WHAT TO DO IF LOST IN THE WOODS 225 



should be tied on to the foot, butt end forwards, 

 and balanced so that the hind part will be a little 

 heavier. It will not be very comfortable to wear, 

 but it is wonderful what relief it will afford when 

 plodding through deep snow. Thin pieces of 

 wood, split, or hewn down, are also of help on 

 the ski principle, but it takes some little time to 

 prepare them. If one has twine or skins suitable 

 for cutting lacings out of. a rough pair of snow- 

 shoes is easily made in a few hours, if one 

 knows how to lace them. To do this properly re- 

 quires practice, but any kind of rough crossing 

 of the string will do in a case of necessity. Snow- 

 shoes are not only useful in winter, but are fre- 

 quently used by Indians and trappers in walking 

 over swampy or marshy localities at other seasons. 

 I have found them of immense advantage myself 

 in places of this kind. For such purposes the 

 short round ones are the best. 



While on the subject of snowshoes a word 

 about the foot straps may not be out of place. 

 There are various contrivances for this, some of, 

 them very elaborately got up and all good accord- 

 ing to the fancy of the wearer or the kind of work 

 he wants them for ; but there is only one kind of 

 tying that is safe for the hunter or traveller to 

 use, namely, that which can be removed instantly 

 by a simple twist of the foot. 



I have known of several persons who would have 

 been drowned, if alone, simply owing to the fact 



