WHIP-HANDLES 359 



of; he never left anything to chance. Besides lashing 

 the sledges, he had a number of other things to do. 

 Amongst them, he was to prepare all the whips we 

 required two for each driver, or fourteen altogether. 

 Stubberud was to supply the handles. In consultation 

 with the " Carpenters' Union," I had chosen a handle 

 made of three narrow strips of hickory. I assumed that 

 if these were securely lashed together, and the lashings 

 covered with leather, they would make as strong a 

 handle as one could expect to get. The idea of the 

 composite handle of three pieces of wood was that it 

 would give and bend instead of breaking. We knew 

 by experience that a solid whip-handle did not last very 

 long. It was arranged, then, that the handles were to 

 be made by Stubberud, and passed on to Hanssen. 



The whip-lashes were made by Hassel, in the course 

 of the winter, on the Eskimo model. They were round 

 and heavy as they should be and dangerous to come 

 near, when they were wielded by an experienced hand. 

 Hanssen received these different parts to join them 

 together and make the whip. As usual, this was done 

 with all possible care. Three strong lashings were put 

 on each handle, and these again were covered with 

 leather. Personally, Hanssen was not in favour of the 

 triple hickory handle, but he did the work without 

 raising any objection. We all remarked, it is true, that 

 at this time, contrary to his habit, he spent the hours 

 after supper with Wisting. I wondered a little at this, 



