Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1911-08-23

kla Es camps. from the hasty
J: !; ; ]:
I" voyageuer bivouac Of the
- * big.game hunter to the
@ serene summer retreat
sHFSl when one invites his
ANi& soul to ease in Natures
&3 Lotus-land-that .place
l@zGS where it seemed always
afternoon Indeed,
think that the quintessence of camp
ing is reached when one knows the
game thoroughly enough to be able
to draw from Nature alone all the
comforts that civilization affords. in
addition to the thousand joys which
no civilization can give. 1t is far
easier to do this than one would sup
pose, for the reason that most OF the
drawbacks of camp life come from neg
lect of simple cleanliness and ordin-
airy bodily comforts. such as homo
sapiens has become accustomed to
from his cradle. +
The subject OF camping is really so
vast that it cannot be even approach
ed in single article. 1t strikes at
the very roots of life. At its best it
holds up mirror to US all. showing
how far civilization and overpopula-
ton have combined to separate us
from the easy formula of life which
the Creator intended; how they have
driven thousands to starvation within
q stones throw Of the fabulously rich.
whereas Nature gave every man the
equal strength of his own two hands.
which were once ample to win him
livelihood and happiness.
When one is after travelling game,
or on canoe trip, or such nomadic
camp life, the less OF everything
taken along the better. A good sleep
ing bag is preferable to tent; sim
gle skillet will provide the utensil to
cook with; and rifle, Ratchet and knife
are really all the necessities that can
be mentioned. even once went on
camp where took nothing along, ex-
cept notebook and two sheets of
blank music paper. A bully tramp over
the mountains 1t was, too, and slept
In piles Of leaves raked up In dry ra-
vines that were already filled a solid
foot deep with dry leaves. had on
canvas hunting suit, SLOUGH hat, and
CATERS. In the shooting-coat pockets
were Dutch weinerwurst. half a
dozen hardtacks, three potatoes, and
a hunk of bacon. In the ditty-bag,
without which never take any trip.
were little primer-boxe filled with
butter. salt. tea and sugar. and there
were also variety Of hooks and lines,
4 steel 'possom hook and pickerel
hook for frogging. 1t was the only
tramp in which had no itinerary,
hadn't any idea Of getting anywhere,
and could stop whenever and as long
as pleased. think / was all one
afternoon going two miles around the
flank Of one mountain, down into
ravine and up the brook to the spring.
where camped for the night. | was
gone two days: bagged most Of the
species of trees OF the middle states
east Of the Appalachians in the note
book, and scrawled the muslc-sheets
SO full Of wriggly black notes that the
publisher got cross-eyed trying to
read the copy. Such camp-tramp
cannot last more than two days. or
you are apt to spend the night hug
ging tree, while the rain deluges
everything throughout the woods.
For the light weekend camps, or
fishing trips not lasting over ten days,
always take small tent.
But the acme of camp life is to ar
range to spend the whole summer out
Of doors, beside some favorite lake or
river. To most OF us this must be
somewhere within committing dis
lance of some large city. To few
1t is given to be able to live thus IN
a good game country, leaving the bust
ness cares for the winter months. It
is this kind of camp Of which l wish |
particularly to speak. for 1t is an ideal
life.
AS a matter Of fact. the bungalow
in the woods should be the cleaner
and natter OF the two. If you can
get board floor, so much the better;
but be very sure that none OF the
boards reach out under the walls OF
the tent, SO that the water can follow
them inside. The best way is to rent
your ground, or buy 1t outright with
as much of the surrounding woods as
you can afford, and buy or build a
small bungalow If you have the
homing instinct you will get to love
that little shack like you do your boy
hood town, and will put in all sorts
Of spare hours and rainy days In i'm
proving it and making it more COM
Portable. The cheapest one know Of
is to take half dozen rolls Of ready
roofing and some Q by ! inch hemlock
1oist into the woods and then build
the shack yourself. 1t is surprising |
how far into the backwoods you can
get with this stuff, given couple OF
canoes and day or SOS time.
Pick out a picturesque site, where
the outlook will be pleasure
for many serene hour to |
come, and back the shack up against !
a rocky slope or steep turn of the
mountainside with southerly out
look. You will find that the eight or
ten feet back of the house, between |
1t and the wall, will soon grow into
valuable ''linter" and may some day
afford possibility of a field-stone Chin
ney when you have the time and q
canoe load of quicklime brought out |
from the clearings. The frame pan
els will work out much as the sketch.
They are of the width of the roofing. |
SO inches, and 7 feet high, diagonaled,
as shown. to make them rigid, and the
roofing is nailed to the backs of them.
SeeeeSeseSe SSSSSS
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