The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-02-03
Norwegian Snow-Skates.

London Field.
The Norwegian snow-skates must not be
confused with the Canadian, which are
much broader and used in quite different
way. The Norwegian snow-skates are
made entirely of wood; their length is
about eight feet, and their breadth three
inches to four inches, the forepart being
little pointed and curved upward. The
under side is very smooth, sometimes with
a small groove planed along the middle.
Some people use them tightly fastened to
the feet; others only put the fore part of the
foot through withy-band fastened to the
skate, which enables them to withdraw
from it easily in case of a fall. The differ
ent parts of the country have their own
shape of snow-skates, either little narrower
or broader, shorter or longer. At Cleve,
in Germany, last year, the club exhibited
all these shapes, as well as photographs of
a runner in different positions, to show
their use l do not know exactly when
skate running was first regarded as sport,
but history shows us that kates We're used
more than thousand years ago during the
then frequent civil wars. In those old days
it would have been impossible for the in
habitants of the different valleys to commu
nicate with each other in very snowy win
ters without this apparatus. Only by
means of skates could the old warriors
make their fast marches in winter, through
trackless and unpeopled regions. Now,
highroads and railways have made them
superfuous for the army (though [ do not
think it is more than twenty-five years
since the last battalions of snow-skaters
were given up) and also for many of the
peasants, though in many parts Of the
country they still are, indeed, always will
be necessary instance, in the highest
parts of Norway, where the nomadic Fins
ramble with their herds of thousands of
tame reindeer from one mountain to another.
Only by the necessity Of using the snow
skates one can explain the wonderful ex-
pertness at which the peasants arrive. In
order to get to the top Of hill the skater
tacks up the side of the hill, like a ship
against the wind, sliding on the surface of
snow, and never lifting his feet, except
when making side turn, or he goes straight
up, lifting one foot sideways over the other.
A staff about five feet long, grasped with
both hands, is used by some people, either
on the left or right side The hill chosen
for the exercise or matches is often hun
dreds of feet high and pretty steep, of
course, according to the ability of the run
ner Let us now commence the descent.
After few steps the speed increases so
much that you can hardly breathe, and all
your thoughts must be concentrated on
keeping your balance. In the lower part
of the hill the acceleration produces speed
which may be compared with that of an
express train. Should you feel symptoms
of an approaching loss of balance, you must
use your staff, which will partly help to
keep the balance and partly retard the
speed But if you use the staff too much
you are called ''staf-rider,' and not con-
sidered as good runner; therefore people
avoid it as much as possible, and many nev-
er use it at all, even down the most diff
cult hills. There are often drops on the
sides of the hill, either from following its
natural outline or caused by snowdrifts.
When the runner comes to one of these he
has to make an aerial veyoge, and the
most difficult moment is when he comes to
the ground again, as it is a matter of chance
whether he will land ON his feet or make
series of somersaults and be buried in the
snow