Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-07-02
POINTS FOR CAMPERS.
CLOTHING FOR HEALTH AND CON-
FORT WHILE IN THE WOODS.

List OF Articles for the kft-Some of
the Necessary Food Supplies.
Too few of the boys who spend their
vacation in the wilderness study care
fully enough the methods adopted by
persons of extensive camping experience
There is no pleasure in holiday spent
/ IN the wilderness unless the campers
understand how to make themselves COM
Portable and to avoid the confusion and
discomforts which fall to the lot of the
ordinary greenhorn.
Yet the whole thing is very easy to
learn. For those who do not want to
think out the subject for themselves let
me give few suggestions as the result
Of my own experience for number of
years of camp life, as well as the expert
ence of a large number of friends of
mine.
[ always use a Norfolk jacket-called
in this country Oxford jacket. or belted
coat-made loose, of strong homespun
and capable Of being worn open when it
j is warm, or belted tight when the
weather is cold. This coat looks quite
sportsmanlike. The cap is matter of
choice, but | like best the deer stalker,
which receives in this country the rather
obvious name of fore-and-after. 1t
should be of the same color and material
as the coat.
To be thoroughly de rigueur for wild
life the camper should wear homespun
or corduroy knickerbockers, with black
or gray stockings, unless the region
where he places his camp is badly
plagued by mosquitoes, when he had
better wear trousers, as the fly pests will
put their bills clean through the stock
ings. The stockings should be of wool
and ribbed.
For lying about the camp, canoeing,
boating or light tramping, thin yellow
leather and sometimes canvas shoes
might be used, but for all heavy work
there is nothing like solid boot, roomy,
with wide sole and wide heel, laced
tightly about the ankle and resembling
the old fashioned English shooting boot
For underwear wooden is far the best,
| because, while not over warm, this ma
terial rapidly throws off all moisture. |
should advise wool for outer as we'll as
inner shirts, and the former should be of
color which will not too easily show
stains. The drawers should be of the
same material as the inner shirt
Two inner and two outer shirts, two
pairs Of drawers and, if possible, two
! pairs of trousers or knickerbockers-
better still, pair Of each-with one
! jacket, will be sufficient. Don't forget
handkerchiefs, light socks, and any kind
of belt that you prefer.
THE KIT.
| Be careful in making up your kit. If
you have long and rough travel and any
portaging never take a box, no matter
how many patents are attached to it or
how convenient it may look on the
BRIDESMAIDS counter. 1t is inconvenient
to carry in a boat and impossible to
carry through the woods. I know moth
ing better than a good substantial bag,
made Of oiled canvas, thoroughly water
tight, and arranged so it can be laced
snugly together. | have seen leather
bags also which served the purpose ad-
mirably.
Each camper requires a pair Of blan-
kets, gray or dark red; the clothing |
have mentioned, say, two large crash
towels, soap, small hand glass, comb and
brush, tooth brush and paste, needles,
thread, thimbles and buttons, a couple of
pairs of old kid gloves, pair of scissors,
pocket knife, belt sheath and sheath
knife, a small bottle of arnica, bottle Of
Jamaica ginger, a hook" of court plas-
/ ter a be tile OF citrate of magnesia in
powder, and two or three bottles of lax
ative pills, as advised by physician. !
would not advise spirits, except a bottle
! of excellent brandy. to be used only
after severe Wetting and when there
are indications that cold has set in.
| If you propose to camp at some place
far away from grocery store you must,
of course, take your provisions along,
and here comes the most troublesome
! part of your camping outfit. You must
have tea, coffee and sugar, strip, bag of
salt, biscuits, pepper, mustard, vinegar
and curry. | am strong advocate of
canned food for the camp, and in this
| form should have beef, lobster, salmon,
tongue and perhaps tomatoes and corn.
Butter is also necessary, but, if possible.
get it from the nearest farm house.
Better take along also bag of "pre-
pared" -four, buckwheat and rice, if you
wish, and, above all, some tins of good
condensed milk. Condensed coffee is also
an excellent article. You can have also
prepared soups, chocolate, etc., which
add to the luxury of camp life. But be
careful about overwhelming your bag
gage. Each camper should have tin
| plate and cup, spoon, a knife and fork.
THE CAMP.
The camp should have frying pan,
three graduated tin kettles, the larger
with the capacity of gallon or more,
and one fitting closely into the other; an
ak for heavy chopping is necessary, and
it would be well to have a small Ratchet
for light work. 4 pocket compass is in
| dispensable, as are also parlor matches.
There is no comfort in camping unless
you take tent, and the "A" structure,
strong cotton, in my judgment, is best.
/ One eight by ten feet and six feet high
/ Will accommodate six persons. Better
take along your ridge pole and tent pins
and always have an ample supply of
cord. 1t is well to take tent pins, be-
cause sometimes you are suddenly over
/ taken by a rain storm, or you reach the
! camping ground after dark, and 1t is in
convenient or impossible to obtain tent
pins. Never take crockeryware, for it
is sure to break and heavy to carry.
! Sufficient attention is not always given
to a camp site. In choosing the spot
several considerations should weigh. 1t
! sl,n17ld he ,1aar wood and water. and.