The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-01-13
I Ii + Sp A1C II.
Interesting Description OF travel
ling tB ne Far West"

oue portion of the United States and Canada
lying in, sBd North Of Michigan called the I'm
PER Peninsuar," s entirely shut out from the EST
u the world durlog the winter months The De-.
r5it Advertiser gives an Interesting description of
the mode OF travelling during that period:
Inc m-i.s are carried ny Indians nd Aft breeds
Shsa The travelling is geod, on their backs. and
when il ia bsd. by dog trains
Tne snoE tails to depth Of from two TO FIVE or
"K iee': TIE snow.shoes used by the nen are
about eight OF ten inches in width, aud from two
and half 10 four and half feet iu length Thsv
are fat. aud are made of bow Of maple wood ron ID
at The toe aud coming to- point Of the heel v here
Ihe enns are fastened by thongs of raw deer al H.
iHs space is filled by lace-work Of rsw deer or
n1oss skin strings. with the exception of n small
space immeGis ely in front OF cross.piece Of wood
upon which the ball Of tina foot rests The .ho..
usrd ty wc1n~n are ,maller than those nsed hy tho
r'er, and OF diuereut shape. TIE feet of the
person usirg the shoes Ell cssed ia rpocss,ns ~
ouckskip sufficiently large ADMIT tbree mr. Sopr
tlickHe.ses o. blanket. tt e blanket is used not
oGly "a keep the feet warm, bnt also to nrevent
The toes ffum being chafed by the st,iogs of bnck
ssib which passed over them. ard bv wbich
the shoes are flstenef 20 the feet.
The dog "a n u ed are made of a fat board
about bsif sH inch in thickness. ten iuchss in
width and from six 10 ten and twelve feet in Iany,b
and are turned up ia front. At each side OF tbs
train rope is isstentBed, rUnnite z the who,s
| length Of it, and 4 'iraiu-ciotl" of capya.s il
usei. considerably larger than the train. The
q
ffom one end ofthe train TO ths other Tire clio b
i.then wrap I'd over them, aud placed up b.
Leans ofs sting passing under tbs ropes al the
ID
For tramp. the edibles carried arc, u.usllr-
s,aIr fl ar pilot biesa. salt pork tea ard .rcar
md cooking ensils, tin kettle aud a f wing nan
b. i5st for the doS' is general y a''oesand cr
n i ID DC 'ihe' are, sin ;e blanket to each
NAV. lHd'4ns or half breads are cmpo,ed as
Eu,e-s and assistants during tramp
lEl -gine IA white man and an Indian abont
"a til X on tramp of three or tour hundred
n les. through :ore- unireg1snted by all living
lenss except Wild birds and auimals The pr(.
s!-i0nR are packed pIon the train, the dogs ave
harDessed 10 It, enc ahea1 q the ether. 10 the
numh.r Of four or five. The Indian takes the
lead, with his suow sEo -, the dsgs follow with
the train, aud the "psle face" brings up ,b. rear
With yes 10 the dogs in front of him Tramp
'rsmp, tramp. Viii neon, when a halt Is made
the train is unpscked, the kettle, tea and sugar is
produced, a fire lighted, and after taking a Gun OF
tea. the word is given and again the tramp com.
nenres. The party makes another halt In tine TO
prepare the camping grourd before the night sets
s5. The dogs are LETT standing in their harness,
the Indian takss the axe AID cutg enough fuel to
last Until morning. the white man usss a snow
shoe for shovel aud clears away the snow until
the ground is reached. A shelter is then built
over the clesred space, Of poles covered with ever
green boughE. The iron. of the "wigwsuo is left
Open. aud the ground covered with hemIock
boughs. Immediately opposite the front,
> r0usiUs log IRE Is built, the dogs embarrassed,
aud the supper prepared. The supper is COM
posed OF cup. OF tea, some pork cooked la the
frying psn and some -four couksd in the fat lef,
from the pork. After supper the pipes and to.
bacco are produced. aud ne white men smnkes In
the front of the FIRE, While the Indian cooks the
supper Of corn aud taIow for the dogs in the
same kettle in which the tea had been made but
few minutes before. After beina satief fsd with
his ''sm"ke," the pale face and Indian wrap their
blankets aroGnd them and lay down side By side
Oh the hem ocs bough With their feet 10 the
IRE, and sleep a. s"eetty and as sonuhiy as "e'er
did king upon the richest damask" In the morn-
Ing, before day, the lufisn prepares the break.
last, which lie eaten and the travellers again move
%. The dogs are fed bat once day, and the rea-
to1 is, they ffarel much better, distance Of
thirts ui'es per daY is travelled with ease by
those sccus on2ed 90 ne use OF snow shoes When.
t'ward Spring, the days become longer ard the
sun hottie, the travelling 10 done at night, aud
III" resting and sleeping by day.
The veteran indiau "sBcw-shoeer' will never
drink water, or cat sUoU, during the time he is Oh
lh Juru@p. 81 he ssys IL makes h m "very much
s-as." The Indians aud half breeds. ou coming
10 from long ] 'urney, on their arrival their
rteee of destination, will, ~ night Is pear aDc =
dance fs 10 puorpect, = ay about until the ball be
Rins go TO H. and dance until dayif We hav.
known OF par''es Of Young men putting on then
sqow-sboss On Christmas morning. walking thirty
miles 20 ball, dancing ell night. and then walk
lag q distance OF twelve miles 10 break fast.
We haYeia 01r mind one OF the most wonderful
fes:s OF redes,risnisn. which. If were not well
substsntiated, would be difficult OF belief II took
pIace number + years ago Mr.. ScS oolcraff, re
siding a. e1uit St. Marie wished 10 send express
10 Nacsiosc distant by hefrsil abontseventy I've
miles. He sent for half breed Called La Branch.
aud told him that he mnst go to Mscknac, and
That ne iDnst start at II o'clock, that day. l..
Branch oi lectsd. az there to be u ball 10 the
evening ot the next day. Sohoolcrait told him
that he must go, and that as he wanted 10 attend
Tue bs'l " he was b sex from MsckinAc by 10 ocFk
the next evening, be would give him IA euty dol.
lars extra pay. At Il O'Clock be started, and the
ne1t day st ~ =. NJ. appeared again, having gone
the whole distanco-i5g miles--in 81 hours After
receiving thepromised twenty dollars, he said she
ooald have been ia by O'clock, but he waited two
hoers on the hill back Of the town, for fear |
thas be might get in ahead Of time, and lose his |
money" After leaving Mr. Schoolcraf,'s store, La |
S,aach went to the bal! and ,ripped the moccssin
ed toe until daylight.