 Keep Those Runners Smooth Before plastic was available, sledge runners had to be kept smooth by other means. Otherwise, sled dogs would have a harder time pulling their load across the snow. A thick sludge of mashed moss and earth was applied to the base of the runner, allowed to freeze, and then scraped smooth. Water sprayed from the mouth would then be smoothed on - layer upon layer - with wet polar bear hide (ice does not stick to it). This produced a hard, resistant coat of ice. The layer of ice would have to be applied often, sometimes several times a day, depending on the distance and terrain to be covered. The route through the rough ice had to be carefully chosen as well, otherwise the hard blows would chip the coating off.
Click pictures for more information and credits. Library: Arctic, Ice, Inuit Sled Dogs, Polar Bears Links: Arctic, Inuit, Cold Places Nunavut Map and GAME ) Arctic Maps & Weather Reports |
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DICTIONARY: Just "double-click" any unlinked word on this page for the definition from Merriam-Webster's Student Electronic Dictionary at Word Central. |
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ARCTIC LIBRARY & GLOSSARY: Check this section for an index of the rest of the things you really need to know about the Arctic. |
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ARCTIC MAPS & WEATHER REPORTS: Maps of the Northwest Passage, explorers' routes, iceberg sources, Nunavut, the Arctic by treeline, temperature... |
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ARCTIC LINKS: Even more information! Links to sites related to the Arctic and "Iceberg: the Story of the Throps and the Squallhoots". |
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GUIDE TO ARCTIC SUNRISE & SUNSET: How much sunlight or darkness is there in the Arctic on each day of the year? |
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