TURNER. 5 



SNOW SHOES. 



311 



enough apart to admit the width of the foot as far as the toes, and 

 must be then drawn down to prevent the foot from pushing too far 

 forward and striking against tlie toe-bar. The loop x'assing over the 

 toes must be slack enough to alh)w free movement of the foot. When 

 the strap suits the foot it is iiassed around the heel of tlie wearer and 

 tied suffieiently tight to give ease and comfort. If too tight, the 

 weight soon presses the tendon of the heel. If too loose, it drops down 

 and the toe slips from under the toe baml. 



The single-bar snowshoes are not much used, because they are some- 

 what difticult to make. They are of two styles. One has the bar 

 directly under the center of the foot. It is wide, and should be strong 

 enough to sustain the weight of any wearer. The other style is where 

 the single bar is at the front of the toes, which pattern dift'ers from 





Flo. 131. — Wooden siiowalioe, Little Whale river. 



the "beaver-tail" style only in the absence of the heel bar. This 

 pattern is considered the easiest of all to wear and walk in when once 

 learned. The foot straps are exactly like those of the common kinds. 



The single bar in the middle of the snowshoe renders it a matter of 

 great discomfort until one is accustomed to it, as the straps are simply 

 looj)S for the toe and heel. This pattern has been already figured. 

 The largest snowshoes measure as much as 28 inches across and 3 

 feet in length. 



vSome of the Indians acquire great expertness in the use of these snow- 

 shoes, and are able to run quite rapidly with them. The width of the 

 shoes causes one to straddle widely to allow one snowshoe to pass 

 above and over the other. Care must be exercised that while bringing 

 the rear foot forward the frame does not strike the ankle and produce 

 a serious bruise. In ascending a hill the toe must elevate the snow- 



