Le courrier du livre, 1 septembre 1899, Septembre

¦i Vol.IV.September -1899 — Septembre No 4=1 LE COURRIER DU LIVRE CANADIANA : PUBLISHED MONTHLY PUBLIE MENSUELLEMENT IN FRENCH AND ENGLISH CANADIAN HISTORY, ARCHAEOLOGY, BIBLIOGRAPHY, NUMISMATIC, PHILATELY AND GENEALOGY SUBSCRIPTION : Canada & United States, $2.00 per year Postal Union.10 shillings Invariably payable in advance EN ANGLAIS ET EN FRANÇAIS HISTOIRE, ARCHEOLOGIE, BIBLIOGRAPHIE, NUMISMATIQUE, PHILATELIE ET GENEALOGIE CANADIENNES ABONNEMENT : Canada et Etats - Unis, $2.00 par année Union Postale.12 francs Invariablement payable d'avance QUÉBEC RAOUL RENAULT Directeur-propriétaire 1899 CMIOHsTTZEUJ^") Per Year ! $1.50.December Number 1 25c.“ To save time is to lengthen life.99 - Contains in One Alphabet, Author, Title and Subject Indexes to Books of the Year The December number describes about 5,000 books, (15,000 entries), and is indispensable to any person interested in books.For complete information and sample pages send your name.Published by Morris & Wilson, Minneapolis, Minn.A VENDRE MUET, 22, QUAI D’ORLEANS, Relation de ce qui s’est passé en la Nouvelle-France, en l’année 1634, envoyée au R.P.provincial de la Cie de Jésus, en la province de France, par le P.Paul Le Jeune, de la même Compagnie Supérieur de la résidence de Kebec, P.S.Cra-moisy, 1635.Couv.vélin, exempl.complet, un peu fatigué.50 YEARS EXPERIENCE Trade Marks Designs Copyrights &c.'ATENTS Anyone sending a sketch and description may quickly ascertain our opinion free whether an invention is probably patentable.Communications strictly confidential.Handbook on Patents sent free.Oldest agency for securing patents.Patents taken through Munn & Co.receive special notice, without charge, in the Scientific American.A handsomely illustrated weekly.Largest cir.culation of any scientific Journal.Terms.$3 a year ; four months, $1.Sold by all newsdealers.MUNN & Co.36,B'Md"a>' New York Branch Office, 625 F St., Washington.D.C. THE OLD MISSION CHURCH AT TADOUSAC, QUEBEC A.DOUSAC, at the confluence of the Saguenay and X St.Lawrence, is one of the most historic spots in Canada.It was here in this corner of the earth where the French founded their first establishments on Canadian soil.From this centre, too, went forth the first missionary Jesuit Fathers whose task and labor it was to convert and civilize the regions of the Saguenay and the mysterious Horth.One after the other, ¦ says a writer, the waters of this bay have been visited bv the adventurous embarkations of Cartier, the discoverer, the swift light barks of the Basque and Breton flibustiers, the ships of Chauvin, Pontgravé and Champlain.This was the first port entered by the French colonists before their arrival at the rock of Quebec, and it was from here that Bruillettes, Dablon and Albanel set out for the distant shores of Lake Mistassinis and Hudson Bay.Historians are not agreed as to where the first mass was celebrated in Canada, but tradition says that it was on the spot where now stands the village of Tadousac, and Louis Fréchette, the French Canadian poet laureate of Canada, in his Légende, d'un Peuple, thus refers to the eventful scene.I give the translation : “ And there beneath the cool green shade, The parish temple rears its head On that same favor’d spot, ’tis said, Where on the altar years ago, The Saviour’s precious blood did flow.When to the sound of pious song Borne by the echoes far along, The mountains with their rounded crest Le Courrier du Livre, Vol.IV, No 41.10 154 LE COURRIER DU LIVRE Stretching afar from East to West ; By Breton priest, with whiten’d hair, The sacrifice was offered there, Whilst ’mid the scenes so wild and new Knelt Cartier and his hardy crew.They who had come to win the land Are gathered on the rocky stand, Far from their native shores, or dear, Encircled by the mountain' drear ; I think I see them kneeling there, Their heads are bow’d, their foreheads bare, Their clothes still stiff* with ocean spray, Yet fervently these Bretons pray, Offering to Him now dwelling there The holocaust of praise and pray’r.” The history of the mission of Tadousac covers nearly three centuries.When Champlain landed here on May 25, 1615, he brought with him four Recollet religious—Fathers Jean Dolbeau, Denis Jamay, Joseph le Caron and a lay-brother, Pacifique Duplessis.These Fathers were afterwards distributed and placed in different parts of the colony.- Father Jamay remaining at Quebec, whence he served Three Rivers, Father le Caron going to the Huron Country on Georgian Bay, and Father Dolbeau to Tadousac to instruct the Mon-tagnais and other Indian tribes as far as the Gulf of St.Lawrence.In a few years the Recollets were replaced by the Jesuits whom they had summoned to their assistance.The history of the Jesuit mission at Tadousac is inlaid with the deepest interest.These soldiers of the cross in the early days of Canadian life and civilization did a work for the Church on the lower St.Lawrence and up the Saguenay which will immortalize their name and memory in the pages of Canadian history.The great apostle of these pioneers of Christianity and civilization was Father Jean-Baptiste de la Brosse.“ His LE COURRIER DU LIVRE 155 name resounds everywhere—in the depths of Lake St.John, on the lonely shores of Labrador, in the flourishing villages bordering the river from Cacouna to the distant confines of Gaspesia and New Brunswick he is still spoken of.The fisherman, taking up his nets, the woodman returning fatigued with his day’s toil, the mother beside her child’s cradle, the hunter during the long evening, halts during his hunting excursions—to relate wonderful things of the good Father.They all invoke him as a Saint in time of misfortune, or when the storm is raging on the waters.By the bedside of the sick the old women often recommend medicaments, the use of which has been taught to their forefathers by the beloved and popular Apostle.” 'Tradition has preserved all the details of this great and saintly missionary’s last moments, the circumstances of which were indeed of a nature to strike every one : “ On the eve of his death Father de la Brosse appeared to be in perfect health.He was a large, robust, whitehaired old man, with an ascetic-looking face and inspired speech.“ During all the dav he had been fulfilling the duties of his ministry, confessing, baptizing and praying, as usual, in the Tadousac chapel.“ At night-fall he went to take a few hours’ recreation at the house of one of the officers of the post.He was as gay and agreeable as ever ; he even played a few games of cards with his hosts.Towards nine o’clock he prepared to leave.“ After having said good evening to every one he was silent for a moment, and then in a solemn tone said : “ ‘ My friends, I bid you farewell, farewell until eternity, for you will not again see me in life.This verv evening at midnight I shall he a corpse.At that very hour you will 156 LE COURRIER DU LIVRE hear my chapel bell ring; it will announce my death.If you do not believe it, you can come and ascertain the fact for yourselves.But I ask of you not to touch my body.To-morrow you will go to He auxCoudresto fetch Father Compain to enshroud me and perform the rites of sepulture.You will find him waiting at the end of that island.Do not fear to embark whatever may be the weather.I answer for the safety of those who set out on this journey.’ ” Tradition sa}rs that at twelve o’clock the chapel-bell tolled, and when those who had heard the poor Father’s remarkable prediction hastened to the chapel, they found Father de la Brosse stretched motionless on the ground, his face bowed down on his clasped hands which rested on the lowest altar step.The ‘great and good and saintly missionary was dead.The legend of Father de la Brosse’s death has beenbeauti-fully embodied in verse by Professor Caven of the Prince of Wales’ College, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.His poem is entitled “ The Bell of Death—A Legend of Tadou-sac and Ile aux Coudres : ” Fierce blew the strong south-eastern gale, The sea in mountains rolled, A starless sky hung wildly tossed, The midnight hour had tolled.Is that a sea—is this an hour, With sky so wildly black, To launch a bark so frail as that, Ye men of Tadousac?Strong though your arms, brave though your hearts, As arms and hearts can be, That tiny skiff can never live In such a storm-swept sea. LE COURRIER DU LIVRE When Saguenay’s dark waters roll To swell St.Lawrence tide, Down to the beach that stormy night Four stalwart fishers stride.On through the surf the frail boat speeds, And see before her prow, The