Upper Canada.

Between Quebec and England mails were despatched once per month; between
Quebec and Halifax, twice per week in summer, and once per week in
winter; between Quebec and Montreal, twice per week; and between
Montreal and the offices above Montreal, once per month; between Quebec
and Baie des Chaleurs mails were despatched "as occasion offered."

In the year 1792, 1793, and 1794, the mail was carried once per month
between Montreal and Kingston by a French Canadian named Morisette;
between Kingston and York it was carried by Alex. Anderson; and between
York and Niagara by a Mohawk Indian. The rate of travel was probably
about 20 miles per day; the route being either by a path through the
woods or along the shores of the River St. Lawrence and Lake Ontario: no
regular road having been at that time in existence.

In the summer season the mail was carried between Kingston and Niagara
by the Government vessels,--

Caldwell,
Mohawk,
Oneida, and
Speedy.

Between Canandaigua, in the State of New York, and Niagara, the mail was
carried once per week at a cost of $200 per annum.

In the year 1796 there were precisely the same number of offices, and
generally the same amount of mail accommodation, as in in 1791.

Mr. Finlay was succeeded in the year 1800 by Mr. George Heriot. In 1803
Upper Canada had 8 post offices, but the mails were not more frequent
than in 1791. In 1804 there were in Lower Canada 5 post offices; in
Upper Canada, 9; in Nova Scotia, 6; in Cape Breton, 1; in Prince
Edward's Island, 1; in New Brunswick, 4.

The late Mr. Wood, who filled the office of postmaster of Cornwall for
many years, thus describes the condition of the department in the Upper
Canada Province about the year 1807:--

"When I first took charge of the post office in this place the
mail was carried from Quebec to Amherstburg on the back of an
old Canadian pedestrian; he performed his trip once in three
months, and his arrival was hailed with joy by the then
contented and loyal inhabitants throughout the country."

The following is a copy of a somewhat curious advertisement which appears in
the <i>Upper Canada Gazette</i>, published in the year 1807:--

"The mail for Upper Canada will be despatched from the post
office at Montreal, on the following days, to wit:

"Monday, 14th January.
"Monday, 12th February.
"Monday, 10th M