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Plan de Montréal, 1840

En1844, le missionnaire mormon, Jesse Wentworth Crosby (1820-1893), a séjourné dans les « British provinces of Canada », à savoir le Nouveau-Brunswick et la Nouvelle-Écosse. Pour s’y rendre, il a parcouru la vallée du Saint-Laurent. Voici le récit de ses deux jours passés à Montréal.

June 5^th, 1844

Spent the day in viewing Montreal. Passed through the principal streets, they are narrow and irregular. In the best parts, the buildings are high and covered with tin; all the back parts are inhabited by French. Their buildings are small, irregular and compact. The incorporation extends three miles (three miles square) contains fifty thousand inhabitants, two thirds French.

One trait in the history of this city is that a four wheeled carriage is scarcely ever seen, while calashes and cabs stalk the streets and hedge up the way, we thoroughly examined everything of note, particularly the Parish Church. It is the largest building of the kind in America, 260 by 130 feet; it contains 1363 pews capable of seating 15,000 persons. The Sanctuary is adorned in superior style, tinged with gold. We ascended the tower 260 feet high by means of 25 stairs forming 285 steps. From this observatory the whole city is seen at one glance. Spy glasses, etc. are at hand—the square rigged vessels, about 100 in number, lay along the shore in full view; men, horse, etc. hurry to and fro along he streets and appear like swarms of ants. Having satisfied ourselves in viewing the city, we next examined the monster bell. It weighs about ten tons, cast in London at an expense of twelve hundred pounds sterling. It is suspended in the western tower; the opposite one contains thirteen smaller bells, this fabric is built of hewn stone, and exclusive of bells, cost one hundred and fifty thousand pounds sterling.

June 6^th left our lodgings, Mr. Griffis’s Hotel, and repaired to Parish Church; saw High Mass performed and other Catholic ceremonies; great splendor was exhibited. Two or three hundred wax candles were burning, some of them six feet long; one or two hundred priests were present, some of them dressed in garments gilded, others in white robes. Next visited the “Grey Nunnery”; examined it critically; were not permitted to enter the “Black Nunnery.” The day was spent agreeably. At 6:00 P.M. we took passage on board the “Charlevoix” for Quebec; bid farewell to the Catholic metropolis probably forever. I viewed the country very carefully. It is level, inhabited entirely by French, houses white, very compact; along the banks of the river, Catholic steeples and crosses are seen as we pass along. The river is broad and beautiful the whole way—180 miles.