67 In 1817 Frederick Brehm Holland, who, at that time was an ordnance storekeeper at Prince Edward Island , sold his share of the farm to the late William Wilson , of the customs department. Ten years later, John Frederick and Charlotte Holland also disposed of their interest in this land to Mr. Wilson , who subsequently having acquired the rights of another heir, viz. in 1835, remained proprietor of Holland Farm until 1843, when the property by purchase passed over to George 0. Stuart, Esq., of this City. Mr. Stuart built on it a handsome mansion, now known as Holland House , which he subsequently sold to R. Cassels , Esq., then of Quebec , and Manager of the Bank of British North America—it is the house recently leased by Mr. Lysons . Holland Farm has been greatly dismembered. The pretty cottage opposite Spencer Wood , now owned by Major Campbell is built on Holland Farm . A successful gold digger by name of Sinjohn purchased last year (1862) a large tract of the farm fronting the St. Louis road, with Thornhill at its North-Eastern boundary and Mr. Stuart 's new road as its South-Western boundary. His neat cottage, shaded by the ; a nice garden and lawn now indicate that he does not intend to allow his Australian nuggets to rust in his coffers. A large portion of the gold hunter's land is a level pasturage entirely denuded of shrubs and forest trees. To a person looking from the vice-regal gate, at Spencer Wood , in the direction of the South gable of Holland House , exactly in a straight line, no object intervenes, except a fir tree, which detaches itself on the horizon, conspicuous from afar, over the plantation which fronts St . Foy road—That tree is the Holland Tree— Well! What about Holland Tree ? What! you a Quebecker and not to know about the Holland Tree , its duel, the slumberers who have reposed for so many years under its shade! "Oh! but I am not a Quebecker, so tell me about the Holland Tree "—Well walk down from the St. Louis Road along Mr. Stuart 's new road and we shall see first how the rest of the "slumberers" have been respected.1 Hear the words which filial affection dictated to Frederick Brehm , John Frederick and Charlotte Holland , when on the 14th of July 1827, they executed a deed in favor of V \m. Wilson, conveying their interests in their father's estate: "Provided always, and these presents, as well as the foregoing deed of sale and conveyance "are so made and executed by the said Robert Holland , acting as aforesaid (as attorney for the "heirs of Holland), upon and subject to the express charge and condition, that is to say, that "the said William Wilson , his heirs and assigns shall forever hold sacred and inviolable the small "circular space of ground on the said tract or piece of land and premises, enclosed with a stone "wall and wherein the remains of the said Samuel Holland , Esquire, father of the said vendors, "and of his son the late Samuel Holland , Jr. Esq., are interred, and shall and will allow free "ingress and egress, at all times to the relatives and friends of the family of the said Samuel "Holland, for the purpose of viewing the state and condition of the said space of ground and "making or causing to be made such repairs to the wall enclosing the same or otherwise providing "for the protection of the said remains as they shall see fit." This deed was passed at Quebec before W. Fisher Scott , M.P. It purports to have been executed "in the Gaolers Room", entre les deux guichets, in the Common Gaol of the District of Quebec . Some of those who signed it must have been in custody, why or wherefore does not appear. Not many years back, this "small circular space" which Mr. Wilson bound himself to hold sacred and inviolable, and which contained two neat marble slabs with names of Messrs. Holland , Senior and Junior, and other members of the family engraved on them, was enclosed within a substantial stone wall, to which access was had through an iron gate; the walls were covered with inscriptions and with the initials of those who had visited a spot to which the fatal issue of a deadly encounter lent all the interest of romance. Nothing now is visible except the founda¬ tion, which is still distinct; the monument stones have disappeared, the wall has been razed to the ground, some modern Vandal,2 some descendant of the Ostro-goths (for amongst all civilized nations the repose of the dead is sacred) has laid violent hands on them! When Mr. Wilson sold Holland Farm in 1843, he made no stipulation about the graves of the Hollands, he took no care that what he had agreed to hold inviolable should continue to be so held. If his representa¬ tives are amongst those who now seek for reparation of the injury inflicted by this act, the loss of the "chateau" garden, will furnish those who believe in Alison's doctrines of retributive justice in this world, a new exemplification of the principle. The tragical occurrence connected with Holland Tree is so much out of the ordinary run of events, that it seems more like the plot of a sensation novel, a dark tale redolent with love, jealousy and revenge. Two men stood, some sixty years ago, in mortal combat, not under the Holland Tree , as it has been generally believed, but somewhere on the mountain behind : one of them a Holland, and the other was Major Ward of the 60th, the father of the Major Ward , 'There were five "slumberers"—of whom we only know of four definitely. 2A truculent gardener, it is said, who had been left in charge, some years back, converted the monumental slabs into grinding stones.