Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 90.djvu/145

 �CrQO Indian Snov-Shoe ■

"And how to make it

���FIG I

��SNOW-SHOES are made in a large variety of shapes. The particular style described here is the form made and almost exclusively used by the Cree Indians of Canada. As shown in Fig. i, the shape is some- what longer and the width narrower than the common Eastern or Algon- quin shoe. In fact, the model used is 60 in. long and 12 in. wide. As the frame is made in two pieces, fastened together at toe and heel, this type of snow-shoe is the easiest of all forms for the amateur to make, because the one- piece frame must be well steamed before the stick can be bent to form the usual curving bow.

The Cree makes his shoe with an extremely high up- curved toe, sometimes carrying it up as much as 8 in. This makes it neces- sary to construct the frame with a very long and nar- row toe, otherwise the high- ly elevated toe would strike th6 knee and interfere with the usual stride when walk- ing. The high curve also requires an extra crossbar across the frame to give the necessary curve to the filling. But the high curved toe is bad for hill climbing, and

���END RLUNG

��TOtCORD SWS

���£ND FILLING-

��lANYARD

��The Cree- Indian snow-shoe and the names of its component parts

��^Iman-Taylor

��as the extra crossbar and upcurved frame make a very stiff snow-shoe, all curv^ed models are harder on the feet than the flat shoes. To make a more springy shoe, the frame may be made quite flat. The proper names of the different parts of a snow-shoe are given in Fig. 2.

The Frame Construction

The best material for the frame is straight -grained ash. For the aver- age boy a snow- shoe 40 in. long and ID in. wide will be found the most use- ful. The average man will find the 60-in. by i2-in. wide model thoroughly satisfactor>^ The complete dimensions for a good frame are given in Fig. 3, and a study of this drawing will show how to taper the frame correctly. After making the two sticks, which must be exactly alike, two pairs of holes are bored in the toe and heel, and the frame laced to- gether with rawhide thongs. The frame should now be thoroughly soaked in hot water by winding several thicknesses of burlap around it and soaking the rags. Pour boiling water on the wrapped frame at 14 or 15 minutes, then let an hour. This will render

��-TOE

��•TOE-HOLE TOE-CORDS

��-CENTER FILUNO

��HEEL

��FRAME

��intervals of

it stand for

the frame fairly pliable, when it may be

bent over the drying mold, shown in

��129

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