|
Recollections & Extracts From The Journals Of Miss Anne Prevost
|
Part 2: Seventeenth Birthday; the Possibility of WarI was seventeen on the 1st January 1812. The Nuns of the Grand Hospital sent me a handsome cake; Mrs Baynes gave a dance in honour of the day. I danced with Captain F., Major B. and Mr. George Mountain. January 5th: Went to Church, afterwards walked with Miss B. to the Plains. Captain C. set off on an Expedition to the United States to see what the Yankees are about. January 7th: Walked with Miss B. to Colonel Bruyère's. So many advices have been given against Miss B. and myself walking without the Walls, that I fear we shall be obliged to give up our walks. Some say we ought not to go without gentlemen; others, that we ought not to go at all. "Oh! that I were, where I have been." Dear Halifax! there we were not obliged to circumscribe our walks within the compass of stone walls. January 10th: At 2 o'clock walked with Miss Bruyère, Miss Grant and Miss Baley about half way to the River Charles, which is now hard frozen. We had no gentlemen, nor did we meet with any adventures. Miss Bruyère for fun, took an unloaded pistol wrapt up in her handkerchief. February 10th: Captain C. returned from the United States. This was the second time my Father had sent him to make observations and judge what probability there was of a War. I remember Captain C. telling a ridiculous anecdote of the French Ambassador speaking to him at one of the President's Levees, supposing him an American, and when he was introduced as a British Officer the Frenchman turned away, as if afraid of contamination. May 18th: Rode with my Father to Lorette, where he inspected a detachment of the Canadian Voltigeurs, a Regiment he is raising in consequence of the hostile menaces of our neighbours the Yankees. He rode through the ranks and talked to the men: they seemed much pleased and gave some cheers worthy of Englishmen as we rode away. June 8th: Went with my Father and a party of ladies, his Staff, etc., to Lorette, a village of converted Indians, about 9 miles from Quebec. The Indians all paid their respects to the Governor, and danced their War Dance in our presence: the noise they made was terrific:–it was more like the howling of dogs than the human voice.
|
