[212] Denis de Vitré, then a prisoner of war in England, had been induced to come to Canada, partly by threats, partly by promises, to pilot the English fleet. According to the Diary of old James Thompson, both Cugnet and Davis had indicated the spot when Wolfe landed at Sillery. Stobo claimed the credit of it, and according to Panet's Diary, it was on his advice, that on the 21st July, 1759, was undertaken the expedition to Deschambeault and neighboring parishes, where 100 Quebec ladies of respectability secreted there—had been captured and brought back.
[213] "For sale, the elegant villa of the late Sir Frederic Haldimand, K.B., delightfully situated near the Falls of Montmorency, with the farm- house.—Quebec, 1st December, 1791."—Supplement to the Quebec Gazette, 22nd Dec., 1792.
[214] Our port must have presented quite a warlike aspect—over and above the Ulysses and Resistance frigates there had preceded the Prince's arrival, the following ships of war, forming part of Commodore Sawyer's squadron: The flag ship Leander, 50 guns, Capt. J. Bevelay; the Resource, Commander Paul Minihin; the Ariadne, Commander Osburn; the Thisbe, Capt. Coffin, was also arrived from a cruise, and four transports, one named the Lord Mulgrave, with detachments of the 5th, 25th and 54th regiments, were anchored before the city.
[215] The list of the partners of Prince Edward's grandson H. R. H. the Prince of Wales, at the ball, etc., given in his honour in Quebec, by the Mayor and citizens, at the Music Hall, on the 21st August, 1860, comprises: 1. Mrs. Langevin (wife of Sir H. L. Langevin, M.P.P., and Mayor of Quebec); 2. Mrs. Cartier (wife of Sir George Etienne Cartier, Attorney General); 3. Miss Irvine (daughter of Colonel Irvine, then Provincial Aide-de-Camp); 4. Miss Price; 5. Miss LeMesurier (since married to Capt. Carter); 6. Miss Derbyshire (Mrs. J. Adamson); 7. Miss Clementina Sewell; 8. Miss Caron (daughter of Hon. Justice Caron, and now wife of Mr. Justice Taschereau); 9. Lady Milne; 10. Miss Napier, of Montreal (since married to Capt. Bell); 11. Mrs. Serocold (wife of Captain Serocold and daughter of the Hon. Chief Justice Duval); 12. Miss Dunscomb (daughter of the Collector of Customs at Quebec); 13. Miss Fischer (daughter of the Attorney General of New Brunswick); 14. Miss Mountain (daughter of the late Bishop of Quebec); 15. Miss Agnes Anderson; 16. Mrs. Ross; 17. Mrs. Alex. Bell; 18. Miss Tilley (daughter of Sir Leonard Tilley); 19. Mrs. R. H. Smith.
[216] He was created Field Marshal in 1827.
[217] Monsieur Jean Laforme was, indeed, a high authority on hair dressing. Our youthful grandmothers of 1791 would have no other than Monsieur Laforme to dress their hair for the Château balls. A memorable instance has been handed down to posterity of the awful dilemma in which, either a press of engagements or an oversight, placed the Court peruquier, from which his genius alone extricated him. The beautiful Mrs. P——t, the consort of the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly in 179-, had to attend at a ball at the Castle St. Louis. Unfortunately she had omitted engaging in time Laforme to arrange her hair for the evening in question; and every hour of the day on which the ball was to take place, being bespoken, the hair-dresser at his wit's ends said that he would guarantee that she would yet go to the ball, but she must place herself entirely in his hands. "Well," said the Grande Dame, "what, then, am I to do?" "Bah!" said the peruquier, "'tis easily settled; I shall do your hair the day previous."—"But then how am I to sleep with my hair done up?" "Oh! that is again easily arranged—you will sleep in fauteuil. I will have your hair and head padded and strapped down." And thus was it done and she went to the ball.
[218] The Hon. Hugh Finlay was Deputy Postmaster General for Canada from 1774 to 1800, when he was succeeded by George Heriot, who wrote a folio of travels on Canada. Hugh Finlay had served under Benjamin Franklin, the first English Deputy Postmaster General for the then British American Provinces, from 1750 to 1774, when he resigned. When he took the appointment the postage on letters was insufficient to cover his salary, £300 per annum.
[219] "Away," exclaimed the Prince to the excited voters, "with those hated distinctions of English and Canadians; you are all my august father's beloved subjects."
[220] The anecdote of the officer, who, on being ordered on foreign service, cut off his queue and buried it with military honors, is humorously related by Erskine Neale, in the Duke's biography, p. 325.
[221] Christie's History of Canada.