The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-02-07
THE CARNIVAL AT QUEBEC.

The telegraph has Dot condescended to
give US any information about a most III
terestiDg event of the day, namely, the
holding of the ice carnival at Quebec Yet
it has been an incident of the social season
which has led to a large migration Of
Americans 10 the ancient Canadian city.
and ii will figure as one of the pleasant
memories of onr relations with the colony.
Four or five years ago Montreal set the
example of competing with St. Petersburg
in the construction Of an ice palace. The
experiment was a success. There was not
sc large a crowd of titled notabilities az
assemblies when the Gar opens the ice pal
ace on the border of the Neva. But all
Canada gathered to see the show, and New
York and New England sent delegations.
Now Quebec has come to the front with
palace which Is unrivaled except in fairy
tale. Its dimensions are stupendOus;
mere figures give no idea OF them. 1t is
built throughout of great blocks OF ice
three or four feet thick and as translucent
as water. Towering from the center of
the palace steeple lifts its head in air to
such dizzy height that alarm was felt
that an easterly gale would blow 1t down;
but the ice slabs when laid squarely on
each other are cemented by the imperceDti-
bic liquefaction Of the surfaces and become
as solid as a stone wall. TIE whole edifce
is lit by electricity, which turns the black
night of the north into the dazzle OF sun
shine. The palace was opened few days
ago by the Earl and Countess of Aberdeen
at a grand carnival ball. The display of
jewels was not rs fine as may be witnessed
al the patriarchs' ball at New York, but
the show of beauty cast into the shade
even the Russian balls. Whatever may be
said OF the Canadian men, every connOis-
seur knows that the Canadian girls are the
prettiest in the world.
Some other superlatives may be Used.
No city IN the United States can compare
in natural beauty with Quebec. There
was a traveller whose physician ordered
him to keep always on the go. His lite
was spent in acknowledging the globe
and in journeyiDg from San Francisco TO
Constantinople. from China to PerG. Every
year in the autumn season be turned up at
Quebec, saying that other places were
fine, but.no one who has not seen Quebec
had any idea how great landscape artist
nature was. And, indeed, the view from
the old Durham terrace over the broad ST.
Lawrence, with the falls of MOntmorency
on one side. the fort of Lewis on the other
and the green and yellow island OF Orleans
in the center, while in the rear rolling
farms, dotted with the russell and crimson
foliage Of the autumn, sweep to the base
Of the grim mountains which were the
first dry land in America, is not easily
matched.
This beautiful land is tinted throughout
with the rich hue of romance. Every
street In Quebec has its history; almost
every one of the old brick and stone
houses, with their shining tin roofs. has a
memory to reveal Here in a corner of
the foundation of the old walls was the
point where Montcalm marched out to his
death when the news came that Wolfe had
landed at the cove which bears his name;
there in hollow made in the
basement of a convent by an English shell
is the place where the hero died. tended in
his last hours by the faithful Ursuline
nuns. Here is the spot on the rough cliff
where Montgomery fell; there is the lot in
the battle-ground where his body rested
for forty years till it was conveyed TO his
home in New York. The old city is full
of footprints of the ancient priestly domi-
udllOu-bu0 ClsulluO Will It's
noble garden overlooking the river and its
wall shielding the pale-faced nuns from
observation when they take their walks
under the pear trees; the Hotel Dieu,
where 80 many sick and wounded of all
nations have been nursed to their last end !;
the great university which commentaries
the life of Bishop Laval. who ruled the
province with rod of iron, and made
great fortune, which he left to the church
for the cause of education; buildings here
and everywhere, in which in the old days
Brebeuf and Lallemant and GARNER and
Jacques found rest after their plgrlmages.
Round no American city does so much
romapce cluster. The blase American
tired of prose and dollars and the m onot
nous social round might we'll 60 to Que
bee, even if there was no carnival to attract