The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-02-21

terry, ana on an esplanade within IL large maya
zine, with an ample supply of bombsieljs cannon
bas, spare cannon, and iron carriages to meet any
eSigency that might require their use. About mile
Beyond the walls are three round stone towers at ap
narenty equal distances apart, with port holes on
the opposite side but in a direction towards each
other and in the~rear, that cross fire could be
poured upon an enemy while passing them and
afterwards placing him between the Sire OF the for
tress and their guns.
The principal fortifcation and which il well worth
examining, is on Cape Diamond. 1t il thrown open
to the inspection Of visters, to whom every facility
is afforded for obtaining pass, supply of which is
kept at Russell q Hotel, for the greater convenience
OF strangers. 1t contains barracks storehouses and
magazines that bomb proof and is too strong and
inaccessible TO be carried by assault. Some idea may
be formed Of the strength and Importance of Quebec
when the reader is informed that the ortifcations
have cost. from first to last, the enormous sum Of
$75 600 ,O0O-seventyii millions of dollars
The old castle OF st. Louis, very unmposing
building stands within and TO the LETT of the Prescott
gate rs you enter, in front Of which is what is
called the Durham terrace, supported by stone pill
lars, irom which is commanding view of the har
Dor, Point Levi, and the extended villages on the
opposite shore, and whence it almost makes one
giddy to look down upon the chInneys and roofs of
houses Immediately underneath. On looking into
the garden adjoining the castle, discovered that it
Is SOFT of masked battery, pieces Of mounted ord
nance being concealed among the trees and shrub
berry.
The principal places of worship are the Roman
Catholic and Protestant Episcopal cathedrals ; and
opposite the front OF the first OF these, during two
months, | had unfortunately fixed my residence
The street here, as elsewhere is extremely narrow
and. consequently the inteminable ringing of bells
was one continued source Of annoyance-commen-
eng at four o'clock IN the morning and continuing
till long after sunset There are several bells in this
church. which are all set a-gong whenever death,
marriage or christening occurs among the members
of the congregation. have heard OF a writer who
devoted upwards OF five hundred pages of his work
to proving that the employment and enjoyment of
heaven consists in the ringing OF bells and one
would be led to infer from the constant practice in
Quebec and Montreal that the belfreys sort of
preparatory school in which to practice for future
state.
Near the Roman Catholic cathedral stands what
was the Jesuits College, which has been converted
into barracks, in which regiment OF troops is
guartered and another occupy barracks near st.
Louis street.
The view Of the surrounding country, from every
part Of the upper town, is most splendid; and from
the walls in the rear of the city, the ST. John and St
George suburbs, and the villages in the vicinity of
the ST. Charles, are seen to great advantage, which
lie as it were almost beneath your feetrelieved in
the distant back ground by the picturesque and un.
dulating wooded mountains of st. Laurent The
drives around Quebec are delightful commanding
everywhere corresponding scenery, anu which may
be enjoyed at very reasonable expense.
Nine miles from the city are the Falls of Montmo.
rency, which form beautiful cascades the breadth
of the river at their surface is about hundred
feet, and the perpendicular descent is two hundred
and fOrty-sx Not far from there is the Indian vii
lage of Lorette, and the water-works from which it
is intended to supply Quebec with water-that which
at present is used being brought from the river and
II is said becomes putrid in twelve hours. 1t is
cessarily impure in the first instance, owing to the
number ofyessels in port during the summer months,
and the filth which flows into it from the upper aud
Among the charitable institutions, the mo-
conspicuous are the Ursuline Convent, the Hotel
Dieu, where poor sick people taken in and cared
for the General Hospital and that of tbs Sisters of
fhor thnS
poor children receive the rudiments Of education
in all of which the attendants and teachers.
The principal of these is the Ursulinc Convent,
the nuns of which are under vow to teach without
remuneration, and where three hundred and fifty
female children receive common school education.
There at present in the convent also hundred
and ninety pupils who instructed in the higher
branches, ndiscriminately, in both languages, with
music and drawing. The nuns and scholars rise at
four o'clock, the latter sometimes at fve and the
Vicar General informed me, that except on one or
two occasions when he was i'll, he had not been i'll
bed after that hour in the morning, during the las
fifty years The convent was founded by Madame de
la Petrie, for the instruction OF the Indians, and
there is extant pictorial map Of the original build
ings, in which her house is represented as occupying
the corner of Garden street in 1912. II was, at the
time of its being pulled down, few years since, the
Oldest building existing, except in the old Spanish
settlements and was razed for the purpose of obtain
ing funds to enable the ursune nuns to enlarge their
labors Of charity but which the authorities should
have purchased, as the last remaining vestige of
former age.
In conclusion, must be permitted to repeat, that
the traveller who visits Canada should not quit it
without viewing the ancient city OF Quebec, and in
specting the objects OF interest that connected
with this remarkable place: where the language of
France may be considered the yernacular tongue of
men, women and chidTen--where priests almost with
out number in their ecclesiastical dress crowd the
streets errands of consolation to the sick dying
and where in all directions the military array Of
Europe meets the eye of the stranger presenting
scene that has no parallel on the North American
continent; and who would quit the towering fort
ress and frownng battlements, strong in the cOnvic
ton of its Importance to England, and Of the perma
nence of British rule throughout the possessions held
Canada with this exception, occupied bya successful
enemy, the conquest would be evanescent and the
advantages obtained insecure, so long as Quebec
belonged to nation which, from its naval superiority,
ments ana supplies to the garrison within its walls.
w.