I 



Sintamaskin 



shoes without heels. They are a valuable 

 protection against the chafing of the strings, 

 which must be worn pretty tight over the 

 toes, and, by retaining the heat of the foot, 

 they largely prevent the melting of the snow 

 under the instep, and its caking on the web- 

 bing. They must always be longer than the 

 foot, to allow ample room beyond the ends 

 of the toes. With proper foot-gear, then, 

 good shoes, and a little instruction from an 

 expert, the beginner may rapidly qualify him- 

 self for one of the most exhilarating methods 

 of pursuing the moose or caribou. He will 

 not attempt too much at first, and he will take 

 in good temper, I trust, the little mishaps that 

 come to him ; and bear in mind that, though 

 an occasional wild plunge head-foremost into 

 winter's mantle is alarming, and the subse- 

 quent struggles rather exasperating, still no 

 harm results. As for distances, they vary, of 

 course, with the strength and skill of the indi- 

 vidual, the nature of the country, the weather, 

 and the depth and quality of the snow. I 

 know men, Indians and trappers, who have 

 made great distances in a continuous journey. 

 My own trips to the wilderness have usually 



been made at times when I stood in need of 



129 



