The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-05-20
THE NORTH POLE EXPEDITION.
An Interesting Description of the SIedges
to be Used in the Northern Ice Fields.

An Interesting Description OF the Sledges
to be Used in the Northern Ice Fields.
But inasmuch as portion of the jour
ney to the pole may have to be effected
over vast fields of solid ice, the ships
which are fitting out in England for the
trip are provided with a splendid array
of sledges, constructed under the super
vision of Sir Leopold McClintock, who
is supposed to know more about sledges
than any other man. There are of these
sledges, says a city paper, four large
size or twelve-man sledges, eleven second
size or eight-man sledges, and eleven
small size or five-man sledges; two large
and two small size boat or luggage
sledges, four small "satellites' or dog
sledges, and a couple of newly designed
"bridge- -and-ladder" sledges, which are
sixteen feet long, two feet wide and ten
and quarter inches deep, with q
carrying capacity of three tons, while un-
loaded they form a scientifically con-
structed girder for crossing a chasm or a
ladder for scaling IN inaccessible hum
mock. Except that in the BRIDGE and
ladder sledge a tie-rod of steel runs
from end to end, one-third of it beneath
the sole, and capable of being frightened
by nut and screw, all these various
sledges are constructed after the same
models, differing only in size. They are
made of American elm, timber which
combines the necessary toughness with
lightness , the essential principle of con-
struction being pair OF steel-shod run
ners, curving upwards at the ends, and
kept parallel by cross bar, and on this
bearing frame is erected, supported at
the ends by the upward curves or horns
of the runners, and in the middle by
"poppets" or little supporting columns.
Except to secure the strips of steel on to
the runners no screws or nails are used
in the construction, the cross-bars being
lashed to the bearers with strips of raw
hide soaked in hot water and put on wet.
AS the hide dries the lashing becomes
rigid and firm, and the junction vastly
stronger than would be possible by the
most skilfully devised joint. In the in
tense cold of the Arctic regions iron
screws would snap like glass, and no
rigidly fastened woodwork could stand
the conclusions to which the sledge is
subject, SC that the system of construc-
tion to which the Esquimaux are driven
by necessity is proved by long experience
to be the best suited to the conditions of
the desolate region in which they exist.
On the upper surface of the sledge O
square-bottomed canvas bag is fixed, into
which the load is packed with careful
attention to the proper distribution of
weight, which is greatest in the center.
The drag-rope is fastened to a span of
rope which passes beneath the bottom of
the sledge and over the rear ends. The
blight of the span comes three feet in
front of the sledge, being stoppered be-
low the foremost horns, SO as to insure
the best angle of traction, which is found
about fifteen degrees, and the drag rope
is fastened at the middle to the span by
means of wooden toggle. Turks heads
are worked along the two ends of the
drag-rope at points where the men are to
attach themselves. The drawing collars
for the men are made of horse girth
about four inches wide. They pass over
the right or left shoulder and under the
opposite arm, according as the men are
attached to the right or left drag-rope.
At each end of the piece of girth an eye
let-hole is worked, and into these piece
of inch rope is spliced. On the rope
there is movable thimble, round which
Is spliced lanyard of wire-thread, ter
minating in a disk of copper ctlled a
bung-toggle. To harness himself for
traction man has simply to slip his
girth over his head and one arm and
then to take single turn with the end
of the lanyard over the drag-rope, Just
behind one of the Turks heads. With
the slightest strain the standing part of
the lanyard is jammed against the drag
rope, the Turks head prevents its slip
ping forward, and the bung toggle keeps
the end from pulling through. The man
is thus firmly attached by an operation
which can be instantly performed with
his hands mufied in the thickest mittens,
and he can as readily detach himself by
the mere act of ceasing to pull. With
the same regard to ease and simplicity
of every act necessary for sledge work,
pulling out the span -toggle detaches the
drag-rope, which is then available for
pitching the tent. 1t is with the eight
man sledge that the principal work of
exploration will be conducted, and this
will carry load of l ,646 pounds, princi-
pally of provisions. This gives start
ing weight, for seven weeks journey,
of 235 pounds for each of the seven men
to drag. Iu the opinion of Sir Leopold
this is quite the maximum, and even
under favorable conditions and with men
previously trained for the duty. The
satellites" are intended for such pur
poses as hunting in the immediate neigh
borhood of the ships. With one OF
these little sledges and three or fouI
dogs an officer could make journey of
many miles after deer or musk oxen, and
bring back his game with no undue
eyertion