means
of straps or thongs; and a pair of them thus placed, will present a
surface to the snow of nearly six square feet--more, if required, by
making them larger. But this is enough to sustain the heaviest man upon
the softest snow, and an Indian thus "shod" will skim over the surface
like a skater.

The shoes used by all tribes of Indians are not alike in shape. There
are fashions and fancies in this respect. Some are made--as among the
Chippewa Indians--with one side of the frame nearly straight; and these,
of course, will not do for either foot, but are "rights and lefts."
Generally, however, the shape is such that the snow-shoe will fit either
foot.

The snow-shoes having now become a necessary thing, our young voyageurs
set about making a complete set for the whole party--that is, no less
than four pairs. Norman was the "shoemaker," and Norman knew how. He
could splice the frames, and work in the netting, equal to an Indian
squaw. Of course all the others assisted him. Lucien cut the moose-skin
into fine regular strips; Basil waded off through the snow, and procured
the frames from the wood of the scrub-pine trees where he had
encountered the porcupine; and then he and Francois trimmed them with
their knives, and sweated them in the hot ashes until they became dry,
and ready for the hands of the "shoemaker."

This work occupied them several days, and then each had a pair of shoes
fitted to his size and weight.

The next consideration was, to lay in a stock of meat. The moose had
furnished them with enough for present use, but that would not last
long, as there was no bread nor anything else to eat with it. Persons in
their situation require a great deal of meat to sustain them, much more
than those who live in great cities, who eat a variety of substances,
and drink many kinds of drinks. The healthy voyageur is rarely without a
keen appetite; and meat by itself is a food that speedily digests, and
makes way for a fresh meal; so that the ration usually allowed to the
_employes_ of the fur companies would appear large enough to supply the
table of several families. For instance, in some parts of the Hudson's
Bay territory, the voyageur is allowed eight pounds of buffalo-meat _per
diem_! And yet it is all eaten by him, and sometimes deemed barely
sufficient.

A single deer, therefore, or even a buffalo, lasts a party of voyageurs
for a very short time, since they have no other substance, such as bread
or veget