312 THE VOYAGE OF THE 'DISCOVERY' [SErr. 



four, five, or six pairs of uprights and cross-bars, according to 

 the length of the sledge. 



In the numerous joints thus created only those which 

 connect the uprights to the cross-bars are rigid, and these are 

 strengthened by small steel stays bound to the frame with wire. 

 It is of the utmost importance that all other joints should be 

 flexible, in order that the sledge may have the fullest play over 

 a rough surface, and therefore all these joints are made with 

 lashings of either hide or tarred hemp. Hence the sledge, 

 when put together, is by no means a rigid structure. Lifted by 

 one corner, it can be distinctly seen to sag in the centre ; and 

 as it is dragged over a rough snow surface it is rarely possible 

 to see any portion of the runner which is not in contact with 

 the snow — in fact, it is very fascinating to watch a heavily laden 

 sledge winding its way over rough ground in this snake-like 

 manner. The load being distributed over a great area, no part 

 sinks too deeply. 



Measured across from the centre of one runner to the 

 centre of the other, our sledges were all, with one exception, 

 i foot 5 inches. The runners themselves were 3! inches across, 

 so that the sledge track from side to side measured about 

 1 foot 8| inches. In all we had twenty sledges when we began, 

 and this allowance proved barely sufficient for our two years' 

 work; we could, indeed, well have done with half as many 

 again, but this was owing to much of the travelling being over 

 extremely rough country. These sledges were of various 

 lengths ; we had two of 12 feet, six of n feet, nine of 9 feet, 

 and three of 7 feet; of these the n -foot sledges proved by far 

 the most convenient for our work, though the 9-foot were much 

 used. A length of 12 feet seemed to pass just beyond the 

 limit of handiness ; whereas the very short sledges were com- 

 paratively stiff, and skidded about so much on a rough surface 

 that they were often more troublesome to pull than the heavier 

 and longer ones. 



Taking 1 1 feet as about the best length for this type, it will 

 be seen that we have a comparatively long and narrow sledge 

 at considerable variance with the old Arctic type, which was 



