Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-17

novatiOns, if they were supported by prac-
teal sense. In other words. we have the
courage to dc as we please. and have not
taken too much trouble to ask other peo-
pies advice about it, either.
Now that are ready to sail, with our
equipment practically complete. We are
able to realize the truth Of the testimony
Offered by previous eadcavorers in the
arctics. to the effect that the work of get
ting ready is often more arluJJ.s than
the work in the field. But We have FOUGHT
our way through difficulty after difficulty
until We find ourselves on the sea in pos
session Of the finest and most perfect boat
ing and sledgiEg outfits that eve started
for the frozen regions of the north Our
aluminium boats and seises. wonderfully
light. strong and adaptable you have
already heard OF. Also the light BRIDES
which We carry to help ourselves over the
hummocks and rough places with TO
these latter We have added some bamboo
structures in which We have much con-
idence. We have also snow shoes from
Canada, which viii be supplemented nv
the skis of Norway. More than one sIeI.c-
ins party has failed for lacn of snow SHOES
Even Lockwood and Eraina-d who MADE
the glorious record of the farthest unrfb
could have gone many miles further had
they carried Snow shoes
Device fer snow TRAVELLING
On tie surface Of the fees and fields of
polar ice We expect 70 encounter rnurn
deep. soft snow. 1t will not IL easily
traversed But instead OF blowing through
it, sinking up to knees and arnIits. as,
Payers men did On Francis joseph Land.
instead of wallowing almost over cur
heads as Markham's men did to the north
of GrinUell Land with frequent shnve1iry
cut OF roads and digging out of boats and
sledSes, We have snow shoes and skis for
our men to wear wherever they can he
used to advantage More than this. we
are going TO Try the virtues Of a device
Irff A.,Nvi. .
made upon the theory that Just as u snow
shoe is better than ordinary boot, lust
as tool Is better than the empty hand
just as a broad-tire wagon is better for
soft roads than narrow tire. so il should
be possible TO introduce for snow travelling
something to make an artificial road over
the surface. a path over which men and
dogs, boats and sledg@s may pass without
vadins and wallowiRg. The device Is.
therefore, called a snow path. 1t consists
simply of stretches of navy duck, each
piece two hundred feet long and two feet
wide. stiffened transversely by carefully
selected hickory strips placed twenty
inches apart. These paths are hauled out
upon the surface of the snow ahead OF the
caravan by one or two men with snow
shoes or skis. The weight of eacn strip
is only sixty or seventy pounds, and when
tested in the park in the rear OF the White
House at Washington few weeks ago il
was found an easy task Tor one man 10
drag them along over the snow. The hick-
ory stiffeners are on the upper side of the
canvas. and the effect is the interpoSltion
of a broad bearing surface between the
foot of the man or beast and the fiat bot
toms of the boats and sleGses and the
surface of the snow.
The snow path thus forms an elongated
snow shoe, a snow shoe for all the party
and all the vehicles to pass over. only
that and nothing more. Instead of pluns-
ing into the snow, the foot of man and
beast finds comparatively smooth and
sound thoroughfare. Instead of sinking
deep that pulling is well-nigh impossible,
the boats and sledges slip easily along
upon a smooth surface Whenever We
encounter stretches OF deep, comparatively
level snow we expect to find these paths
an advantage. They will not work ideally,
Of course Occasionally they will stick in
freezing weather, or they will become
water-soaked and heavy. The hickory
sticks will break and We shall have 70 put
in new ones The path may buckle up"
in some consstenciss of snow, and at I'M
even places in the surface. But that we
shall find large percentage of advantage
in their have not the slightest
doubt, and every addition to the effective
ness of our energy, no matter how small
increases the chance of achieving success
This is one of a number of things which
we are going to make the most Of and
frankly recount the result of our trial
away, and tell you why they failed If
they succeed you may be equally sure of
hearing all about it in the columns of The