The Bossier banner., 1880-07-01
Camping Out i'm the Reckless
ed-Making.

Pe "P onO I0heo' OAOOpt WHtu III II
stormy. These tents are of the army
pattern known as "dog-tents'' ts''-jus
Large enough for two persons to stretcl
themselves out in, side by side, but no
more than three feet high, even under
the ridge. The canvas is of good quail
lty, however, and will stand a severe
rainfall without wetting through, sc
long as the inside of the cloth is not
touched; if the precaution is taken tc
dig ditch around the tent, so that the
water will run away and not spread un-
derneath the edges to make pools on
the floor, you viii find yourself secure
from all storms. But, as rule, one
doesn't bother to put up tent.
No matter how firmly resolved YOU
may be upon roughing it, you soon lind
that it pays to keep your bed dry and
warm. and to spend all needed time in
making it up. There is hardship
enough ineyitable; needless exposure is
foolish. The proper supplies in the
way of bedding consist of the following
articles: piece of moderately heavy
eanvas-ducking, water-proofed, four
teen feet long by four feet wide; buf-
falo-robe trimmed into a rectangular
piece, sufficient to lie at full length
upon; two pairs of thick Californian
blankets, and small pillow. This ap-
pears to be the list settled upon by the
best experience. They are light and
warm, and can be rolled up inside the
canvas and strapped into cylindrical
bundle, SO compact as easily to be car
ried in one hand, and so tight that it
may be rained upon all day and not be
wetted through. The Californian blank
cts are expensive, but it is better econ
omy to buy them. A pillow is a great
comfort; lacking it, one finds a fair
substitute in his boots, saddle, war-bae
or even in piece of wood. A thick
nlght-cap is more convenient than your
broad-brimmed hat to sleep in; and
nothing warns chilled feet so much in
bed as dry woolen socks, which may be
kicked off later in the night.
AT every opportunity air the bedding
thoroughly in the sunshine. Then, be-
fore the evening dew comes, stretch out
your long piece of canvas, Law the
buffalo-robe smoothly on the upper end,
double your blankets and place them
one over the other upon the robe.
After smoothing every wrinkle out, the
two blankets together are evenly folded
once over lengthwise, the remainder of
the canvas (seven feet) is drawn I'D
over the foot so that the toes cannot
push through, and the bed is made.
You have a canvas, butfalo-robe and
tour thlcknesses of blanket under YOU.
and Except the robe) the same over
you, the blankets passing full thickness
behind your back, which you will learn
to place to windward. Then you fully
undress, put your rifle, revolver and
clothes under the flap of the canvas
cover to keep the frost off, slide gently
INTO your rough, clinging blankets, pull
the edges together in front, jerk the
canvas over your ears, and-pleasant
dreams to you!
Such Is scientific bed-makins, but
there are niceties. 1t is important. for
example, that the surface YOU lie on
shall be-not soft, that is little matter
but level; neither sloping toward one
side nor from head to foot. Unless Won
are sure about this, you will slide out
OF bed in some part. Then, also.
common-sense will tell you to clear ali
stones and nodules away (thougb
sometimes this is impossible); but only
experience, or wise friend, will inform
the camper that his rest will be ten-fold
better II he digs a depression UNDER
meath his bed where his hips come.
The reason why persons become so stiff
who pass an accidental night on the
floor, or on a railway bench, is mainly
because they have had no support for
the spine, such as the Welding bed
affords. All night long many muscles
have had to keep on duty, bearing
up the less prominent parts of the
body. The spring of mattress
cannot be found in the ground.
but it can be initiated by sinking
The hips until the small of the back also
rests upon the earth. Always DIG a
hole under your bed. If you fear the
cold Frequently an altitude is attained |
Tor which the bedding sufficient below
IS an inadequate protection, particular
y if a heavy wind is blowing or the
snow is fying), good plan IS to fold
your blankets, turn up the bottom as /
usual, and then stitch the whole togeth-
'r into bag. Another way is not to
erect your tent, which is little or no
protection against cold, but to spread it
'ver you and peg it down, or pile
enough rocks around the edges to keep
t from blowing away. The former
'lan | tried in 1877, with great success.
nut it was the hardest work in the
world to get into my bag, which was
ust large enough and no larger. had
o insinuate my body as gently as
urgeon probes q wound, in order to
,eep the blankets from drawing out of
hape before | was inside. When once
had wriggled down in, how snug it
vas! l could not turn over without
olling the larger part of my bedding
With me. Yet those very same nights,
way UP on the bald brow of a lone
ome peak, when every man piled on
s many extra canvas nlaaatas and buffa-
D robes as he could find, the MOSQUITOES
7ere so thick that we had to build min
iture tents of netting over our half
rozen heads to get any sleep at all. 1t
'as the most startling conjunction of
inter and summer, zero and insects,
hat ever heard of!
But at such attitudes one must expect
often find it very cold at night. even
1 midsummer. Often. down in the