MUHDOCH.] 



SLEDGES. 



355 



made from a small photograph) meet the curved slender rails (which 

 are usually round) in front, but are separated from them behind by four 

 stout vertical posts on each side, increasing in length toward the other 

 end and mortised into the runners and rails. An equal number of stout 

 wooden arches half the height of the posts are mortised into the run 

 ners, each arch a little in front of each pair of posts. A longitudinal 

 strip runs along the middle of each side, and slats are laid across these, 

 supported by the arches. The sledge is rather heavy and clumsy, but 

 usually carefully made and often painted with red ocher. 



Flo. 357. Flat sledge. 



Of the unia or flat sledge we have, fortunately a good photograph, 

 Fig. 357. To the thick straight wooden runners are fastened directly 

 seven cross slats, which project about 12 inches at each end beyond the 

 runner, to which they are fastened by two stitches of whalebone each. 

 A longitudinal strip runs along above the slats on each side. These 

 sledges are generally made on the same pattern, varying somewhat in 



FIG. 358. Small sledge with ivory runners. 



size. A common size is about 6 feet long, about 2 feet wide, and 9 or 

 10 inches high. Very small sledges of this pattern are sometimes made, 

 especially for the purpose, as we were told, of carrying provisions, per 

 haps when one or two persons desire to make a rapid journey of some 

 length, or for carrying a small share of meat from camp to camp. 



One of these (Fig. 358, No. 89889 [ 1140], from Utkiavwln), which shows 

 signs of long use, was brought home. It is 20-7 inches long and 1.3 broad, 

 and has ivory runners, with three wooden slats across them, held down 



1 The word used was &quot; kau-kau.&quot; Perhaps it referred to a seal for food, as the sledge appears very like 

 one described by Hooper (Corwin Report, p. 105) as used on the &quot; Arctic Coast.&quot; &quot; When sealing on 

 solid ice a small aled is sometimes used, the runners of which are made of walrus tusks. It is per 

 haps 16 inches long by 14 inches wide and 3 inches high. It in used in dragging the carcass of the 

 seal over the ice.&quot; 



We, however, never saw such sleds used for dragging seals. This one may have been imported from 

 farther south. See also, Beechey, Voyage, etc., p. 251, where he speaks of seeing at Kotzebue Sound, a 

 drawing on ivory of &quot; a seal dragged home oil a small sledge.&quot; 



