120 THE CHILDREN OF THE COLD. 



Another athletic amusement in which 

 the boys indulge, and which requires a 

 great deal of strength, is a peculiar kind 

 of short race on the hands and feet. 

 The boys lean forward on their hands 

 and feet, with their arms and legs held as 

 stiffly as possible, and under no circum- 

 stances must they bend either the elbows 

 or knees. In this stiff and rigid position, 

 resting only on their feet and on the 

 knuckles of their clinched fists, they 

 jump or hitch forward a couple of inches 

 by a quick, convulsive movement of the 

 whole body. These movements are 

 rapidly repeated, perhaps once or twice 

 in a second, until the contestants have 

 covered two or three yards along the 

 hard snow-drifts. Then they become 

 exhausted, for, as I have already said, 

 this exercise calls for considerable 



