Yellow Legs, jSolitary Sandpiper, : Spotted Sandpiper, Field Plover, .Buff-broa.sted Sandpiper, Marbled Godwit, Hudson Godwit, Long-billed Curlew, lludsonian Curlew, Esquimaux Curlew, Clapper Rail, Virginia Hail, ; Yellow Rail, ' Coot, Florida Gallinule, i — PAI.MATED. Golden Eye, Barrow's Golden Eye, Butter Ball, Harlequin Duck, South Southerly, (Labrador Duck, 'Velvet Duck, ISurf Duck, Scoter, Eider Duck, King Eider, Ruddy Duck, Black-masked Duck, Sheldrake, Red-breasted Merganser, Hooded Jlorganser, Smew, (5) American Pelican, Brown Pelican, Gannet, Cumuioii Cormorant, Double -crested Cormorant (1) Leach's Petrel (?), Wilson's Petrol, 531. 532. 634. 535. 637. 639. 640. 641. 643. 545. 646. 547. 548. 549, 550. 551. 553. 564. 557. 559. 560. 593. 594. 595. 596. 697. 600. 601. 602. 604. 606. 608. 609. 610. 611. 612. 613. 614. 615. 616. 617. 620. 02;i. 642. 644. to whom I am also indebted for a^ JS^'n'dVltg "b u ' .n .l' "' '''"'''"' under Ite 6th C ^864 ''u L'''';'"" .^'"7''-'' •"' "'""i''"'". '" a btter to n.e pelicans^- ^' ' "'"' ''^^"''^'-■•^ '''« '^-^^nt appearance of a tlock of J. M. LeMoine. Esq.. Quebec, C. E. Hamilton, Ma, m, 186 1 Saturday morning the gunners were early astir, and tinding thVpeUcaM'^itHI 236 THE BIIIDS OP CAN AM. Mother Gary's Chicken, 645. Marsh Tern, % Greater Shearwater, 647. Caspian Tern, Sooty Tern, Sooty Shearwater, 648. 088. Mauk'a Shearwater, 640. Wilson's Tern, 489. Dusky Shearwater, 650. Arctic Tern, m. Cinereoui Petrel, 6ai. Roseate Tern, 69S. Pomarine Skua, 663. Least Tern, 094. Arctic Skua, 654. Loon, 098. Olauoous Winged Gull, 657. Red-throated Diver, TOl. White-winged Oull. 658. Red-necked Grebe, rot. Great Black -backed Gull, 660. Crested Grelu, 703. Herring Gull, 661. Homed Grebe, ro0. King-billed Gull, 664. Great Auk, no. Laughing Gull, 667. Razor-billed Auk, ni. Franklin's Rosy Gull, 668. Arctic Puffin, m. Bonaparte's Gull, 670. Least Auk, TJ3. Kittiwake Gull, 672. Black Guillemot, no. Ivory Gull, 676. Foolish Guillemot, 739. Swallow-tailed Gull, 679. Murre, 780. Fork-tailed Gull, 680. Sea Dove, (1) 788. there, started in pursuit, the birds seemed unwilling to rise from the water, but not at all disposed to admit of a close inspection, and so vigorously did they ply their large and powerful paddles that though the wind was high and fair, it was only after a chase of about two miles that the skiff's got sufficiently near to risk a long shot, which crippled two of the number ; one was wing- broken and could not rise, another, though evidently hit, kept sailing round still rising, till on making a sudden turn against the wind to join his companions, the fractured pinion gave way, and he fell from a great height into the water, where he was soon secured. The remainder of the flock returned in the evening, and were seen for two or three days afterwards evidently seeking their companions, but were extremely wary and could not again be approached within gunshot. About fifteen years ago a small flock spent a day or two about the bay, and one was shot, which is all I have heard of being observed here, though there is no doubt that like other migratory birds which breed in the fur countries, they must pass this way every spring and fall, the probable reason why we do not see them oitoner is that when migrating they fly at an immense height, and may perform the whole journey without stop- page. The individuals procured were both males in adult plumage ; one is now etuff'ed and in my possession, the skin of the other has been sent to England. On the 25th of April, while paddling along the bay shore, I observed some strange looking birds sitting on a submerged stump about 100 yards from shore opposite a point of woods which runs out into the bay ; creeping on under shadow of the trees, I found the group consisted of five cormorants, three large and brownish in color, and two smaller and darker. I watched them for some time, their motions wore graceful in the extreme, as they sat pruning their plumage, their long slender necks curving in every conceivable direction, while every now and then one of the number would dart off into the water and presently return with a fish, which was swallowed with no ceremony save turning the head down- wards. At length they seemed aware of my proximity, and that the distance vas diminishing. I was anxious to secure one of each kind, and just as they got up made use of the meansi in my power to accomplish that object, but was only partially successful, as the larger of the two, though evidently struck by the shot, managed to get away, the other was a fine specimen, and agrees in every particular with Professor Baird's description of the Florida cormorant, though I would scarcely have expected to find that bird so far north. It may be that being in company with the larger species which breeds in the north, they have been led away from their usual haunts. Regarding the glossy Ibis, I may mention that a pair of these birds were shot here in 1857, and are now in my possession. I have a specimen of Kirtland's owl, and have also obtained recently a fine specimen of the great cinereous owl. (I) Nos. Ill, 163, 493, 508, 562, 568, 582, 610, 616, 623, 647, 649, 650, 651, 657, 067, 668, 679, 682, 088, 690, 692, 694, 703, 710, 729, are inserted on the au- thority of Dr. A. Ross, of Toronto. (See liirda of Crtnada, by Ross, Toronto, 1872.) ffSl. 683. «88. «89. 000. 692. 694. 698. 701. 702. 703. 706. 710. 711. 716. 723. 726. 729. 730. 738. the waUr, but r did they plj id fair, it was ' near to risk a I and oould not till on making id pinion gave soon secured, for two or three imely wary and '8 ago a small 1 is all I hare her migratory spring and len migrating without stop- one is now England. bserved some from shore under shadow large and some time, eir plumage, le every now ently return head down- the distance as they got ut was only ruck by the BBS in every t, though I that being ave been led ds were shot Hand's owl, s owl. 9, 650, 651, on the au- onto, 1872.) FIN AND FEATHER IN CANADA, d, 1863. " The shootings in Breadalbane and Athole are leased at the following rents; Blair— Athole, £3,485 ; Fortingall, £1,934 ; Legierait, £674 ; Moulin, £670 ; Little Dunherld, £1,432 ; Dull, 984 ; Weem, £207 ; Kenmore, £300 ; Killin, £984 } Balquhidder, £785. iMaharajah Dhuleep Singh has sublet the shootings of Auchlyne and Suic, for which he paid £750, and has taken the moors of OrandtuUy, where he will shoot this season. " — (Late English Papers — 1863.) Shooting in the wilds or Canada, does not much resemble flushing pheasants or partridges or starting hares in the woody old parks of Britain, or popping over black game in the perfu- med heather of a scotch moor. Undoubtedly, one of the chief pleasures of the English sportsman lies in beating up systematically, with his steady well trained dogs, the game preserves, wether wood, stubble, swamp or moor, each year when September brings about its long looked for treat. In fact, to the English Nimrod, the savoir (aire of his pointer, his hound or setter, of noble descent afl'ords unmitigated pleasure ; in Canada, dogs, even the most valuable, except in snipe, cock, grouse and duck shoot- ing, would be often useless — not unfreqiienlly, a bore. Of the many thousand deer shot in Canada from 1793 to 1801, and from an authentic lletiirn (2) now before us, we find, that by this Return the skins of the 169,811 deers, who found their way across the Atlantic, probably not two were hunted with dogs. In collecting together some facts relating to the finned and feathered game of Canada, we thought we could not do belter than preface this short sketch with accurate data and figures, exhibiting what the killing of a few deer, hares, grouse and (1) Reprinted from the London " Canadian News, " with corrections. (2) The following statement of the " avsraga number of peltries cleared at the Custom Ilouse, Quebec, for England, for nine years, from 1793 to 1801 inclusive, with a calculation of the duties paid thereon on their landing in England," will, doubtless, be read with interest. It bears the evidence of having been compiled many years ago; and that the figures given below do not cover the whole of the nine years, but are only an average for each year is further proved by the endor- Bement of the amount of duty paid " annually." It is almost startling to read of 169,811 deer skins being shipped 'each year ; 238 FIN AND FEATHER IN CANADA. pheasants annually costs some of the sporting gentry of Bri- tain ; indeed, we know of a recent instance, in which three rich young sportsmen of llie « land o'cakes » purchased for £600, the right to shoot on some of the moors of Scotland, and actually brought home two brace of grouse, each ; expen- sive sport, was it not ? What hecatombs of deer, what pyramids of wild turkey, what hampers of snipe, quail, ducks, grouse and pruie h(ins, we would now ask, the rental of a Scotch shooling range, such, for instance, as Blair Alhole, viz., <£3,485, would procure to a score of Canadian Nimrods ? Why, to use a metaphor, which some may consider as savouring of the Yankee war telegrams of 1863, a ship a trifle smaller than the Great Eastern, might be freighted with the proceeds of such a gigantic hattue I When we read of Lord Dufferin's (1) pic-nic to Iceland, in but aoine of the other figures giren below are little less remarkable. Our readers will remember that the rate and amount of duty are in sterling money : Numhtr. Duty. 137,548 beaTer skins Id each £ 573 2 38,638 martins 55s for 40 or ]8 4Jdeaoh 2656 7 18,349 otters Is 5d each 11,329 minks 16s 6d for 40.. 5,483 fishers Is 4jd each. 10,141 foxes 4jd each 19,386 bears 5s 7d each 169,811 deer 2d each 144,439 raccoons ISs 9d for 100... 12,200 casco and oppossum oats Ud per 100.... 943 elks 4d each 1298 14 223 13 399 6 190 2 5303 13 6,886 wolves 778 wolverines Ss 6d each. 819 oarcajoux 48 5d each. 219 badgers 7d each '.1,130 kitts lis per 100. 1,<)78 seals 2d each 2,835 squirrels and hares lid per 120. 57,151 muskrata.. 2 buffaloes... 1 tiger 1415 993 67 14 .6s 4deaoh 2189 136 143 6 50 16 1 .13a 9d for 100 392 4 3 5 6 2 10 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 6 9 3 8 1 10 11 3 0 2 9 £16,071 15 4 {Ottaicn Timti) —Morning Chronicle, 9th April, 1869. (1) Singularly enough, this invitation extended by me ten years ago (when this sketch was written) in the name of Canadian sportsman, the noble Earl has lived to accept, though, in a aense and for an object very different. May ho tlou> FIN AND FEATBER IN CANADA. 236 try of Brl- ;hich three cliased for ' Scotland, 'h ; expen- ild turkey, praie hons, ange, such, )rocnrc to a ihor, which telegrams of n, might be ue/ Iceland, in le. Our readers [oney : .£ 573 . 2656 . 1298 223 3a9 ,. 1«0 ,. 5303 .. 1415 .. «93 67 14 „ 2189 136 143 6 50 16 I 392 2 4 7 3 14 5 13 6 5 2 2 10 13 0 1 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 9 3 8 1 10 11 3 0 2 9 £16,071 15 4 April, 1869. |ar8 ago (when Ihe noble Earl it. May hu Uou- the Foam, to v.iiness, among other things, an eruption of Mount Hecia ; vhen we hear of an enterprising young En- glislimaii having recently sailed for fireenlnnd to practice rifle- shooting on walrussos, we naturally wonder why more of the Vimturesome spirits amongst our transatlantic friends do not tear themselves away, even for a few months, from London fogs, which according to Sidney Smith, make one feel like « on a flne day looking up a chimney, on a dull one, looking down» to recruit and breath our bracing air. How is it that so few, comparatively speaking, come to enjoy the scenei y and bright summer skies of Canada ? ^ « Our Laurentines, with their thousand streams and dark pine, fir and beach woods have few rivals in the world for sylvan beauty. The heights are sharp and bold ; the torrents are fo.imy, and wreathed into curling waterfalls. You see below tops of woods and forests that resemble bandlels of shrubbery and great rivers that seem ribbons of silver. You notice around you climbing heights, in all the sullenness of undisturbed na- ture— rich with every tree that grows and echoing the shrill sounds of myriads of wild birds. Interesting to the tourist and lover of the beauties of nature, it is doubly so to the sportsman and disciple of Isaac Walton, as the whole country seems to be Nature's rich preserve for game of all sorts, and the waters of the many streams that empty into the St. Law- rence, teem with trout and salmon. » With what zest the enterprising and eccentric Britons could undertake a ramble with rod and gun in hand, over our majestic chain of mountains from Niagara to Labrador, choosing as rallying points, whereat to compare notes and discuss politics, old port and sandwiches, the summit of Cape Eternity, in the Saguenay district, the peak of Cape Tourmente, and the Cave of the Winds under the great cataracic, after ransacking for fish and game the fifteen hundred intervening miles of coast ! We fancy that the atmosphere of those airy riah and fill an ample bag on the Western Prairies, or even the shores of Hudson's Bay, should the shooting on the St. Claire Marshes or at Lanoachire prove in- sufficient I may the shade of the Great St. Hubert, the patron of all Nimrods, borer over, to protect him against marsh feaver, ague and rhumatism ? 240 FIN AND FEATHER IN CANADA. positions is as brisk as that of Bon-Mnc-Dui or (laini-gorum, and that the divers incidents of travel and sport which would be therein combined, ought elTectualiy to (lis|iel ennui and res- tore their spirits for, as the author of Childe Harold truly says: " There is a ploasure in the pathleia wood, There is a rapture on the lonely shore, There is society where none intrudes By the deep sea, and music^in its roar." If this were insufficient to rouse them, a smart trudge to the shores of the frozen ocean might be added ; our disting- uished travellers would shoot, on the route, ptarmigan, blue or sooty foxes, arctic hares, polar bears and the musk ox after camping on the shores of Ihe Copper Mine and the Great Slave Lake ; the parly on its return, might now and again lunch at the Hudson Bay posts, in the absence of belter fare, on pem- mican, whale or walrus steaks — and who can say, whether combining with amusement, the cause of humanity, they might not be fortunate enough to elicit further tidings of the fate of Sir John Franklin's gallant band? This attractive pro- gramme, however, we merely display to tempt the most enterprising among the English sporting world ; as for us natives^ we fiml abundance of fish and game without venturing so far. Volumes have been written to make known the inexhaustible mineral, agricultural, industrial and commercial wealth of this colony, but little etlbrts have yet been used to place on record the noble game, the inexhaustible treasures of wholesome food which a kind Providence has ^tored in the streams, in the rivers, in the forests of this magnificent country, for the benefit, for the daily use, of the million as well as of the mil- lionaire. Few — some, through interested motives, have sup- pressed the fact — few have published to the world, that Canada, without the stringent game laws of England, without scarcely any expense, but with the mere consent of the people and the fosteringcare of Ihe government, can be made nearly what it was formerly — one of the most favored localities on the earth for game — yea, a veritable Canaan— a land of promise — abound- FIN AND FEATHER IN CANADA. 241 irii-gorum, \\\c\\ would ui and res- irold truly •t trudge to )ur disting- ligan, blue sk ox aft(T ireat Slave ill lunch at e, on pem- f, whether mity, they ings of the pctivo pro- the most as for us venturing ixhaustible ilth of this on record Ivholesome [reams, in ', for the ►f the mil- |have sup- it Canada, scarcely le and the ^hatitwas earth for -abound- ing with the «milk and honoy)) of amusement for all those who rejoice in the manly and exhilaraling pleasures of Ihe chase. It is true that for two centuries back the people have slruj^glcd hard to extirpat(t (I) its fish and gnm>', and that, had the advice of the sportsmen not been heard in time, (?vei y estuary in the piovince would have been depleted ; lh(! forests, the sea shores, the whole country, instead of harboring quan- tities of luscious game, myriads of insect-devouring birds, would soon hav(» beconit; a kind of howling wilderness. Much harm has undoubtedly been done ; but the curing of the evil is fortunately still within our reach (2). Having noticed else- where the glorious results which have crowned the protective policy of successive administrations towards (3) fl^haIld game, we shall now confine ourselves merely lo mentioning suc- cinctly the chief hunting grounds in the province. Old writers, one and all, have spoken with astonishmenl, nay, with rapture, of the abundance and vaiieties of Ihe sea fowl and birds frequcmling the shores of th(» St. Lawrence, and we all know how thousands of the aboriginal races for (1) One of the greatest enormities perpetrated by the Indian, is the extinction in eastern, and in the greater portion of western Canada, of the wapiti or Cana- dian stag, the noblest «f the ypocies, which roamed through our mountains— as large as a horse, with round, sharp antlers five feet high. It is now abundant in the western prairies and the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains, from tlie Sfitli or 57th parallel of north latitude to Texas In the Hudson Bay territories, ac- cording to Sir John Richardson, its eastern limit is a lino drawn from the south end of Lake Winnepeg to the Saskatchewan, in the 103rd degree of longitude, thence till it strikes the Elk river, in the Tilth degree. (2) The increasing and successful efforts of the Quebec and Montreal Fish and Game Protection Clubs must necessarily be a source of pleasure to the many patriotic sportsmen interested in the eauso of its preservation. Amongst many siealous members, one above others, in my opinion, deserves a passing word of encouragement, for his UNtiring efforts and energy — poachers, hucksters, pot- hunters; every species of obstructive, have in vain tried to put him down — I mean F. W. Austin, Esq., for several years Secretary to the Quebec Fish and Game Protection Club. 1863. — (Alas, since these pages were written the angel of health has deserted our active secretary — For his fireside, the calamity is great ; for the unprotected game, it is greater still. 1873.) (3) With this object was written my small volume; " L«' Pechene» du Cn- nndn." 25 2i2 PIN AND FEATIIEU IN CANADA. conliii'ios siihsjstnd oxclusivcly on th(; produce of the ohasO) llii-Mii<^rhi)iil tht) boiitidlnss fontsts of Cnnnda (1). Tlio .Icsiiils, ^ifMicrnlly ncnirnln in Ihoir stalemnnts, in dos- crihin;^', in 1062, llif; Mini Rocks, at Ihe onlrnnco of the gulf, say thai a boat rnifilil )>o easily loaded with O'^^^b of (ho sea fowl, >vh() biild on lli(;s(> desolate islands, and that so iiu- nKM'oiis an; lli>>y, that Iniinan bi'inj^s aseendin;^ these rocks are ill dan,^e^ of biting pntstraled to the f^round by the flapping of the wings of these feathert'd denizens. (1) To illustrate the onorinoiifl qiinntity of j^^ame in the north of Canada, and in tlio IIiidsDn Bay territory, I cannot ilo l)otfor than subjoin the following extract from a valuable paper roiul boforo the Montreal Natural Ilictory Society, by Ooo- Barniitun, Esi{., of the Hudson's Uay Company, in l.SKl. A long ronidenoe in that territory, and a patient investijjation of the game it contains, renders Mr. Barn- ton's statements particularly valuable. " It is very dlQioult, " says ho, " to form anything like an aoourato idea of the varioti«H of goeso that have Just been passed in review, viz: the Canada grey goose, the lessor grey gooso, the Brant goose, the snow goose, and the white fronted goose. Of the ([uantity shot at particular jjoints where they become an article of provisions, we may arrive at u wide but^till a better estimate. Hoventoou to twenty thousand geese are sometimes killed by the Albany Indians in the au- tumn or fall of the year, and ten thousand or more in the spring, making a total for these coast Crees alone of at least .30,000 Not speaking so certainly of other natives, I would place the Moose Indians as killing at all seasons 10,000 Rupert's River natives K,000 Eastmain and to the north, including Esquimaux 6,000 The Severn coast I sannot compute as yielding loss than 10,000 The York Factory and Churchill Indians, with Gsquimaux beyond, must dispose of 10,000 Making a total of geese killed on the coast, of 74,000 As many geese must die wounded, and others are got hold of by the foxes and wolverines, wo may snfely allow the total loss to the floiks while running the fiery gauntlet as equivalent to 80,000. I was at one time inoliiv' ' ' ' it two-thirds of this number was, or might bo, the proportion fiv ml, but it is probably nearer three-fourths, and we ham thu- >•>• in- bers brought down from the newly-fledged flocks, n .ird . the bay. I have lately been informed by an old and riencr i .ter, .it he believes that for every goose that is killed, above nty tuns; leave the bay without scaith, as although there is sometimes deatructioo dii ' among some lots that approach the gun, and that feed in quarters frequent.d b, 'mnters, yet innu- merable families of them alight on remote and quiet fouding grounds, remain there unmolested, and take wing when the cold sets in, with their numbers intaot. I must allow the correctness of this remark, and the deduction to be drawn from it is, that 1,200,000 geese leave their breeding grounds by the Hudson's Bay line of march for the gonial south. Of the numbers to the westward along the arctic FIN AND FEATIIKR iN CANADA' 243 the chase, lis, in dos- [)f the gulf, of the sea hal so iiu- ?o roi'ks are flapping of of Canada, and )llowingoxtrBot Society, by Uoo. urtidenoe in that iidoM Mr. Barn- arato iJoa of tho ho Canada giey and tho white hoy bocoino an mato. Soveutoon Hans in tho au- making a total , 30,000 Mooso 10,000 H.ono 6,000 10,000 d, must 10,000 74,000 the foxes and lie runninp the it int. iin- ird : ,• the ter, .il he leave tho bay jinng some lots iters, yet innu- uunds, remain umbers intact. 0 drswn from son's Bay line ng the arctic We subjoin two extracts from tlio ReJaliuns Jes Jesuites^ in their own quaint French. (1) Although eng-stoalors (a bad set, by I ho by, whose opera- tions Audubon proptM'ly stigmatises) h:iV(!con>iderably Ihinnod their numbi^rs, Dr. Hryaiil, who, in 1800, mado an ornithologi- cal l- vey of Ihi'se islands, whom I had IIk; picasnrt; of jnec ing, found them still tonanlfd by largo numbers of ganiiets, puflins, guillemots, anks and killiwakes. In lhi> fall of tliu year the shores of the St. Lawrenco literally swarm with ducks, leal and other sea fowl. We have ourselves counted thousands busy gobbling up the shell -lisli, barnacles aiul sea weed which cling to the shelving rocks round IMateau and llonaventiire islands, at (laspe. We have watched the gaunel, the herring- gull, the cormorant, hovering in clouds over Perce Uuck, on whose verdant summit they build and liud au as}lum secure from their great destroyer, man; whilst their discordant voices are heard above the roar of the surf, miles away. We have seen their young shot for food by hundreds in the month of August. It is not an uncommon thing in the tall of the year for the coast, that wend their way to thoir winter quarters straight across the continent, we can form but a very vague opinion, but computing it at two-thirds or more of the quantity supposed to leave the eastern part of tho arctic coast, we cannot have less than two millions of goose, composing the numerous battalions which pass over tho continent botwooii tho Atlantic and the Rocky Mountains, borne aloft generally like tho scud, and as swiftly hastened on, by tho force of tho boreal blast. " I ought to observe that the Brant geese, Jierniclu Hrenta, aro not included in the above estimate. Thoy nro pretty iiuinorous on tho Atlantic coast, but aro quite neglected by tho Indians in general of Hudson's Bay. " (1) *' A I'ontr^'o do co golfo (do St. Luuront) nous viuies deux rochors, I'un rond, I'autre quarr<;. Vous dirioz que Diou les a jdantCs tiu milieu des caux comme doux colombiors pour sorvir do lioux do rctraito aux oiseaux qui s'y reti- rent en si grande quantitt^, qu'on marcho dossus ; ot si I'on no so ticnt bien forme ils g'^l^vent en si grande quantitd qu'ils renvorsont les porsonnes ; on en rapporto des chaloupes ou das pctits bateaux tous |)loin9 quand lo tumps poniiot qu'un les abordo. Les Fran^ais les ont nommds les lies aux Oisoaux. " (^Itelation des J^axiiten. he Pfire Paul Le joune.) " L'Isle aux Coudres et I'Islo aux Dies mdritent d'dtre nommdes en passant. La premiere est souvent remplio dV'laus qui s'y rencontrent; la seconde est peu- plde on son temps d'uno multitude d'oios, d'outardes, dont Vile qui eat plute et charyie d'herbe comme une prairie en jjarait loute couverle. Lea lieux circonvoiiina relentiiient inceaaumment dti eria de ct* oistaux, " 244 FIN AND FEATHER IN CANADA. fiaspe fishermen to kill as many as twenty sea fowl, at one shot, in the air holes among the ice, down which the hungry birds crowd to feed. Where is the Canadian sportsman who would not give the world for a week on the Mille Vachos shoals in September ? Were is the fowler who has not heard of the sport which Jupiter river, on Anticosli, affords, over and above the chance of putting an occasional bullet through one of the many bears attracted to the sea shore for their morning meal of kelp and seaweed, in the absence of green oats and young mutton, their favorite provender? It would bo unfair, however, to lead sportsmen to believe that one has to go as far as Anticosti to get a crack at « Bruin, » when there are instances on record of snipe shooters killing bears on the beaches close to Quebec, Let us mention one recent occur- rence. A sporting member of the Quebec bar (1), whom the summer vacation had seduced away from the Pandects and lilackslone, to the swampy Chateau Richer flats, wasbaggingas usual, a few dozen snipe before breakfast. On firing his first shot, he heard a rustling in some tall rushes, and out stepped leisurely a — snipe ? no, a bear. Sympathy for a fellow sportsman ought to have saved Bruin's life. Not so ; his pre- sence on the swamp was construed by the disciple of St. Hu- bert into a clear case of trespass. Nothing could be more inconvenant^ one will admit, than for a bear to take possession of the fi'eding grounds of teal and snipe. Qu'allait-il [aire dans cette galore ? A heavy charge at close quarters, and Bruin's spirit was wafted to where all good bears go. What clouds of sand pipers, curlew and plover, September brings forth from their brei'diug pUuies, in the bairen wilds of Labrador, the secluded lakes and solitary islands of the north, up to the frozen occean ! Look, friend, look at that dense vapor hovering over that long sand bar, La Batture aux Alouettes, a breast of Tadousac. From afar, you might take it for a cloud of hail or rain ; but wail a minute, until the sun's rays light up the picture. Now, see the snowy breast of myriads of chubby lillle northern strangers, the ring plovers ; .1 (I) Richard PeaUand, Esquire. FIN AND LEATHER IN CANADA. 245 I, at one shot, liungry birds n who would PS shoals in loard of the Is, over and through one heir morning sen oats and d be unfair, lias to go as en there are bi>ars on the •ecent occur- ), whom the Pandects and bvas bagging as ring his first 1 out stepped for a fellow so ; his pre- eof St. Uu- uld be more ie possession illait-il (aire iiarters, and go- ', September iren wilds of ands of the ook at that La Balture ', you might ite, until the ,vy breast of ing plovers ; i look out for them as they s( tile by thousands, on the sand ; now is your time. Enfilade their serried ranks, fire low ; bang ' One shot suflices, you have one hundred victims ; to fire again would only cause imnecessary carnage. Father Point, lower down than Rimouski, during strong easterly winds, affords capital sport. Canada geese. Brent geese and ducks are perpetually hovering over the extreme end of the point : the fov\ler carefully concealed, pours a deadly volley into the flock, and his faithful Newfoundland dog springs into the surf and fetches out the dead and wounded birds. You can either continue to beat the shore or cross over witii us to Seal Rocks, opposite the Traverse, a delightful small game preserve, so bountifully slocked with ducks, teal and plover, that a club of chasseurs of St. Jean l*orl Joly have leased it from government. A rare thing in Canada for natives to pay for the privilege to shoot game; it is so plentiful everywhere. "We are now at Crane Island. Quantum mutata ab Hid ! Night shooting has eifectually scared the ducks from their resting places. Of swans. Lord Dalhousie seems to have had the last. As to cranes, two only have been seen of late years. This wary stilted stranger, Gruem advcnam^ can only be an acci- dental visitor, as its range is considerably more to the west. How often have we seen ils solitary figure looming up at low tide, far beyond the range of a gun ? Where is the time when a Crane Island chasseur thought he had had a poor season if he had bugged less than one hundred oulardes (Canada geese), togelliei with a few dozen snow-geese ? wary in the extreme, are those noisy swamp-feeders, who during the summer months, wing every alternate day their wedgelike llight from the St. Joachim beaches, to the Crane Island flato, where they con- gregate at low water mark, some 3,000, feeding beyond a rifle's range. We know of a hunting ground not one hundred miles from Quebec, in which the protection of game is strikingly exemplilied. None but the proprietors have access to this pre- serve, in which outardes, \\'\\i\ geese, and ducks assemble in astonishing nnilliludes. Recently two men shot fifty wild geese theie in two days. The place is a source of revenue to its S46 FIN AND FFATUER IN CANADA. owners, and those birds, which are not sent to market, are sailed and preserved for the farm servants' daily use. It would be impossible for us, in this short sketch, to name all the localities where game is to be had in Canada. The two shores of the St. Lawrence, from (iaspe to the upper lakes, and the larger number of the tributaries of the graat river, especially in the Ottawa district, are our chief shooting grounds — some seven or eight hundred leagues— plenty of elbow-room, as you may see. The Chateau Richer swamp, in spite of the indiscriminate slaughter of birds, still furnishes some 3,000 or 4,000 snjpe per season. The Bijou marsh, formerly an excel- lent hunting ground, undi'r the St. Foy heights, is from cons- tant shooting, pretty well destroyed at present for game pur- poses. What a splendid game preserve the Bijou would become in the hands of a sporting millionaire ! Woodcock are still nu- merous at C6te-a-Bonhomme, near Charlesboiirg, at La Bale du Febvre, Les Salines, and in fifty othei- places. Wild pigeon shooting, especially in western Canada, yields an abundant return. This bird still resorts to the Niagara district in such quantities that Audubon's graphic description of the flights of wild pigeons in Kentucky ceases to appear overdrawn. Until 1854, there existed in the woods back of Chaleaiigiiay, at a place called the Fire Points, a pigeon roost ; the deviislalion caused by this countless host in the wheat fields became very great, but in presence of the incessant attacks of man, a general pi- geon stampede took place ; the roost is now deserted. Grouse shooting, which in Canada commences on the 20lh August, aflords also some amusements. Grouse and partridge are shot and snared in Canada, the (I ) Hon. Grantley F. Berkley to the country notwithr landing — not poisoned with strychnine. (I) We find in the London Times of the 18th September, 1863, in a letter ■ubsoribed Grantley F. Berkely, valuable (?) information respecting the Canadian partridge, and the mode of capturing it : — " The Amorioans, " says thin learned Nimrod, " are profoundly ignorant of the way to ihoot winged game in any quan- tities, or to take them alive, &nd it is not unlikely they have adopted strychnine as a mothod of death. " He, further on, explains why they poison the birds they intend for food, viz., for " the love of the almighty dollar, whiob makes men not over nice in the means they take to get it. " Mr. Grantley F. B.'s peouliar insa" nity li becoming chronio— In Canada we should try the cold water cure. market, are use. tch, to name ida. The two upper lakes, J groat river, oting grounds 'elbow-room, I spiU; of the ome 3,000 or iriy an excel- is from cons- Dr game pur- vould become k are still iiu- ;, at La Baic Wild pigeon an abundant istrict in such the flights of hawn. Until lay, at a place tation caused very great, general pi- tod. M the 20Lh d partridge l»/ F. Berkley strychnine. p3, in a letter |g the Canadian |.ys tliia learned I in any quan- |ted stryclinino fie birds they lakes men not I peculiar insa- ' cure. FIN AND FEATHIER LN CAt«ADA. 247 A great falling off is certainly now i»!)servable in the number of birds, in consequence of the wanluii slaying of the old ones in the breeding season ; but dive into the interior about forty miles, at the time when the maple tree is docked with tints of unsurpassing loveliness, and the let us hear from you. We re- member, one balmy September morning, beating for grouse in the wooded slopes of the Chateau Richer mountain, just at the hour when the rising sun was pouring forth floods of golden light. Never before had we seen our hardwood trees more gorgeously decorated- The bright red, green maroon, and the orange-colored leaves sparkling willi dew-d;ops, and bathed in autumnal sunshine, recalled to our mind Tasso's descrip- tion of Armida's enchanted forest. 11 might have been appro- priately compared to a huge flower-garden in full bloom. Oui* reverie was briskly interrupted by the whirring sound of a grouse, flushed from its cover bj oui' dog. Grouse is not the only game whi.li you meet in the woods during a September ranibh; ; perhaps you may be lucky enough to have a shot at the bird royal, the goiden eagle, or his pilfering compeer the bald eagh', soaring high above your head amongst the crags. Do not be alarmed if, in crossing a mountain gorge, the hoarse croak of the raven shoult; calch vour ear. And if, perchance, camped for the night on tht! mountain brow in a deserted sugar-hut, you hear the horrible hooting of the great horned owl, fear nothing ; it is not the evil one. Wait unlil the nocturnal ma'auder lights on the large tree noxtloyonrresting place, and, by th..' light of the mooii, your Maiiton will suon add to your museum, if \oii have such a fancy, one of the noblest and fiercest birds of th<: (Canadian fauna. if there should be anything of the Jules Gerard or IheGordoii Gumming in your composition, and you have a liiuikeiing for larger game, without beingable to g(!l lo theHoely >lonntains, go and ask thai Charle bourg peasant in the maikri place the particulars of the raid N\hich bears have recently made in his oat-field, after dt-ciniatiug his flock. Go in quest of th(; sheep- slayer ; your guide will take you uhere bruin ;;:id her cubs hold their nightly rev(!ls. Take care not lo miss your intended victim ; if you do, or oidy wound her, she won't miss you. 248 FIN AND FEATHER IN CANADA. When yoii are tired of shooting bears, Canada geese, ducks, snipe, woodcock, pigeon and {grouse, lake the train for the western prairies and plains, and eight or ten days will bring you to where countless hcids of buffalo browse ; a subject upon which the Prince of Wales, our late governor general, Lord MonckjLord Mulgrave, and the other governors of British pro- vinces, from their recent visit, are now in a position to speak ex-cathedra. You can occasiona ly vary your spoit by looking after wild turkeys and prairie hens (1), reserving deer and carioou hunting for the winti^r season, but when you get there, with Mr. Russell's (2) fate b(?fore your eyes, do not desecrate the Sabbath. Before we part, let me give you a so- lemn piece of advice. By the mighty shades of Hawker, by the ramrod of the great Saint Hubert, I adjure you not to waste powder and shot in the neighborhood of large cities ! Spring shooting and pot-hunters have for the most part extirpated the game in such localititjs. Go to Sorel, Deschambault. Kamou- raska, Mille-Vaches, Lancaster, Long Point on Lake Erie, for ducks ; to Chateau llicher,[Grondines, St. Pierre-les-Becquets, for snipe ; beat C6te-a-Boidiomme, the whole rang« of heights from Charlesbourg to the Jacques Cartier liver, for woodcock ; but if you wish for sport in earnest, go to western Canada, to the Saint Clair marshes, (3) where you will And swans, geese, (1) Prairik Chickkns were never known to be so abundant in Iowa as the present season. In Buchanan and Blackhawk counties they can be killed with stones and clubs, and hunting them with guns is next to no sport at all. So plenty are they that the farmers importune hunters to try their luck on their grounds, and in some instances they have manifested a willingness to pay for the killing. {Quebec Mercury, 22nd August, 1863.) (2) My Diary— North and South, Page 202. (3) We read in the Tore '; ^ Leader, of November, 1860 : — " Captain Strachan and Mr. Kennedy returned KoC evening from a fortnight's shooting in the St. Clair marshes, where they had excellent sport, bagging, to the two guns, two swans, three snipe, five wild goese, and 570 ducks, — black, mallard and grey duoks— weight 1,860 lbs. " " Cols. Rhodes and Boll, of this city, returned to town recently, from a hunting «xoursion in the woods north of Quebec. During their trip they met with a run of good sport, having killed ten caribous, four lynxes, a porcupine, and a largo num- ber of white partridges, hares, kc. Such an amount of game brought down by two guns must be considered a decidedly good hntme. We understand that one of a geese, ducks, e train for the Jays will bring se ; a subject [>r general. Lord s of Brilishpro- silion to speak our spoil by reserving deer but when you ur eyes, do not jitive you a so- EFawkor, by the not to waste lilies ! Spring t extirpated the Jault. Kamou- Lake Erie, for 3-les-Becquets, ing« of heights for woodcock ; 3rn Canada, to 1 sw ans, geese, nt in Iowa as the m be killed with rt at all. So plenty on their grounds, ly for the killing. I August, 1863.) ^ ( PIN AND FEATHER IN CANADA. 249 congiegaled. Kely for success on good dogs, a fnislv "iiJde -i the large caribous has been obtained by several of11n«r, „f ,u purpose of being sent to England "~LZ aI J ''"' ^'"■"'"° ^"^ '•>« 1862. J^nglftnd. -Quebec Mormng Chronicle, 2yth December. Y^k^'y" « r;F " '""'"^ ^"' 'J""" ^"^ ^'^'PP-' f-™ Chicago to New ing. three rods ^^ ^S::^ z^rsii^r r"';!"^'^^"^ •""^"- aee we ffht ll tn 17 ii>,, j , "iou.,, viz. ..la salmon: aver- Ihe Essex Record says that " Bob Renanl^r.n " „.„i . .. . ...... o„ ..ighb^r. d h I ;i« ibf ; T" """'"•'' """'"• "•° ""«'" «« ..... C.P.. i=^.b.:r.rM,;r:;r;.; :;:„™;„:r:;;:r.".''' Captain Straohan loting in the St. e two guns, two nallard and grey ly, from a hunting met with a run of and a largo num- •rought down by rstand that one of It THE QUEBEC VOLUNTEERS 1837. A CHRISTMAS SKETCH. There are unquestionably many pages of our history — some pregnant with especial interest — yet unwritten. Of the latter, may he reckoned those, recording the great civil commotion inaugurated by Louis Joseph Papineau, in Eastern Canada, and by William Lyon Mackenzie, in the western section of the Dominion. (1) Despite the rancorous feelings engendered at the time, by this social upliea\ing, the day <>annot be far distant when the memories of this fratricidal strife will have lost much of their bitterness ; nay, such nnlooked for, such momentous events, have crowded on us, since that warlike period, that an utter revulsion of fueling, in many eases, has been the result. The sundering of the colonial tie, for attempting which, the « Patriots » of 1 837 were gibetled by the score, when not exiled or plunged in dungeons, seems of late years to have been considered by many Imperial statesmen, but a question of lime or expediency. In 1837, he who sat in slate in Iho Chateau St. Lo.i s, in the name of Majesty, had very decided views on the doctrine of colonial independence. His Majesty William IV's Attorney-General, Charles Ogden, held it to mean a hempen collar. Duquette, DeLorimier, Narbonne, Ilin- delang, and twenty others, found it so, to their cost ; still (1) The New York Commercial Advertiter thui notices the arrival of the cele- brated agitator. " New York, March 10th, (1838), Lion op thk North. We are enabled to state, positively, unequivocally and categorically, that the Cincin- natus — the Robert Bruce, the Brutus-and-Cassius, the Hampden- and-Sidney, of Canada, nay, the personification of Minrrva and the Qoddess of Liberty them- selves, is now in this city, in the illustrious person of William Lton Mackenzir I He was at the Exchange reading-room yesterday, looking over tha papers witbn» mere preteniiou than though he were * common man. " 252 THE QUEBEC VOLUNTEERS. ban^ly a goneration has passed when good Queen Vie, know- ingly makes a belted knight of the most prominent champion of independence : Sir A. T. Gall : Temporamutanlur. Without pretending to anything elaborate, let ns collect from the lips of a few surviving actors of this strange drama, some lid-bits of information and gossip anent the stirring volunteer days of 37-38, prefacingour sketch with some general remarks, calculated to make it more intelligible toour enquiring nephews. We can ourselves well remember the lime, when tolheexci- ted vision of a Quebecer of British descent, all that was vile.un- principled, treasonableand wicked might be summed up in the one word, <( Papineau, » Then, indeed, the eloquent leader of the Canadian Commons, could, like the great agitator, O'Connell, have boasted that he was u the best abused man » in the country. A superlatively loyal French song of the period, after enumerating the calamities of every hue, which could be chni'ged to the arch-agitator, without forgetting cholera-morbus, earthquakes and the potatoe rot, concluded each stanza with the well remembered words : « Cest la faute a Papineau. » A dreaded monster was he, this same Louis Joseph, in the eyes of superlatively loyal men, such, for instance, as Bob Synies, one of His Britannic Majesty'^ zealous justices of the Peace, ain and for the district of Quebec,)) in the year of fuss and alarm, 1837. But peace to Louis Joseph's ashes ! may they continue to rest where some loving hands have placed them on the 24lh Sept., 1871, at MoulcBello, his own btMiulifiil scat, on the greiju banks of the Ottawa. Peace to his memory ! he is now before a higher tribunal, to answer for his deeds in the llesh. If one reflects how fully England has since granted the demands oskiid lor, by the misguided « Patriots » of 1837, as set firth in lht!ir « Declaration of Independence,)) \iz : « abolition of the seigniorial dues (though we must denounce the mode by which it was to be brought about in 1837); secu- larization of the Clergy Reserves; abolition ofimprisonmentfor debt, except in extreme cases ; freedom of the Press ; trial by Jury, in an extended form ; the use of both languages in public affairs ; the control of the Provincial Revenue and Tariff ; I n Vic, know- ont champion lantur. lis colltici from drama, some ring volunteer neralremarksy iring nephews, len tolheexci- alwasvile.un- imed up in the luent leader of lor, O'Connell, man» in the le period, after hich could be lolera-morbus, zh stanza with Papineau. » Joseph, in the ance, as Bob iistices of the le year of Y continue to on the 24th seal, on the ! he is now in llu! tlesh. granted the » of 1837, as once, » \iz : list denounce 1837); sccu- risonmentfor re^s ; trial by ages in public and Tariff; A CHRISTMAS SKETCH. 253 abolition of sentence of death, except in cases of murder, » it seems strange, that it should have specially fallen to the lot of French Canadians to fight to the death, for the possession of reforms and ch inges, many of them so peculiarly British in their ring, ami to achieve which they incurred such a liberal allowance of hanging and outlawry. Was the real issue ever before the eyes of the British Canadian in 1837 ? We opine not. To return to Bob Symes. Who then was this incomparable Ma- gistrate, this dauntless, ever watchful defender of the Hano- verian succession and citadel of Quebec ? Has he too been knighted for services rendered in this fair portion of Victoria's realms ? Rcho pauses for a reply. Bob, for under no other cognomen were his praises weekly sung in Mr. Aubin's witty Journal, Le Fantasque, Bob was the pink of civic virtue — a perfect pundit in constitutional law — the impersonificalion of loyalty. Robert Syrres discoursed of treason while awake, to dream of it, in the silent hours of night. Each Monday morning, said Mr. Aubin, Bob had at his fingers end the whole ramification of some deep hiid plot to murder His Majesty's lieges. He denounced rebels the last Ihing before going to bed ; it was his first thought on waking. Bob would shake hands with his fellow- citizens impressively, and Icll Ihem each morning to be thank- ful that so far they had not yet been shot, or piked, or hung ; that with the helping iiand of Alty. -General O^den and Ihe Volunteers, thi.y might yet escape Ihe devil and Papineau, so said Mr. Aubin. It was iiispiriling to witness the sight ; it did one's heart good to see bow hiightly in every bosom burned the sacred lire of patriotism. Far bo it from our mind, however to impugn the motives which prompted Mr. Symes, acts : on more occasions than one, nid he evince exquisite purely in his judicial conduct, blended with a buldog courage, which no danger could appal ; witness, the services he rendered at the (irosse Isle quarantine, during the revolting horrors of ship feaver, in 4847. Another trail yet, ere we dismiss this well re- membered, over zealous Justice. Bob had several points of re- temblance with the noted Judge Esgrove, of Scotch fame; both 254 TUB QUEBEC VOLUNTEERS. had refractory tailors to deal with, but Jolin Teed, of Quebec, was a « patriot, » whereas he, of Edimburgh, was a male- factor ; in this, the heroes of the bodkin widely differed. Had Teed risen in arms, which ho did not, and injured the body or uniform of any of Her Majesty's Forces, Bob Symes would more than likely have selected some impressive sen- timents, like the ermined sage of Edimburg is reported, by Coburn, to have used on passing sentence on the Edimburg Tailor, for having stabbed a British soldier, « and not only did you murder him, but you did thrust, — or push, — or pierce, — or project, — or propel the le-thal weapon through the belly band of his breeches, which were His Majesty's. » The Canadian Badamanlhus could be (piiie as impressive, when he delivered his dreaded rulings, from that Bench now occupied by Mr. Justice Doiicet. He had at timesa picturesque way of giving to the prisoner, the usual jobation. More than one practitioner of the Police Court may possibly yet remember, the case of the two sailors, who refused to join their ship ready for sea, on the ground that she was not sea-worthy. The salts had most foi bidding countenances ; to this Bob Symes seemed fully alive. Throwing himself back in his seat, ul mos, he uttered majestically, the following : « Go on board, my men. Go on board, wilhoul fear, I tell you. You are evi- dently born to be hanged and never cun be drowned. (I) The Quebec and Three River districts, at the voice of their leaders^ political, and religious, seceded at an early date from (1) In a situation of eminent danger, from drowning, it was once my fate, to witness the calm and self reliance of the dauntless Magistrate and to ponder in my mind, whether it prooeded from stoutness of heart or from the belief, that like the two teamen, he too " was not born to be drowned. " It happened on the l&th Maroh, 1851 ; the St. Lawrence had frozen over before the city, in what appeared a solid sheet of glare ice. Hundreds were crossing over to Levis ; I, with the rest. All at once, we became painfully aware, that the whole ioe was on the move with the ebb, and that unless we reached the shore, a fair chance of perishing amidst the thin ice lay before us. To reach the Napoleon wharf, we had to cross, one by one, over a belt of ice, whose wavy, yielding motion made one's hair stand on end. Bob Symes, said he would go first. " I could hotforbear recalling to my neighbor his previous saying, adding. " Evidently, he thinlcs he is not born to be drowned. " All of us escaped, more or lets, with a cold bath, except one poor fellow — David Bisset— who after nasy itragglei, tank, to riie no more. id, of Quebec, was a male- dely differed. J injured the 1, Bob Symes ipressive sen- ; reported, by the Edimburg id not only did —or pierce, — jgh the belly IS impressive, liat Bench now sapicluresque I. More than yet remember, oin their ship >l sea-worthy. ; to this Bob ck in his seat, K Go on board, You are evi- ivned. (1) voice of Iheir riy date from I once my fate, to land to ponder in the belief, that Ifruzen over before rere crossing over ^re, that the whole the shore, a fair ^er a belt of ico, Synies, laid he previous saying, U of U8 escaped, isset— who after A CHRISTMAS SKVTCH. 255 the armeti resistance, inaugurated mthout armsf (1) by the Montreal district in the Richelieu valley. In the counties of Champlain, Portnenf, Dorchester, meet- ings were held in November and December, 1837, expressive of loyalty, though advocating reforms by constitutional means; there had, however, been « agitation meetings, » in Belle- chasse; at St. Thomas ; at the St. Paul's Market, St. Roch's Church door,|Glacis School House, in the city of Quebec, — for- tunately of no real importance. In this, did the Quebec district show its good sense. ^ The frenzy of loyalty and martial preparations, in the city itself, had si areoly cool reason on its side. The wildest rumours were freely circulated. The hatreds and national jealousies of the period had amplescope. More than one alarm- ing canard originated amongst the frequenters of a fashionable segar store in St. John slreot, kept by one Peter Delcourl, or in Schleiip's hotel ; — presto, tin; Police was dispatched to search for concealed arms, cannon, gimpowder. However, these ebullitions sprang in many cases from one of the purest of sentiments : patriotism, civic virtue, as such deserving of all praise. Though the French Canadians, as a people, were true to one another, and refused to enlist, there were several offers of service, in the Quebec district, from that class ; of which, Government declined to avail itself. Political discontent was not confined to one nationality. Amongst the most noted « Rebs » there were several, not bearing French Canadian names. In the district of Montreal ; Robert Nelson, Wolfred Nelson, E. B. O'Callaghan, T. S. Brown, Hindenlang, Girod (2), Wm. Hay Scott, &c.. Dr. Newcomb. About the 1st November, intelligence was received of the arrest and rescue of political prisoners ; and news of the shooting of Loyal Canadians, by the Insurgents, on the 5th of (1) We say vithout armt, advisedly. Some patriots in their ardor, turned out with pitchforks. In one instance, a wooden cannon was sent forth, encircled with strong iron hoops, says Christie ; marbles, were found in the pockets of the slain patriots, to be used instead of leaden bullets. (2) Amaury Qirod, a Swiss, the General of the northern army, four days after the affair at St. Eustache, blew his brains out with a pistol on the 18th Pecember> 1837, at Pointe>auz-Trembles, below Montreal. 256 THE QUEBEC V01UNTEF.B8. the sami) month. The excilnmnnt this caused was aiigmentnd by an official report of (he murder, on 2nd and Srd Nov., of Lieut. Weir, (!) 32nd llt'gt. and defeat of Col. Gore at St. Denis, by Ihe insurgent loader Nelson. These deplnrable events pro- duced immodiato and cnergetie action, to organize a system of def(;nce. On tin; 27lh of November, 1837(2), Civil Secretary, S. Wiilcotl, by Iftllor dated « St, Ltiwis (laslle » addressed on be- half of Iho Earl of (losford, to Hon. J. M. Kraser, Wm. Price, J. B. Forsyth, W. H. JenVry, T,. II Parke, .las. (i. Koss, M. Ste- venson, Robert Shaw, and other miMi of note, who had at a public meetingat the Quebec Exchnnge, offered their services, to serve as Volunl(»ers, in order to supply the abseneo of the re- gulars who were ordered to Montreal, graciously accepted their offer. Volunteering, Drill and Parade duties were soon begun in real earnest. Though the sinew of war, had to be provided out of raw militia, there were a good many though bits of fighting stuff remaining, — Peninsidar officers, — some of (Jenl. Brock's veterans and regulars ; enough in fact, to levcn the whole mass. The Earl of Gosford had selected a most popular head : Lt. Col. Honorable .las. Hope, of the Coldstream Guards, son of Major General Hope, who was severely wounded and taken prisoner at a sortie from Dayonne, at the close of the Peninsu- lar war ; he subsequently became Earl of Hopctoun, to which title his son succeeded. « A finer man or bettor soldier, I never met, says Lt. Col. Wiley, » then the active major of Bri- gade, of the Volunteer Force. In 1839, a dinner was given him, by his ofllcers, which went ofF with great eclat ; for those were festive days too, those Volunteer limes of 1837-8-9. Such was the good feeling between the regulars and the citizen-soldiers, that when Brigade Major Wiley, appointed adjudant to the 1st. Provincial Hegt, had to raise men for frontier service with its head quarters at Philipsburg, and having succeeded out of the « dijecta membra » of the dis- banded Volunteers, to procure in 48 hours 200 recruits, he was kindly given by the officers of the Guards, the use of their (1) Atty.-Qeneral Ogden, had Capt. Frangois Jalbcrt, indicted for the murder of Lioat. Weir, at the Montreal assizes of Sept., 1839; the jury composed of 9 French Canadians and 3 old countrymen acquitted him. {See Chri»ue'» History, vol. V, pp. 10 and 291.) (2) See ChriitW* HUtorj/, vol. V, p. m. as nngmentod Srd Nov., of root St. Donis, le events pro- Z(5 a system of I S(;crelnry, S. Iressed on be- r, Wm. Price, . Ross, M.SIe- who had at n leir services, to Rtice of I he re- r accepted their 1 soon begun in )e provided out bits of ri;j;hting fiJenl. Brock's he whole mass, niar head : Lt. Guards, son of ded and taken the Peninsu- oun, to which tor soldier, I e major of Bii- ner was given •eat eclat ; for Bs of 1837-8-9. ulars and the ey, appointed raise men for lipsburg, and ;» of the dis- )0 recruits, he he use of their ted for the murder mposedofQFrenoh ■«•» Hiilory, vol. V, A CIUU8TM4S SKETCH. 257 splendid drum and Hfc corps, to play him and the men under his command, to the steamer. Capt. (now LI. Col.) JolinSewcll, late ot the 49th (dcnl. Druck's Ue^t,) was appointed with Uk^ rank of Major, to take command of the Volunteer lle^l. Infan- try. This active and iiitelliKenl oflicer, sncceiMlcd, so well in imparting military knowledge to his corpx, which had been incorporated in a Uatallioii, that in the month of l)i>cend)er 1837, the Qiiisbec Garrison being reduced to one compiiny of Royal Artillery, this Batallion was placed in charge of that important post, the citadel of Quebec. Conspicuous amonj^st the Volunteers, was our old fellow townsmen Henry LeMesn- rier, for many years one of the magnates of St. Peter slie(!l, and married into a distinguished French Canadian family (to Miss Guerout). Mr. LeMestirier, by his standing, genial disposition and military experience, was a valuable addition (o the force. Born in Guernsey in 1791, he was son of Commissary GeniM'al Ilaviland LeMesurier; had entered the English army in 181 1 ; served under the Duke of Wellington, in the Peninsular cam- paign ; was present at the battle of Salamanca, and, when bearing the colors of the 47th Regiment, his right arm was carried away by a round shot, when he joined the Commissa- riat; served during the war in Canada in 1812, retired on half pay in 1818, and died in 1861 a Lieut. -Colonel of Militia. Our worthy old friend Major Temple, late of the loth, was, in 1837, an active commander of the Queen's Own Infantry. Other veterans had also offered their services, viz., Lieut. - Colonel Charles Campbell, late of the 99lh, (recently dead). In 1837, the Volunteers were gazetted as follows : QVMF.O LIOHT 1.NFANTRT. Major John SeweU, commanding. lit. Company : Captain, J. S. CampbeU; Lieut., Thorn. Froste; Ensign, Paul Lepper. 2nd. Company : Captain A. Simpson; Lieut., H. Sharpies ; Ensign, E. II. David- ion. Srd. Company, (rifles) : Captain, (Hon.) John Young; Lieut., Hy. J. Noad ; En- sign, W. Paterion. 4th. Company: Captain, Jas. Qillespie; Lieut., W. K. Baird; Ensign, John Martyn. 5th. Company: Captain, Henry LeMesurier; Lieut., Andrew McGill; Ensign, Alec. Bell. Adjutant of the five oompanies. Ensign (now Lt.-Col.) Thomas Wiley; Surgeon, Geo. M< Douglas. 27 258 THE QtJEBEC VOLUNiEEM. Uniform. — Company No, 1 .• White blanket ftoek toat, with blu« band, blu* »io«rf- f/er ttrapt, blur, cuffs, blue breeehet, dark cap, fiat and fur band. Uniform.— Com^jonie* No. 2, 3, and 5, blue coat, buff breechei. No. 4, Company, lehile blanket coat, green faeinge, blue breechei, blue cap and light band, LUYAL QUKREC ARTIKICKBB OK PAUCH-A-BALLAUOHH. Captain, John C. Nixon; Liout., James Thornton ; Ensign, Riohard Freemam. Uniform.— VTA »<« blanket coat, red tank, green hultone, — green fneinge, and green teame ; high cap leilh green top /tilling over, blue breechei, red itripe, QUERN'a OWN UOHT INPANTRT. Major, Henry TempU; Lieut., Fred. Wyse; Ensign, William Clarke. Uniform. — White blanket coat with band of blue, red facing*, blue breechei, red itripe, higl cap, ENGINRKR RIFLK CORPS. Major, Goorgo H. Vincent Whitmore (Lieut. Royal Eigineers), commanding the two companies and the koyal Aitificers. Ist Company: Ist Captain, Henry M. Blailclook; 2nd Captain, Francis AVyatti l9t. Lieutenant, Charles Jas. Ciarke ; 2nd Lieutenant, Fred. W. Blaikl^ck. nd Con pany : 1st Captain, Frederick Hacker; 2nd Captain, John Phillips: Ist. Lir.Jtonant, Georgo Brown; 2nd Lieutenant, Edward J. . letciier; Adjudant ill the two companies and of the Royal Arti6«ers, William Soott. niforni. — While, hlnnketfroi'k eo«t, red ihordder itrnpi, collar and cuffi blue, ap blue, with red band, breechei blue and red itripe, ring's rnd voldktrkrs. Captain, William Pentland; Lieut., C. Pentland ; Ensign, J»B. Farley. ROTAt. QURBKC VOLU.NTKRK ARTILLKBT. Ist Company : 1st Captain, William Burns Lindsay ; 3nd Captain, Oeorge Des- baratR, (acting paymaster) ; 1st. Lieut., W. D. Dupont and H. II. Wickstead ; 2nd Lieutenant, McCireger Pink. 2nd Company : Ist Captain, Edward H. Bowon; 2nd Captain, John Blaok; Ist Lieutenant, Simeon Le!i£vre ; acting qunrter-m aster, John Pantt; 2nd Lieu> tenant, II. LeMesurier. 3rd Company : Is^ Captain, W. K. McCord; 3nd Captain, Andrew Stuart, lit Lieutenant, Isaac R. Eokart; Acting Adjudant, A. J. Maxham ; 2nd Lieute- nant, E. J. C^. Hooper; Paymaster, Capt. £. Dupont; Quartei -master, Jas. Motz ; Surgeon, Jas. A. Sewell, M. D. Uniform: Identical with that of Boyal Artillery. ROTAL QUEBKG VOLCMTEBBa. Colonel James Bai^d (60th Regiment) commanding ; Major, William A. Hale. Ist Company : Capt., A. Campbell ; Lieutenant, Charles C. Sheppard. 2nd Company : Captain, J. Dyde ; Lieutenant, W. A. Cuppa,i;e ; Ensign, Autoine Viinfolscn. 3rd Company: Captain, W, Power: Lieutenant, Joseph P. Bradley; Ensign' Charles Alleyn. 4th Company : Captain, J. G. Irvine ; Lieutenant, E. S. Montitambert ; Ensign, Colin Bruce. 5th Company: Captain, T. W.Lloyd: Lieutenant, Hanry'Ball ; Ensign, Thomas A. Cary. To. 4, Company, ind. hard Fraemaa. >»tt. and eufft blue, arley. George Dei- I. Wiokatead ; BUok; Ist let; 3nd Lieu- Stuari,, lit ; 2nd Liente- -matter, Jas. tm A. Hale. d. eign, Aatoine ey; Eniign* ert; Eniign, ign, Tiiomae A CHRISTMAS SKETCH. 259 0th or (1) Highland Company, (Megantic) ; Captain, Arch. McKillop; Lieut., P. McKillop ; Eniign ; John O. Ciapham. 7th Company: Captain, J. P. O'Meara; Lieutenant, J. H. Kirby; Ensign, Ed. a. Cannon. 8th Company, (Qaeen'i Peti) ; Captain, William Rayside; Lieutenant, A. C. Bucanan; Eniign, Walter Douglai; Paymaster, William Kemble; Adju- dant, Thomas Hamilton. Uniform : Companiei No, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7, 2i/uc looee coat, with red colUir, blue bruchtt, higk/ftr cap reith long ear*. Highland Company uniform.* Rob Roy Tartan Treioi, Scotch bonnet, dark' /rock CviOt. The 8lh Company of Quun'i Pete wore long blue pea Jacleett, blue breeches ; a round fur cap with long ear*, and red woollen eravat ; their armi were : hone pUtolt, broad eutlaeie* and a carronade. qVIBIC TOLVN'TKEH CATAtRT. Captain: Darid Burnet; Lieutenant (Judge), Rob. H. Gardner ; Cornet, J. Bell ; sixty troopers. The writer of this sketch, though very young at the time, can well recollect an episode of the great insurniclion. It look place at St. Thomes, where resided, one of the most energetic « sympathizers » of those days. Dr. (since Si: E. P. Tache, aide-de-camp to the Queen). Evidently, in 1837, Dr. Tache had not the slightest inkling that our heloved sovereign would knight him and make of him, one of her aide-de-camp ; his denunciations of British rule, or more pioperly misrule, were loud and deep. He and the County Member Lelourneau,(Iapt. Tetu and others, had been the chief originatois of the enthusiaslic fete champitre^ given to the great agitator, Papincan, solemn- ized with spe(;ches, cannnon and cavalry at the this de Boulogne, at St. Thomas, on Saint Jean Bapliste day, 1837. Thnii;.'li an ardent patriot, Dr. Tache, the respected village physician, was one of the warmest personal friends of an iiiieompromising itld Loyalist, a near and dear ndalive of mine, Hk; Inlo Daniel McPherson, J. P., of St. Thomas. Each day the eloquent uoctor stepped over lotreal professionally or to enliven his octo- genarian friend, Mr. McPherson, wilh items of news. My youth- ful fancy had never yet witnessed the spectacle of the butiiing eloquence and patriotic ardor with which Dr. Tache, nanaled the heroic death of youngDr.Chenier, at St. Eustaehc. who he said had died « comme un heros digne de la Grece antique. » (1) This fine company, b*d boen, we believe, mainly raised through the instru- vie«talitiy of the County momber, J. U. (,'lapham^. 260 THE QUEBEC VOLUWTEBBS. One of llie commanders of the Volimteers, Caplain John Sewoll, had been commissioned to lakesleps to walchoverllie safety of the (1) 42nd Regt., broughi from Halifax to Quebec, in the depth of winter ; the numbed Britishers were packed two by two, with a driver in front, in little low sledges ; the temperature was very severe. They halted at St. Thomas for their dinner, and our house being considered a peculiary loyal one, a bevy of stalwart sergeants, its inmates, anxious to get as close to the (ire as possible, sat me, yoringster as I was, on their knee, scaring me with their dreadful threats as to what they would do to the «b dy rebels. » whilst some of their officers in the parlor were bountifully provided with bread, cheese and porter by the kind old Scotchman, their host. Neither sliiill I forget how easy it would have been, had there been any wRebsw abroad, to secrete themselves in the narrow, woody defdes of Cap St. Ignace, where there wasa savane Ihree miles long, and shoot down the helpless and frost bitten soldiers, who would have been struck i)y the bullets before seeing theen- emy. But there was no intention to rise; nothing existed beyond a patriotic fervor, either in the breast of Dr. Tache or any one else. The Doctor however was subjected, toamostuupleasani do- miciliary visit, — a search for firearms and a cannon? supposed to be hidden underhis winter supply of potatoes, in the cellar of his capacious dwelling. The police did find a pair of duelling pis- tols,— for in those days, the doctor was not a man to be withou-t this very indispensible article of agentlenan's wardrobe, — and a small camion ; but this « Mons. Megg » (2) was only six in- ches in length and belonged, it was satisfactorily established, (1) "This regiment had received a few hours' notice to start for Canada; and, in winter vehicles, proceeded to their destination, the first division crossing at Point Levi on the 28tli December. It was an interesting sight to witness the longstrii g of fli.riole* iia thoy came over the hiU of the opposite ^ide of the River St. Law- rence ; and thtm the crossing over, amidst the floating ice, in wooden canoes, with tlag.« gaily flying at the stern — the landing at Quebec — the weary and weather- buatfn soldiers as fhey quietly fell into the ranks, and answered to the roll-call, marching with military precision up Mountain hill to their quarters for a brief rest, preparatory to proceeding to the seat of war." (J. V. Pierce.) I 2) The iSt. ThomaK ])iece of ordnance had not, lilted beyond or any one leasaiildo- I? supposed he cellar of elling pis- be wilhoU't be, — and ily six iii- lablished, lada ; and, in bing at Point pu iongstrii ^ irer St. Law- I canoes, with Ind weather- Llie rull-call, Is for a brief of Edinbro' Ihe Tower of listanoe that Irackaivot." to the Dr's. juvenile son — the present worthy Assistant Com- missioner of Crown Lands. Alas I Bob Symes and you, loyal Thomas Ainslie Youn;,% you were at fault here ! A Rifleman of 1837 (J. V. Pierce) thus describes the Volunteers : « The regular troops stationed at this garrison consisted of a few regiments of the line, among whom the gallant 32nd. They were immediately ordered to proceed to that portion of Lower Canada where hostilities had alnsady commenced, leaving the strong fortress of Quebec in charge and to thedefence of a volun- teer force. The militia organization was, as might be expected at that time, very incomplete and iniifficienl ; the roll on paper certainly looked very formidable with a long array of co- lonels, majors, captains, lieutenants and ensigns, but their knowledge of military discipline, tactics and drill, were thoroughly imperfect and useless. No training or muster of militia had taken place for several years, many of the men having never handled a musket. When it was decided to withdraw the troops from the garri- son, the old country poilion of the community were eniolled into companies, and quite a martial spirit prevailed. The first paid corps raised, consisted of laborers, mechanics and trades- men, chiefly Irish, and were called the PORK-EATEBS, forming a regiment of about 000 strong; able, resolute fellows, who, on being eqiiip|)ed, at first presented a motley, awk- ward squad. After a period of thorough drilling by the non- commissioned officers of the rciruiars, and snbjeclion to strict military discipline, they became efficient, and, before many months (dapsed, presented a very soldier-like appearance going through their evolutions almost as well as the regul'^rs, and, had occasion required, would have proved a formidable body tor an enemy to encounter. Coloin'l Irvine had command of this regiment ; Coloiud Hope, of the Grenadier (iiiaids. was the Commander-in-Chic^f of the uarrisin. A fine cavalry corps of well-mounted and active young volunteers, under Major Burnet, also served during this peiiod. 262 THE QUEBEC VOLUNTEERS. The next corps was a unique body of men called (he queen's pets, comprising the seamen and seafaring men who happened lo be in the port of Qnobec, and were enrolled under the command of Cap- tain Rayside, a veteran naval officer, well known as one of the captains, of the Montreal and Quebec steamers, and afterwards as harbor- master of the port. Their uniform consisted of blue pea-jackets and trowsers, equipped with pistols, cutlasses, and a small carronade. Had they been called into action, either for land or water warfare, they would have proved a determined, brave and useful means of defence. Their services were fre- quently brought into requisition ; hunting up concealed arms, amunition and disaffected parties, accompanied by Robert Symes, an active and zealous magistrate. The Queen's Pets became, for a long time, quite a household word. The next arm of defence was composed of the volunteer artillery, a fine set of men, officered like the infantry by young merchants and professional men, who, after being instructed by the regulars, acquired groat proficiency, particularly in the art of gunnery, and handled the canon around the battlement walls in a most creditable manner, forming an important branch of the service for garrison duty. citizen volunteers. This corps was made up of Nos I , t, 3, 4 and 5 companies ; they were unpaid soldiers, furnishing their own uniforms — a blanket frock-coat, with caps and leggins of the same material, with red, blue, green and yellow facings. Each company was dislinguished by some peculiar cognomen, one of which was famous as the faugh-a-Ballaghs. iNo 3 Rifles was considered a crack corps of youn^' merchants and clerks, of which the wriler(Mi'. Pierce) wasafidlprivale. This company wasofficered by Captain, now Hon. John Young ; Henry J. Noad, Lieutenant ; and William Paterson, Ensign. They acquired great proficien- cy in drill, especially that pertaining to i ifie movements and skirmishing. The members of this company now living (alas ! A CttRtSTMAS SKETCH. 263 dthe med lo be in nandofCap- s one of the I afterwards stcd of blue [lasses, and lion, either lelermined, !s were fre- ^aled arms, by Robert leen's Pets by young instructed arly in the battlement important ^mpanies ; iforms — a material, ipany was liich was on-iden.'d vhich the 5 officered iitenanl ; jrofi'jien- ents and ug (alas ! how few !) still entertain a pleasant regard and happy remem- brance of their gentlemanly and eflicient iiislruclor, Mr., now Colonel Wiley. THE POT-BELLIES SVerc composed of Lower-town merchants of the elder class, who turned out manfully on this occasion, and subjected them- selves to the drill and discipline of a soldier's life with becom- ing alacrity and good-will. It was cheering lo witness their portly figures as they marched up to the Citadel armory, and received their accoutrements of black leather belts and car- touch box, with 20 rounds of ball cartridge, and a flint lock « Brown-bess. » And oh ! the drilling ! « Maik time » — « Form fours » — M Eyes right » — « Left » — « Front » — « Dress » — such puffing and blowing excited many a good-humored joke and smile as they moved about their heavy corporations at the word of command. The unpaid volunteius were under the command of Colonel John Sewell. GARRISON DUTIES. To garrison the fortress of Quebec would require a force of several thousand soldiers. Those who have visited the Citadel and traversed the walls of battlements, and entered through the ponderous gates, can form some idea of the vigilance re- quired to guard the several points around the city. But the present mode of warftire has completely changed the style of fortifications of forcner days, the strong forts on the heights of Point Levi, now (1809) nearly completed, being considered as a more efficient means of defence. THE GUARD ROOM to the soldier is a place replete with many an interesting re- miniscence, and proves a most wel<;ume resoit to the weary sentry, after walking for hours his lonely round. Here it was that we ussemHed lo receive the orders of the day, and lo be told off to our several duties, some to the Citadel, some to the gates, and other parts of the garrison. Those who have passed fo and fro as sentry in the Citadel in winter, when the thermo- meter trt'irks 32 degrees below zero, can call to mind the soli- 264 THE QU£BE<: VOLINTBERS. tary hours before being relieved — the officer of the day com- ing slealthily along — I he challenge : « Who goes Ihere ? » « Rounds. » « What rounds ? » « Grand rounds, n « Stand, grand roundoand give the countersign. » « Pass, grand rounds, m « All right ! » To relieve the monotony of our duties, our com- panions in arms would gather round and discuss the topics of the day, or some subject would come up for interesting and animated debate : song and storytelling continuing far into the night, till, becoming weary, we turn in, on the soft side of the planks of our bunks, and sink into a profound slumber, till aroused by the beating of the reveille. INCIDENTS. Business was generally suspended, and rumors of various kinds were rife concerning the Patriots, both in Upper and Lower Canada, which kept all on the c^ni v»r« for the la!est in- telligence. No lightning then flashed the news over the telej^raph wires every minute, as if the events occuring thousands of miles away were within sight and hearing distance ; no rail- way to transport troops in a lew hours to the remolosl scene of action.)) There was no lack of jollity (!) hoW' ver. Dinners wen* the orderof the day. On th(i 2 1 st Februai y. 1 838, the 0M«*«c(ra3«ffe, describes a grand entertainment at Schluep's Globe Hotel, St. Louis street. The officers of the Quebec (1) St. Andrew's Dinxkb— Nov. 1837. " Tha Quebec Gazette of lit. Beo., 1837, sot8 aside a corner of its fyle, amidst the general " clang of arms and wars, and ruiuurs of war, " wiiicb enlivened the streets of old Quebec on the 1st Dec , 1837, to luako mention of a jolly St. Andrew's Dinner, under the Preiidency of the eloquent late Andrew Stuart and Hon. F. W. Primrose, Vice-President. " Among the songs which enlivened the hilarity of the evening, after the regular toast?, was the following which was sung by Mr. Campbell, Notary, (the late Archibald Campbell), and received with universal applause, and encored. " ORIGINAL .SONG, At lung by Archibald Campbell, Esq., at St, Andrew'* Dinner, AiB : " Scott loha Hat. " Men of Sootia's blood or land, No longer let u« idly stand, Our " origin " while traitors brand A« " foreign " here. We scorn to wear a coward mask : And when the yell' w Gaul shall ask Our claim, t'will be a welcome task To bid him li'ar. A CUUISTMAS SRETOII. 265 (lay com- Ihen; ? » » « Stand, Jrounds4» f our com- e topics of ssting and ar into the ?i(ie of the iinber, till )f various Ipper and ! latest in- tele^rapli usaiids of ; no rail- esl scene r. ryJ838, Schliiep's Quebec yle, amidst livened the ft jolly St. Stuart and ivened the w hi oil wa» d reoeived ik: all ask task Light Infantry, presided by I lie Commander of the Corps, Major (now Lt. -Col.) John Sewell : several di^liiiguished guests attend(?d. On the Isl March, it was the turn of th;! Quebec Royal Volun- teers to meet convivialiy at the fashionable hotel of the day, The Globe, St. Louis street. Major Wm. Hale presided. Loyal toasts were drank to the Queen ; Sir John Colborne — Col. Vt'ethorall ami Ihe heroes of St. Charles—the guests of the t;v(!ning — Cols. Baird of 6Glh~Col. Grierson loth. — Capt. McKillop — Major Ruxton 34lh. Lt. Col. John Sewell, Major Temple, Capl. (Hon.) John Young, Lt. A.J Maxhani, Euirign Chs. Allcyn, Capl. Thos. W. Lloyd, Lieut. E. S. Monlizamberl, Dr. Jas. A, Sewell, Quarler Master Jns. Mntz, H. IL Wicksteiul, Capt. (Judge) Andrew Stuart, Ensign Rich. Freeman, Ensign (Lt. Col.) Wiley and a few others still survive to tell of the jolly times, &c. The line band of the 66th. Regt. att(!nded. " On the crest of Abram's heights, " Victorious in a thousand fights, " The Scottish broad-sword won our [rights " Wi' fatal sweep. " By gallant hearts those rights, were [giiin'd, " By gallant hearts shall be maitain'd, E'en tho' our dearest blood be drain'd " Those rights to keep. " Then when the Gaul shall ask again, Who called us here across the Main ? Each Scot shall answer, bold and plain, " Wolfe sent me here 1 " Be men like those the hero brought. With their best blood tho land was [bought ; And fighting as your fathers fought, Keep it or die ! The QiEBEC Curling Clib— IS.'JS. " The annual match between the married men and bachelor? of the Quebec Curling Club was played on the Ist of March, tor " beef and greens, " when tho following was the result of the game : Married men, 17 ; Bachelors, 31. The following gentlemen wore players : Married men — .Messrs. R. H. (Jairdner, William Pattd Stales in safely. (Parker, Partridge and Culver were re-cap- tured.) AN ALARM. By a preconcerted plan it was arranged that should any sus- picious demonstrations be made by the Patriots during the nighl-time, the sentinel on duty was to discharge his musket, two discharges of cannon would follow from the Citadel, and one from the artillery barracks at Palace-gale, being the signal for the troops to meet at the rendez-vous in front of the Parliament buildings. Having retired to bed one night at my own dwelling, with ray accoutrements and « Brown Bess » placed near my b(Ml- side, I was aroused at early dawn by the booming of cannon ; and, hastily donning my uniform, and taking my gun with fixed bayonet, proceeded to the appointed rendez-vous, where the volunteer troops were assembled ready for action. Scouts having reiurued from a look-out, reported the cause of the alarm. » All, however, w ire not, on that memorable night, like our friend the rifleman J. V. P., enjoying that « sweet restorer, balmy sleep, » when the ominous guns sounded. Some were most merrily « '-iiiping the lighl fantastic lot5,» amidst floods of light a ..auty, under the hospitable roof of , enjoying wildly, « the ball of the season.)) " There was a sound of revelry by night, And Canada's capital had gather'd then Her beauty and her ohivalry, and bright The lamps shone o'er fair woomen and brave men ; A thousand hearts beat happily; and when Music arose with its voluptuous swell. Soft eyes look'd love to eyes which spake again, And all went merry as a marriage bell ; But hush 1 hark 1 a deep sound strikes like a riling knell ? Did ye not hear it 7 No; t'was but the wind Or the car rattling o'er the stony street ; 268 THE gUEBKC VOLUNTEKRS. On wUb the danoe t let Joy be unoonflned ; No tleep till morn when youth and plenBuro moot. To ohaae the glowing Hours with (lying feet But, hark I — that heavy sound breatcs in once more, As if the clouds its echo would repeat; And nearer, clearer, deadlier than before! Arm ! arm I it is — it is — the cannon's opening roar. II was iiol quite u the cannon's oponing roar» but the pre- concorled three shots the signal of i rising. The horizon nppenrt'd all around in a blaze of light. The glare of the con- flagration seen from afar, proved to be merely the blaze of a large fire, lit at dawn of day to singe a large pig — killed the day before — 'n the yard of the Ilotel-Diou, near Palace Gate. The morning was hazy, with a light sp ow falling, and the sentinel had mistaken the reflection of the blaze for a signal of general rising of tht; Patriots. There were more than one droll incident of this bloodless campaign. During the winter of 1838, a leading merchant of St. Peter street, Henry Atkinson, Esquire, when not at his beautiful resi" deuce at Spencer Wood, occasionally gave recherche dinners to his ...ercanlile friends, in some very cosy rooms he owned, adjoining his office in St. James street — occupied now by the Inland Revenue Ofliccs. Surrounded by many choice spirits, he had nearly got through all the loyal toasts of the period, no heel taps iheti; happening to look towards his wharf, he fancied he saw a light, round the bright pine deals. Fearing incendiarism, he rushed out noiselessly, in his dress coal, merely taking his cap, but was promptly-seized, by a Volunteer sentry, a brawny Scolcliman who spoke with many b-r-r-rs, and thrust him unceremoniously in his sentry box, despite his protestations of loyalty. The night was cold and the Laird of Spencer Wood, besee- ched his remorseless custodian, to allow him to go on parole, to his office and get his groat coal, else, he would certainly ugct his death of cold » but stern patriotism and love of disci- pline prevailed. — Mr. Atkinson seeing his case hopeless, pulled out a valuable gold Repealer and placing itin the hand of the grim Volunteer, said « Keep this watch until 1 return, wont this do ? » » A «:niUSTMAS SKKTOII. im ut the prn- lie horizon of the con- I bhize of a —killed I he aince Gate. ig, and the ' a signal of is bloodless Qf SI. Peter auliful resl- e dinners to he owned, low by the spirits, he iod, no heel fancied he endiarism, taking his a brawny hnist him lations of od, besoe- )n parole, certainly 0 ol'disci- 3ss, pulled jf the grim thisdo?)) « No, said the nncomiptible son of Mars. » Do yon want to br- r-ribe mo? and in tlic S(!ntry box he kept his prisoner, until released. Every nationality came in for its share of notice on behalf of the Loyal Volunteers. A well remembered old country merchant, then a beardless lad, recently landed from the land o'cakes, had been spending the evening, at a friend's house, on the Remparts. On his return he had to p;iss a sentry. Robert Symes had predicted an undoubl;>d rising on that night. Sentries were ordered to challenge indiscriminately friend or foe. The yo'ith, uncons- cious of the general alarm, was merrily tripping homeward, when a stentorian voice rang in his car « Who goes there?)) « A friend)) was the hurried reply. « Give the countersign)) was the rejoinder ; the youth alarmed had scarcely time to gasp «I am Wee Wullie Ross, fra' Aberdeen, )) when Wee Wullie, was cabined, cribbed and contincd in the guard house, until morning, fully expecting in his alarm, to be mur- dered, at each change of sentry : Canada was then such a dreadful country. On the night of the Hotel Dieu scare, Mr. P — P — , a French Canadian merchant, whose dwelling was close to the House of Parliament, the rende::-vous o{ tlu! Volunteers, incase of alarm, heard thu uproar. Fearing tha' in the general melee, likely to ensue, his throat might be cut, should he be taken for a Tory, he had only time to rush to the Parliament House in light marching order as to unmentionables, but weaiing a portentous looking, Rutl'alo fur coal, with a double-barrelled fowling-piece, minus the ramrod, protruding from beneath the skirts ; a sentry had been placed near the door of the R. C. Presbytere who hailing her Majesty's portly subject, called on him in English « Give the countersign, » while Monsieur res- ponded in most I'mphatic French « Sacre countersign ; ,le ne le connais pas, jo snis loyal » When Her Majesty's volunleer opening the porch door of the preshylere said : « Walk in thi'n, in my sentry-box, » and Monsieur had to do as he was bid. though the sentry was a well-known lower town merch.uil and IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 5* /. M/ A «? :/. 1.0 I.I 1.25 lil 1^ IM - iitt 2.2 • 1^ ^ .; m |||M u 1.4 1.6 Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 873-4503 fV V ^ :\ ss^^ \ "% .V 6^ <^ ?^^> -^>. r^^^ A. 7¥ A 270 TBI QUEBEC VOLUNTEERS. V friend of his ; he was released, however, with whole bones, an hour later. Such were amidst undisguised alarm some of the humourous incidents of our thrilling Volunteer days of 1837- 3S. Such the Christmas Sketch offered to the patrons of Maple Leaves, on this joyful Eve, by their old acquaintance. Spencsb Grange, Christmas Eve, 1872. le bones, an humourous i. Suchlhe Leaves, on OUR NATIONALITY. ITS COMPONENT PARTS. {Written \S%9.) " We hare itrangety nnited together all the original element! of the Brit- ish race. We have the Celt, with hii traditions of " good Ring Arthur " from whom, through her ancient British anoeston Her Oractoui ^iajesty may elsidi descent ; we have the Saxon or Teutonic element, and in Quebec we have a race that hare come from Normandy and Brittany, the one the land of the Northerner or Normans, and the other inhabited by a Celtic race, cherishing the ancient British traditions of King Arthur and his twelve oompanioDS. The Norman French of Quebec may well feel proud when they remember that they can claim what no other portion of the Empire can assert— that they are govern by a mo- narch of their own race, who holds her sceptre as the heir of Rollo, the norman •■km-Itiiitr who first led their ancestors forth from the forests of the North to the -•!»»•,« of Normandy. " — " The men of the North and their place »n Hietory," A Lee. :re by .R. O, Haliburton, F. S. A. Tracing the origin of the various nationalities who inhabit British America, — fixing the exactepoch, — descr'bing the true causes of their migration from their European homes to Western soil, — determining the precise proportion in which each element enters into the formation of (he composite popu- lation of the Dominion, — this, indeed, would be a theme re- plete with interest ; on which, at some future period, one hopes to see the genius of some of our leading writers exercise itself. Many eloquent pages would this study, viewed in its muUifarioiis phases, furnish for philosophical investigations. Nor would it be foreign to enquire whether the various types of the Caucasian race, to be found in the new world, are really undergoing the extraordinary transformation which some savants pretend. GeofTrol St. Hilaire, Edwards, Smith, Car- penter, certainly hold on these points opinions startling in the extreme, and calculated, if founded, to make one feel at times quite nervous and uncomfortable.' M. A. Quatrefages, a member of the Institul de France, in a remarkab'e book, edited in Paris 272 OIH NATIONALITY. in 1861, LVnite del'Esp^ce Uumaine^ asserts that the airurihis continent produces in time stran;,'e modi float ions in the striio tiirc of man. The human body, especially the neck, elongates — the oleagenous tissues diminish ; the eye is more sunk in its orbit, &c., Smith and Carpii;iter are of opinion Ihat the Euro- pean left to himself on American soil, will in process of years, change to the aboriginal savage, so that eventually the true Yankee will become a full blooded Huron, a fierce Mohawk, or a blubberloving Esquimaux, according to his habitat. Did we, men of th( New Dominion, by reason of our superior monar- chial institutions or better descent, cherish the fond delusion that we might perchance escape this formidable though \LVVk~ dual, process of de-ategration. Abbe Brasseur de Bonrbourg, a high European authority, rudely dispels it. Nay, his utterances are so positive, that at the very time we imlite these lines, an occasional, a grave doubt, now and again, hovers over our mind, list we should already in our tastes, be something of a Huron or a Mohawk. In our dark moods, we take to thinking our great grand-children, or their childrcMi, may turn out scalp hunters. As no hypothesis is too far fetched for a European savant, doubtless, erf long, we will be told that the exact epoch, when, it can be pnignoslicated this m'^tamorphosis will be complete, is settled on undisputable grounds. As Tom Hood's « Last man » is expected to flourish in the year 2001 , would it then be premature to fix the year 1970 for the time when the progressive native of the Empire Stale, which claims to lead on all points — will take to carrying tomahawks, first as a substitute for a black thorn or a revolver, and next as his natural weapon of attack ? It may not be unreasonable to infer that, thirty years after, the next generation will think it dero- gatory to close up a social gathering without the war-dance ; the European press will, about that time, probably, teem with accounts of Yankee, pardon Indian, f.'rocity in New-York ; such as white men from beyond the seas, being scalped for pre- suming to enter, without permission, the precincts of Man- hattan for purposes of barter. Still how much work yet to be done by enterprising Jonathan, ere this comes to pass : the conquest or annexation of England ; the dismemberment of theairofthis ill lliH slnif- ck, elongatos irosiink inils latlhe Euro- ;ess of years, illy Ihe true ! Mohawk, or lat. Did we, jrior inonar- ond delusion though ^'ra- Boiirbourg, a lis ullerances ese lines, an ers over our melhing of a e lo thinking turn out scalp a European ml the exact lorphosis will Is. As Tom c year 2001 , or the time which claims lawks, first as next as his nable lo infer hink it dero- war-dance ; y, teem with v-York ; such ped for pre- cts of Man- ork yet to be 0 pass r the mbermcnt of ITS (COMPONENT PARTS. 273 France, of Italy, of Germany, &c., not to mention a variety of minor changes in the map of the globe ! I ! Yerily, our respect for savants, great though it be, does not permit us to accept (his new theory of races, except sous bene- fice d'inventaire. The old maxim is much more to our fancy. Non animan, sed ooelum mutant qui trans mare earrnnt. Our brethren of « Dear Old England, » as our French Cana- dian lender, Sir George E. Cartier quaintly calls her, — can breath in peace for a time — a long (»ne possibly, as this dire- ful consummation will likely be coeval with the conquest of England and dispersion of the Dritishers by the Maories, when Macaulay's New Zealander will stand on Blackfriars bridge, surveying complacently the ruins of London, and trying by dint of a native interpreter to decipher Milton's Paradise Lost. The next transformation might be the conquest of Europe by Cossacks, who will soon after cross over to wrest America from th(! Mohawks of Manhattan ! ! ! But let us revert to the history of the races of the New Domi- nion, as we find them at present and examine their component parts. This disquisition brought to a successful issue, would involve deep research ; nor are we sure that all the historical dala required are readily accessible. Possibly, an abler hand than ours may weave into one harmonious whole, the silky webs now floating about, to many unnoticed. May this soon be ! Until the task be completed, we ipay be allowed to oiTer a few desultory thoughts, which have occurred to us in the course of our readings. For the Province of Quebec, the chief fountains of such ethnological knowledge appears to us to be : — 1st. The census tables under French and English dominion. 2nd. The regis- ters of marriages, baptisms, and burials of the diflercnt churches (and students of history must ever feel grateful to the Notes already published on this subject by the late Abbe Fer- land, and by the Bishop of Rimouski, when Pastor of Beau- port). 3rd. The biographical dictionary of the families who emigrated from 1600 to 1700, the fruit of the long and patient researches of the Abb^ Tanguay, made in Canada and in 29 274 OUR NATIONALITY. France ; a work now in press. Amongst many striking fealiires, one will be apparent to all, — the preponderance of the military element in the population of the colony. Very diflerent, indeed, was the status of our early settlers, when compared to that of those who settled in other French colonies, or in some of the English ones. Canada never had to build up her fortunes on the success in after life of ex- convicts, ex- garrolers, or ex-ticket-of-leave-men. Hardy farmers, indus- trious mechanics, officers, soldiers, adventurous fishermen landed in crowds on the shores of a country reported to contain something more than fertile fields ; yea mineral wealth in exhaustless quantities. The ftrst nobles of the French realm vied with one another in finding men and treasure to build up this New France, whose future so flattered the vanity of their great monarch. High-born women, such as the Duchesses de Bouillon, D'Aiguillon, and Madame de La Peltrie, undertook to providu virtuous young girls to go and seek their fortunes and husbands in this favored land. It is astonishing to see with what soliicitude the morals of these emigrants were watched over before they left France, until they landed in Canada. In some cases, the slightest indiscretion caused them to be sent back to were they came from. This is a very different version, let it be remembered, to that circulated by Baron Lahontan ; it is nevertheless a true one. (1) Retired officers, manyFrench gentlemen of ancient lineage, but unable to maintain their families in the extravagant spFendour which obtainnd at Court, asked for grants of lands in Canada. The progeny of some of those — our seigneurs — exist amongst us to this day. At that period, none but gentlemen could obtain commissions in the French army ; it required Court influence to procure these ap- pointments. (1) Father Le Jeune says, in the " Rdatton for 1A.36. " Maintenant noua voyoDS tous les ans aborder bon nombre de tr^s honorables personnes, qui se vien> nentjetor dang nog grands bois, oomme dans le sein de la paix, pour rivre iol avec plus de pi^t^, plus de franchise et plus de libertd." The historian Ferland quotes, as a striking proof of the purity of morals in the colony, the fact gleaned from the register of the R. C. Church, at Quebec, that outof 674 children baptized at Quebec, from 1621 to 1661, ona only appears to have been illegitimate. ITS COMPONENT PABTS. 275 any striking mderance of olony. Very Itlers, when nch colonies, [1 to build lip jonvicls, ex- mers, indus- js fishermen (ed to contain al wealth in 'rench realm e to build up mity of their Duchesses de , undertook to fortunes and to see with vere watched 1 Canada. In m to be sent jreut version, n Lahontan ; many French laintain their ined al Court, y of some of ay. At that sions in the cure these ap- Maintenant noui >nne8, qui le vien- X, pour Tivre loi y of morals in the at Quebec, that only appeaii to Canada was singularly fortunate, both under French and under English rule, in the class of settlers attracted to it. Under the latter, polUical persecution deposited on its shores, the cream of the population of other countries. The war of Independence in the New England provinces brought over our border crowds of the most educated, influential and refined men ; their descendants exercice a powerful influence amongst us to this day. The historian Ferland has devoted the first fifteen pages of the second volume of his excellent work to vindicate his cotin- trymcn from the aspersions which some ignorant writers, such as (1) Lebeau and (2) Lahontan, had attempted to fasten on them. The antecedents of the early settlers of St. Christo- pher, one of the West Indies, may have been doubtful ; but, on reference to history, nothing of the kind can be imputed to New France (3) From 1621 to 1641, the emigration came plenlil'ully from Perche, Normandy, Ileaiice, He de France, Saint Onge, Poitou and le Pays d'Aunis. The Ilu::u(?nols were not encouraged to settle, for fear of religious strife. The Company of Rouen, and that of M. de Monts, which had preceded it were under the control of merchants and traders, who resided chiefly in Normandy. It is, then, not surprising that they selected [hew employes at Rouen, al Dieppe, at Cherbourg, at Fecamp and al Ilonfleur. These employes became familiarized wilh the counlry ; and when England re- turned it to France in 1632, and France appeared inclined to keep it, they enticed over to Caniida their friends and relatives, who occasionally sailed for Ameriea wilh their whole families. It was from Dieppe that Champlain, after his return from Eng- land, where he had been carried a prisoner by the English, sailed in 1633, with a parly of ol'llcers, missionaries and colon- ists. These pioneers had doubtless been taken from Normandy and the Pays de Caux, In 1634, arrived Robert Gifiard, the first seigneur of Beau- (1) Aventurei et VoyageB au Canada— 1727. (2) NouT«auz voyages de M. le Baron Lahontan dani I'Am^rique Septentrio* nale. (3) FerlMtd'i Court d'Hiitoirc da Canada, Vol. I, p. 274. 276 Otm ffATlOlfALITT. port, and a great sportsman, accompanied by his wife, children and seven other large families. They were fioon followed by others Trom Perche, who took lands in the Cdle de Beattpri (Beauport, Ange-Gardien, &c.) Two important ramilies landed from France in 1636— named Le Gardeur and Le Nouf. All the families who arrived before 1642 clustered round Quebec, except some few who removed to Three Uivers, to lake advantage of the abundance of game (fish and fur) in the neighborhood of Lake St. Peter. The first lands cleared and conceded at Quebec^ were the Coteau Sle. Genevieve (SI. John's subuibs) the <^liores of the river St Charles ; the seigneurie Notre Dame dn Anges, west of G. H. Parke's, on the Charlesbourg road ; the little village of Fargy, at Beauport : the fiefs St. Michel and Sillery, near Quebec. Champlain had noticed, long before this date, the beautiful, natinul meadows of Cape Tourmenfe. and had placed herdsmen to look after the cattle in the paslura;ge. Some people settled there in 1633 ; in 1636, Governor Monlmagny and Father Te Jeune found some French families there, which the missionaries visited several times every year. Father Le Jeune — whom we may call one of our most demoted missionaries — stales why the place is named Beauprif « car la prairies y sont belles el grandes et hien unies. » After 1640, the stream of French emi^nts increased. From 1641 to 1655, several inhabitants of Brittany came over. The registers of the Quebec Cathedral $how a number of persons emigrating from Paris ; many girls taken from the royal charitable institutions. ((Several of them, » says Revd. Mr. Ferland, « were orphans, whose parenL« had died poor whilst in the King's service ; some were the daii|hti&rs of French army officers ; one, for certain, was the child of a former Governor of Nancy. » About 1660, the children bom in the country began to count in the population ; hot emigration continued, composed, as Mr. Rameau (1) obserres, « of an importation of French peasants, peaceable, laborioos and well (I) FerUnd's Coura d'Hiitoir* da Cmuu!*, YoL JLtf.§,1. ITS COMPOIfINT PARTS. 277 rifef children I followed by ede Beaupri (S36— named irrived before Kho removed ance of game rler. lec, were the !^bo^es of the t AngeSj west ilillle village 1 Sillery, near Ibis date, the nd had placed , Some people »nlmagny and ^re, ikhieh the liber Le Jeune Dii>»ionaries — ftrairies y $ont its increased. kiltany came low a number ikenfrom the « says Hevd. lad died poor lers of French 1 of a former en bom in the at emigration erfes, « of an rioQs and well trained under their feudal seigneurs » (1). In 1663, the famous regiment of Carignan, commanded by Col. de Sallieres accom- panied the Marquis of Tracy. A couple of centuries later, in 1838, we read of one of the English noblesse, the magnificent Earl of Durham, obtaining from his royal mistress the distin- guished favor of bringing out, as a suitable escort, her house- hold troops, the Coldstream (iuards ; but, beyond carrying away in legitimate wedlock, some of our city belles, we do not find the population of Canada afTecled by their sojourn. Not so with the Carignan regiment, four companies of which were disbanded shortly after their arrival in Canada. This splendid corps of warriors, with laurels fresh from European battlefields, (2) seems to have been victimized en masse, by the Quebec fair. Every Josette had a military Joe ; the officers made fierce love to the daughters of ihe seigneurs, of the Procureur du Rot, of the eonseillers du Conseil Superieur, &c., &c. ; whilst their gallant men vowed undying attachment to the « black-eyed (1) " Lea premiers Canadiena, semblent dtre en quelque fa^on, la population d'un oanton frangais transplants en Am6rique ; le fends dominant fut toujour! une importation de paysans fran^ais, paisiblea, laborieux, rSguIidrement organi- §6» 80U8 leuia aeigneura, avec I'aide et I'encoaragement do gouvemement. " Lea campagnea canadiennea ont toute la ruatioitS de nos payaana, moina la bru- talitd de leur mat6rialiame (A. Rameau,— Revue Canadienne, p. 287 — 1873.) It aeema atranges that, in our day, one should still have to reply to such unmi- tigated nonaenae aa to the vigour of the French Canadiana, aa haa been more than ouce written of late yeara, by intelligent Europeans. The fecondity of the race aurpaaaea all bounds. If we had not the atanding fact, that the French Canadian race, from 06,000 at the time of the conqneat, has developped itaelf into nearly one million and a half, and that, by shear inhuront vitality, aa it haa had until 1870, acaroely any accession whatever from Franco by emigration, the convic- tion would be thruatonua more than once by incidents in the surrounding parishes. A public journal in April last, called attention to the celebration of no less than fourteen golden weddings at L'Assomption, at once ; a peasant round Quebec, had his thirtieth child christened only a few days since, and twenty-six living brothera and aistera following the procession. Families of twenty children are not uncommon in the parishes. French olement in Dominion by last census ia 1,082,040. The T£tu, of Montmagny, at a family gathering, recently sat down to table eighteen grown up aona and daughtera, to celebrate the golden wedding of their reapected parenta. The Premier of the Province of Quebec, Honorable Oedeon Ouimet ia the twenty-aixth ohild in hia family. How doea thia look compared to New York familiea— where barrenneaa aeema to be the leading feature ? Ih« duty of peopling the Northern Statea, aome aay, now devolves on English, Irish, QermMi and French mothers. (2) The battle of St. Gothard, in Hunguy, Ac. i7b Ulii NATIONALITY. Susans » of their own class. The natiirui resull, a not uticom- moil one, wa^, that ere many seasons were over, the curi and his vicairen were kept busy as could be, christening the numerous young Carignans, whom the next census would claim. (1) The sons of Mars spread over the country : some became the sires of most patriarchal families, and rose to be Governors — witness Daron Saint Caslin, in Acadia ; others obtainedgrantsof soigiiorics. and built torts at Ste. Theresa, at Chanibly, at Sorel, — such, Col. de Sallieres, Captains de Chambly and de Sorel. Capt. Du Ciue married mademoiselle Moyen, of Goose Island, (county of Monlmagiiy,) whose sea- girl home had been burned and relatives tortured by the Iro- quois in 1653; whilst others, either returned to France, or made love-matches or marriages de convenance with Canadian hein;sses, viz. : Capts. Saint Ours, De Uerthier, DeContrecceur, La Yaltrie, De Meloises, Tarieu De la Perade, De la Fouille, Maximin, Lohiau, Petit, Rougemoni, Traversy, De la Molte, La Combe, De Vercheres, &c. Several of the domains owned by these military swells arc yel in the possession of their des- cendants. To trace step by step the career of the issue of Ihc^se stalwart colonists, would lake ns much furlherlhan the limits of these historical jottings will permit. A compendious work, of Slime six hundred pages, by Abbe Daniel, a French eccle- (l) *' The beneficial manner in which this infusion of superior blood, operated on the education and domestic manners uf the colonists, previously devoted to the humblest occupations of trade, may be easily imagined. Liberal tastes were en- oourngcd, sentiments of honor and generosity pervaded the highest rank in society, the infliienco of which was speedily felt through every class of the inhabitants. ".Measures were adopted to infuse a more liberal spirit in the colony, to raise the 4unlity and character of the settlors, and to give a higher tone to society. The King (Louis XIV) took a most judicious method to accomplish this. lie resolved to confer upon tho Oovernment a degree of comparative splendor, worthy of the groat nation of which it was a dependency. In 1604, he sent out to Quebec the most brilliant emigration that had ever sailed from France for the New World. It consisted of a Viceroy, a Qovernor- General, an latendant and other necessary officers of the civil Ouvernment, the regiment de Carignan, commanded by Colo« nel do Salliires, end officered by sixty or seventy French gentleman, mostof whom were connected with the no6/e««e. Many of these gentlemen lottled in the Pro- vince, and, having obtained conoeisioni of the waste lands, beoame the Mo6/e*M of the colony, and wore the ancestors of the be^t French ftmiliei of the present i%y."—Ha\rkin*' Netr llittorieal Pictur* of Qutbec. tT8 COMPONENT l',VRT8. iV,) a not uiicom- ver, Ihe euri hrislcning the census vroiihl miilry: some nd rose to bo ladia ; others Stft. Therese, , Captuins de mademoiselle (T,) whose J^ea- ed by the Iro- lo France, or jvith Canadian )eContrec(£tir, De la Fouille, De la Molte, omains owned u of their des- »suo of those lan the limits endious work, Kiench eccle- or blood, operated ii8ly deroted to the ral tastes were en- est rank in society, the inhabitants, he colony, to raise )r tone to society, omplish this. He e splendor, worthy sent out to Quebec for the New World, nd other necessary ■nmanded by Colo- ttnen, most of whom lettled in the Pro- ■oame the nobltt** iei of the present siaslic of the Siilpician Seminary of Montreal, contains a mass of malerial, on these families which, some day or other, may be wrought into shape. (1) Fathers Le Clercq and Charlevoix testify in glowing terms to Ihe morality, frugality, bodily slrenth, and courage of the first settlers. «As to bravery,)) adds M. Aubert, (2) «even, if as French- men, it was not theirs by birthright, themoileof dealingwhich in warfare they have to employ towards the Iroquois and other savages, who generally roast alive their prisoners, with incre- dible tortures, compels th(> Freiioli to look on death, in battle, as prel'eiable to being capluieil alive ; they, therefore, fij,'hl like desptM'ate men, and with very great indifference to life.)) That our French ancestors were brave, hardy, devoted to their adopted country, and moral in thitir conduct, history abundantly proves ; that they considered themselves of goodly slock and ancient descent, seems beyond a doubt; that their proud monarch, Louis XIV., thought the same, abundantly appears, by his own assertion, that « New France contained more of the best blood of Old France than all the other numer- ous French colonies of the day put together.)) No less strenuous efforts were then being made as well, in the neighboring English colonies, to obtain colonists and colonis- ing malerial .History tells how matters were managed, a little south of Quebec. In 1620, piociiring a « colonial » wife in Vir- ginia, was attended with some cost. Ninety « slips of woman kind» to use the words of «good M- Oldbuck,)) all u young and respectable)) delivered at Jamestown, were worth each 100 lbs. tobacco at 3s. perlhs.=toS60. Later on however, first class articles being scarce, a « young and respectable )) En Jilish lassie was quoted at 150 lbs. tabacco, — tobacco was then the current coin in the colony. (3) (1) Histoire des Prinoipales Families Franfaises da Canada. Montreal: Eusibo .S^ndcal; 18«3. (2) M6moire par M. Aabert. (3) Un deii moyens adopt^s pour augraenter la population (de la Virginie) fftt d'y envoyer une eargaison de fliles, jeunes et honnltes, destindes 4 6pouser das planteurs ; elles furent d^barqu^es 4 Jamestown au nombre de quatre-vingt-diz. La eoropagnie fixa le priz de ohaeune k cent liTres de tabao ; or le tabac qui 280 OUR NATIONALITY. We regret that this portion of our subject should come to a close ^ivithout having an opportunity or referring to the census tablos kept under French rule in Canada, and which are now to bo found in the ParliamiMitary Library, at Ottawa. The arbitrary and inhuman dispersion of the peaceable Aca- dians, by the English, in Cape Breton in 1755, brought over to the colony number of refugees, whose descendants, to this day, flourish in every corner of Canada : A Hard's, Landry's, Cor- mier's, Dugas, LeBlanc's, Arseneaux, Boudreault's.TlieMagda- Icine Islands in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and some western counties of this Province, found in them industrious, athletic colonists, just as friendly to there English masters as might be expected. One county « Acadie, » was called after them. Mr. Dugas, a member of our Legislative Assembly, is of Acadian descent. His foie-falhers were transported to Boston ; their children were adopted by some austere Protestant family, whoso language and creed became their own : the third or faurth generation having emigrated to Canada, the head married an Irish R. C. wife : their descendants are now R. C, their language, French. The proscribed race, from 30,000 souls at the time of its dispersion, has grown to about 110,000 disseminated all over Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Cape Breton, Prince Edward Island, New Foundland, Labrador. New Brunswick is however its chief location, where it is of count, m the political arena. In the first portion of this sketch, it was staled that the mili- tary element occupied a prominent position in the component parts of our nationality. Let us then, at one bound, overleap a century, and see what is going on in 1764, when Lord Lovatts celebrated 78th Regiment, ((Eraser's Highlanders,)) were disbandeo. These 78th men spread over the length and breadth of the land Some attracted, no doubt, by the name, settled in (New Scotland), (1) Nova Scotia ; some re- sult u monnaie oourante de la Virginio, valait trois ohelina la Urre; deiorte qn'une fenime vendue sur lea Ueuz, oofitait k I'aoheteur une somme de quinze lottU. BienMtle nombre de fiUes ayant consid^rablement diminu6, il faUut aug- menter le prix et le porter h, cent oinquante Hvres de tabao. (C'our* d'Uiitoirt du Canada, Ferland Vol. 1, P. 193. (1) It !■ stated that in Nota Scotia alone Uiere are at present more than 9,000 Fraieia. ITS COMPONENT PAHTS. 281 jI(1 come to a to the cenouB Mch are now awa. leaceable Aca- brought over dants, to this Landry's, Cor- s.TheMagda- some western IrioMS, athletic !rs as might bo ler them. Mr. is of Acadian Boston ; their Bstant Tamily, ; the third or e head married w R. C, their le time of its inoted all over riiice Edward ick is however itical arena, that the mili- he component lid, overleap when Lord lighlanders,)) T the length ioubt, by the some re- la llvre ; de lorte Isomme de quinxe lu6, n fallut aug- ToM, P. 193. more than 9,000 mninod in the pnrishps round Qiftboc. Tht; Frnscr (Ian nlon;?, wilh its olfshonls nt Murray Itny, Krasprvilh', SI. Marc, St. Andre, St. Thomas, IhMumioiil, Oiioluc, Munlrciil, Nova Scolia, &(\, has attainnd to siH'h dimt^nsions that an enter- prising,'d(!scnndanl, the; Hon. Jtthn Krasor de Ilcrry, L. C, thoujjht seriously ol' roconslrueling the clan Inst winter — tarlans, claymore, phillbe^, kilts, and nil, — January IVosis to the contrary notwithstandin;,'. Several of Wolfe's followers had also become Canadian lnndliold(!rs, viz., (Jenerol .lames Murray, the distinguished owner of Belmont, on the SI. Foy Road, Quebet!, — wliich on his return to England, passed over by purchas(! to one of his officers, Col. Ileiu'y Caldwell, who bi*- camo the founder of a Canadian family of note, and was llie father of Sir John Caldwell. Another of (Jen. Wolfe's oITicjus, Major Samuel Hollninl, purchased an ndjeinin;; domain of some Ihree hundred acres, which to this day is known as Holland's Farm ; whilst another again. Major Moses llazi'ii, scjllhul al SI. .John's, near Montreal, and joined Brigadicr-deu. Monlgoim ry in his unsuccessful all((mpt lo coiupier Canada in 1775. In 1762, we also fiud Meadow Bank (1) on the St. Louis Uoad, near Onebec, owned by lion. Hector Theopliilus Crainahe, afterwards Lieut. -Governor. The idea pervading (ho minds of Ihese distinguished men seems lohavo been, that those bcauliful sites selected by lliem would incr;>ase rapidly in value, by the introduction of Biitisii rule in Canadii, and become, in lime, mines of ^^callll, or happy homes for Ihi'ir children. But British rule, with British freedt)m left out, did but little, either for Canadian soil or Canadians, durin.' the dark poriod wliicli began in 17o9 and closed in 1841, About this time. Lord Sydenham, a uiost astute politician and ruler, wi!h the view of nnglifying (he French Canadians, united the Lower to the l.pper l*roviuc(! hoping by the prepouderauee of the Knglish element in both Provinces, to swamp and kill out that nationality ichich icouUI not die. The new constitution had a most seductive name, « Self-Government. » It was readily accepted by LafontaiiiL' (1) The country seat of John Porter, Esq. 30 282 OUR NATIONALITY. and Baldwin, as it conlainod by implication, with some evil, a principle of life, "quality to all races. Emigralion from France mostly ceased from 1759 to 1841, Oiie-lialf of the French families of distinction, who could sell their lands, left the colony in 1760-1-2 (1), rather than live under British rule ; though several again returned to Canada from France about 1783 ; one of our respected French fami- lies, that of Col. Dambourges (2), for instance, emigiated to this country after the couqtiest. The emigration however, was in the main, British (until, we may say, the year 1810) — of men of means often ; sometimes, of men of superior education. The closing of the Baltic to english ships during Napoleon's continental wars, by creating a demand for Canada's valuable woods, opened up new fields of enterprise. Canadian oak and pine became so sought after that several english merchants es- tablished themselves at Quebec about 1810. Thus in that very year, one week after the death of the noted Col. Henry Cald- well, assistant Quarter Master to General Wolfe, arrived at Quebec, William Price, Esq., the respected Laird of Wolfe's Field — better known fiom his extensive Inmbereslablishmeuts and mills in the Lower St. Lawrence and in the Saguenay district, as The Kiny of the Saguenay : several other large Canadian timber fiims trace to that period, their origin. To the fust Napoleon's continental blocade and closing of the Baltic, we owe our immense lumber exportation business — which for Quebec for half a century had become so vast as to overshadow all other commercial or manufacturing enterprises. Surrounded with water powers — with oneof the finest ports in the world, treqiiented animally by some fifteen hundred ocean ships and steamers ; teeming with a operatives, as yet remu- nerated by low wages (3), Quebec has in herself, the (1) Another migration to France, of the educated and wealthy class, took place in 1763. on the conclusion of the Treaty of Paris, (10th February, 1763), which ceeded Canada to England, (2) Dambourges' heroic conduct in repelling with Capt. Nairn, the attack of Arnold's soldiers, at Sault-au-Matelot street, Quebec, 31st Dec, 1775 — merited for him more than empty compliments ; as braro as DeSalaberry, his heroism was as ill quitod. (3) What was true in 1869, is getting less so erery day ; combinations to coerce ilh some evil, 759 to 1841, ^'1)0 could sell or than live !(1 to Canada French fami- emigialed to lowever, was ar 18 10)— of i)r ediicalion. ; Napoleon's la's valuable dian oak and icrchanls cs- 5 in that very Henry Cald- I, arrived at d of Wolf(!'s tablishmenls he Saguenay olher large origin. To )sing of the business — so vast as lo enterprises. inest ports in ndred ocean as yet remu- berself, the thy cUsB, took ebrtiary, 1763), I, the attack of , 1775 — merited , his heroism was lations to coerce ITS C0MP0Ni:.M PARTS. 283 means of becoming as great, as prosperous by her manufac- tures, as she can expect to be by the export of the wealth of her forests — that is, whenever her Rip Van Winkle capilalists wake up and national dissensions sink to sleep. A most noticeable element of prosperity and refinement, was added to our population by the war of Independence, — the United Empire Loyalists. Some 10,0G0 staunch adherents to the House of Hanover, came across our border, or pene- trated by ship to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Though "Western Canada benefitted (he most by the exodus from the late Brilish Provinces, Eastern Canada came in for her good share. These brave men had sacrificed fortune and position to consistency, and their allegiance to King George ; and King George, as a good and paternal sovereign, indemnified them by pensions, land grants, honors, and emoluments, tolhebest of the ability of the English exchequer. Of such were the Ogdens, Holts, Sowells, Smiths, GaiibK's, Andersons, Jones, Robinsons, Baldwins, Sir James McCanley, Hon. John Wilson, John Slrachan, Captain James Dellrick, Roger Bates, Joseph Brant, Hon. John Stewart, Hon. Samuel Ciane, Hon. George Croukshank, Sir Joseph Brook, Hon. James Crooks, Dr. Schofield, Hon. John McDonald, Thomas Merrilt, Hon. Heniy Rultan, Hon. John Elmesley, Chief Justice ; Hon. Hector Russ! II, Administrator ; Hon. Henry Allcock, Chief Justice ; John WMiite, Ally. G.'neral ; Mrs. Secord ; Colonel Clark, Hon. W. H. Merritt, and Philemon Wright ; all sons or des- cendants or connections of the gloriniis 10,000, who were aptly enough, vX one time, denominated by Upper Canadians, « The Founders of Western prosperity. » To follow them in their after fortunes, and desciibe tlieir brilliant careers, would lake us beyond the scope of this paper. The French Revolution was the means of providing Western Canada with a goodly alloNNance oi nohU'sseilevuillesou€he{\). capital, some with, some without Charts of Incorporati »n, are rapidly driving away from our shores, some of our time honored sources of wealth, our shipping. la the statesman born, who wiU dare grapple with this formidable evil ? (1) A curious fact has just been brought to light through the researches of a To- ronto antiquarian, leading to believe that later on, an unsuspected element of refi- 284 OUn NATIONALITY. We next have lo note an appreciable increase to our popula- tion, by the intermarriages ol the oflicers and men of the De nomont — no loss than a fair sprinkling of the French nohleme, had once its place, in v'liat at ono time appeared as a city thoroughly British in its foundation. In the December (1872) number of the Canadian Journal of Science, edited at Toronto, there appeared a very interesting paper by the Revd. Dr. Soadding, on ('anadian local history. Under the heading " Toronto of Old, " page 451, we are apprised of the settiemout at York (Toronto), of a tolerably numerous colony of French officers, whom the prospect of the guillotine, sent over in quick haste, from sunny Frunc.e, to the »f 17U8, bracketed I President, Peter ^ran(oi8 Ileneaux ; ^arcy; Quetton St. Jomte do Puisaye ; these well known idy and Brittanny. by Lainartino, and 8 days in England, ■ well known and lund Burke had in nsiderable emigra- thut seductive Cir- under the British •onically said and do Chalus derived 1 Normandy, asso- with the death of ppears on numbers in the lloyal Army lors at (Toronto) Isation, wholly sur- ;ho ladies of upper Augustin Boiton * * .oyalista struggle 03, five octavo vo- |t. Carlylc quaintly 3, when, to escape bed in the Castle * " De |urt, M. de Puisaye the forest of Brit- d the fire of revolt Lstalment No. 2 of t climate of Alsace J the St. Lawrence, loruor Siincoe and ITS COMPONENT PARTS. 285 Walteville and Meiiroii Swiss Regiments (1), disbanded in Canada, after the war of 1812. The descendants of the De Monlenachs, Lahrueres, Diifresnes, D'Orsonnens, Genands and others, are amongst us to this day. To statists, suc!i as our Auditor-General, and his able assis- tants, we shall leave the congenial lask of (ixiiig, with the cen- sus tables before them, th(i exact ratio of the foreign element, settling of late years in our midst ; prominent among which must of course appear lh(! Gcllic nwo., whose pndilic nature does not seem to siiifer in tin; leasl IVom lis ptfrcnnia! griev- ances (2) ; and next Ihi' canny Scot, willi whom in the great race uf uonlly weallh f 'W iiid.jid can kicp pace. Some, however, of the best and l'ain!>l ol our populalion, ami we say it with a fceliig akin lo icgivl, we are liiible to lose, and do lose, by causes beyimil Ihe conlrol of legislalors ; >ve allude lo thai not inconsiilerable poriion which annually carries to other climes its youth, its freshness, its iclinement owing to that nnaccoinitable and perverse haiikiM ing of Itiiiish officers to rub (lanada of her bii^hlesl gems, — her f.iir daugh- ters. Does this iKjcessaiiiy prove thai tlic beauty, manners, and accomplishments of the colonial las are superior to those of her English sister ; or, is Ihe Ganadian IJeJle cliiefly sought for in marriage, as being a species of « forbidden fruit, » labotid by IJelgravian mammas, whose « hopefuls » are serving in the colonies ? Quien sabe ? The author of « Ilocludaga, » Major Eliut Warburlon thus testified to this fact. President Russcl — the genial preserve of another colony of Refugees essentially British, the 11, E. LoynliitH— they aro instnllinfj thoir household gods amidst tlio wooded vales and pasture? green, trodden by the feet of a kindred race, near Qiicbco, May their fortunes prosper more than those of the Yongo street nobility of 17981 (1) These regiments, we thiuK, bad been formed in England froiii French olli- cers and soldiers detained as prisoners of war, and who had betni granted their liberty, on agreeing to serve against all the enemies of lOngland, cxoopt thfir own country — France. On the breaking out of the war of 1812, they were sent out to tight the armies of the United States. (2) An ingenious barrister, John O'FarrcU, Esq., in a humorous address, road before the St. Patrick fil about 1758. Should his novel theory hold water, one would be led to believe that ./mn /?";i(i»fc is not a Johnny Cra- paud after all, but has a right to consider Brian Boru as one of his ancestors and luay, on the 24th June, associate the shamrock with the Maple Leaf. 286 OUR NATIONALITY. « The officers of Ihe army show themselves very sensible to the uttractions of the daughters of Canada, great numbers marry in this country ; no less than four of one regiment have been made happy at Quebec within a year of the present time. The fair conquerors thus exercice a gentle retaliation on the descendants of those who overcame Iheir lore fathers. Nearly all the English Merchants also have married in this counlry ; and, from what I perceive, those who slill remain bachelors are very likely soon to follow their exemples. » Hocuelaga, page 100. Capt. R. L. Dashwood, of Ihe XV Regl., in his simple but in- teresling skntch of Ciinada sporls, intituled : « Cleptoquorgan or Life by thu: camp fire, » thus alludes to this phase of Colonial Life : « The withdrawal of troops from Upper and Lower Canada will i-ause an unprecedented fall in the ma- trimonial market of those « sections » The loss of so many bachelois in the shape of the officers of the army will be seriously felt. Canada has proved more fatal to celebacy than any other country where troops are stationed, including even England ***** The reason is, the propin- quity and opportunity that is alforded where people are congre- gated in a small pace, and where long absence from home ofien « makes the heart grow fonder)) of some one else. » Page 2il. Having, as we hope, fulfilled the promise made at the incep- tion of this paper, of furnishing for abler pens a few hints and suggestions, to be hereafter enlarged on, we shall close the subject with a tabular statement compiled especially for us, by a youthful lady friend, with a penchant for ethnological studies, — under the heading Military Marriages in Canada of late years ; it helps to prove some of our propositions, and shows statistically to what an alarming extent the union sentiment, to use an Americanism of the late wai', prevailed in the Canadas. Let us hope this wholesale immolation of Colonels, Majors, Captains and Subs on (he altar of hymen had nothing to do with the removal of ih; British Troops fiom Quebec ! ! ! Here goes this precioi s document which we fear, is very imperfect : very sensible great numbers regiment have Q present time, aliation on the ithers. Nearly 1 Ihis connlry ; nain bachelors » HOGllELAGA; simple bill in- Cleptoquorgan this phase of om Upper and all in the ma- )ss of so many army will be i\ to celebacy )ne(l, including is, the propin- ple are congre- om home ofien \e. » Page 2il. le at (he incep- is a few hints shall close Ihe iaily for us, by logical studies, Canada of late ns, and shows ion sentiment, availed in the lonels, Majors, nothing to do ebec ! ! ! fear, is very ITS COMPONENT PARTS. BRITISH OFFICERS WHO HAVE HECENTLY MARRIED IN CANADA. {Prepared 'n 1869— flft-ifrf in 1873.) 287 Hljlc Briijadt. Earlof Errol Mi-g Gore. tth UwifHrn. Col. White Miss DeMontenack. Major Campbell " Duchesnay. 13(A Huntara, Capt. Clarke Miss Roge. Capt. Joyce " Austen. Liout. Miles " Esten. Dr. Milburn " Allan. Rot/al ArtiV'ii). Col. Shakspear Miss I'nnet. " Pipon " Ashworth. " FitzGerald " LeMoine. " CliflFord " LoMesurier. " Walker Mrs. Bull. " Uaiiltain Miss Goidou. Capt. Noble " Campbell. " De WintoD.... " Riiwson. Dr. Duff " Sewell. Dr. Mcintosh " Wood. Capt Brackonbury.. " Campbell. Lieut. Irwin " Hamilton. " A. W. White " Young. " Appleby " MacOonald. " Saiidilands .. " Stevenson. " Brown " Kirpatrick. Capt. Uotham " Halo. " Turner " Gzowski. " Sandham «• Mar'i Gzowski. Col, Mackay " Wt /d. Royal Engineem, Col. Gallwey Miss M'Dougall. " Brown " Hunt. " Ford " Kacoy. " White " Gibson. " Boatson " Gordon. " Murray .- " Fisher. Capt. Noble...' " Lunn. Ca; t. JJe Montmo- rency " Motz. Capt. Mann " Giddes. " Burnaby " Felton. Lieut. Carlisle " Phillips. " Savage " Joly. " Turner " Sprague. Grenadier Guurdti. Lord Abingor Miss MacGruder. Capt. Herbert " LeMoine. Dr. Girdwood " Blackwell. Goldntream Guardn. Oapt. Clayton Miss Wood. " Kirkland " Patorson. lit Royalt. Capt. Davenport.. ..Miss Sewell. " McNicol " Wood. Tth RoyiiJ Futileert, Capt. \\\ Pryce Brown.Miss Prior. Lieut. Winter " gowell. Wi\Re(j{ment. Capt Straiibenzoe.Miss Cartwright " Terry " Taylor. \&th Ref/imenl, Lieut.-Col. Nash.. .Miss Nanton. Major Temple ... . " Sewell. " Eden " Caldwell. 16f/t Rer/tmettt. Major Lucas Miss McKenzie. Baker " Capt. Carter " " Lea " " Piatt " Dr. Ferguson.. " Lieut. Kane " I7th Reyhnent. Capt, Hoigham Miss Frascr Cunningham. LeMesurier. Alloway. Howard. Alloway. Coursol. Jeffery. Burstall. Webster. Kroighoff. Mutz. Stevenson. Webber " Ultorson " " Parker " Lieut. Burnett " " Lees " " Torre Mrs " Harris Miss Motz. " Pre.»grave.... " Day. 2:ird Royal Welsh FuHleert. Capt. Hopton Miss Vaughan. Lieut. Benyon •< Allan. " Rowley « HoUis. 2bth Borderem. Capt. Smythe Miss Perrault. Dr. Gribben " Allan Lieut. Lees •• Mn.\ham. 26M Ret/iment. Col. Crespigny Miss Buchanan. 29/A Rei/iment. Col. Middleton Miss Doucet. Capt. Phipps " Goddes. iiOth Regiment, Col. Atoherley .... Miss Heward. Capt. Moorson " " Birch " Dr. Paxton <• " Hooper <« Capt. Clarkson " " Glasscott " " Nagle " Lieut. Fleuiming... " " Charlewood .. " 32nd Regiment. Dr. M. Healcy Migg Smith. 39fA Regiment. Capt. Dixon Misg Antrobug McCutcheon. Vass. Murray. Dalkin. Coxwell. Cayley. Bell. Sewell. Poston. 288 OUR NATIONALITY. Capt. Hawtayno ....Miss IIoAley. " Tryon " McLood. Linut. Osborne Smith. Misn Smith. " Iluaro Mil's Snott. ■{7th Ileiiiiiicnt, Liout.-Col. Villiors.Miss Shanloy. Capt. Larltoii " .Siivage. " Bercltloy " Dixon. Dr, Jamioson " Cartwright. Lt. de J. Prevost... " Dow. Ens. Dixon " MoMiirray. 53rrf Regiment. Capt. Brown iMiss Dowar. Lieut. Hitchcock... " Ferguson. &ith Rer/iment. Capt. Lake Miss Phillips. " Thomson " Boxor. mh Ri/les. Capt. LoBrcton Miss (leorgo. " Hamilton " Willan. " Travors " Johnson. " Anderson " Starnes. " Worsoley " Sieotte. " Crosby " Thompson. Lieut. Mitchell [nnos " Starnos. 6rt//( Reiiiment. Col. Dames Miss Komble. Capt. Sorooold " Duval. Capt. Torrens " Price. Lieut. Oodby " DosFossds. Dr. Henry " Omldos. Lieut. Cunninfp -('(I'll. Webb.. " Brndshaw. Coui -Gon. Weir.... " Stayner. Sir Fiaudiilph RiMith '' Taschoreau. Dep. - Com. - den. Kouth " Hall. Di-{). - Com. - Gen. Loonco Kouth " Pardey. Assi,"jf. Dr, Woodman Miss Stevenson. " lla-ket " Uniacke. " Henry " Geddes. " Blathorwick.... " White. Oi'dnancf. .Major Holwell Miss Gibson. Lieut. Bligh " Whale. NoTK. — One glance will suffice to show how many names have been omitted in the above. (I) Ere six weeks wore over, the cypress had replaced the orange blossoms on this fair younj; brow. Mrs. Glondonwyn, wedded at Quebec, in October, died at Boruuida. on the 17th Dec, 1871, agod 19. An oxqviisitely sculptured group, " Faith, Hope and Charity," by the London artist Marshall Wood, now comme- morates in Carara marble under the silent oaves of the TJrsulines Chapel, at Quebec, the early demise of throe of the Hon. P. J. 0. Cbauveau'a daughters. Alas for human happiness I " Lindsay. *l'»3 Coxworthv, ." Praser. '/iment, —Miss Cartwright. '« IliUhlniidcrt, l'»s h. Bell. " Bouchotto. ''igncle, liss Dowar. " Stuart. " Harris. " RoynoldlB. '' Price. 'Stanton. ' Jeffery. ' <}oddes. Rijilei,. ss Buchanan. '■ Yulo. ' Kingsmill, Oibb. Oibb. Howard. Gore, s Percy. Halo. Wright. Murray. Pocttor. 'J'arfment, Goddard. fJrMd.shaw. St'tyner. Taschoreaii. Hall. Pardey. IVatson. f Montenach. 'torenson. ^niacko. eddes. rhite. ibson. hale. 9n omitted in I blossoms on ;obor, died at tiired group, now oommo' ! Chapel, at 8 daughters. INDEX. Page. Introduction DIberville— Tho Cid of New France . Dollard des Orraeaux— The Canadian Leonidas J3 l)e Brebaiuf A Laiemant n-j The Roll oCSainl-Rpgis— Fact.\: Fiction 29 The Baron of Loiigueil The Heroine of Vercheres 49 Major Stobo bo Cadieux, the Old Voyageur r-r A select Tea Party at Quebec in 1759 -3 Tho lost of the 1 Aiiguste 1— French Refugees 79 The History of an Old House— Le Chicn d'Or. gg Tid-Bits of Feudal Customs on « Le Droit do GrenouiIla?ei ° 107 Luc de hiCoriie Saint-Luc— A representative Man 115 TheU. E. Loyalists-British Refugees ,07 Frat^er's Highlanders before Qutdjec, in 1759 141 C.inadian Names i<; Surnames ,5g The Oruvo ofGarneau, the Historian |~- Cuiadian Homes Our E.irly Friends, tho Birds ' oqj Synopsis of Canadian Birds ..^„ Fin A Feather ^ The Quebec Volunteers, 1837-38 251 Our Nationality, ils component parts 071 List of Bristish O.ljcers recently marrieil in Canada 2S7 I BY THE SAME AUTHOR. ENGLISH. The Leoknoary Lore of the Lower St. Lawrrnck (1 vol. in 3'2) 1862 Maple Leaves, (IslSeries) (1 vol. in-8*) 1863 I I (2nd Series) (t vol. in*8») 1864 I I (3rd Series) (1 vol. in-8'') 1865 The Tourist's Note Book (t vol. in-64) (by Co8moj)olite) 1870 The Sword of Brioadieh Gk.nehai, Montgomery, (A Memoir) il vol.in-64) 1870 Jottings from Canadian History (Stewart's Quarlfrly) 1871 Trifles from my Port-folio (New Dominion Muntlily) 1872 MAPLE LEAVES (New Series) 1873 FRENCH. L'Ornithologie »u Canada (2 vols. in>8°) 1860 Les P^cheries du Canada (1 vol. in-8<>) 1863 La M^moire DE Montcalm VENGEE (1 vol. in-32) i805 L'Alrum Canaoien 1870 L'Aldum DU Tourists (1 vol.in-8<>) 1872 R. in3'2) 1862 1863 1864 18G5 1870 ir) I vol.in-64) 1870 1871 1872 1873 . 1860 i863 1805 1870 1872