2 'TRAVELS THROUGH LOWER CANADA: 
of visiting the Falls of Niagara,, and returning 
again into the States before the commence- 
ment of winter, we set out for Montreal by 
land. 
In no part of North America can a traveller 
proceed so commodiously as along this road 
between Quebec and Montreal; a regular line 
of post-houses, at convenient distances from 
each other, being established upon it, where 
calashes or carioles, according to the season, 
are always kept in readiness. Each post¬ 
master is obliged to have four calashes, and the 
same number of carioles; and besides these, 
as many more are generally kept at each stage 
by persons called aides-de-poste, for which the 
post-master calls when his own happen to be 
engaged. The post-master has the exclusive 
privilege of furnishing these carriages at every 
stage, and, under a penalty, he must have 
them ready in a quarter of an hour after they 
are demanded by a traveller, if it be day-light, 
and in half an hour should it be in the night. 
The drivers are hound to take you on at the 
rate of two leagues an hour. The charge for 
a calash with a single horse is one shilling 
Halifax* currency per league; no gratuity is 
expected by the driver. 
* According to Halifax currency, which is the established 
currency of Lower Canada, the dollar passes for 5 shillings. 
The silver coins current in Canada are dollars, halves. 
