206 THE ESKIMO ABOUT BERING STRAIT Lkth.ann. 18 



American coast and adjacent islands sleds from 9 to 10 feet in leiif^tli 

 are built strongly of driftwood. Their runners are from 2 to 3 inches 

 broad and from C to 7 inches high. They are straight nearly to the 

 front, where they curve up regularly'- to the level of the bed. Along 

 the sides four or five stanchions are mortised into the upper edge of 

 the runners and project upward about 2| to 3 feet; the ends of bow- 

 shape pieces of wood are also mortised in the top of the runners, and 

 both these and the stanchions are fastened with wooden pins. These 

 bow-shape pieces curve upward and inward about five inches above the 

 tops of the runners, forming the supports on which rests the bed of 

 the sled, which is from 16 to 24 inches in width, and is formed of a kind 

 of latticework. A crescentic or bow-shape piece of wood is fastened 

 across the front, from which two long, thin, wooden slats run length- 

 wise to the rear, where they rest on the upcurved bows, to which they 

 are lashed. Across these pieces a series of thin wooden slats are lashed 

 by rawhide cords passed through holes and corresponding holes in the 

 longitudinal slats, which extend out to the rear line of the runners and 

 have a long strip of wood lashed along each side. A long wooden rod 

 is fastened firmly to the upturned point of the runner on each side and 

 extends to the rear of the sled, resting on the tops of the stanchions, 

 forming a rail. A stout rawhide cord is passed through holes in the 

 top of the stanchions and wound around the rail, holding it firmly in 

 position. The rail usually projects a few^ inches beyond the last stan- 

 chion on each side, forming handles for guiding the sled. Some sleds 

 also have a crosspiece resting on the last stanchions at the rear. On 

 the sides a stout rawhide cord is fastened at the end of the rail and is 

 passed down around the side bar of the bed and back to the rail again 

 in a diagonal or zigzag pattern along the entire length, thus forming 

 a netting, which prevents articles from falling from the sled. Inside 

 of this netting it is customary to place a large sheet of canvas or of 

 skins sewed together to form a covering for the load. The flaps are 

 folded over the top, and a rawhide lashing from rail to rail holds the 

 load firmly in place. From five to nine dogs are attached to large sleds 

 of this character, and a considerable load can be hauled on them. With 

 seven dogs it is customary, on trips along the coast of Norton sound, to 

 haul a load weighing 300 or 400 pounds. 



Smaller sheds, from 5 to 6 ieet in length, are used about the villages 

 or for short journeys. 



Figure IG, plate Lxxvi, represents a model of one of these sleds, 

 which was obtained at the head of Is'^orton sound. A simpler form of 

 sled also is used by the people along the coast from Kotzebue sound 

 to the Yukon mouth. The runners are of the same fashion as those 

 last described, to which a stout crosspiece is fastened on the inside of 

 the uj)turned ends, and two or three short stanchions, 6 to 8 inches in 

 height, are mortised into their upper edge. A rail on each side is 

 lashed against the crosspiece and extends backward, resting upon and 



