— 108 — 



Canadiens, (1) meditated mischief and were only, as 

 they later on pretended, prevented by a bright moon, 

 from creeping up, under the veil of night to surprise 

 the sentries and take possession of the impregnable 

 fortress, to which had been removed for safe-keeping, 

 the specie of our Canadian Banks. If successful, 

 according to some rabid tories of that period, les Anglais 

 were all to be " shot, piked or hamstrung ! " 



Life in the casemates and on the hog's back was not, 

 however, always perilous, precarious, uncertain. Times 

 were, when returning after the Saturday tandem drive, 

 in winter, from Billy Button's noted rustic hostelry, at 

 Lorette, the absorbing topic at mess, was a projected 

 garrison ball on the citadel, or a moose or cariboo hunt 

 on the Laurentian ridge, north of Quebec, or at Les 

 Javelins, in rear of Baie St. Paul, under the guidance 

 of Vincent, Gros Louis, Tahourenche or Tsioui, the 

 trusted Huron Nimrods of Indian Lorette. There were 

 also for the jolly red coats and the city belles, days of 

 tears or of joy, when the regiments on their removal to 

 other garrisons, claimed or forgot to claim some of the 

 Quebec or Montreal fair ones as their not unwilling 

 brides. 



As we hurry past, let us glance, at the gorge of the 

 west bastion 'on the ascent, the spot, where rested 

 from the 4th January, 1776, to the 16th June, 1818, 

 the remains of Brigadier General Eichard Mont- 



(1) To a stalwart old chasseur of 1837-8, J. P. Rheanme, I 

 am indebted for the form of the oath taken. The candidate 

 for initiation was admitted in a room, then blindfolded and 

 made to kneel between two men, one of whom held a pistol 

 to his ear, the other pointing a poniard to his heart. The 

 form of oath was then read. The candidate swore to keep 

 secret the proceedings of the Patriotes, in the approaching 

 rising, consenting to have his throat cut if he failed. The 

 bandage was then removed and the oath signed. 



(For further particulars, see p. 252-3 of " Picturesque 

 Quebec") 



