The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-08-07
For the National Era,
"REMINISCENCES Of SUMMER TRAVEL,
Cape Rouge and Falla Of Montmorano;

For the National Era
"REMINISCENCES OF SUMMER TRAVEL
Cape Rouge and Falls Of Montmorenci.
BY MINNIE MYRTLE.
Inc interest attached to places of historical
interest induced us to ride to Cape Rouge, so
called from the red appearance of the sands
upon the hillside. 1t is the point where Jacques
Cartier landed in 1886, with his little band of
explorers, the first who assembled the st. Law.
renee to Montreal. By them was made the
hrst settlement of that city, to which, however,
they gave the name of Vile Marie. At Que
Dec they only left their names as adventurers,
and went on, to acquire new titles to honor, and
the gratitude of posterity.
Cape Rouge is now an immense lumber ward,
where millions of feet of hewn timber" and
millions of "feet of round timber" are every
year prepared for the British market.
We were wandering about the very ordinary
little village, when we saw, far up on the HILL
picturesque. cottage, EMPOWERED by forest
trees, with winding path leading past it to an
observatory, overlooking the river Being in
quest of of adventures we were looking, with
longing eyes, to what realized to the letter the
wish of the poet
Mine be a cot beside the hill,
bee-bive's hum shall soohe my ear
wilowy brook that turns a mill,
With many a fall shall linger near
when the owner thereof appeared, and cordially
invited us, not only to ascend the hill, but to
partake of the Inequalities of his house. We
found it not less attractive within than without,
and were RECALLED, not only with such good
things as Englishmen's storehouses alone con-
tain, but various items of historical and local
interest, which magnifed greatly the import
ance of the place, and connected it forever in
our minds with delightful associations As an
act of courtesy, it was something we do not
often experience on the Uoroughfares of life,
and left pleasant impression of the intelli-
gence and refinement of Canada seigneurS.
But, anywhere among the cottages of the
peasantry, if you are weary, you may walk in,
and be sure of a welcome, which will be spoken
plainly by the countenance, if you cannot I'M
derstand the language of the lips; and if you
ask for glass of water, they will be almost
sure to offer you glass of milk, and you will
feel amply repaid for the unpleasant sensation
of stranger in a strange place." by looking
around upon the happy inmates, who have
sufficient pride and selfrespect to arrange every
thing in neat and tasteful order, without rem
dering themselves haggard and care.worn by
undue anxiety and drudging labor. We were
particularly struck with the blithesome air and
manner of those whose dwellings, indicated
only the qualification of the humblest wants.
The public roads in the environs of Quebec
reminded US of the avenues of Washington, so
wide and grand they seemed, and the one which
led us to Cape Rouge was bordered by coun-
try of peculiar beauty. A gentleman, who had
spent most of his life in Germany, said it re-
sarest portions tt n tRE@ G h had the
could hardly believe that he was not again in
Fatherland. We passed the farm of the rich
est man in Quebec, and rode through the parks
of the Governor General of all the Canadas.
The grounds we're on a magnificent scale, but
the house was nothing more than t,oO-story
aoeoden house, painted yelloU, and we were
struck with the Absence of oil ornament every
where about the premises. In front of the
house Is sort of plaza, over which the car
riages of strangers are allowed to pass, if it is
not pre-occupied by the more important person
age of his Governorship, which happened to
be the case when we were there. With uncov.
cred head he was strolling back and forth, en-
joying the beauty of cloudless summer morn:
SO fully impressed with the fact that we were
in the land where princes rule, we turned back,
and departed as we came. We believe there
are only about sixty acres belonging to the es-
tablishment, but everything is SO arranged and
kept as to make it worthy of baronial resi-
dence in the days of feudal grandeur.
Our next ride was to the Falls of Montmo-
renci, which we had often seen described as the
most beautiful in the world. Two hundred
and eighty miles north, at River du Loup, we
had seen a ravine which reminded us of Tren-
ton, and with wolf.life madness the river came
dashing and foaming down the gorge. We
have seldom seen it alluded to by travellers,
yet it is we'll worth the trouble it costs to reach
it. We had thought it impossible to find any.
thing new in the way of falls, and yet each has
its peculiar features of grandeur and beauty
and at Montmorenci it requires but glance |
to be impressed with the truth, that "thou ex-
cellest them all" The moment the sheet of
water reaches the edge of the precipice, it is |
shattered completely into foam and spray, d. |
yesting it entirely of that mill dam sort of look
which charaeterises Niagara and all limitations
of it. The fall is perpendicular, and strikes
continually upon Jagged rocks-so that for two |
hundred and forty feet in height, and sixty in
breadth, it seems mass of feathery foam sus- |
pended in the air. The spray becomes very
delicate and abundant, from top to bottom,
hanging over and revolving around the torrent,
till it becomes lighter and more eyanescent
than the whitest fleecy clouds of summer, than
the finest attenuated web, than the lightest
gossamer, constituting the most airy and sump- |
tuous drapery that can be imagined" The |
rainbows at the foot of the fall are peculiarly |
brilliant, and the whirlpool into which the |
waters plunge is peculiarly dark and fearful
then, as quietly as summer brook, it flows
away, and mingles with the broad st. Law
renee.
On our return to the city, we stopped to see
the Natural Steps, which were chiselled ages
ago by the action of the waters, and which are
not the least among the wonders of this region
of the curious and wonderful, but which it |
would take book to describe.
At dinner at the hotel, you have served you
with your dinner a list of the places a stranger
should risit, and all prove to be worth your st
tention. Everywhere the checkered farms and
neat French cottages will attract the eye, and
from every point is presented Gas magnificent
scenery as can well be imagined. Towers and
spires, walls ana rocks, cascades ana preclpices,
swelling hills, and luxurious valleys and woody
mountains, beautiful villages and numberless
solitary villas, and white cottages, with grand
rivers and crowding fleets, all united to delight
the spectator"
In the city, on Sunday morning, we attended I
grand mass III the Gstholic cathedral, which is
not 90 large building as the one Of Montreal,
but much more rich and gorgeous in its deco.
rations. The priests are clothed in purple
and fine linen" and look as if they Jared
sumptuously every day" At the Protestant