The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1859-02-03
INTERESTING DESCRIPTION OF TRAVELLING
In THE "EAR WERrn,

SHUT out from the rest at the world dur.
in. the winter months. The prtrni, All
vcriSrr gives an interesting description
OF the mode Of travelling during thu,
period -
The mails are carried 10y Indians and
half breeds, VIXEN the travelling i. good.
on their backs, aud when it is bad, hy dog
trans.
The snow falls to depth of from two
to five or six feet The snow shoes used hv
the men are about eight or ten inches in
width. and from two and Il half to four and
half feet in length. They are flat, and
arc made Of a bow Of maple wood, round
at the toe and coming to point at the hell,
where the ends are fastened by thongs of
raw deer skin. The space is filled by Il
lace work Of raw deer or moose skin strings
with the exception Of small space
Immediately in front of cross piece
of wood, upon which the ball oc the foot
rests.
The shoes use,l by women are smaller
than ;llose used by the men, and of diff
ferent shape. The feet of the person using
the shoes are incasc.l in mocassins of buck
skin, sufficiently large to admit three or
four thickncsscs of blanket The blanket
is used not only to keep the feet warm, but
also 10 prevent the toes from being chafcd
10y the strings Of buck>kin which are passed
over them, and by which the shoes arc f.s-
tened to the feet.
The dog trains used are made Of a flat
board about half an inch in thickness, ten
inches in width, and six or ten and twelve
feet in length, AMI are turned up in front.
At each side of the train II rope is fastened,
running tie whole lcngtl, Of it, and Il train
cloth OF canvas is used, considerably larger
than the train. The articles tn be carried
are placed OH the cloth, from one end of
the rain to the other. The cloth is then
wrapped over them. and laced IN by
means OF u string passing under the ropes
ut the side.
For a tramp the c,lib!es CARRIED are,
usually some flour, pilot bread, salt pork
tea and sugar, and cooking utensils, tin
kettle and frying pan. The food for the
dogs is generally tallow and corn meal
The bc'l-clothes are single blanket TO
each man. Indians or half breeds are en-
p!oyed as guides and assistants during
tramp.
Imagine white man and an Indian
about starting on tramp" of three or
four hundred miles, through forest un
frc1nentcd by all living beings except wild
birds and animals. The provisions are
packed upon train, the dogs are harnes.
scd to it, one ahead of the other, to the
nnnt3cr OF four or five. The Indian takes
the lead, with his snow Shoes, the dogs fol-
low with the train, and the "pale face
brings up their rear, with yeils to the tlo"s
in front Of him. Tramp, tramp, tramp,
until noon. when n halt is made; the train
is unpacked, the kettle, tea and sugar is pro.
duced, Il FIRE lighted, and after taking cup
of tea, the word is given and again the
tramp commences. The party makes
another halt in time to prepare the camp
ing ground before the night sets in. The
dogs are left standing in their harness, the
Indians takes the axe and cuts enough fuel
to last until morning, the white man Uses
snow shoe for Il shovel and clears away the
the snow until the ground is reached. A
shelter is then built over the cleared SPACE.
OF poles covered with evergreen bougi.s.-l
The front Of the "wigwam'' is left open
and the ground covered with hcmock
oughs. Immediately opposite the front
rousing log fire is built, the dogs unhar.
messed, and the supper prepared. The sup
per is composed Of a cup Of tea, some pork
cooked in the frying pan, and some flour
cooked in the fat left from the pork. After
supper the pipes and tobacco are produced,
md the white man smokes in front Of the
lire, while the Indian cooks the supper of
corn and tallow for the dogs in the same
kettle in which the tea had been made but
few minutes before. After being satisfied
with his "smoke," the pale face and Indian
wrap their blankets around them, and lav
lown side by side on the hcmlocks boue s.
with their feet to the FIRE, and sleep rs
'wcetly and so soundly as "eer did king
'pcn the richest damask." In the morn.
"g' before day. the Indian prepares the
breakfast whicl, is eaten and the travellers
again move on. The dogs arc fed but once
day, end the reason is they travel much
better. distance of thirty miles per day
S travelled with ease by those accustomed
o the use of snow shoes. When, toward
spring, the day becomes longer and the sun
'otter, the travelling is done at night, and
he resting and sleeping by day.
The veteran Indian snow. .shoer" will