The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1875-05-17
TnE SORTH rOLE ExpEDIrIOS.
An Interesting Description OF the siedEes
TO bo Used Ia the Narthern lee Fields.

An Interesting Description OF the SledEes
TO be Used In the Northern lee 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 q splendid array
Of sledges, constructed under the super.
vision Of Sir Leopold McClintoek, who
Is supposed TO know more about aledges
than any other man. There arc Of these
sledges, says o city paper, four large
size or twelye'man sledges, eleven second
size or eight-inan sledges, and eleven
small size or fiye-man sledges; two large
and two small size boat or luggage
sledges, four small 'ssatellitesp or dog
sledges, and q couple Of newly designed
"bridge-and.ladder" sledges, which are
sixteen feet long, two feet wide and ten
and three-q quarter inches deep, with o
carrying capacity Of three tons, while un-
loaded they form 0 scientifically con-
structed girder for crossing q chasm or
ladder for scaling an inaccessible hum
mock. Except that in the bridge.and.
ladder sledge o tie.rod Of steel runs
from end TO end, oae-third OF it beneath
the sole, and capable Of being tightened
by nut and screw, oil these various
sledges are constructed after the same
models; differing only in size. They arc
made Of American elm, q timber which
combines the necessary toughness with
lightness the essential principle Of con-
struction being pair Of steel-shod run
ners, curying upwards at the ends, and
kept parallel by o crossbar, and on this
bearing frame Is erected, supported ut
the ends by the upward curves or horns
OF the runners, and in the middle by
"poppets" or little supporting columns.
Except to secure tho strips OF steel on 10
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 bot water aud 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 slIilfully devised joint. In the in
tense cold Of the Arctic regions iron
screws would snap like glass, aud no
rigidly fastened woodwork could stand
the conclusions to which the sledge is
subject, so that the system OF construc-
ton TO which the EsQuimaux arc driven
by necessity Is proved by longexperience
to be the best suited to the conditions OF
tho desolate region in which they exist.
On the upper surface Of the sledge q
square-bottomed canvas bag is fixed, into
which the load Ia packed with careful
attention to the proper distribution OF
weight, which "a greatest in the center.
The drng-rope Is fastened 10 span Of
rope which passes beneath the bottom Of
the sledgo and over tho rear ends, The
blight OF the span comes threo 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 middleto the span by
means OF q woodentoggle. Turks heads
are worked along the two ends Of the
drag.rope at points where the men are TO
attach themselves. Tho 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 q movable thimble, round which
is spliced a lanyard Of wire-tmead, ter
minating in. q disk Of copper ctlled a
bung.toggle. To harness himself for
traction . man has simply to slip his
girth over-llis head and ono 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 tho standing part of
the lanyard ia iammed against the drag
rope, the, Turks head prevents It's slip-
ping forward, and the bungtoggle keeps
the end from pulling through. The man
is thus firmly attached by an operation
which can be instantly performed with
his hands mnfiied In the thickest mittens,
and he,can as readily detach himself by
tho mere. act Of iceasing to pull. With
the same regard TO ease and simplicity
of every not necessary for sledge work,
pulling out the span itoggle detaches the
drag-rope, which is then available for
pitching the tent. It is with the eight.
man sledge that the principal work Of
exploration will be conducted, and this
will carry q load Of 1,eI6 pounds, princi.
pally OF provisions. This gives start
ing weight, for q seyon weeks journey,
Of 235 pounds for each Of the seven men
to drug. Inthe opinion Of Sir Leopold
this ID quite the maximum, and even
under favorable conditions and with men
previously trained for The duty. Tho
'tsatellites" arc intended for such pur.
poses as hunting in the immediate neigh
borhood OF tho ships. With one Of
these little sledges and three or four
dogs M officer could make journey Of
many miles after deer or musk oxen, and
bring back his game with no undue
oxertion. .5,ft. tit
I'd sH.ll -. .. .t-..l