The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1860-12-20
4 Young Husbands Soliliquy.
TRAVELLING IN THE FAR WEST.

One portion of the United States and Can
ada, lying in and North Of Michigan, called
the Upper Peninsula" is entirely shut out
from the rest of the world during the winter
months. The Detroit Advertiser gives an
interesting description Of the mode of travel
ing during that period:
The mails are carried by Indians and half
breeds, when the travelling is good on thein
backs; and when it is bad by dog trains.
The snow falls from the depth Of two to five
or six feet. The snow shoes used by the men
are about eight and a half inches in width,
and two and half to four and half feet in
length. They are flat and are made of a bow
of maple wood, round at the toe and coming
to point at the heel, where the ends are
fastened by thongs of raw deer skin. The
space is filled by lace work of raw deer or
moose skin strings, with the exception Of
small space directly in front of Il cross piece
of wood, upon which the ball of the foot rests
The shoes used by the women are smaller
than those used by the men and are Of diff
lerent shape The feet of the person using
the shoes are encased in moccasins of buck
skin, sufficiently large to admit three or four
thicknesses Of blanket. The blanket is used
not only to keep the feet warm, but also TO
prevent the toes from being chafed by the
strings of buckskin which are passed over
them, and by which the shoee are fastened
to the foot.
Tne dog trains used are made of 4 It
board about half an inch ia thickness, ten
inches in width, and from six to ten and twelve
feet in length, and are turned up in 'front.'
AT each side Of the train a rope is fastened,
running the whole length oft, and train
cloth" of canvas is used, considerably larger
than the train. The articles to be carried are
placed on the cloth, from one end of the train
to the other. The cloth is then wrapped over
them, and laced up by means of string pas
sing under the ropes at the side.
For tramp, the edibes carried are usual
ly, some flour, pilot bread, salt pork, tea and
sugar, and cooking utensils, tin kettle and
frying pan. The food Of the dogs is gener-
ally tallow and corn meal. The bed clothes
arc a single blanket to each man. Indians
or half bretd d5 are Us ualy employed as guides
and assistants during a tramp.
Imagine white man aad an Indian about
starting on "tramp" Of three or four humid
red miles, through a forest unfrequented by
all living beings except wild birds and ami
mails. The provisions are packed upon the
train, the dogs are hamessed to it, one ahead
Of the other to the number of four or five
The Indian takes the lead with his snow shoes,
the dogs follow with the train, and the "pale
face brings up the rear, with yells to lhe
dogs in front of him, Tramp, tramp tramp.
until noon, when halt is made the train is
unpacked, the kettle, tea and SUGARS produced,
a fire lighted, and after taking cup Of tea,
the word given, again the tramp commen-
ces. The party makes another halt in time
to prepare the camping ground before night
sets TO- The dogs are left standing in their
harness, the Indian takes the ak and cuts
enough fuel to last Ill morning, the white man
ases snow shoe for shovel, and clears
away the snow until the ground is reached
A shelter IS then bailt over The cleared space,
OF poles covered with evergreen boughs. The
front Of the " wigwam" is left open, and the
ground covered with hemlock boughS. Ina
mediately opposite the front a rousiOg log fire
is built, The dogs Embarrassed aud the supper
prepared. The supper is composed of a cup
of tea. some pork cooked in the frying pan,
and some -four cooked in the TAT LEI, from he
pork. After supper, the pipes and tobacco
are produced, ana the white man smokes in
tront Of the Gre, While tie IeJian cooks ;LV