i 9 o2] THE SLEDGES 313 



10 feet long and 3 feet broad. The advantages gained by the 

 longer sledge are an increased strength against racking strains 

 and an easier motion over inequalities of surface ; on the other 

 hand, the broader type has more stability and a greater and 

 more convenient stowage capacity. Our own sledges had to be 

 stowed with great care so as to bring the weight low, and even 

 thus over rough sastrugi they would frequently capsize ; in 

 spite of such disadvantages, however, I am inclined to favour 

 the longer and narrower form. The increase of runner surface 

 which was adopted by Nansen in what he named his 'ski 

 runners,' was a comparatively natural outcome of the new con- 

 dition of surface for which he prepared on his inland journey, 

 and as our conditions were very similar, it is a fortunate thing 

 that we possessed broad runners. There were many occasions 

 on which they were not needed, and when a light narrow 

 runner would have been all that was required ; but there were 

 others when we needed every inch of bearing surface we 

 possessed to support the sledges on the light soft snow. 



The weight of an 11-foot sledge such as I have described 

 may be anything between 40 and 47 lbs., and this was none 

 too light for some of our purposes where the full strength of 

 the structure was required ; but on the level barrier I think it 

 would be possible to travel with a considerably lighter sledge. 

 The weight which can be placed on such a sledge varies 

 according to circumstance, but in general the full load may be 

 said to be about 600 lbs. 



These sledges are made of ash, and it is of great importance 

 that the wood should be thoroughly well selected and seasoned. 

 In some of our sledges the wood was not above suspicion, and 

 caused some inconvenience. The most important part is the 

 runner, in which the grain should be perfectly straight and 

 even, otherwise it will splinter even when running over snow. 

 It is surprising what a lot of wear a good wood runner will 

 stand provided it is only taken over snow. Some of our 9-foot 

 sledges must have travelled over 1,000 miles, and there was 

 still plenty of wear left in the runners. 



The older Northern sledges were shod with iron or steel, 



