of his nation, by _Generals Brock and Carpenter_; the chief bears in his hand the wampum or collar, on which is marked the tomahawk given by his late Majesty George III. The gold medal on his neck was the gift of his Majesty on this presentation.
“They were accompanied and introduced into England on the _14th December_, 1824, by Mr. W. Cooper, who though an Englishman, they state to be a chief of their nation, and better known to them as chief _Tourhaunchi_.”
N.B.–It may be well to say that from the earliest times the Lorette Indians have been in the habit of electing as “Honorary Chiefs” Quebecers of note, who may have rendered service to the tribe. A large oil painting is now in the possession of William D. Campbell, Esq., of Quebec, exhibiting the installation as a Chief, in 1837, of the late Robert Symes, J.P., of Quebec.
[319] _Ononthio_ means the _Great Mountain_, the name the Indians gave Governor de Montmagny and his successors.
[320] The 8 is pronounced _oui_.
[321] May, 1675, Louis XIV and Colbert granted Monsieur le Comte Talon, Intendant, the Seigniory des Islets, “together with those three neighboring villages to us belonging the first called Bourg Royal, the second Bourg La Reine, the third, Bourg Talon, subsequently changed into the Barony of Orsainville.”–(_Ferland_, Vol. II p 59.)
[322] I am happy to be able to throw some additional light on the early times of this mysterious ruin, which has much perplexed Quebec antiquaries. ‘Tis probable this stately mansion was built by the great Intendant Talon as the baronial _château_, permitted by his grant, (see _Seignorial Documents_, 1852,–page 444 and 488) according to which he was empowered to establish gaols, “a four-post gibbet, a post with an iron collar on which his arms should be engraved.” Of all this redoubtable feudal pomp there are no vestiges now extant. How the _château_ fared from Talon’s time to Bigot’s, remains a mystery.
After the conquest, the land came by purchase into the possession of the Stewart family, lately represented by Charles Grey Stewart–a most interesting and lengthy letter from Charles Stewart, describing the winter months spent in the Hermitage in 1775-6, whilst Arnold held for Congress the environs of Quebec, will be given hereafter, Mr. Wm. Crawford the late owner of the land and ruins, having kindly allowed me the use of his title deeds. I find therein stated “Charles Stewart, avocat et notaire demeurant à Québec, propriétaire du fief de Grand Pré, autrefois dit De la Mistanguenne ou Mont Plaisir, à la Canardière par acte de vente du 26 Juin 1780, devant Jean Antoine Panet, N.P., concède a titre de cens et rentes seigneuriales … à Monsieur Jean Lees, le Jeune, Simon Fraser, le Jeune, et William Wilson, négotiant en cette ville, 10 arpents de front situés dans le fief Grand Pré ou Mont Plaisir à la Canardière an lieu nommé la Montagne on l’Hermitage, prenant d’un bout, vers le sud aux terres de Joseph Bédard, et Jean Baptiste Le Roux dit Cardinal, et allant en profondeur vers le nord quatorze arpents ou environ, jusqu’à la vieille clôture du verger, icelui verger compris en la présente concession et vente, les dix arpents de front joignant du côté du sud-ouest ou fief de la Trinité, appartenant au Séminaire, et du côté du nord-ouest à la terre de Jean Chattereau, ensemble la maison à deux étages, une grange et un étable en bois, construits sur les dits dix arpents.”
[_Translation_.]
“Charles Stewart, advocate and notary, residing at Quebec, proprietor of the _Fief_ Grand Pré, formerly styled De la Mistanguenne or Mont Plaisir, at the Canardière, by deed of sale, bearing date the 26th June, 1780, before Jean Ant. Panet, N.P., conceded _à titre de cens et rentes Seigneuriales_ … to Mr. Jean Lees, junior, Simon Fraser, junior, and William Wilson, merchants of this city, ten arpents, in front, situated in the _Fief_ Grand Pré, or Montplaisir, at the Canardière, at the place named The Mountain or the Hermitage, beginning on one side, towards the south, at the lands of Joseph Bédard and Jean Baptiste LeRoux dit Cardinal, and running in the depth towards the north, fourteen arpents or thereabouts, to the old orchard fence–said orchard included in this concession and deed of sale, the ten arpents in part joining towards the north-west, to the _Fief de la Trinité_ belonging to the (Quebec) Seminary, and on the north-east side joining the land of Jean Chattereau, together with the two-story house, barn, wooden stable, built on the said ten arpents.”
The property was resold the 12th August, 1805, by John Lees, _et al._, to Charles Stewart, Esq., Comptroller of Customs, Quebec. It is now owned by Léger Brousseau, Esq.
[323] The fascinating daughter of Lord Clifford, famous in the legendary history of England, as the mistress of Henry II. shortly before his accession to the throne, and the subject of an old ballad. She is said to have been kept by her royal lover in a secret bower at Woodstock, the approaches to which formed a labyrinth so intricate that it could only be discovered by the clew of a silken thread, which the king used for that purpose. Here Queen Eleanor discovered and poisoned her, about 1173.– (_Noted names of Fiction_, 1175. See also Woodstock–_Waverley Novels_.)
[324] I am indebted to my late old friend the Abbé Ferland for the following remark: “I visited Château Bigot during the summer of 1834. It was in the state described by Mr. Papineau in the interior, the walls were still partly papered. It must not be forgotten that about the beginning of this century a club of _Bons-vivant_ used to meet frequently in the Château.”
Three celebrated clubs nourished here long before the Stadacona and St. James’ Club were thought of. The first was formed in Quebec, about the beginning of this century. It was originally called (after its London prototype) says Lambert, the Beef Steak Club, which name it soon changed for that of the Barons Club. It consisted of twenty-one members, “who are chiefly the principal merchants in the colony, and are styled barons. As the members drop off, their places are filled by knights elect, who are not installed as barons until there is a sufficient number to pay for the entertainment which is given on that occasion.” John Lambert, during the winter of 1807, attended one of the banquets of installation, which was given in the Union Hotel (now the _Journal de Quebec_ office, facing the Place d’Armes.) The Hon. Mr. Dunn, the President of the Province, and Administrator, during the absence of Sir Robert S. Milnes, attended as the oldest baron. The Chief Justice and all the principal officers of the government, civil and military, were present. This entertainment cost 250 guineas. “The Barons Club,” says W. Henderson, “was a sort of _Pitt Club_,–all Tories to the back-bone. It was a very select affair–and of no long duration. Among the members, if my memory serves me right, were John Coltman, George Hamilton, Sir John Caldwell, Sir George Pownall, Herman Wistius Byland, George Heriott, (Postmaster and author) Hon. Matthew Bell, Gilbert Ainslie, Angus Shaw.” (Notes of W. Henderson.)
The other club went under the appropriate name of “Sober Club,”–_lucus a non lucendo_ perhaps: it flourished about 1811; we believe one of the By-laws enacted that the members were expected to get _elevated_ at least once a year. It seems to be more than likely that it was the Club of Barons, and not the Sober Club, who caroused under the romantic walls of the Hermitage. The third Club flourished at Montreal in 1785 and later, it took the name of the Beaver Club) and was, I believe, composed of old _Northwesters_.
[325] It is painful to watch the successive inroads perpetrated by sportsmen and idlers on the old Château. In 1819, an old Quebecer, Mr. Frederick Wyse, visited it; doors, verandah, windows and everything else was complete. He, too, lost his way in the woods, but found it again without the help of an Indian beauty. It was then known as the haunted house, supposed to contain a deal of French treasure, and called _La Maison du Bourg Royal_.
[326] Error–he was a bachelor. These unions were not uncommon. We find the Baron de St. Castin marrying Matilda, the daughter of Madocawando–an Indian beauty; he became a famous Indian Chief, helping D’Iberville, in Acadia, and left a numerous progeny of olive colored princesses with eyes like a gazelle’s.
[327] Melospiza melodia.
[328] Zonotrichia leuchophry.
[329] The Hon. Mr. Dunn, Administrator of the Province in 1807, was the senior baron; Hons. Matthew Bell, John Stewart, Messrs. Muir, Irvine, Lester, McNaught, Grey Stewart, Munro, Finlay, Lymburner, Paynter; these names were doubtless also to be found amongst the Canadian barons; the Hon. Chas. de Lanaudière, once a general in the Hungarian service, was the only French Canadian member.
[330] Book of Carthon.
[331] From Travellers’ Guide Book, 1829.
APPENDIX
[332] See _Quebec Past and Present_, page 34.
[333] Relation de 1665, p. 25, Journal des Jésuites, 10 juillet 1665.
[334] Lettres de Marie de l’Incarnation, lettre 76e, p. 621.
[335] Archives de la Marine, vol. Canada, T. II, de 1670 à 1676, 20 août 1670.
[336] _Ibid._, lettres de Colbert à M. Talon, 11 février 1671.
[337] Relation de 1668, p. 3.
[338] Relation de 1667, p. 3.
[339] Archives de la Marine. Registre des dépêches de Colbert pour les Indes, 1671, fol. 18.
[340] Relation de 1672, p. 2.
[341] Archives de la Marine. Registre des dépêches, ann. 1674 et 1675. Lettre du 16 mai 1674 à M. de Frontenac.
[342] _Mémoire pour servir d’Intruction à Monsieur le Comte de Frontenac sur l’Entreprise de la Nouvelle-York_, 7 _juin_ 1689.
[343] The names of the Huguenot families who settled New Oxford, as far as ascertained, are as follows–
1 Montee, 1 Bureau l’aîné, 1 Jermon, 1 Peter Cante, 1 Jean Maillet, 1 Elle Dupeu, 2 Ober Germon, 2 Jean Martin, 1 Andre Segourne, 1 Jean Milleton, 4 Bertrand De Tuffeau, 3 M. Baurdille, 6 Rene Grignon, M. Germaine, 5 M. Alard, M. Boudinot, Benj. Faneuil, Jean Beaudoin. 1 J. Dupeu,
[344] In 1870, when these lines were penned, the massive gates, hoary with age, were already doomed–a portion of the materials like the stones of Nelson’s Abbey were robbed to build up houses near by.
[345] Memoirs de P.A. DeGaspé.
[346] The quips, pranks and _bon mots_ of this jolly corps would fill a small volume. The bar was represented by the witty Chief Justice Vallière, the fun loving Charles Richard Ogden, afterwards Attorney- General, and recently Judge of the Isle of Wight; and the army by a choice spirit of the 71st, Col. Denny.
[347] Market and cemetery have since disappeared.
[348] In this niche, at the time of the conquest, could be seen, just over the door of the house, a statue of St John the Baptist. The inhabitants, fearing that the introduction of so many heretics in Sept., 1769, might subject the saint’s statue to slight, had conveyed it to the General Hospital nunnery, where Mr. D. De Gaspé asserts, it is to this day. To fill its place, nothing occurred to the minds of the English, as more suitable, than the wooden image of their young hero, Wolfe. As there is a clause in the title deeds of this property making it incumbent on the owners to maintain constantly in repair “General Wolfe,” the “General” it is to be hoped, will continue to flourish for many years yet–the only notable difference being that, by his elevation of late years, he appears closer to heaven than in the days of the Cholette Brothers, and therefore safer from the attacks of practical jokers, middies, &c.
[349] Where the Music Hall, Louis street, has since been erected. The first meeting of the Quebec City Corporation took place about 1834 in the same house which Miss Napier had rented.
[350] Wolfe and Montcalm’s monument in process of erection in 1827, was recently restored, thanks to the efforts of Hy. Fry, Esq., and of a few other public-spirited citizens.