, 1872-11-11
HINTS TO PEDESTRIANS.
Observations Made on a Walk Of loo
NIiles-BootsVersusS Shocs-Use Of Sun

WlleS-BOOtSVerSU8S ShOcS-Use or sun
| Umbrellas.
10 tho Editor Of The Alta Californian:
Your paper Of the 24th instant contains let.
ter giving an account Of my late walk. The
many inquiries it has called out suggests my
adding the following observation:
Before starting, I was strongly urged to wea,
ahoes {" English walking shoes'), and my own
Grafton told me Of the fearful dust to be encoun-
| tered, following, as We would have to, most OF
the way, q thoroughly travelled road that had
| not seen rain for months, and also Of the neces-
times each day to bathe the feet. This decided
me in favor Of high-top boots, the wisdom Of
which had no occasion afterWard to doubt for
miles and miles did We have to walk in one, two,
| three, and four inches in dust, and to realize
what it would be to sit down by streams Of water
to undress and dress the feet in the condition
they would be, after such walking in shoes, is to
| leave no doubt Us to the point Of convenience
] being with the boots. The pants we're also pro-
tectedfromth the dust by being inside Of them.
OF their relative merits, as to ease Of the foot,
/ cannot speak, never having had experience in
the shoes, hut one thing did discover is that the
feet can be saved much irritation and many blis-
ters by the use OF insoles (boots shoes having
greater friction between an easy-dtting boot and
the foot, is 1.-THE fore part Of the front foot.
Every time the heel raises, the relative position
Of the foot and the sole Of the boot must change,
causing great friction, as the entire weight Of the
body is upon the foot at the time Of change be-
tween foot and boot. An insole. if tribe shorter
than the boot, will take much Of this friction
from the foot, as it must then take p1ace, to q
great extent, between the insola and sole Of the
boot. A second insole will relieve the foot still
more. They will also furnish the additional ad-
vantage Of relieving the feet when much swol-
len, by taking them out. No matter how tough
ened the feet becomes, they will blister very
readily if rapid walking is persisted in, cay for
the space of three or four hours, while at pace
that is not unduly exhausting the system, they
will not feel the slightest discomfort.
We practice bathing feet. hands, and head
very often, say from three to six times day,
when water was found, and when we we1e tired
and exhausted it would have very exhillrating
effect.
Rapid walking, or fsspurts," at the rate Of
four miles an hour, or two OF three hours dura-
tion, or long marches say twelve miles OF more,
without q halt, are very e1hausting. If :ndulg-
pactste @ 81 one for hs Balance @ of the y % s a
the close Of the day, it's effects will be fa1t the
day following. The longest march va made
without a halt was from Lafayette to the end
Of the Oakland pier-si1teen milea. This is
done with but slight Inconvenience still if We
had continued walking the balance Of tie day it
would have cost us great effort to accomplish |
little The same will apply to ascending high !
hills or mountains. Movements in such instan-
cea should be- sufficiently moderate to avoid get
when moderately walking on the level.
The Graham crackers upon which We p1inci- |
pa1ly subsisted, we're baked hard and dry
like sea biscuit, and We found it necessary to
moisten and soften them before eating, ind We
resorted to the use Of boiling hot water, break
ing the crackers into it, and allowing them to
absorb all the water they would. The hot wa
ter seemed so gratafnl to ns, that We soon fell
into the way Of taking it freely, and were often
astonished at the quantity We consumed. It's !
use did away with much Of our thirst while
walking, and was benefcient in all Of its eff
fects., I venture the assertion that there is
virtue in the use Of hot water, where great ex-
ertion is to be endured, that is not generally
understood. By hot water mean water that
has been made to boil and then taken as hot as
it can be borne; tepid water is unpalatable
In our preparations, it was proposed that ne
carry, sun umbrellas. I did not second the
believing their use would not com I
however, and subsequent experience convinced
me OF their great value to us. Our estimate Vas
that we could perform one-foprth more with
than without them. whenever the temperature
was above 80. We Suffered more from heat IN
The mountains than in the valleys, as IN the
wind, and with no nj, astir and the temperature
1t 95 to 98 We could feel all there was Of the sun.
Ne were never without q breeze in the large
Galleys.
Those statements are not given Is ascertained
'acts, but IS Impressions only, and may differ
widely from the experience Of others.
For the Information Of those who have not
cad the letter ADORE referred to, T will say that
hese observations we're made during walk
rom Portland, Oregon, to this city, and tramp
tver Sonoma, Napt, and Lake Counties in this
tate; in al, about LOO miles. Very respect
san s FRANCISCO, Get. 1e, 1872: -