SNOW-SHOES.
These commodities are almost indispensable to the trapper where he pursues his vocation in the winter time, during
the prevalence of deep snows. When properly made they permit the wearer to walk over the surface of the snow 
with perfect ease; where, without them, travel would be extremely difficult if not impossible.

In the regions of perpetual snow, and also in Canada and neighboring districts, snow-shoes are very commonly 
worn. In the latter localities the "snow-shoe race" forms one of the favorite sports of the season, and young and old 
alike join in its mysteries. Like riding on the velocipede, walking on snow-shoes looks "easy enough," but we notice 
that a few somersaults are usually a convincing argument that the art is not as simple as it appears. 

The first experience on snowshoes is apt to be at least undignifying, if not discouraging, and in order to get used to 
the strange capers and eccentricities of an ordinarily well-behaved snow shoe, it requires considerable patience 
and practice. There is no telling where, in an unguarded moment, they will land you, and they seem to take especial 
delight in stepping on each other and turning their wearer upside down. 

The principal secret of success (and one may as well know it at the start, as to learn it at the expense of a pint of 
snow down his back) consists in taking steps sufficiently long to bring the widest portion of the stepping shoe 
beyond that of the other, keeping the feet rather far apart and stepping pretty high. By observing these precautions,
and trusting in Providence, much embarrassment may be saved, and an hour's effort will thoroughly tame the unruly
appendages, which at best do not permit of much grace or elegance of gait.

To the moose hunter snow-shoes are often an absolute necessity, and trapping in many cases would be impossible 
without them. They are thus brought fully within the scope of our volume, and we give a few simple directions for 
their manufacture. Our illustration gives the correct shape of the shoe. 

The framework should consist of a strip of ash, hickory or some other elastic wood, bent into the form indicated and 
wound around the ends with twine or strips of hide. The length of the piece should be about six feet, more or less, in
proportion to the size of the individual who proposes to wear the shoe. If the bending should prove difficult it may be
rendered an easy matter by the application of boiling water. 

Across the front part two strips of stout leather, or other tough hide, are then fastened, and these further secured 
together by three or four bands on each side of the middle, as our drawing shows.

In the original Indian snow-shoe, from which our drawing was made, the net work was constructed from strips of 
moose hide, which were interlaced much after the manner of an ordinary cane-seated chair. Strips of leather, deer 
skin, or even split cane, above alluded to, may also be used, and the lacing may be either as our illustration 
represents, or in the simpler rectangular woof seen in ordinary cloth.

In order to attach the interlacing to the bow the latter should be wound with wide strips of cane, if it can be procured, 
or otherwise with strips of tough skin. The loops thus formed offer a continuous security, and the whole interior, with 
the exception of the space at the front between the cross pieces, should be neatly filled with the next work. It is well 
to run the first lines across the shoe, from side to side, passing through the windings of the bow. Across them, in the
form of the letter X, the two other cords should be interlaced, after the manner shown in the cut. This forms a secure
and not very complicated network, and is the style usually adopted by the Indian makers.

There is another mode of attaching the lace-work to the bow which is also commonly employed, and consists in a 
series of holes bored at regular intervals through the wood. The winding is thus dispensed with, but the bow is 
sometimes weakened by the operation, and we are inclined to recommend the former method in preference.

In attaching the shoe, the ball of the foot should be set on the second cross piece, and there secured by a strip of 
hide, which should be first adjusted as seen in the engraving, being afterward tied over the foot and then behind the
ankle. Snow-shoes are made in other ways, but we believe that the typical Indian snow-shoe above described is the 
best.

THE TOBOGGAN OR INDIAN SLEDGE.
For winter traffic over deep snows there is no better sled in the world than the Indian toboggan. To the trapper 
during a winter campaign it is often an indispensable convenience, and without it the Indian hunters of the North 
would find great difficulty in getting their furs to market. All through the winter season the various trading posts of 
Canada are constantly visited by numbers of Indian trappers, many of whom have travelled hundreds of miles on 
their snow-shoes with their heavily laden toboggans. Arrived at their market they sell or trade their stock of furs, and
likewise dispose of their toboggans, reserving only their snow-shoes to aid them in their long tramp homewards.

In Canada and northward the toboggan is in very extensive use, both for purposes of traffic and amusement. It is 
quite commonly met with in the streets of various Canadian cities, and is especially appreciated by the youthful
population, who are fond of coasting over the crust of snow. For this purpose there is no other sled like it, and a 
toboggan of the size we shall describe will easily accommodate two or three boys, and will glide over a crust of snow 
with great ease and rapidity. 

To the trapper it is especially valuable for all purposes of transportation. The flat bottom rests upon the surface of 
the snow, and the weight being thus distributed a load of two or three hundred pounds will often make but little 
impression and can be drawn with marvellous ease. 

Our illustration gives a very clear idea of the sled, and it can be made in the following way: the first requisite is a 
board about eight feet in length and sixteen or more inches in width. Such a board may be procured at any saw mill. 
Oak is the best wood for the purpose, although hickory, basswood or ash will do excellently. It should be planed or 
sawed to a thickness of about a third of an inch, and should be free from knots. If a single board of the required 
width is not easily found, two boards may be used, and secured side by side by three cleats, one at each end and 
the other in the middle, using wrought nails and clinching them deeply into the board on the under side. The single 
board is much to be preferred, if it can be had. 

The next requisites are seven or eight wooden crosspieces of a length equivalent to the width of the board. Four old
broom-sticks, cut in the required lengths, will answer this purpose perfectly, and if these are not at hand other sticks
of similar dimensions should be used. Two side pieces are next needed. These should be about five feet in length, 
and in thickness exactly similar to the cross pieces. 

Next procure a few pairs of leather shoestrings or some strips of tough calf skin. With these in readiness we may 
now commence the work of putting the parts together. Begin by laying the cross pieces at equal distances along the
board; across these and near their ends lay the two side pieces, as seen in the illustration. By the aid of a gimlet or 
awl, four holes should now be made through the board, beneath the end of each cross piece, and also directly 
under the side piece. It is well to mark with a pencil, the various points for the holes, after which the sticks can be 
removed and the work much more easily performed. 

The four holes should be about an inch apart, or so disposed as to mark the four corners of a square inch. It is also 
necessary to make other holes along the length of the cross pieces, as seen in the illustration. The line on these 
can also be marked with the pencil across the board, and the holes made afterwards. These should also be an inch 
apart, and only two in number at each point, one on each side of the stick. When all the holes are made the board 
should be turned over, in order to complete preparations on the other side. The object of these various holes is for 
the passage of the leather shoestrings for the purpose of securing the cross pieces firmly to the board. In order to 
prevent these loops from wearing off on the under side, small grooves should next be made connecting the holes 
beneath, thus allowing the leather string to sink into the wood, where it is securely protected from injury. A narrow 
chisel is the best tool for this purpose, the making of the grooves being much more easily and perfectly 
accomplished with this than with the jack-knife. 

When the under side is thus finished the board may be turned over and the cross pieces and sides again arranged 
in place as already described. Secure the pieces to the board by the leather strings through the various holes, 
always knotting on the upper surface, and taking care that the knots are firmly tied. The ends of all the cross pieces 
will require a double cross stitch through the four holes beneath, in order to secure the side pieces as well. This is 
plainly shown in the small diagram (a).

The front end of each side piece underneath should now be sharpened to a point, to allow for the bend at the front 
of the toboggan. The cross piece at this end should be secured to the under side of the board, so that as it bends 
over it will appear on the upper edge, as our illustration shows. 

The board should next be bent with a graceful curve, and thus held in position by a rope or strip of leather at each 
extremity of the end cross piece and attached to the ends of the third cross piece, as seen in the engraving. If the 
bending is difficult and there is danger of breaking the board, the application of boiling water will render it pliable. 
The draw strings should then be attached to the ends of the second cross piece, and our toboggan is now 
complete.

It may now be laden with two or three hundred pounds of merchandize and will be found to draw over the surface of
the snow with perfect ease. For coasting over the crust there is nothing like it. Such a toboggan as we have
described will easily accommodate three boys, the one at the stern being provided with a sharp stick for steering, 
and the front occupant holding firmly to the draw strings. The toboggan is easily made, and will do good service 
either for traffic or sport.


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