Athropolis HOME   |   Maps   |   Arctic Links   |   Arctic Library
Click to go HOME
From our library of things you should know about the Arctic


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.

MORE...
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


Double-click any unlinked word DICTIONARY: Just "double-click" any unlinked word on this page for the definition from Merriam-Webster's Student Electronic Dictionary at Word Central.
Arctic Library ARCTIC LIBRARY & GLOSSARY: Check this section for an index of the rest of the things you really need to know about the Arctic.
All sorts of Arctic Maps ARCTIC MAPS & WEATHER REPORTS: Maps of the Northwest Passage, explorers' routes, iceberg sources, Nunavut, the Arctic by treeline, temperature...
Links to related sites. ARCTIC LINKS: Even more information! Links to sites related to the Arctic and "Iceberg: the Story of the Throps and the Squallhoots".
A Guide to Arctic Sunrise and Sunset GUIDE TO ARCTIC SUNRISE & SUNSET: How much sunlight or darkness is there in the Arctic on each day of the year?

Search for more on this topic...from Athropolis!
(1) Click the button for Web (below) to search the World Wide Web
(2) Click button for
WWW.ATHROPOLIS.COM to search this web site

 
Web WWW.ATHROPOLIS.COM
Icy Cold Jokes | Icy Games | E-mail | Athropolis HOME
Copyright © 2005 Athropolis Productions Limited. The content of web sites that this site has links
to is the property of their respective owners, and Athropolis is not responsible for their content.