0. January 18.

This 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 over-balanced 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 flat 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