MURDOCH. } SNOWSHOES. 349 
The foot-netting is of a very different pattern, and consists of seven 
transverse and thirteen longitudinal strands, of which six, in the mid- 
dle, do not reach the toe bar, leaving an oblong transverse hole, 
through which the toe presses against the snow at the beginning of 
the step. The cross strands are a piece of stout thong (the skin of the 
walrus or bearded seal), to the end of which is spliced with double slits 
a long piece of thinner seal thong, which makes the longitudinal ones. 
The seven transverse strands pass in and out through holes in the rim, 
while the longitudinal strands pass over the bars, except the middle 
three pairs, which pass round the horizontal strand behind the toe 
hole, drawing it down to the next strand. The end of the thirteenth 
strand wattles these two firmly together, as it does also the two pairs 
of longitudinal strands on each side of the toe hole, and finishes off the 
netting by whipping the two sets of strands together with a ‘bird- 
cage stitch.” 
The object of the complicated wattling round the toe hole is, first, to 
strengthen the hind border against which the toe presses in walking, 
and second to give a firm attachment for the straps, which are fastened 
at the junction of the doubled and twisted longitudinal strands with 
the first and second transverse ones. Each strap is a single piece of 
stout seal thong fastened to the shoe with two loops as follows: At the 
inner side of the shoe the end is passed into the toe hole and makes a 
round turn about the doubled longitudinal strands, and then goes un- 
der the two cross strands, coming out behind them and between the 
twelfth and thirteenth longitudinal strands. It is then spliced into the 
standing part with two slits, making a becket about 3 inches in 
diameter. The other end, leaving a loop large enough to go round the 
wearers heel, is passed through the becket just made, wound in the 
same way as before round the strands at the other corner of the toe 
hole, and made into a similar becket by knotting the end to the stand- 
ing part with a marlinghitch with the bight left in. On the right shoe 
this hitch is made in a slit in the standing part. The end is probably 
left long for the purpose of adjusting the length of the strap to the 
wearer's foot. 
In putting on the shoe, the toe 1s thrust sideways through the loop 
till the bight comes well up over the heel, and then turned round and 
stuck under the two beckets, which together form a strap to fasten the 
toe down to the shoe, leaving the latter free to swing when the heel is 
raised. By reversing the process the shoe is easily kicked off. These 
straps must be fitted very nicely or else the shoe is apt to come off. 
This isa very neatly made pair of shoes, and the woodwork is all painted 
red above. : 
No. 89918 [ 1737] is a pair of similar shoes also from Utkiavwin. The 
frame is made in the same way and is wholly of willow except the extra 
hind bar, which is of walrus ivory. These shoes are shorter and some- 
what broader than the preceding and not so well made. They are 48:5 
