ither
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 vegetables, to help it out.
It was necessary, then, that our travellers should use all their
diligence in laying up a stock of dried meat, before the winter became
too cold for them to hunt. There was another consideration--their
clothing. They all had clothing sufficient for such weather as they had
yet experienced; but that would never do for the winter of the Great
Slave Lake, and they knew it. Many deer must be killed, and many hides
dressed, before they could make a full set of clothing for all, as well
as a set of deerskin blankets, which would be much needed.

As soon as the snow-shoes were finished, therefore, Basil and Norman
wen