1892-93.] 



NOTES ON THE WESTERS DENES. 



153 



facilitate walking, this is curved up and so retained by means of two or 

 three lines twisted in one solid cord. To add to the gracefulness of the 

 fore-end and prevent it from shrinking in, an additional bar is inserted 

 some distance therefrom, and the resulting tension is also corrected by a 

 transversal cord binding fast the extremities of the two sticks. The 

 ground netting passes under both bar and cord. The name of this 

 variety of snow-shoes indicates that the side sticks were originally united 

 at both ends by means of stitches of skin lines ; but to-day small nails 

 or screws are more commonly used. Little tufts of coloured yarn 

 issuing from each side of the frame are intended to add to the elegance 

 of the implement. Such ornaments at the hind part of the snow-shoes 

 distinguish the women's from the men's snow-shoes. 



Fig. 142. 



The artificial bending of the side sticks is obtained by two different 

 methods. In the first case, such parts of the wood as are to be worked 

 upon, are carefully wrapped with strips of willow bark and thoroughly 

 heated by close application to the fire. They are next gradually pressed 

 up with the hand or by forcing against the ground, when their ends are 

 solidly tied so as to prevent the wood from returning to its original 

 shape. However, this is more commonly steamed or rather " cooked " in 

 boiling water, such parts of the sticks as cannot be introduced in the 

 kettle or boiler being operated on by pouring thereon spoonfuls of hot 

 water until they have become sufficiently pliable. 



A third model of snow-shoes quite as common, if not more so, is the 

 'aih-za ("snow-shoe only," or ordinary snow-shoe). In this, as in the 

 preceding, two sticks are employed to form the frame, but instead of 

 terminating in a sharp front end, their fore-ends are thinned and joined 

 together with a strong lashing of rawhide lines thereby forming a rounded 

 instead of an angular head. In other words, this snow-shoe is a long 

 khe-la-pas made out of two side sticks and curved up in front as the 

 pt'iu. Therefore the additional cross-stick and string noticed in the 

 latter are wanting in this unpretentious style of snow-shoe. 

 11 



