A Strange Ride 133 



to go on a journey. This sled was a rude 

 home-made affair, although it did good 

 service. It was made by cutting two ash 

 poles twelve or fifteen feet long, and perhaps 

 three inches in diameter at the butt. These 

 poles were peeled and then the larger end 

 was heated very hot by holding it for a time 

 in a bed of live coals, but not long enough 

 to set it on fire. This made the poles pliable, 

 so that they could be bent without breaking. 

 One end was then curved nicely to make 

 a runner, and the shaping of the rest of 

 the sled was easy. 



After the snow had come, this vehicle 

 was used to haul light loads of wood, or al- 

 most anything that they wished to haul. 

 Even upon bare ground it would slip 

 over the thick buffalo grass quite easily. 



When the first snow had come, on very 

 cold days the prairie chickens, which were 

 plentiful, would dive under the snow to keep 

 warm. Then it was that Bennie and his 



