| Title: | [Lord Alexander?], Quebec, to Countess of Caledon, Lyttenhangor. |
|---|---|
| ID | 3613 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | lord caledon/95 |
| Year | 1838 |
| Sender | Lord Caledon (James Du Pre Alexander) |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | army officer |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Quebec, Canada |
| Destination | Ireland? |
| Recipient | Countess of Caledon |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | son-mother |
| Source | Deposited by the Trustees of the Caledon Estates. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9511117 |
| Date | 28/07/1838 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 29:11:95. |
| Word Count | 2237 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Cape Barracks Quebec 28 July 1838 My Dear Brother I shall expect a scolding from you for not having written lately but it is not my fault as I wrote to you from Quebec some time ago and sent the letter on board the Inconstant as she was then to sail to England with dispatches immediatley; I then went on leave, and as the country I went to at first, did not admit my sending a letter and on my return to Quebec, my time was so short, I did not write as I took for granted that the Inconstant had sailed; I now find that she has not sailed; and is not likely to do so yet, as I have recalled my letter and written you another, with the account of my adventures. On the 30th of June having got in the necessary provisions, four of us took a small cutter, and with a man for pilot sailed for the river Saguiney [Saguenay?] of which very little is known on the 3rd of July we reached Tadousac [Tadoussec?], the Hudson Bay station, at the mouth of the river Saguiney [Saguenay?] the river St. Lawrence is here about 20 miles broad and salt, here we gave a letter of introduction to Mr. Conolly the Hudsons Bay agent, but as he had no Indians there at the time, we gave up the idea of going far up the river, however we set out again and a fine breaze [breeze?] continuing up the river; we went on and toward evening came to a noble bay called the bay of Eternity seeing a light there we anchored and after some difficulty found a fire [and?] a log [screen?] with two voyageurs [voyagers?], we got them to come with us on board and brought our boat close to their fire and cooked a salmon which had been given us at Tadousac [Tadoussec?] we passed the night close to the fire as one must sleep in the smoke or the sandflies, [bruleans?] [mustique?] and muskitoes [mosquitoes?] will not attack you then, otherwise one could not exist, these men have to work the blood from their eyes frequently or they would not be able to see when they are at work in the woods, their occupation was curing salmon. In the morning having finished the salmon, we made our friends a present of some tobacco and coffee and departed finding the wind favorable to our going up the river we went on and the same evening arrived at Chicoutami; [Chicoutimi?] here we found the Hudsons Bay schooner with presents and provisions for the Indians who were coming in for the summer These were Canadian voyageurs and about 10 families, their little birch black wigwams, and black canoes, made them seem appear very strange to us; about 8 o clock they all came in and although they were all a little under the influence of wine they were excessively civil to us, they got two drums and a fiddle and began dancing; as the night advanced they danced their war dances and told long stories all shouting and screaming at once, they pride themselves upon their being able to kill beaver and the old chief was pointed out to [me?] who had brought in the year previous 220 beaver skins a good beaver skin is worth 50 [?] of our money, the next day we were shown the stores bear skins, deer, lynx, beaver and toward evening we departed and they all assembled on the beach and fired volleys in honor of us, this was the only place that money was of no use to us, as they do not make use of it, we gave them some flies and hooks and they gave us some birch bark basins I wanted much to get one of their beautiful canoes but they would not part with them and we had nothing to give them in return as money is prohibited by the Company and they are all well clothed and fed and have as much [rum?] and powder as they please, only one of them could speak English at all; and none of them knew French, we were nearly three days and nights getting out of the river as the wind was against us, I regretted that I could not fish there but the flies prevent one from having any comfort on those. Captain Bayfield of the surveying schooner [----rindham?] that the mountains are 3000 feet high in many places and the river he has tried for soundings and could not get them at 350 for 2 or 3 miles from the mouth although close to these gigantic rocks. Nothing in the world can equal the scenery of this; and no description can give any idea of it the manitou mountain is magnificent. No one can account for this immense body of water which is said to be greater than the Ottawa river the entrance being only about 1 mile and a half broad the bed is 600 feet below the St Lawrence higher up it raises from 1« miles to 3m after much delay from being becalmed and contrary winds we were 6 days going to Quebec. I do not think you would have known me when I returned; we had none of us shaved, and I had a very respectable beard, a blanket coat and red sash with cooked beads and a red night cap, with a rifle and gun on my shoulder, we came in about 5 in the morning, I had been so many nights without going to bed that it felt quite strange to me undressing and getting to bed; and I did not sleep near so sound as when on the ground or on the deck of the boat. After having washed, and cleaned; shaved and put on decent things, we packed up our truss again and made the best of our time and went off for another fortnights leave to Niagara First we went to Montreal which is a finer looking town than Quebec with regard to houses the Cathedral there is very handsome built in 1819 and begun in 1814. Its length is upwards of 200ft we remained here one day (Windham and I) on the next we went by steamer and coaches to Prescott then Toronto, where I saw Mr. Baldwin ( Mrs. B. was in New York ) and Compton [Donville?] from Toronto we went on to Niagara river and landed at Queenstown 7 miles below the falls and arrived at night at the Clifton hotel close to the falls which it was too dark to see in the morning we went and saw as much of them as we could, I passed under the great sheet of water but when there could see nothing owing to the spray. We hung over the Sable rock and looked down on the fall and admired the beautiful rainbows then we went over to the American falls, which was against orders so that is a secret we then went on to Buffalo a Mr. Daly of the Cornwallis was with us it is about 20 miles off and which contains no matter of interest except that it will be one of the largest towns in America from its situation, it now contains 20,000 inhabitants, the Yankees looked very sulky at us but were not the least uncivil; at 6 o clock a black man rung a bell with amazing violence in the passages of the inn, and at this signal about 100 people took their places at a long table; the capacity with which they eat was wonderful, ham, eggs, beefsteaks [----?] were soon demolished and they rushed out in as great a hurry as they came in; when it was dusk we went into the town and looked about us and when we seen all we could see we returned to our inn the landlord gave us a key for our room, and seemed surprised when he found we wanted three, but he guessed it would do very well for us, and we submitted; we slept very well till about 7 and then had to get up as we knew we should have a bad chance of breakfast if we did not obey the black gentlemans summons. Having despatched breakfast as quick as we did the tea before; we went on board a steamer for Chippewa [Chippowa?], we passed Grand Island and navy Island, and the place where the Caroline was cut out, the Americans ridiculed and abused the Britishers very much and calculated they could whip them pretty handy. Having landed and been examined by the officers there; we proceeded again to the falls, paying a visit to a burning [---ing?]. The second sight of the falls struck me far more than the first, in short the longer one stays the finer it appeals; as the fall is too grand to take in the whole view at first. The next thing of importance was our dinner, and on arriving at the hotel we found we were too late for the English steamer, as having dined we went off to Lewis town to catch the Americans one we had no time to see the whirlpool and just arrived in time to get on board in the morning we got to Carthage on the [------?] river and then to Oswego here Davy left us as he had leave and a pass to go to New York from the [terminal?] we soon made aquintances with part of a company of actors who were going to Montreal and very pleasant people we found them. From Oswego we went to Kingston and then to French Creek amongst the thousand islands which are in Bill Johnstons possession. We have a [man of war?] schooner and several boats stationed here. The islands are very beautiful and said to be upwards of 2000 in number from thence we went as far as the Long Fault and Lachine Rapids and then back to Quebec through Montreal we arrived here on Friday and I found the letters by which I was much concerned to find that my father had another attack at same time I was glad to hear that he had rallied so well I hope it was only occasioned by the heat of the house which I know by experience to be as trying as any [that?] can be. Should you wish me to come over at any time I could obtain leave from Sir Jas [Jason?] Macdonaill [McDonell?] or should my father wish me to do so, but if there is no immediate want for me I should be anxious to see a little more of the country and some thing of the States I do not think the regiment will remain after the Winter if all is quiet, since I began this letter we have had news of the battle but have been disappointed as it was such a small one and gave us no promotion. I have missed all the fine goings on in London but do not much regret them, I am going almost directly to a solitary detachment at the Quarantine called Grosse Isle or Goose Island and it is translated I hope after that to be able to get a little for leave to go to New York and to see the States, any letter that is to be sent to me will be forwarded should I not be in the way. The weather here is delightful and we are all in good health. I have made a friend who dived with me the other day a General Huston of the Texas [Rangers?] Regular Yankee from Kentucky, he had been 'whipping the Mexicans' but some of the Indians the other day whipped 260 of his friends which means that they cut their throats and burnt them every one of them. He pulled out a long Bowie knife from under his waistcoat to show us, he was a very odd character before leaving Quebec he went to one of our officers and said I do not know what I can do for you or repay you for your attention except I give you my knife and out came the old Bowie knife which he gave him it was a very handsome one he then said well I calculate when ever we go to war that I shall have the pleasure of meeting the Coldstream; which he meant as a compliment he is gone back. The Americans who are removed from the borders do not seem to dislike us but the hatred of those on the borders to the Britishers is extraordinary, and it is most fully repaid. I should think you most be getting rather tired of reading my letter I will come to a conclusion and I also understand that there is a [bag?] going out for England directly. We have another regiment just arrived by the [Malabar?] but I believe it will go to the upper country. I dined with Lord Durham yesterday 1st August being on guard at the gate where the House of [Assembly?] was where he now [lives?]. I was glad to hear another good account of my father today from Nicholson which is later than any I have received. Best love to my father, Both my grandmothers &c. I Remain your Affect [Affectionate?] [Son?] Alexander [----?] 2nd 1838. |
