44 Thirty Years 
the snow. Between the main bar and another in front 
of-it, a small space is left, permitting the toes to 
descend a little in the act of raising the heel to make 
the step forward, which prevents their extremities from 
chafing, The length of a snow-shoe is from four to six 
feet, and the breadth one foot and a half, or one foot 
and three-quarters, being adapted to the size of the 
wearer, The motion of walking in them is perfectly 
natural, for one shoe is level with the snow, when the 
‘edge of the other is passing over it. It is not easy to 
use them among bushes, without frequent overthrows, 
nor to rise afterwards without help. Hach shoe weighs 
about two pounds when unclogged with snow. The 
northern Indian snow-shoes differ a little from those 
of the southern Indians, having a greater curvature on 
the outside of each shoe; One advantage of which is, 
that when the foot rises the over-balanced side 
descends and throws off the snow. All the superiority 
of Kuropean art has been unable to improve the native 
contrivance of this useful machine. 
“Sledges are made of two or three flat boards, 
curving upwards in front, and fastened together by 
transverse’ pieces of wood above. They are so thin 
that, if heavily laden, they bend with the inequalities 
of the surface over which they pass. The ordinary 
dog-sledges are eight or ten feet long, and very 
narrow, but the lading is secured to a lacing round 
