William Forbes 1809-1892 Skene

SKENE, WILLIAM FORBES (1809-1892), Scottish historian and antiquary, was the second son of Sir Walter Scott's friend, James Skene (1775-1864), of Rubislaw, near Aberdeen. In 1832 he became a writer to the signet, and shortly afterwards obtained an official appointment in the bill department of the Court of Session, which he held until 1865. His early interest in the history and antiquities of the Scottish Highlands bore its first fruit in 1837, when he published The Highlanders of Scot land, their Origin, History and Antiquities. His chief work, how ever, is his Celtic Scotland, a History of Ancient Alban (3 vols., Edinburgh, 1876-1880), perhaps the most important contribu tion to Scottish history written during the 19th century. In 1881 he became historiographer royal for Scotland. He died in Edin burgh on Aug. 29, 1892.

The most important of Skene's other works are: editions of John of Fordun's Chronica geniis Scotorum (Edinburgh, 1871-1872) ; of the Four Ancient Books of Wales (Edinburgh, 1868) ; of the Chron icles of the Picts and Scots (Edinburgh, 1867) ; and of Adamuan's Vita S. Columbae (Edinburgh, 1874) ; an Essay on the Coronation Stone of Scone (Edinburgh, 1869) ; and Memorials of the Family of Skene of Skene (Aberdeen, 1887).

SKI

(she or ske), the wooden snow-shoe used in Scandinavia and neighbouring countries for travel over the snow. (Icel. scidh, snow-shoe, properly "piece of wood.") Implements for this purpose were used by many nations of antiquity. Xenophon (Ahab. iv. 5) describes the shoes or pattens of skins with which the horses of the Armenians were shod, to prevent them from sinking into the snow, and Procopius made mention of the ancient Lapps, known in Scandinavia as "Skrid-Finnen," or sliders. Snow-shoes have always been used by the Mongols of north-western Asia. From the evidence of the old Norse sagas they must have been general in Scandinavia long before the Christian era. Ulf (or Ullar), the god of winter, is always spoken of as walking upon ski, the curved toes of which gave rise to the legend that they were really ships upon which the god was wafted over hill and dale. Northern poets of the 9th century refer to ships as "the ski of the sea." Ski have been used time out of mind by Lapps, Finns and Scandinavians for hunting and journey ing across the frozen country. The first ski of which there is any record were elongated, curved frames covered with leather. Those of the Skrid-Finnen of the 16th century were leather shoes, pointed at the toe, about 3ft. long, into which, a few inches from the rear end, the feet were thrust up to the ankles.

On a rune-stone standing at a cross-road not very far from Upsala there is a picture of a ski-runner with arm-bow; this is probably the oldest picture of a skier. It dates from the I 1 th century. Modern ski are not, like the North American snow-shoe, made of broad frames covered with a thong web, but long, narrow, nearly flat pieces of ash, oak, beech, birch, spruce or hickory, pointed, turned up about a foot at the toe. Their length is usually the distance the wearer can reach upwards with his hand, that for the average man being about 7ft. 6in., although some advocate less length. Their width at the broadest part is about sin., and their greatest thickness (just under the foot) about taper ing towards both ends. The under surface is usually perfectly smooth, although some ski have slight grooves to prevent the snow caking. They are kept in condition by oiling and waxing; paraffin wax is used to produce a very highly polished surface, which greatly increases the speed of the runner. Long strips of sealskin are sometimes attached to the under side of the ski, to prevent back-sliding, and assist the climber to make a more di rect ascent. Without the use of skins one must climb in a zig zag course or place the ski alternately, in a herring-bone pattern.

The ski are fitted to the feet by an arrangement of straps, called the binding. There are a very large number of bindings of various types, the commonest among novice runners is the huitfeld, and the most popular with more experienced skiers the B.B. This is a metal binding without any straps, relying entirely on a hook and eye arrangement at the toe of the boot. The boots are stoutly made of deer hide and for use with the heel-strap bindings have specially shaped heels with a groove which holds the strap in place. On level ground the ski glide evenly over the snow without being lifted from it, the heels being raised with each forward movement : long gliding steps can be taken without un due fatigue, the runner having a stick about 4f t. or 5f t. long in each hand, to assist progression; these sticks have a spiked end, about Tin. above which a metal disk is fixed to prevent the stick sinking into the snow. Downhill progression attains great velocity; the skier places one foot slightly in advance of the other and runs in a somewhat crouched position with the feet close to gether and body leaning forward. A single staff was formerly used as a brake in coasting downhill, but the popularity of two sticks used chiefly for assistance in uphill work, but also for bal ance on the descent, is now almost universal.