Journey from Montreal to Quebec.—Stay at Quebec.—Return to Montreal—from the 3d to the 9th of September, 1825.
About 8 o’clock in the evening of the 3d of September, in company with Messrs. Grymes and Clare’s families, we embarked on board the steam-boat Lady Sherbrook for Quebec, one hundred and eighty miles from Montreal. Montreal wants good wharves, a circumstance which we felt sensibly on going on board the steam-boat, as we were obliged to walk in the dark through the mire, which was particularly disagreeable to the ladies. We had taken state-rooms on board the vessel, so that the ladies could live alone, and not be obliged to sleep in the common ladies cabin. To me it was also pleasant to have a small room to myself. At Montreal I met Captain King, of the English artillery, with whom I had become acquainted at Boston, and who likewise travelled to Quebec. The other passengers were not numerous.
The steam-boat was one hundred and fifty feet long, carried eight hundred tons, and her engine was of sixty horse-power, much too little for such a large and heavy vessel. It started after 9 o’clock in the evening. During the night it stopt an hour at the outlet of the river Sorel into the St. Lawrence, at William Henry, a small town, so called in honour of the Duke of Clarence. They were obliged to take in wood; for the American and Canada steam-boats are not, like the European, heated with stone coal, but with wood, which takes up much room on the vessel, and much time in loading.
The next morning we stopt on the left bank of the little town Les Trois Rivières, which contains two thousand five hundred inhabitants, is eighty miles distant from Montreal, and situated where the St. Maurice empties itself into the St. Lawrence. Before we came to this place, we had to go through Lake St. Pierre, which is formed by the widening of the river St. Lawrence. The banks of this river are thickly inhabited on both sides, and are also said to be cultivated and productive. The river is throughout from one to two miles wide, but fifty-two miles below Trois Rivières, at the village of Richelieu, it becomes narrower, and here are the last rapids, called Rapids de Richelieu. The banks, which as far as this place are pretty low, become higher and more rocky, particularly on the left side. The neighbourhood is remarkably handsome and picturesque. The majestic stream with its pleasant banks and the view of the distant blue mountains near Quebec, produce an indescribable effect. The weather was favourable, a clear sunny day, and not very warm; in this northern latitude you can already perceive the approaching autumn by the coolness of the nights and mornings.
We reached Quebec at 10 o’clock in the evening. This city consists of two parts, the upper town, which is built on a rock, and the lower, which is pressed in between the river and the rock. The lights in the lower town and the fortifications, had an elegant appearance, when contrasted with the dark rock. The first coup d’œil, which was by night, reminded me of Namur, as it is seen from the right bank of the Maas. In the river were many vessels, mostly used for carrying wood. It was already late, and we should have found difficulty in transporting our baggage by night, besides other inconveniences in finding lodgings for the ladies, so we spent this night also on board the steam-boat, where we were very comfortable and found it cleanly.
The next morning, after dismissing the guard which the governor had appointed to escort us, we went to our lodgings, in the upper part of the town. The lower town is very narrow, and has a filthy appearance. The streets are not paved, and badly provided with side-walks. The road which leads to the upper part of the town is very steep. It stands on a rocky ground, and its fortifications are elevated three hundred and fifty feet from the level of the ocean. The upper is separated from the lower town by a stone wall, which has the form of a horn-work. Through this wall is a gate, which has a guard, the guard-room is opposite the gate, and by means of a portcullis defends the entrance. For the convenience of foot-passengers, there is a door near the gate, with wooden stairs, by ascending which you reach the upper town. On the right side of the gate is a building which resembles a chapel, and serves for the house of commons of Canada. In order to get home, we were obliged to go round part of the walls of the town. Even here you have an indescribably beautiful view of the Bay of Quebec and the right bank of the river, which has the appearance of a cape called Point Levi.
Shortly after our arrival, I received a visit from Colonel Duchesnay, first adjutant of the governor-general, and from Colonel Darnford, director of engineers. The first gentleman came to bid me welcome, in the name of the governor, and the latter begged to show me the fortifications. Lord Dalhousie, governor-general of all the British possessions in North America, was at that time in England, but was expected daily. During his absence, the government was under the direction of the lieutenant-governor, Sir Francis Burton, brother of Lord Conyngham. He is a civilian, but is said to fill his high post with credit. The good spirits the inhabitants are in, and the harmony that exists in the colony, is mostly owing to his good management, and his humane and friendly deportment towards them. It is said of Lord Dalhousie, that he has estranged the hearts of the people from himself and the government, through his haughty and absolute deportment, and the opposition party in the Canadian parliament has thereby been strengthened.
With the above-mentioned public officers, we wandered through the city, and first of all visited the government house, which is a large old building, vacant during the absence of Lord Dalhousie. The rooms are not large, and were not as richly furnished as I expected to see the mansion of an English governor-general. At the back of the house, over the vault, is a large balcony, from which one can see part of the town, the harbour, and the surrounding neighbourhood. The citadel is a new work, and not quite finished. The English speak with a kind of exultation of the fortifications of Quebec, and compare it to Gibraltar. I also expected something extraordinary, but cannot say that my expectations were gratified. The heights near the town are the well-known plains of Abraham, or more correctly heights of Abraham, upon which, on the 12th of September, 1759, the battle between the English general, Wolfe, and the French general, Marquis Montcalm, took place; a battle which cost the lives of both generals, and in which the French were defeated with the loss of the town and colony.
General Wolfe took possession of the Isle d’Orleans, and made himself master of Point Levi. The Marquis de Montcalm, upon the heights by the falls of Montmorency, with his army in a fortified position, heroically received the attack of General Wolfe and drove him back, with great loss to the English army. On this occasion, General Wolfe embarked his men in the night, took advantage of the darkness to pass the town, sailed up the St. Lawrence, and disembarked at the place that is now called Wolfe’s cove. He mounted the rock with a great deal of difficulty, and then put his army at the break of day in order of battle on the Heights of Abraham. To assist the town, and drive the English from the heights of Abraham, the Marquis de Montcalm found it necessary to leave his impregnable position at Montmorency, and to cross, by a bridge secured by double piers, over the river St. Charles. He now, with Quebec in his rear, drew up his army upon the heights in good order and gave battle, the result of which was unfortunate to him and his government.
The English engineers make use of bricks which are burned in England, for building the casemates of the fortification. A thousand of these bricks cost the government, including transportation, two pounds ten shillings! The reason they give is, that the bricks burned here, crack in the winter. I rather believe that the preference of these foreign bricks has some other reason.