I could not hear of any more vestiges of antiquity in Canada, notwithstanding my careful enquiries after them. In the [[129]]continuation of my journey, for the year 1750[41], I shall find an opportunity of speaking of two other remarkable curiosities. Our Swedish Mr. George Westmann, A. M. has clearly, and circumstantially shewn, that our Scandinavians, chiefly the northern ones, long before Columbus’s time, have undertaken voyages to North-America; see his dissertation on that subject, which he read at Abo in 1747, for obtaining his degree.
August the 8th. This morning I visited the largest nunnery in Quebec. Men are prohibited from visiting under very heavy punishments; except in some rooms, divided by iron rails, where the men and women, that do not belong to the convent, stand without, and the nuns within the rails, and converse with each other. But to encrease the many favours which the French nation heaped upon me, as a Swede, the governor-general got the bishop’s leave for me to enter the convent, and see its construction. The bishop alone has the power of granting this favour, but he does it very sparingly. The royal physician, and a surgeon, are however at liberty to go in as often as they think proper. Mr. [[130]]Gaulthier, a man of great knowledge in physic and botany, was at present the royal physician here, and accompanied me to the convent. We first saw the hospital, which I shall presently describe, and then entered the convent, which forms a part of the hospital. It is a great building of stone, three stories high, divided in the inside into long galleries, on both sides of which are cells, halls, and rooms. The cells of the nuns are in the highest story, on both sides of the gallery; they are but small; not painted in the inside, but hung with paper pictures of saints, and of our Saviour on the cross. A bed with curtains, and good bed-clothes, a little narrow desk, and a chair or two, is the whole furniture of a cell. They have no fires in winter, and the nuns are forced to ly in the cold cells. On the gallery is a stove, which is heated in winter, and as all the rooms are left open, some warmth can by this means come into them. In the middle story are the rooms where they pass the day together. One of these is the room, where they are at work; this is large, finely painted and adorned, and has an iron stove. Here they were at their needle-work, embroidering, gilding, and making flowers of silk, which bear a great [[131]]similarity to the natural ones. In a word, they were all employed in such nice works, as were suitable to ladies of their rank in life. In another hall they assemble to hold their juntos. Another apartment contains those who are indisposed; but such as are more dangerously ill, have rooms to themselves. The novices, and new comers, are taught and instructed in another hall. Another is destined for their refectory, or dining-room, in which are tables on all sides; on one side of it is a small desk, on which is laid a French book, concerning the life of those saints who are mentioned in the New Testament. When they dine, all are silent; one of the eldest gets into the desk, and reads a part of the book before mentioned; and when they are gone through it, they read some other religious book. During the meal, they sit on that side of the table, which is turned towards the wall. Almost in every room is a gilt table, on which are placed candles, together with the picture of our Saviour on the cross, and of some saints: before these tables they say their prayers. On one side is the church, and near it a large gallery, divided from the church by rails, so that the nuns could only look into it. In this gallery they remain [[132]]during divine service, and the clergyman is in the church, where the nuns reach him his sacerdotal clothes through a hole, for they are not allowed to go into the vestry, and to be in the same room with the priest. There are still several other rooms and halls here, the use of which I do not remember. The lowest story contains a kitchen, bake-house, several butteries, &c. In the garrets they keep their corn, and dry their linen. In the middle story is a balcony on the outside, almost round the whole building, where the nuns are allowed to take air. The prospect from the convent is very fine on every side; the river, the fields, and the meadows out of town, appear there to great advantage. On one side of the convent is a large garden, in which the nuns are at liberty to walk about; it belongs to the convent, and is surrounded with a high wall. There is a quantity of all sorts of fruits in it. This convent, they say, contains about fifty nuns, most of them advanced in years, scarce any being under forty years of age. At this time there were two young ladies among them, who were instructed in those things, which belong to the knowledge of nuns. They are not allowed to become nuns immediately [[133]]after their entrance, but must pass through a noviciate of two or three years, in order to try, whether they will be constant. For during that time it is in their power to leave the convent, if a monastic life does not suit their inclinations. But as soon as they are received among the nuns, and have made their vows, they are obliged to continue their whole life in it: if they appear willing to change their mode of life, they are locked up in a room, from whence they can never get out. The nuns of this convent never go further from it, than to the hospital, which lies near it, and even makes a part of it. They go there to attend the sick, and to take care of them. I was told by several people here, some of which were ladies, that none of the nuns went into a convent, till she had attained to an age in which she had small hopes of ever getting a husband. The nuns of all the three convents in Quebec looked very old, by which it seems, that there is some foundation for this account. All agree here, that the men are much less numerous in Canada, than the women; for the men die on their voyages; many go to the West-Indies, and either settle, or die, there; many are killed in battles, &c. Hence [[134]]there seems to be a necessity of some women going into convents.
The hospital, as I have before mentioned, makes a part of the convent. It consists of two large halls, and some rooms near the apothecary’s shop. In the halls are two rows of beds on each side, within each other. The beds next to the wall are furnished with curtains, the outward ones are without them. In each bed are fine bed-clothes, with clean double sheets. As soon as a sick person has left his bed, it is made again, in order to keep the hospital in cleanliness, and order. The beds are two or three yards distant, and near each is a small table. There are good iron stoves, and fine windows in this hall. The nuns attend the sick people, and bring them meat, and other necessaries. Besides them there are some men who attend, and a surgeon. The royal physician is likewise obliged to come hither, once or twice every day, look after every thing, and give prescriptions. They commonly receive sick soldiers into this hospital, who are very numerous in July and August, when the king’s ships arrive, and in time of war. But at other times, when no great number of soldiers are sick, other poor people can [[135]]take their places, as far as the number of empty beds will reach. The king finds every thing here that is requisite for the sick persons, viz. provisions, medicines, fewel, &c. Those who are very ill, are put into separate rooms, in order that the noise in the great hall may not be troublesome to them.
The civility of the inhabitants here is more refined than that of the Dutch and English, in the settlements belonging to Great Britain; but the latter, on the other hand, do not idle their time away in dressing, as the French do here. The ladies, especially, dress and powder their hair every day, and put their locks in papers every night; which idle custom was not introduced in the English settlements. The gentlemen wear generally their own hair; but some have wigs. People of rank are used to wear laced cloaths, and all the crown-officers wear swords. All the gentlemen, even those of rank, the governor-general excepted, when they go into town on a day that looks likely for rain, carry their cloaks on their left arm. Acquaintances of either sex, who have not seen each other for some time, on meeting again salute with mutual kisses.
The plants which I have collected in [[136]]Canada, and which I have partly described, I pass over as I have done before, that I may not tire the patience of my readers by a tedious enumeration. If I should crowd my journal with my daily botanical observations, and descriptions of animals, birds, insects, ores, and the like curiosities, it would be swelled to six or ten times its present size[42]. I therefore spare all these things, consisting chiefly of dry descriptions of natural curiosities, for a Flora Canadensis, and other such like things. The same I must say in regard to the observations I have made in physic. I have carefully collected all I could on this journey, concerning the medicinal use of the American plants, and the simples, some of which they reckon infallible[43], in more than one place. But physic not being my principal study (though from my youth I always was fond of it) I may probably have omitted remarkable circumstances in my accounts of medicines and simples, though one cannot be too accurate in such cases. The physicians would therefore reap little or no benefit from such remarks, or [[137]]at least they would not find them as they ought to be. This will excuse me for avoiding, as much as possible, to mention such things as belong to physic, and are above my knowledge. Concerning the Canada plants, I can here add, that the further you go northward, the more you find the plants are the same with the Swedish ones: thus, on the north side of Quebec, a fourth part of the plants, if not more, are the same with the spontaneous plants in Sweden. A few plants and trees, which have a particular quality, or are applied to some particular use, shall, however, be mentioned in a few words, in the sequel.
The Rein-deer Moss (Lichen rangiferinus) grows plentiful in the woods round Quebec. M. Gaulthier, and several other gentlemen, told me, that the French, on their long journies through the woods, on account of their fur trade with the Indians, sometimes boil this moss, and drink the decoction, for want of better food, when their provisions are at an end; and they say it is very nutritive. Several Frenchmen, who have been in the Terra Labrador, where there are many rein-deer (which the French and Indians here call Cariboux) related, that all the land there is in most [[138]]places covered with this rein-deer moss, so that the ground looks as white as snow.
August the 10th. This day I dined with the Jesuits. A few days before, I paid my visit to them; and the next day their president, and another father Jesuit, called on me, to invite me to dine with them to-day. I attended divine service in their church, which is a part of their house. It is very fine within, though it has no seats; for every one is obliged to kneel down during the service. Above the church is a small steeple, with a clock. The building the Jesuits live in is magnificently built, and looks exceeding fine, both without and within; which gives it a similarity to a fine palace. It consists of stone, is three stories high, exclusive of the garret, covered with slates, and built in a square form, like the new palace at Stockholm, including a large court. Its size is such, that three hundred families would find room enough in it; though at present there were not above twenty Jesuits in it. Sometimes there is a much greater number of them, especially when those return, who have been sent as missionaries into the country. There is a long walk along all the sides of the square, in every story, on both sides of which are either cells, halls, [[139]]or other apartments for the friars; and likewise their library, apothecary-shop, &c. Every thing is very well regulated, and the Jesuits are very well accommodated here. On the outside is their college, which is on two sides surrounded with great orchards and kitchen-gardens, in which they have fine walks. A part of the trees here, are the remains of the forest which stood here when the French began to build this town. They have besides planted a number of fruit-trees; and the garden is stocked with all sorts of plants for the use of the kitchen. The Jesuits dine together in a great hall. There are tables placed all round it along the walls, and seats between the tables and the walls, but not on the other side. Near one wall is a pulpit, upon which one of the fathers gets during the meal, in order to read some religious book; but this day it was omitted, all the time being employed in conversation. They dine very well, and their dishes are as numerous as at the greatest feasts. In this spacious building you do not see a single woman; all are fathers, or brothers; the latter of which are young men, brought up to be Jesuits. They prepare the meal, and bring it upon table; for the common servants are not admitted. [[140]]
Besides the bishop, there are three kinds of clergymen in Canada; viz. Jesuits, priests, and recollets. The Jesuits are, without doubt, the most considerable; therefore they commonly say here, by way of proverb, that a hatchet is sufficient to sketch out a recollet; a priest cannot be made without a chissel; but a Jesuit absolutely requires the pencil[44]; to shew how much one surpasses the others. The Jesuits are commonly very learned, studious, and are very civil and agreeable in company. In their whole deportment there is something pleasing; it is no wonder therefore that they captivate the minds of people. They seldom speak of religious matters; and if it happens, they generally avoid disputes. They are very ready to do any one a service; and when they see that their assistance is wanted, they hardly give one time to speak of it, falling to work immediately, to bring about what is required of them. Their conversation is very entertaining and learned, so that one cannot be tired of their company. Among all the Jesuits I have conversed with in Canada, I have not found one who was not possessed of these qualities in a very eminent [[141]]degree. They have large possessions in this country, which the French king gave them. At Montreal they have likewise a fine church, and a little neat house, with a small but pretty garden within. They do not care to become preachers to a congregation in the town and country; but leave these places, together with the emoluments arising from them, to the priests. All their business here is to convert the heathens; and with that view their missionaries are scattered over every part of this country. Near every town and village, peopled by converted Indians, are one or two Jesuits, who take great care that they may not return to paganism, but live as Christians ought to do. Thus there are Jesuits with the converted Indians in Tadoussac, Lorette, Becancourt, St. François, Sault St. Louis, and all over Canada. There are likewise Jesuit missionaries with those who are not converted; so that there is commonly a Jesuit in every village belonging to the Indians, whom he endeavours on all occasions to convert. In winter he goes on their great hunts, where he is frequently obliged to suffer all imaginable inconveniencies; such as walking in the snow all day; lying in the open air all winter; being out both in good and bad weather, [[142]]the Indians not regarding any kind of weather; lying in the Indian huts, which often swarm with fleas and other vermin, &c. The Jesuits undergo all these hardships for the sake of converting the Indians, and likewise for political reasons. The Jesuits are of great use to their king; for they are frequently able to persuade the Indians to break their treaty with the English, to make war upon them, to bring their furs to the French, and not to permit the English to come amongst them. But there is some danger attending these attempts; for when the Indians are in liquor, they sometimes kill the missionaries who live with them; calling them spies, or excusing themselves by saying that the brandy had killed them. These are accordingly the chief occupations of the Jesuits here. They do not go to visit the sick in the town, they do not hear the confessions, and attend at no funerals. I have never seen them go in processions in remembrance of the Virgin Mary, and other saints. They seldom go into a house in order to get meat; and though they be invited, they do not like to stay, except they be on a journey. Every body sees, that they are, as it were, selected from the other people, on account of their superior [[143]]genius and qualities. They are here reckoned a most cunning set of people, who generally succeed in their undertakings, and surpass all others in acuteness of understanding. I have therefore several times observed that they have enemies in Canada. They never receive any others into their society, but persons of very promising parts; so that there are no blockheads among them. On the other hand, the priests receive the best kind of people among their order they can meet with; and in the choice of monks, they are yet less careful. The Jesuits who live here, are all come from France; and many of them return thither again, after a stay of a few years here. Some (five or six of which are yet alive) who were born in Canada, went over to France, and were received among the Jesuits there; but none of them ever came back to Canada. I know not what political reason hindered them. During my stay in Quebec, one of the priests, with the bishop’s leave, gave up his priesthood, and became a Jesuit. The other priests were very ill pleased with this, because it seemed as if he looked upon their condition as too mean for himself. Those congregations in the country that pay rents to the Jesuits, have, however, divine service [[144]]performed by priests, who are appointed by the bishop; and the land-rent only belongs to the Jesuits. Neither the priests nor the Jesuits carry on any trade with furs and skins, leaving that entirely to the merchants.
This afternoon I visited the building called the Seminary, where all the priests live in common. They have a great house, built of stone, with walks in it, and rooms on each side. It is several stories high, and close to it is a fine garden, full of all sorts of fruit-trees and pot-herbs, and divided by walks. The prospect from hence is the finest in Quebec. The priests of the seminary are not much inferior to the Jesuits in civility; and therefore I spent my time very agreeably in their company.
The priests are the second and most numerous class of the clergy in this country; for most of the churches, both in towns and villages (the Indian converts excepted) are served by priests. A few of them are likewise missionaries. In Canada are two seminaries; one in Quebec, the other in Montreal. The priests of the seminary in Montreal are of the order of St. Sulpitius, and supply only the congregation on the isle of Montreal, and the town of the same name. At all the other churches in Canada, [[145]]the priests belonging to the Quebec seminary officiate. The former, or those of the order of St. Sulpitius, all come from France; and I was assured that they never suffer a native of Canada to come among them. In the seminary at Quebec, the natives of Canada make the greater part. In order to fit the children of this country for orders, there are schools at Quebec and St. Joachim; where the youths are taught Latin, and instructed in the knowledge of those things and sciences, which have a more immediate connexion with the business they are intended for. However, they are not very nice in their choice; and people of a middling capacity are often received among them. They do not seem to have made great progress in Latin; for notwithstanding the service is read in that language, and they read their Latin Breviary, and other books, every day, yet most of them found it very difficult to speak it. All the priests in the Quebec seminary are consecrated by the bishop. Both the seminaries have got great revenues from the king; that in Quebec has above thirty thousand livres. All the country on the west side of the river St. Lawrence, from the town of Quebec to bay St. Paul, belongs to this seminary, besides their other [[146]]possessions in the country. They lease the land to the settlers for a certain rent, which, if it be annually paid according to their agreement, the children or heirs of the settlers may remain in an undisturbed possession of the lands. A piece of land, three arpens[45] broad, and thirty, forty, or fifty arpens long, pays annually an ecu[46], and a couple of chickens, or some other additional trifle. In such places as have convenient water-falls, they have built water-mills, or saw-mills, from which they annually get considerable sums. The seminary of Montreal possesses the whole ground on which that town stands, together with the whole isle of Montreal. I have been assured, that the ground-rent of the town and isle is computed at seventy thousand livres; besides what they get for saying masses, baptizing, holding confessions, attending at marriages and funerals, &c. All the revenues of ground-rent belong to the seminaries alone, and the priests in the country have no share in them. But as the seminary in Montreal, consisting only of sixteen priests, has greater revenues than it can expend, a large sum of money is annually sent over to France, to the chief [[147]]seminary there. The land-rents belonging to the Quebec seminary are employed for the use of the priests in it, and for the maintenance of a number of young people, who are brought up to take orders. The priests who live in the country parishes, get the tythe from their congregation, together with the perquisites on visiting the sick, &c. In small congregations, the king gives the priests an additional sum. When a priest in the country grows old, and has done good services, he is sometimes allowed to come into the seminary in town. The seminaries are allowed to place the priests on their own estates; but the other places are in the gift of the bishop.