About 18 inches from the forward end the wood
was planed down to a thickness of 1/4 of an inch. This end was placed in
the dish-pan of boiling water, and in a short time it was pliable enough
to permit of bending. It was secured in the proper bent position by
slipping the toe end of the shoe between the banisters on the back porch
and nailing a cleat back of the heel end. When the ski was perfectly dry
the toe strap was nailed on just back of the balancing point, and also
another strap, to be secured about the ankle. Then a cleat was nailed onto
the ski to fit against the heel of the shoe. In use we found it best to
cut a groove in the bottom of the ski, so as to give us a better grip on
the snow in climbing up hills. With the skis we had to use short poles or
"ski sticks" to assist in starting, stopping and steering when coasting.
The ski stick was a bean pole provided with a wooden block near the lower
end, to prevent it from being forced too far through the snow.
The Swiss Snow Shoe or Swamp Shoe.
The Swiss shoe was made primarily to assist us in exploring some boggy
land a short distance up the river from our island. The original swamp
shoes were made from the bottoms of two old baskets, and they worked so
admirably that it was decided to equip the whole society with them.
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