206 THE ESKIMO ABOUT BERING STRAIT [eTH. ANN. 18 
American coast and adjacent islands sleds from 9 to 10 feet in length 
are built strongly of driftwood. Their runners are from 2 to 3 inches 
broad and from 6 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 23 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 upeurved 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 arail. 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 feet in length, are used about the villages 
or for short journeys. 
Ligure 16, plate LXxv1, represents a model of one of these sleds, 
which was obtained at the head of Norton 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 upturned 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 upov and 
