Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1913-11-12

WY SuNe tue pabtche.
Near the center and behind the forward
eross-bar semicircular space is left to
admit the wearer's toes-an arrangement
| that allows the foot free action. To both
sides OF this opening the "sling'' that fas-
tens the snowshoe 10 the foot Is attached
by strap passed back OF the wearer's heel
and above il.
On commercial snow shoes various con-
trivances OF straps and buckles make up
.ne sling. Most OF them have tried, and
nave always returned TO the simplest sling
OF aii--the Nascaupee Indian sling. 1t is
the most easily adjusted, 1t never chafes
the foot, and 1t is by far the most COM
Portable. 1t is simply throng OF buck
skin about half an inch wide.
| One end OF II Is run through the netting
on one side OF the opening, just behind
the forward bar, and threaded back on
the opposite side OF the opening; the
two ends are then drawn back to tie be-
hind the wearer's heel. Before being tied,
however, they are wrapped - both at the
same time - twice or thrice around the
thong at the point at which it passes
across the toe opening. The thong here
should be loose enough to let the .wearer's
toes go under il, but tight enough to keep
the toes from working forward and strik-
ing upon the bar in walking. When this
the thong are drawn behind the heel and
tied.
i, is not necessary to unite the thongs
in order to remove the snowshoe from the
foot. II the wearer lifts his heel and slips
his toes from under the thongs, the sling
! will drop from his foot. BY winding the
ends round the toe-thong, he can tighten
the sling; by unwinding them, he can
loosen it. Altogether, IL is the most in
expensive, the most comfortable, the
most serviceable and the most easily ad-
iusted sling in use.
Shoes with heels should never be worn
for snowshoeing. II the snow Is dry there
Is nothing so good as buckskin moccasins,
especially II at least two pairs OF heavy
wooden socks are worn inside them. II the
snow is damp, however, obtained mecca
sins, or larigsns, which may be bought OF
any outiitter, viii do very we'll. In damp
| snow use the Eskimo seaiskin boot-a
sealskin moccssin that reaches to the knee
and is drawn on like boot. That Is not
easy to get, however; on the Atlantic sea-
board you can hardly expect to purchase
it south OF 81. Johns, Newfoundland.
PRErERs SHORT SHOES.
/ prefer short, wide snowshoes. AL
! though have owned aud used nearly
| every style peculiar to northeastern
| America, | am perhaps somewhat pre-
judiced in favor of the Labrador types. /
have at present pair OF swallow-tail and
a pair OF beaver-tail shoes, on both of
which have travelled over a thousand
miles on rough trails. My beaver-tail
shoes, which were made By mountaineer
/ Indian, consider ideal for general use.
| Their extreme length, measured to the
end OF the tail, is twenty and one
I half inches, and their extreme width
/ twenty inches, The cross bars have a
good curve, and leave a space twelve and
I one halt inches long for the foot.
| Before buying pair of snowshoes be
/ sure that there is room enough between
| the bars, where the foot treads, TO permit
/ you to walk without having the toe or the
( heel touch either bar. For q person who
wears a number seven shoe, the distance
( between the bars should be twelve and &
( half or thirteen inches.
| LOOK OUT FOR NAL DE RAoUETTE.
| The novice should not try to walk far at
I time until the muscles that the exercise
/ brings into play have been accustomed to
/ it by practice. II you overdo at the be-
I ginning, you are likely to suffer from an
attack of NAL de raquette. You feel 1t
| first in the calves of the legs, but it soon
extends to the hips, and makes walking
| so painful that you have difficulty in lift
| ing YOUR feet more than two or three
inches from the snow. II you stop at the
/ first twinge, rest OF day or two will
cure il. 1t is annoying and painful while
| IL lasts, but 1t is not dangerous.
| In this generation we are learning the
value of outdoor play. Many more people
now spend their summer holiday in the
open than was the case twenty or even ten
years ago. Trsmping, camping and canoe
ing are beginning to be appreciated.
But we confine ourselves too closely to
summer outings. 1t is good to go out
doors In summer, but it is no less good to
| 90 outdoors in winter. To spend the en-
entire winter in heated rooms is bad for
the health.
| In Labrador found that the natives on
| the east coast, although practically living
\ In ma omen throughout the summer, had
learned to spend their winters in close
ants and cabins, with the result that
tuberculosis was rampant among them.