[99] Cul-de-Sac means a street without an issue. The filling in of
this old market place, by the wharves on which Champlain Market Hall now
stands, has totally altered this locality.
[100] M. de Laval, in 1661, described the city as follows: -
"Quebecum vulgo in superiorem dividitur et inferiorem urbem. In inferiore
sunt portus, vadosa navium ora, mercatorum apoticae ubi et merces
servantur, commercium quodlibet peragitur publicum et magnus civium
numerus commoratur."
[101] George Allsop, a British merchant, came from England to this country
in the last century with Thomas Aylwin, grandfather of Judge Thos. Cushing
Aylwin. The Hale family were already in Canada, and became intimate with
the Allsops. George Allsop had six sons, all born in the Montcalm House
ramparts. At the time of Robert Allsop's birth his mother was placed for
safety in the vaults of the Citadel, at the time of the siege (1775) says
a family tradition. These six sons were as follows: -
George Waters Allsop, eldest, sent home to the Bluecoat School to be
educated; he was a Latin and Greek scholar, and a person of eminence
in other respects.
John Allsop, merchant in London.
Carleton Allsop, Consul-General to Colombia.
Robert Allsop, Deputy Commissary-General.
James Allsop, Paymaster 1st Batt., 44th Foot.
William Allsop, merchant, died at sea on a voyage to Buenos Ayres, and
was buried on the Patagonian coast, all co-seigneurs of Seignories of
Jacques Cartier and d'Auteuil.
James Allsop, at the age of 17, was taken by Hon. John Hale, Receiver-
General, into his office, St. John street, at $600 per annum. This
house was afterwards occupied by a Mrs. Stinson (I think as a
boarding-house); sold to Judge Aylwin, who left it by will to his
nephew, Robt S. Bradley, who now owns it.
James Allsop did not like the drudgery of Mr. Hale's office, who sent
him to England with a recommendation to the late Duke of Kent, asking
for a Paymastership. There were difficulties at first, he not being
considered old enough; but at last he was gazetted to one in the 1st
Batt., 44th Regt., and this Battalion was ordered to New Orleans, Hon.
Col. Mullins (Lord Ventry's son), commanding, who, being seized with a
panic on the field, disgraced himself, lost his presence of mind on
seeing the destruction the Americans were dealing out to the British
troops, by firing behind their cotton bags, and was in consequence the
cause of the death of Hon. Col. Pakenham, brother-in-law to the Duke
of Wellington. Miss Pakenham was a celebrated beauty, and engaged to
marry the Duke on his return from the Peninsular War; but having,
unfortunately, taken the small-pox during the Duke's absence, her
father wrote to the Duke to absolve him from his promise, she having
become so much disfigured from its effects, but the Duke was too
honourable, and married her. They were both in Brussels. My father,
who was Paymaster to the 2nd Battalion of the 44th, was at Waterloo.
We remained in Brussels some years. - (Diary of Mrs. Chas. Aylwin.)
[102] See Appendix - "La Negresse Rose."
[103] Quebecers will remember with pleasure the presence in our midst of
this famous Polar navigator in August, 1880, and his lady, whose
kindliness of manner and elegant French, won the hearts of many. The
instructive torpedo lectures of the scientific commander of the
Northampton iron-clad, Capt. Fisher, will likewise retain a corner
in the chambers of memory.
[104] In fact, the spot where the remains of the great geographer and
discoverer are supposed to rest, seems to be the site on which the new
Post Office in the Upper Town has lately been built. Another theory,
however, is lately propounded by an Ottawa antiquary. See QUEBEC PAST AND
PRESENT.
[105] XAVIER MARMIER. - This writer was born at Pontcartier, France, in
1809, and early evinced a passion for travel. Having visited Switzerland
and Holland, he came to Paris in 1830. Being well versed in German
literature, he edited for ten years the Revue Germanique, during
which period he travelled and wrote much. In 1836-38 he went as the
Secretary of a scientific expedition to the north of Europe. He spent
several weeks at Archangel, visited Iceland, Greenland, and other
hyperborean regions, and after his return published many works, among
which may be mentioned Travels in Iceland and Greenland (7 vols., 8vo,
with elaborate maps and numerous folio plates), the Literature of Denmark
and Sweden, Souvenirs of Voyages and Traditions, Popular Songs of the
North, Letters on Holland and on Russia, Finland and Poland, Poems of a
Traveller, the Rhine and the Nile, Letters upon Algeria and the Adriatic,
A Summer on the Baltic, &c, &c, besides voluminous essays in reviews and
magazines. He was recalled from travels to become librarian of the
Department of the Marine, and in 1847 was appointed in charge of the
library of Sainte Genevieve. He is still (in 1881) living in Paris.
[106] Lettres sur l'Amerique, par X Marmier, Canada, Etats-Unis, Havane,
Rio de la Plata, 2 Vols., Paris, 1851.
[107] The Jesuit Fathers were in the habit of fastening the painters of
their canoes at the foot of the hill, "la canoterie," on their return
by water from their farm called "Ferme des Anges," hence its name.
We borrow from the "Directory for the City and Suburbs of Quebec" for
1791, by Hugh McKay, printed at the office of the Quebec Herald,
the following paragraph, "Rues Ecartees" (out-of-the-way streets) -
"La Canoterie (canoe landings) follows the street Sault-au-Matelot,
commencing at the house of Cadet (where Mr. O. Aylwin resides), and
continues up to Mr. Grant's distillery; St. Charles street commences there
and terminates below Palace Gate; St. Nicholas street extends from Palace
Gate to the water's edge, passing in front of the residence of the widow
La Vallee; the old ship yard opposite to the boat yard, Cape Diamond
street commences at the wharf owned by Mr. Antrobus and terminates at the
outer extremity of that of Mons.
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