Picturesque Quebec : a sequel to Quebec past and present Part 73

"Les familles francaises epa.r.s.es sur les bords du St. Laurent, se trouvaient exposees a des dangers continuels. Pendant le jour, les hommes etaient attaques au coin des champs, a l'oree d'un bois, sur les eaux du grand-fleuve. Pour tomber tout-a-coup sur leurs victimes, les maraudeurs iroquois se tenaient caches tantot derriere un arbre renverse, tantot dans un marais, ou au milieu des joncs du rivage pendant la nuit, ils rodaient autour des maisons, cherchant a surprendre quelques familles sans defense."--(_Ferland, Histoire du Canada_: Vol. I., p. 398.)

Hence the French houses in each settlement were generally close to one another for mutual protection; the church in the centre to sound the tocsin of alarm.

[181] _Relations des Jesuites_, 1652, p. 7.

[182] _Histoire du Canada_--Ferland. Vol. I, page 109.

[183] "Monsieur de Courcelles, qui en fut le chef (de l'expedition), y apporta toute la diligence possible, de sorte qu'il se trouva pret a partir le 9 Janvier, 1666, accompagne de M. duGas, qu'il prit pour son lieutenant, de M. de Salampar, gentilhomme volontaire, du Pere Pierre Raffeix, Jesuite, de 300 hommes du Regiment Carignan Salieres et de 200 volontaires, habitants des colonies francaises, chacun ayant aux pieds des raquettes, dont ils n'etaient pas accoutumes de se servir et tous sans en excepter les chefs et M. de Courcelles meme etant charges chacun de 25 ou 30 livres de biscuit etc. A peine pourrait on trouver dans toutes les histoires une marche plus difficile et plus longue, que le fut celle de cette pet.i.te armee, et il fallut un courage francais et la constance de M.

de Courcelles pour l'entreprendre * * * il fallait faire trois cent lieues sur les neiges, traverser continuellement sur la glace des lacs et des rivieres en danger de faire autant de chutes que de pas, ne coucher que sur la neige au milieu des forets, et souffrir un froid qui pa.s.se de beaucoup la rigueur des plus rudes hivers de l'Europe.

"Cependant nos troupes estant allees le premier jour a Sillery, pour recommander le succes de leur entreprise a l'Archange Saint Michel, Patron de ce lieu la, plusieurs eurent des le troisieme jour, le nez, les oreilles, les genoux et les doigts, ou d'autres parties du corps gelees et le reste du corps couvert de cicatrices."--_Relations des Jesuites_, 1666, page 6.

[184] This crack regiment had covered itself with glory at the battle of St. Gothard in 1664, when 80,000 Turks had been cut to pieces by the army of Count Coligny.--(_Histoire de la Mere de l'Incarnation_, Casgrain, p. 425-6.)

[185] "Le vingt-cinq Janvier," says Ferland, "ils etaient sur les glaces a l'entree du lac Saint Pierre. Le froid etait plus vif, que les jours precedents; des glacons acc.u.mules barraient presque la route qu'ils suivaient. Les volontaires accoutumes de longue main a rencontrer ces difficultes savaient les surmonter; ils etaient vetus a la maniere du pays, et portaient habits, bonnets et chaussures de peaux de betes; aussi ils pouvaient sans danger braver le froid. Il n'en etait pas ainsi des soldats francais, encore peu habitues a la severite du climat, et qui n'etaient pas pourvus de couvertures suffisantes. L'on fut contraint de reporter aux Trois Rivieres plusieurs d'entre eux dont les uns s'etaient blesses sur les glaces, et les autres avaient les mains, les bras et les pieds geles."--(_Cours d'Histoire du Canada_, vol. ii, p. 467.)

[186] Baron Vincent Saint Castin, was from Oleron, in Bearn. Originally a Colonel in the King's Guards, he came to Canada in 1665, a Captain in the Carignan Regiment. He was, in 1680-1, in command of Fort Pen.o.bscot in Maine. He married Matilda, the daughter of Madockawando, Sachem of the Pen.o.bscots, by which tribe he was adopted and elevated to the rank of Chief. He played a conspicuous part in the wars of that day, signed treaties with the Governors of New England. Having ama.s.sed a property of 300,000 crowns, he retired eventually to France, where he had an estate.

He was succeeded by his son in the Government of Pen.o.bscot. His daughters married advantageously in the colony. We find one of them, Mademoiselle Brigitte de Saint Castin, amongst the pupils of the Ursuline Nuns at Quebec, about the beginning of the last century.--_"Les Gouverneurs Generaux du Canada le menagent et ceux de la Nouvelle Angleterre le craignent," says La Hontan._

[187] _Notes on the Environs of Quebec_, 1855.

[188] Occupied by Michael Stevenson, Esq.

[189] The temple for Catholic worship, erected at Pointe a Puizeau about 1854, is very picturesquely located; its stained gla.s.s windows, its graceful new spire, frescoed ceilings, add much to its beauty. The Rev'd Messire George Drolet has succeeded to the Rev. Father Harkin, who had been in charge ever since the late Abbe Ferland was appointed secretary to the Archbishop of Quebec and Military Chaplain to the Forces. For some time in 1877, St. Columba Church was in the spiritual charge of Monseigneur de Persico.

[190] From the noise it makes before easterly gales.

[191] The _Jesuits in North America_, Parkman--pages 282-3. Vimont, _Relation_, 1645, 2-22.

[192] Breweries, however, and other manufactories had been in operation in the colony as early as 1668, as we glean from the following entry in the _Jesuits' Journal_:--

"Et parce qu'un pais ne peut pas se former entierement sans l'a.s.sistance des manufactures, nous voyons deja celle des souliers et des chapeaux commencee, celle des toiles et des cuirs projetee, et on attend que la multiplication qui se fait des moutons, produise suffis.e.m.e.nt des laines pour introduire celle des draps, et c'est ce que nous esperons dans peu puisque les bestiaux se peuplent a.s.sez abondamment, entr-autres les chevaux qui commencent a distribuer dans tout le pais. La bra.s.serie que Monsieur Talon fait construire, ne servira pas peu aussi pour la commodite publique, soit pour l'epargne des boissons enivrantes, qui causent ici de grands desordres, auxquels on pourra obvier par cette antre boisson qui est tres saine et non malfaisante, soit pour conserver l'argent dans le pais qui s'en divert.i.t par l'achat qu'on fait en France de tant de boissons, soit enfin pour consumer le surabondant des bleds qui si sont trouves quelquefois en telle quant.i.te que les laboureurs n'en pouuaient avoir le debit."--_Relations des Jesuites_, 166, p. 3. On the site of Talon's brewery, was built the Intendant's Palace, in the rear of Boswell's Brewery.

[193] _Heriot's Travels_, 1806, p. 98.

The Jesuit, Father Ennemond Ma.s.se died at Sillery, 12th May, 1646, aged seventy-two.

[194] _Histoire de la Colonie Francaise en Canada, vol. II, p._ 115.

[195] _Faillon_, vol. III, p. 318.

[196] In 1684, at the review of French troops at Fort Fontenac, appear among others _Captaines de la Cote_; the _Captain de la Cote de Beauport_, d.u.c.h.esnay, Laferte and Meseray, of Cap. Rouge. (Paris Doc.u.ments, vol. IX, p 234.)

[197] "Along this road was the favorite drive of the Canadian belle."-- _Hawkins' Picture of Quebec_.

[198] Madame Pean's house in St. Louis street stood where the Officers Barracks have been since built. We take her to have been that pretty Ang.

De Meloises, a pupil of the Ursuline Nuns, mentioned in the _Historie des Ursulines de Quebec_.

[199] _Quebec, Past and Present_; Maple Leaves--1865.

[200] The monument erected by the inhabitants of Sillery, to the memory of the Revd. Pere Ennemond Ma.s.se, S. J., first Missionary to Canada, was inaugurated on Sat.u.r.day afternoon, the 26th June, 1870, in presence of the inhabitants of Sillery, and of several literary gentlemen of the environs.

Revd. G. V. Cazeau, addressed those present, and was followed by the Abbes Laverdiere and Casgrain, and by Hon'l P. C. A. Chauveau and Mr. R. R.

Dobell.

Mr. Dobell delivered a lengthy and able address on the worth of the good missionary but dwelt chiefly on the career of the benevolent Commander Brulart de Sillery:

At our suggestion, the monument was made by its inscriptions to commemorate the merit of both:

The speakers all paid a high tribute to the researches of the Revd. Abbes Laverdiere and Casgrain, through whose labors the resting place of the Revd. Pere Ma.s.se were discovered, and with whom originated the idea of erecting this monument.

The ground upon which the monument stands was given by Mr. Henry Lemesurier: and Mr. R. R. Dobell has n.o.bly a.s.sisted Messrs. Laverdiere and Casgrain in carrying out the project.

The monument is plain but elegant, and altogether about 20 feet high. It is of cut-stone, with four marble tablets surmounted by a marble cross.

One of the tablets bears the following inscription:

The Inhabitants of Sillery Have erected this Monument to the Memory of PeRE ENNEMOND Ma.s.sE, S.J., First Missionary in Canada, Buried in 1646, In the Church of Saint Michel, On the Domain of Saint Joseph of Sillery.

On another tablet was inscribed:

The Church of Saint Michel, Which formerly stood on this spot, Was built by The Commander of Sillery, Founder (in 1637) of the St. Joseph Domain.

The ceremony throughout was of a most interesting character, serving to mark an important event in the history of Canada.

[201] The Plains of Abraham. Notes, original and selected, by Lt. Col.

Beatson, Royal Engineers--Gibraltar: Printed at the Garrison Library Press, 1858. This volume is very rare.

[202] Donation du 10 Octobre, 1648, et du 1er Fevrier, 1652, par Adrien d.u.c.h.esne a Abraham Martin, de 30 arpents de terre.

Concession du 16 Mai, 1650, par la Compagnie de la Nouvelle France, de 12 arpents de terre a Abraham Martin.

Vente du 1er Juillet, 1667, aux Dames Ursuline de Quebec, par les heritiers d'Abraham Martin, d'un terrain contenant 32 arpents en superficie.

[203] A creature of Bigot, Capt. DeVergor, on the 13th of September, 1759, after allowing his militia men to return home on leave, was in charge of the post at Wolfefield, where Wolfe ascended after taking the Captain prisoner; this was the key to the position. Ferland and other writers have imputed treason to DeVergor.

[204] "MONTCALM EN CANADA."

In a work published at Tournai, in 1861, _par un ancien missionnaire_, at page 193, Pere Martin notices the discrepancies between the various writers whom he had consulted. "It is difficult at the present day, to decide with certainty as to the numbers of the two armies who met on the Plains of Abraham; ancient writers are no more in accord than modern. Here are some of the estimates:

FRENCH. ENGLISH.

L'Intendant Bigot,....................... 3,500 3 to 4,000 Montreuil, Major General,................ ... 4,500 Doreil, Commissaire,..................... 3,000 6,000 Colonel Fraser,.......................... 5,000 4,000

(Sullivan says the forces were equal, but that Wolfe's soldiers were disciplined veterans, and that the half of Montcalm's were militia and Indians.)

Hawkins,................................. 5,000 4,800 Bancroft,................................ 5,000 5,000 Garneau,................................. 4,500 8,000 Beatson,................................. 7,500 4,828 Dussieux,................................ 4,500 5,000

The estimates given by Garneau, of the English, and by Lt. Col. Beatson, of the French, are evidently exaggerated. The estimates of Knox and Ferland deserves also notice, even if only from the discrepancy they present."

[205] Montcalm, when he heard that the English had ascended the hill and were formed on the high ground at the back of the town scarcely credited the intelligence ... but he was soon undeceived. He saw clearly that the English fleet and army were in such a situation that the Upper and Lower Town might be attacked in concert, and that nothing but a battle could save it. Accordingly he determined to give them battle.--_The Annual Register for the year_ 1759.