New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-03-07

sailor Like the Irshmans plaster, tine haIoor Jou
mil 1t the tighter it sticks. This arrangement,
which is the same whether toe-strap be employed
or not leaves the heel perfectly free TOR the shoe is
fastened to the foot only at the toesl and when
the toes are bent IN walking the heel comes up Just
az in walking on the ground, the shoe meanwhile
living fiat. The fastening being very near the front
of the shoe, when the foot is raised entirely nOm
the ground the weight of the long heel keeps tho
hinder part OF the shoe on the ground and throws
the toe well up into the air, 30 that there Is no
danger of stubbing ones toes or OF running them
into the soft snow. Ons is at no trouble In keeping
his feet clear. All that he has to do is TO Walk
naturally The ingenious system OF leverage IN the
adjustment OF the shoe will cause it 10 take care Oh
ITSELF and he will be in small danger OF stumbling
And one is not obliged 10 walk with MS ieeb lar
apart The shoes overlap the stride, ana the IeeC
peea never be more than five inches apart. Snow
shooting is not difficult thing to learn like skating
and the inexperienced snOwshoer need have no
fears of making a spectacle of himself The first
avkwardness viii wear OIL very quickly. provided
the shoes be put on properly, and the only trouble
will be in turning in starring of carelessy atter
stoppng for then shoe is apt TO be lying on enc
other and If steps of with the imprisoned 1oot'
he will probably fall on his nose in the soft snow.
So far as my own experience went, was comfort
ably at home in my shoes five minutes after lrst
mt them on and able to start oil at BRISK tr0t.
There are only two or three things to he renem-
bercd in snowshocing. Do not shuttle the feet along
but pick them we'll up. as in walking. Don't try to
keep the feet wide apart. but in str1ding let tho
shoe that is in the air pass over that which is lying
on the ground. 1t will do no hahn if the rim OF the
shoe strikes against tho ankle of the opposite foot
in walking; that will cure itself very quickly. And
nav attention to where you are planting your feet.
Looking over ones shoulder while in motion IS a
dangerous business. think almost the only falls
ever have had IN snowshOeing came from that
PLEASANT NATIONAL SPORT
Everybody in Canada is more or less OF o snow
shoer or has been in his YOUTH The use OF the
snowshOe in winter is universal outside the cities
The Indians who cOntrived them, of course wear
them for they have to make their living in winter
largely by hunting and without the shoes it Is inn
possible to get about The "habitants" use them.
too for thor work about their farms and in cutting
trees and in the country, where the roads are
badly broken drifted so full that they caunot be
broken Mt all snowshoes are q necessity. And even
those who live in the largo cities have occasion to
use them not in sport but in very serious earnest,
for l was told the other day by prominent member
of the Montreal bar and O. g., that he never made
long Journeys in winter by rail without taking his
snowshOes with him. Trains ore not AZ oil unlikely
10 10 showed up In Canada-iheir irregularity in
winter after n snow.storin Is surprisingly regular,
and excites no comment ut all-and there are few
less entertaining places than q snoW-bound trnln'
The lucky possessor Of pair OF snowshoes. how
ever, Is perfectly independent. and when he gets
tired cf the company OF his fellow travellers, or
when the supply of wood gives out and the phssen-
gers are threatened with death by freezing or star
walton. he can put on his shoes and. without con-
Germ Tor drifts or anything else 60 fl to the nearest
farm house aud wait quietly till the train is dug out
again The universality OF snow-shOcing led natur-
ally 20 the formation of the Snowshoe Clubs the
oldest of which, the Montreal. was established over
forty years ago. With the Institution OF The old
Montreal Club, snowshoc faces which had been hut
little thought OF before. began TO acquire serious
interest. At the first the rivalry was chleny ne
tween the whites and tho Indians, and the latter,
thanks to tho endurance which th2y had gained
from their outdoor life and from their superior skill
with the shoes. mad things pretty much their
own way at all distances. But that did NOT lhst
Iony Tho whites quickly 10 tme rs expert IN the
management Of the shoes ~ their red opponents,
and having n better turn OF speed got tine best OF
them M short Distances though the lndians re-
tanned their supremacy IN the long races, lhoSe OF
three aud four miles, and do still ! believe IL IS
pleasant to read among the winners OF thlrty yens
ago the names Of the father ana uncle of the
Lamontagne toys Ernest and Rene who seem 70
have won many races for the OLD MONTREAL ClhD
ia the st generation rs tho younger ones nave won
for the Ncw-York Athletic Club IN this. From
wear to yeaG the snOwshOo races have increased IN
Importance and havo gained in interest "a new
cInhs hJyc hcrn formed. and q friendly rivalry be-
tween them has sprung into life. Now there arc
some eight or ten clubs m this city alone, AMI run
ncrs from oil over Canada to take part IN the
Bnt tbs races ore not by any means the chief oh
irct and end nf the SnONSloe Climbs. They nave
ether and ~ seems TO me- better, purposes, one OF
which Is the promotion OF pleasant social lnter-
coursr among the members: the other, the general
nny1caI eyelopment of all the members Of the
club not by severe and cxhaustlng training, but ny
weekly tramps of moderate length, IN winch ~! TIE
members OF the Climb can take part and which keep
all the mon IN good condition, without taxing them
too severely.
TRAMPNG OVER THE SNOW.
Each clnb takes as a rule. two tramps week,
ono on Saturday afternoon. the other on some oven
ing during the week. These tramps are alike IN
their general features IN all the clubs and think
| cnn best give an idea Of their character by de-
scribing two of those taken by the Montreal Club.
"Wednesday night is tho club evening The men
begin to assemble at the Club House aoout haipast
7 in uniform. which with the Montreal Club. is
tbc inevitable blnnket-coat blue tuque" with red
cord and tassel, and scarlet sash and stockings.
Here, before the tramp club affairs are talked over
in desnltory sort OF way, new members are occa-
sonaly proposed and plans discussed for future
Saturday afternoon tramps. At precisely
o'clock the stern president who is niexible In the
matter of keeping appointments, and who is
nro,uptncss itself, gives the order, and the club
leaves the house, generally forty or fifty strong. IL
the SNOW is in good condition, and not too hard III
tie streets the men put on their snowshoes at the
Climb House door, stopping moment IN the llght OF
a street lamp TO perform this important operation;
# il is not they drudge OH in desnltory crowd
through the streets to the foot of the mountain
that Mount Royal which looms mp just back OF
Montreal, and which gives the city its name
where the shoes are put on and the club takes its
departnre with due formality. the pres
ilcnt leading, the members following in In
dian file, and the rear brought up by
= whippcr-in,D whose duty 1t is 90 keep the men
well up and prevent Struggling All the evening
tramps end at a little tavern across Mount Royal