CHAPTER IV.
Leave Cumberland Hoase—Mode of Travelling in Winter—Arrival at Carlton House—Stone
Indians—Visit to a Buffalo Pound—Goitres—Departure from Carlton House—Isle a la
Crosse—Arrival at Fort Chipewyan.
January is. T H IS day we set out from Cumberland House for
Carlton House; but previously to detailing the events of the journey,
it may be proper to describe the necessary equipments of a
winter traveller in this region, which I cannot do better than by
extracting the following brief, but accurate, account of it from
Mr. Hood’s journal:—
“ A snow-shoe is made of two light bars of wood, fastened together
at their extremities, and projected into curves by transverse
bars. The side bars have been so shaped by a frame, and dried
before a fire, that the front part of the shoe turns up, like the prow
of a boat, and the part behind terminates in an acute angle; the
spaces between the bars are filled up with a fine netting of leathern
thongs, except that part behind the main bar, which is occupied by
the feet; the netting is there close and strong, and the foot is
attached to the main bar by straps passing round the heel but only
fixing the toes, so that the heel rises after each step, and the tail of
the shoe is dragged on the snow. Between the main bar and
another in front of it, a small space is left, permitting the toes to
descend a little in the act of raising the heel to make the step
forward, which prevents their extremities from chafing. The length
of a snow-shoe is from four to six feet and the breadth one foot and
a half, or one foot and three quarters, being adapted to the size of
the wearer. The motion of walking in them is perfectly natural,
for one shoe is level with the snow, when the edge of the other is
passing over it. It is not easy to use them among bushes, without
frequent overthrows, nor to rise afterwards without help. Each
shoe weighs about two pounds when unclogged with snow. The
northern Indian snow-shoes differ a little from those of the southern
Indians, having a greater curvature on the outside of each shoe;
one advantage of which is, that when the foot rises the overbalanced
side descends and throws off the snow. All the superiority
of European art has been unable to improve the native contrivance
of this useful machine.
“ Sledges are made of two or three fiat boards, curving upwards in
front, and fastened together by transverse pieces of wood above.
They are so thin that, if heavily laden, they bend with the inequalities
of the surface over which they pass. The ordinary dog-
sledges are eight or ten feet long and very narrow, but the lading is
secured to a lacing round the edges! The cariole used by the traders
is merely a covering of leather for the lower part of the body, affixed
to the common sledge, which is painted and ornamented according
to the taste of the proprietor. Besides snow shoes, each individual
carries his blanket, hatchet, steel, flint, and tinder, and generally
fire arms.”
The general dress of the winter traveller, is a capSt, having a hood
to put up under the fur cap in windy weather, or in the woods, to
keep the snow from his neck; leathern trowsers and Indian stockings
which being closed at the ankles,, round the upper part of his
mocassins, or Indian shoes, prevent the snow from getting into
them. Over these he wears a blanket, or leathern coat, which is
secured by a belt round his waist, to which his fire-bag, knife, and
hatchet are suspended.
Mr. Back and I were accompanied by the seaman, John Hepburn;