70

65

Climate of Canada

March 1841

During the winter season the communication
between the dock yard and the town of Kingston is
over the frozen surface of the Lake - as soon as the
ice becomes sufficiently strong to bear, holes are
cut in it, into which are planted boughs of pine
trees so as to force an avenue for the guidance of
the passengers. This is done by act of Parliament
throughout the whole of the Colony, wherever frozen
paths can facilitate the communication over rivers
Lakes, or swamps and is a highly necessary precaution
for the purpose of pointing and (forming) out
a secure path through the snow that covers the frozen
waters with its smooth white surface.

This avenue renders the path most secure and
safe, from its being constantly trod on, the more
it is beaten by the passengers the harder it becomes
every fresh fall of snow, being trodden down and
hardened into ice, to the thickness of four and five
feet, which renders the floor more safe by confining
the travellers to the avenue formed by the pine boughs

The moment you deviate the least from this track
the foot passenger sinks up to his middle.

It always pains me, when crossing in a sleigh to
meet the poor country women with their baskets when
returning from the Market being compelled to get out
of the path, in an instant they are up to the middle
and there continue like Lots wife till the vehicle has
passed.