Travels through the states of North America, and the provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, during the years 1795, 1796, and 1797 [Vol. 1 of 2]Weld, Isaac
History
Travels through the states of North America, and the provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, during the years 1795, 1796, and 1797 [Vol. 1 of 2]
Weld, Isaac
Canada -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800; United States -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800
By means of their carioles or sledges, the Canadians transport
themselves over the snow, from place to place, in the most agreeable
manner, and with a degree of swiftness that appears almost incredible;
for with the same horse it is possible to go eighty miles in a day, so
light is the draft of one of these carriages, and so favourable is the
snow to the feet of the horse. The Canadian cariole or sledge is
calculated to hold two persons and a driver; it is usually drawn by one
horse; if two horses are made use of, they are put one before the other,
as the track in the roads will not admit of their going abreast. The
shape of the carriage is varied according to fancy, and it is a matter
of emulation amongst the gentlemen, who shall have the handsomest one.
There are two distinct kinds, however, of carioles, the open and the
covered. The former is commonly somewhat like the body of a capriole,
put upon two iron runners or slides, similar in shape to the irons of a
pair of skates; the latter consists of the body of a chariot put on
runners in the same manner, and covered entirely over with furs, which
are found by experience to keep out the cold much better than any other
covering whatsoever. Covered carioles are not much liked, except for the
purpose of going to a party in the evening; for the great pleasure of
carioling consists in seeing and being seen, and the ladies always go
out in most superb dresses of furs. The carioles glide over the snow
with great smoothness, and so little noise do they make in sliding
along, that it is necessary to have a number of bells attached to the
harness, or a person continually sounding a horn to guard against
accidents. The rapidity of the motion, with the sound of these bells and
horns, appears to be very conducive to cheerfulness, for you seldom see
a dull face in a cariole. The Canadians always take advantage of the
winter season to visit their friends who live at a distance, as
travelling is then so very expeditious; and this is another circumstance
which contributes, probably not a little, to render the winter so
extremely agreeable in their eyes.
Though the cold is so very intense in Canada, yet the inhabitants never
suffer from it, constant experience having taught them how to guard
against it effectually.
[Sidenote: DOMESTIC ANIMALS.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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