Willie set off at a good pace but even so I would have had no difficulty in keeping up with him except for one thing. Whilst he had proper Northern snowshoes with a good turn-up in front, I had a pair of Eastern shoes supplied by the Government; the turn-up being quite slight with the result that when my turn came to break trail—that is—when I was in front—each time I took a step, the toe of the show would slide in under the crust forcing me to break the crust again raising my foot. This was killing work.
The snow was, on an average, three to four feet deep and the endless breaking through, step after step, was hard.
