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There is, among others, a characteristic letters, written 

 from Quebec, on December 4th, 1757, by the lively 

 Marquis of Montcalm to his second in command at 

 Montreal, Brigadier- General Levis. The following is a 

 short excerpt. The General, whilst directing his able 

 lieutenant at Montreal to stop the beef rations for the 

 troops and to substitute in lieu, horse flesh, jocularly 

 enumerates the various dishes which ahorse flesh menu 

 can supply, and adds : " At my table horse flesh is 

 served in every possible form, except in soup." The 

 bill of fare reads quite artistic in French : — 



Petits pates de cheval a l'Espagnole. 



Cheval a la mode. 



Escalopes de cheval. 



Filets de cheval a la broche avec une poivarde bien liee. 



Semelles de cheval au gratin. 



Langues de cheval en miroton. 



Frigousse de cheval. 



Langue de cheval boucanee, meilleure que celle d'orignal. 



Gateau de cheval comme les gateaux de lievres. 



Montcalm adds that this noble animal (the horse) is 

 far superior (cooked) to elk, caribou or beaver. 



There was some grumbling, and there might well be, 

 among the troops and the people when it was attempted 

 to impose horse flesh for nourishment. The reduction in 

 the quantity of food had, the month previous, caused 

 disorder. The soldiers, billeted on the town folks for 

 want of barracks, had been spurred on by the citizens; 

 the colonial corps, less broken to discipline than the 

 regulars, refused to take their rations, in Montreal. 



In the absence of de Yaudreuil, then in Quebec, 

 Levis held the supreme command in Montreal. He 

 overcame this first outbreak by firmness combined with 

 tact. His explanations were so persuasive that the 

 soldiers even cheered him. 



On de Vaudreuil's return it was the people who rose 

 in rebellion on finding the daily quarter of a pound of 

 bread replaced by horse flesh. The women crowded 



