Evening star., 1902-01-18
q. s, Cavalry Troops Use Them in
the Yellowstone.
COVER TWENTY MILES 4 DAY
Dressed in Special Clothing and
Travel in Pairs.
ECO E E X P e r T S
Written for The Evening Star by Capt. A. E
BradleT. u. S. A.

Written for The Evening Star by Capt. A. E.
Bradley L. s. A.
Crowded on a little plateau of tufa, sur
rounded by mountains all sides, is the
army post of Fort Yellowstone, in Yellow
stone National Park Its altitude is $500
feet and that of most of the park is from
900 to 5000 feet.
The garrison consists of two troops of
cavalry, and it's duty is to patrol and pro-
tect from marauders the paLk and the ad-
joining timber reserves, in all a vast area
of more than 5000 square miles, the great
est game preserve in the world.
In this region are found elk deer, ante
lope, mountain sheep a few buffalo. moose,
beaver, mountain lion, wolverine, bear, fox,
mink, otter wolf, etc, and to obtain the
valuable furs of some of these animals, to
secure the heads of others which as game
trophies have become rare and valuable,
and to procure the flesh of still others for
market purposes many unprincipled men
deliberately violate the law.
During the summer season the work of
the soldier can be readily accomplished
mounted, patrolling the main roads and
trails. but during the winter season the
depth of the snow makes travel of the
binary kind impossible.
1t is in the winter that lawlessness can
best be conducted, and 1t is during this
time that the greatest vigilance must be
exercised by the troops. The localities
where game is known to range, and which
poachers frequent must be often inspected.
The snow shoe the ski is the only means
by which this can be accomplished from
November until May. So when the early
SHOWS have deeply covered the ground the
summer mount is abandoned to the stable
and the hardy trooper takes to the ski as
his winter steed.
Picture toboggan-like arrangement from
nine to twelve feet long, four inches WIDE
with it's sides parallel from the up-curved
toe and about an inch in thickness in the
center. thinning toward either end, and
you have ski. The toggle to hold the
foot consists of straps and rings. which
are fastened just little forward of the
center of the ski, and secures the foot by
the toe only, permitting the raising of the
heel. The park soldier always carries q
pole or staff about six feet long, which ne
uses balancing stick, and as an aid to
progress in coasting when the speed Is too
great he rides this staff stick horse fash
Ion as brake to retard speed.
The Peculiar Motion.
In using the ski peculiar stride is neces-
sary; one foot is thrust ahead so as to ac-
Quire a gliding motion, and while thus
sliding the other foot repeats the move
ment then the first again, and so on. The
skis are not lifted, but are pushed forward
by peculiar movements or thrusts of the
thigh, the weight of the body being thrown
forward to aid impetus. On level ground
good speed can be attained; in going down
a declivity one literally flies. but to go up
II different proposition. If not too steep,
one can go directly up, lifting the skis
slightly SO that the snow which may ad-
here will overcome the tendency to slip
backward, or, If steep, the summit may
be reached by zigzagging back and forth
or by side-stepping, known locally as
the corduroy" method. There Is also the
feather stitch step, which is, however, but
little used; so called because the tracks lett
resemble the seamstress' stitch of that
name; the skis are turned out at wide
angle, and advanced alternately one III
front of the other directly up the incline
In turning about beginner makes
awkward progress, for he must take short
steps, first with one ski then the other in