44 Thirty Years 



the snow. Between the main bar and another in front 

 of it, a small space is left, permitting the toes to 

 descend a little in the act of raising the heel to make 

 the step forward, which prevents their extremities from 

 charms:. The length of a snow-shoe is from four to six 

 feet, and the breadth one foot and a half, or one foot 

 and three-quarters, being adapted to the size of the 

 wearer. The motion of walking in them is perfectly 

 natural, for one shoe is level with the snow, when the 

 edge of the other is passing over it. It is not easy to 

 use them among bushes, without frequent overthrows, 

 nor to rise afterwards without help. Each shoe weighs 

 about two pounds when unclogged with snow. The 

 northern Indian snow-shoes differ a little from those 

 of the southern Indians, having a greater curvature on 

 the outside of each shoe ; one advantage of which is, 

 that when the foot rises the over-balanced side 

 descends and throws off the snow. All the superiority 

 of European art has been unable to improve the native 

 contrivance of this useful machine. 



" Sledges are made of two or three flat boards, 

 curving upwards in front, and fastened together by 

 transverse pieces of wood above. They are so thin 

 that, if heavily laden, they bend with the inequalities 

 of the surface over which they pass. The ordinary 

 dog-sledges are eight or ten feet long, and very 

 narrow, but the lading is secured to a lacing round 



