The ideal camping ground is, of
course, by the side of a lake or river. Make sure of your
water supply and drainage, and have the open side face the
south. The kind of tent used is called a wall tent. The poles
used can be cut in the woods; the stakes and lines should be
carried. A fire should be at least twenty feet away from the
tent, to avoid danger of fire and inconvenience from smoke. A
table erected will be found a luxury when compared with eating
while squatted around the fire. A cupboard, perhaps suspended
from a tree near the table could contain dishes and salt,
pepper, vinegar, etc. Do not keep sugar with the other food
supplies or you will have all the ants in the country paying
you a visit.
Such a campsite described can be set
up in just a couple of hours. You will need an axe, fishing
tackle, waterproof match safes, pliers, sharp knives, some
peroxide and Vaseline, clean cloths for bandages for
scratches, extra pairs of shoes, sun hats, and pillows.
Here are a few sketches that will give
the beginner an idea of how to set up a canvas quickly. Fig.
1 is the lean-to, and has two forked poles about six feet
high in front and a cross-bar that rests upon them. A stake is
driven at each of the rear corners for guying. The canvas for
this style of tent should be of oblong shape, say about 18 x 8
feet.
Another very simple and practical
shelter tent is shown in Fig. 2. It is used mostly as
protection from the sun and the ends are open to admit the
breezes. The same instructions as to canvas and poles that
were given in regard to the lean-to hold good here; in fact,
the material required for each tent is the same and you can
erect your shelter in the form of Fig. 1 or like Fig.
2, whichever suits your convenience best.
In Fig. 3 we have a simpler
shelter than either of the foregoing. No poles are required
and the canvas need not be of any particular shape, although a
piece nearly square will be the handiest. This is a tent that
you can rig up very quickly on the bank of a creek when
fishing, to keep your lunch cool and dry if a thunder storm
happens to come along.
Fig. 4 is a rigging for the
home that enables the sleeper to have his head and shoulders
out of doors. Doctors all over the country are unceasingly
preaching fresh air and it behooves us to heed their advice.
It is best to begin to sleep outdoors in the summer, so that
our system will be accustomed to it before the cold weather
comes on. This shelter, supposed to be erected in the rear of
the house, consists of a bracket shelf that may be bolted to
the house, so as to admit of being readily removed. The canvas
is erected in the manner shown or in any way that affords
protection from dew, wind, and rain.