[Illustration: Fig. 174. A Spacing Block.]
[Illustration: Fig. 175. The Runners and Rails Spaced Apart.]
[Illustration: Fig. 176. The Sledge.]
Our sledge was patterned after a picture of one used by Peary in one of
his Arctic expeditions. First we got four strips of hickory 1 inch thick,
1-1/2 inches wide and 8 feet long for the runners and side rails.
Beginning 18 inches from the ends, each stick was tapered gradually to a
thickness of 1/2 an inch. Then we made eight spreaders or spacing blocks,
each 1-1/2 inches thick, 2-1/2 inches wide and 11 inches long. In each
end a notch 1/2 inch deep was cut to receive the runners and side rails.
In the edge of each block, midway of its length, a slot 1 inch deep was
cut to receive the cross sticks of the sledge. First we nailed the runners
and rails to the blocks, fastening them with screws, spacing the blocks 16
inches from the ends, and 20 inches apart from center to center. Then we
bent the ends of the rails and runners together, fastening them with
bolts, as in Fig. 175. Four crosspieces, or floor beams, were cut out of a
1-inch board, each 2 inches wide and 30 inches long. These were fitted
into the slots in the space blocks and secured with screws.
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