The Camper's Handbook

From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia

"In the pre-railway days of 1853, I crossed the prairies of America. My first experience of camping was above the wooded slope on the plateau behind Kairkock, on the Mississippi, when a lad of nine. There, 300 of us camped in tents and wagons, which camp lasted for about five weeks."--The Camper's Handbook (1908) by Thomas Hiram Holding

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The Camper's Handbook (1908) by Thomas Hiram Holding.

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PIGGOTT BROS. & CO.

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THE: CAMPER-S

HANDBOOK.

H. HOiulNG.

. \ ' •• I ^ .\ri ', *

I '1\ ., "A- .

P. j. \U^ i'! ')\.

THE CAMPERS

HANDBOOK

T. H. HOLDING,

AUTHOR of— '* WATERY WANDERINGS 'MID WESTERN LOCHS,

'* CYCLE AND CAMP/

ETC., ETC.

SPECIAL CONTRIBUTIONS BY

THf: LADY ARTHUR GROSVENOR : MRS. HORSFIELf);

MATTHEW ARNOLD: G. D. MATTHEWS.

R. J. MECREDY.

Xon^on :

SIMPKIN. MARSHALL, HAMILTON. KENT & CO., Ltd., 4, Stationer's Hall Court, E.C.

1908.

S(^3l11S.^s

^ HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARV

BEQUEST OF

ROLAND BURRA6E DIXON

MAY 19, 1936

PRINTED BY

DE VERE & CO.,

I AND 2 CHURCH PASSAGE, NEW COMPTON STREET,

LONDON, W.C.

I '

^^ After carejul consideration, to use a little-known quotation^ the Author has resolved toxwrite thts book in childlike, simple language afid in the FIRST person.

It is less proper so to do, and most unusual.

The work will lose by this course its chance to rank as a " literary effort y" but it may save the Catnper- Student much loss of time.

This is a sordid and inartistic view, but the saying is franky plainly true, and may be taken as the Author's clumsy way of announcing the keynote of its tone and plan.

The unlearned generally write so as to appear learnedy and the really learned so that none but the mighty in culture may comprehend them.

TO THE TWENTY-FIVE

T)edications are old fashioned; that is why I dedicate this book to the twenty-five good fellows who have shared my many tents by stream or mountain slope, by river, shore, or wood, for more than twenty-five years, in nearly every Shire in G. B. and Ireland.

They have forgiven me much, and I them, perhaps, a little. They often received plates from my hands to wash a bit less clean than I received them back for packing.

Now, though they have mostly degenerated into a more refined state ot living, in what is more or less a permanent *'pitch/' their old Skipper goes a-Camping still, and finds fresh hands to drill and share his roosts. They now pay softer hands to wash the plates, and besides have a different companion, and occasionally, no doubt, gently touch the cradle. They may even dare a remark in their new domiciles on the cooking, a liberty they felt was denied them in my camp, whether said cooking was all to a turn or fit to turn them up.

Those old times were very happy, nay, often full of delight. Alas, we cannot repeat the past. Yet possibly the perusal of this book may serve a two-fold purpose : Revive some memories of those old gipsy times, and give their children tips, should a taste for "roughing it" descend to their offspring.

T S .

Contents-

•

Frontispiece. Title. To

the Twenty-five.

Division I.

PAGE

Chapt )) -

er I. 11. III. IV. V.

—The Introduction of Things

— "Assertions"

— ^Types of Campers

—" Pros and Cons"

— "Campania"

I lO

15 23 41

Division II.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

"Gipsy" Cooking — Stews and Beverages — Sweets

Division III.

• • • • • •

• • • • ■ •

• • • • • ■

5«

IX. X.

— " Ins and Outs "

— Plain Foods

— Tinned Things and Sweet Stuffs ...

106 117

127

Division IV.

XII.

XIII.

XIV.

"Links" ... —The Night Hours — " Tenting"...

Division V.

• • • • • •

• • ■ • • •

• • • • • •

142

156

172

>»

M >)

XV.

XVL

XVIL

XVIIL

XIX.

XX.

XXL

— Gipsy's Kitchen

"OleClo'"... — Ladies' Camping Dress — Culinery Utensils, etc. ... — Toilet

— Pegs and Slides — " Medical " and " Surgical "

204 213 224 229 240 247

255

Division VI.

XXI I.

XXIII.

XXIV.

— Fabrics for Tents — Tents 1 — Stoves

Division VII.

• • • • • •

• • • • ■ •

• • • • • ■

260 265 307

XXV.

XXVI .

XXVIL

XXVIIl

XXIX.

XXX.

XXXI.

— Cycle-Camping

— Ladies and Cycle-Camping

— Boat -Camping

. — Caravan-Camping

— Pedestrian-Camping

— Variant Camping

—Things Left Over

3i« 333 340 353 367 377 387

DIVISION I.

The first J ew Chapters are upon Camping treated as a sensible pastime. They also deal with it tn the abstract^ touching on the successful and unsuccessful votaries thereof.

The personal failings are not of particular persons, but are just touches based on realities fused with the passing principle of things.

Ify therefore, certain matters named are set down as too obvious and commonplace^ the wise ones must allow them as written for brothers and sisters with less, or Itkely enough, no experience at all. If all were experts, there would be small necessity, not alone for these simple notes, but none for this Handbook itself.-

ERRATA,

ARTICLE.

270

4CX) 423

— After and" in fourth line, read "it." — After "behind" in second Hne, read "and." — Instead of "fixed" in sixth line, read "slotted." — Instead of "forks" in second line, read "head." Erase "Cannard" in twelfth line.

CHAPTER I.

THE INTRODUCTION OF THINGS.

cannot bt- expected that every reader L's why I assume to write a Handbook damping. Were the whole story to be it would itself make a book. I am most

tant to obtrude even the few necessaiy

to show such claim — if it really exists.

constantly growing reason for the issue

of such a work is evident enough, and some few reasons why I essay the task may be discovered below. I am not disposed to give what I might term a sort of bkiek story ok a campkr's LIKE. Were I wishful of piecing up the former time to the present in any degree of completeness, good taste as well as the limited space of this book would preclude it.

Apart from taking the reader into my confidence, it will be clear, I hope, that the considerable experience and the variety of it in this particular line of sport, will be evidenced in the hints which it is the aim of this book to afford, and not necessarily to beginners, but to campers at large. I rather dislike that constant gibe by reviewers, when a man has done a thing in the shape of writing a technical book, that " it will be eminently helpful to beginners," which is a platitude. The people who say this are as capable of being helped by such a book as " the young." Ko mere exchange, however, of ideas between man and man could, if published, be in any sense called a Handbook. Though I intend to tackle it all round, I cannot pretend in the least that the subject will be exhausted, because in nothing Is it more apparent that one man's ideas will always, more or less, remain with him as his own, and each disciple will on each point promulgate a new fad. Therefore, anything in the nature of a positively exhaustive work would not be possible. If, for instance, the methods I may deem absurd, do for the " other man," I think that I. having found my

2 THE CAMPERS HANDBOOK

methods (which seem equally absurd to him) necessary and satis- factory, am sufficiently justified in asking for charity on his part by reading and testing them.

It would seem that, except in the early days, most of the experience I have had has been gained, say, without the chance of Camping with experts, without, therefore, the opportunity to learn from or even to impart very much to others. Nevertheless, how- ever absurd and impracticable certain suggestions and ideas of mine may appear, they are meritorious at least in one thing, that they are original. Not a thing, shall I insert in this book in the way of positive instruction that has not been actually put to the test, to my personal satisfaction, at least.

Now to return very briefly to the question — how do I come to write " The Camper's Handbook ?" To begin with I have been many times asked if there were such a book as gave hints and information on Camping, which the neophyte was anxious to study. In spite of this, none ever convinced me that there was a real need of a Camper's Handbook, until I reflected on the impotency, discomfort and inefliciency of the methods of many campers. Their defective handling of matters, it seemed to me, robbed them of much of its pleasure. The appearance of a short article by my much respected friend, Mr. R. J. Mecredy, in " Fry's Magazine," in July, 1906, contained a clause something like this : — "Mr. T. H. Holding, the greatest known authority on Camping," etc., or words to that effect, set me thinking. If the statement were true, it was worth examining. Was there, I asked myself, any other man who had camped so many years, was as passionate and ardent a follower of it, was anybody else still inventing, designing and working out dodges and suggestions, and writing as largely on Camping, as myself ? To be plain, there was not. Following this line of reasoning came the idea of a work dealing with Camping matters. Mentally the notion crystallised itself as the

"CAMPERS' HANDBOOK,"

and amongst the first half-dozen I consulted as to the likelihood of such a book being useful, "Arjay"** was the first. He said, " decidedly, and you are the man to do it." It was said appro-

Mecredy's "pet" name.

THE camper's handbook 3

priately enough in his tent, pitched withal, against a backing of a glorious group of pines, the Lower Lake of Killarney in front. The surroundings seemed in harmony, so the rash resolve to attempt the task was made, and I informed him of it "officially ' on the spot.

A Camper's Stqry.

In the pre-railway days of 1853, I crossed the 1 Prairies of

America. My first experience of Camping was above the wooded

slope on the plateau behind Kairkock, on the Mississippi, when a

lad of nine. There, 300 of us camped in tents and wagons,

which camp lasted for about five weeks. Jt remains the longest

"fixed camp" that I have attended, but it was only the beginning

of a prolongation, for, of course, it was a case of Camping entirely across the prairies over a distance of 1,200 miles, and

it lasted from the Spring until August. The plains were then

uninhabited save for a few wandering tribes of Indians, probably

a million antelopes, and possibly half-a-million of wary buffaloes.

Soon afterwards, this gallant herd was swept away before the

" railway hunger," i.e., they were shot by Buffalo Bill and others

to feed the hungry navvies who constructed the line. I fell under

a wagon — weighing a ton-and-a-quarter — which passed over the

small of my back, but was not killed ; many have been sorry, of

course, since, but I could not help living on. In the following

Spring a wild and. dangerous wagon trip and camp-back from

Salt Lake City, up and through the Rockies, back to the States,

closed the experience in that early stage.

A good many years passed. I was engaged to lecture in

Sunderland on the subject of " Muscular Christianity " in the

Spring of 1877. Skipping all details it led to the purchase of a

canoe, of which I at once became a proud possessor. The

canoe led to Camping, and Camping led to a canoe cruise in the

Highlands of Scotland, probably in imitation of Macgregor. An

account of this was published under the title of " The Cruise

of the Osprey." The book was soon sold, and is, of course, out of

print. From 1877 to 1907 is 30 years, during which, on every

conceivable opportunity, and in 95 per cent, of all the counties of

Great Britain and Ireland, persistent Camping has continued

without a break.

4 THE CAMPERS HANDBOOK

In 1878, another canoe cruise and camp with several enthusiastic canoeists came off in Scotland, a full account of which from my pen was published by Waterlow & Co. — "Watery Wanderings 'mid Western Lochs." Of this work, practically out of print, a few copies only are left.

We now come to the most important epoch in the Camping fever, which has been known in these later times. Need I say, that I allude to the remarkable origin of Cycle-Camping ? This has now indeed become so general that it is likely to swamp by its popularity almost every other given branch of Camping, numeri- cally. The actual origin of this was as follow^s, taken from

'"Cycle and Camp."*

" So far from being a'weary of Camping, in my fifty-third year, I have at last carried out a simmering project cherished for fifteen years. It came on with the old 'Ordinary,' which was practically an impossible machine with which to camp. The idea lay dormant from the blessed birth of the

Safety' until July of this more blessed Jubilee Year of 1897.

Its fruition was an unexpected accident, as it were. My

friend, H , . . . called on me in July. ' We ' (Mrs.

H and himself) * are thinking of camping out with our

tandem, in Scotland, on our holiday, and, knowing you have had a wide experience in camping, want you to come round

to B House to see some plans I have sketched out for

a tent.'

That settled it ! A night's discussion, my complete con- demnation of all HIS schemes and the adoption of simpler ones in all points was sufficient gratification to one's vanity and egotism on one subject.

Within eight days two complete outfits were made — made in four towns, by seven separate people, at a cost of three guineas each — either lot weighing some fourteen pounds, and so easily carried on a Tandem or on two Safeties, and practic- ally carriable with almost equal ease on one machine.

One of these outfits was sent home, the other put in my large yachting kit-bag, which annually takes flight to Ireland. Our party consisted of four, all of whom had camped while cruising on rivers and lakes in England, Scotland and Ireland, during the past dozen years or so. We were now resolved to try

A large edition of this work was published at 2s. It is now

reduced to is., postage 3d, De Vete & Co., 1-2 Church Passage, New Compton Street, w.c.

mper's handbook

We believed we were pioneers of it We succeeded ; the camp succeeded ! It is now clear the poor clerk or work- man, who wishes to see fresh countries at home and abroad, may gratify his whim and have a fine holiday on the weekly expenditure of his pocket money and be independent of wealher, distance, or, to him, the prohibitive tariff of hotels."

Previous to the publication of the work " Cycle and Camp," just quoted, I had noticed that each of the two former books had led many to become my disciples, and provoked a correspondence,

6 tHE camper's handbook:

considerably beyond one's calculation. Each book brought me Camping friends, and I made campers of those friends who remain in close touch to this dav.

These experiments in publishing, however, had shown all this,, and led me to dare still a bolder step, which was the issue of of the last named work, that had so singular and precipitate an origin. What I have not stated there had better be stated here. My ambition as an ardent cyclist and tourist (having been in fact the originator of the great C.T.C., and having such a passion for river, canal, and lake Camping by boat), had, of course, long been,, as an enthusiast, to try and camp with the cycle. I had thought of so many ideas, and yet had never been satisfied with any of them until, with a rapidity of decision for which I can hardly account, I hit on the plan which has remained since I started it, the key of the whole scheme. The fact is, that no sooner was the book out,, though far from satisfactoril3^ published b3^ the firm which under- took it, that correspondence began again, people starting to question me and make tents. It then seemed possible if Camping was so good, and as cyclists now in point of magnitude out-number three to one all the other vehicles in the country put together, that there was something in it. The question was, could it not be promo- ted? Each letter I received was very carefully kept. When I found one person more interested than any other, and a close experimenter in Camping matters also, in the person of the Rev.. E. C. Pitt-Johnson, M.A., New College, Oxford, I asked him to confer with me to this end, viz., to tr3^ and form, out of the total of i8 names of which I knew, an Association of Cycle-Campers.. It is an old story. We formed it in his lodgings in Oxford; I elected him Secretary and he elected me President, it is needless to say without opposition.

There was no cause for imagining that an association, carefully worked, would fail in promoting the good work. That Association under my direction and management, by the enthusiastic help of hearty and kindly friends grew rapidly. We organised great camps, almost every visitor attending became a disciple, and for its size of 210 members never did there a more harmonious body exist until unfortunate circumstances forced a cleavage, which precluded my remaining in it with honour and self-respect.

But this big movement had life in it, so I formed, in Apri], 1906,.

THE CAMPERS HANDBOOK 7

the National Camping Club, and to show that my work had taken •deep root, 150 members were enrolled in the new club within four months. All that was said of the former Association, I say in a •double sense of this latter. It is a singular thing that quite two- thirds of this muster were of ladies and gentlemen who had only- just begun — were the veriest novices. But none of them have an ill- word to say of Camping.

This is mentioned in order to link up the ground of any claim I may have to pen a Handbook on Camping. I would say that, at the present moment, there are not less than 1,000 campers who have added themselves to this last branch alone, working on my suggestions, and mostly with such appliances as I have designed for the purpose.

The Press has done a great deal to help the movement. Further, everything that I have thought of ^ that was worth publishing, or worth designing or modelling, that would help to make Camping more enjoyable and efficient, the Press has always supported and published, ^o that whatever benefit there might be, others should reap their share therein. Perhaps this is the right place to allude to the fact that the " C.T.C. Gazette," in which I have now written regularly every month for three years, or thereabouts, has been the most powerful medium in making converts to Camping that we have in the country.

The thing is not a mere phantasy or passion of a moment. There is a dead earnestness amongst these many disciples — a, gravity in fact. They put real thought into it. They are not content with enjoying it themselves, they act as missionaries to others. Now through the " C.T.C. Gazette " the people of this solid stamp have come in considerable numbers, — not merely the youth, but the middle-aged and old. The mere compliments they have paid to my writing have been pleasant enough in themselves, but grandfathers have become enthusiasts in presenting appliances to .their grandchildren, brothers-in-law have made wedding presents of Camping outfits for people who got married at maturer years, wives have presented their husbands with presents of Camping requisites, and husbands their wives, etc.

Along w^th the whole of this, I have endeavoured at all times to be on the search for anything '* to try" as an improvement. Hence the various types of tents most in use now have been

8 THE camper's handbook

subject to continued variations, but in nothing were the variations so marked as in the " Gipsy " tent, which is capable of being worked almost into any size. In due course it will be described. I have always endeavoured to keep the progressive spirit upper- most, and have never stuck, or counteiianced others to stick at a given idea. The most thorough experiments in order to gain proof of every new thing, has always been the motto, with the result that the lightness, elegance, compactness, simplicity, and efficiency of the things that are now in general use, differ as. widely as possible from the ordinary things used in past generations.

Nor can I pass over for a moment the advantage that this has^ been. But for these ideas — this revolution, so to say — the popularity of Camping could never have approached its actual measure.

So much then for what may be termed nty claim for and justification of my writing this book. No more need be said, except that if I have received one inquiry, I must have received nigh on to a thousand letters a year. These facts then seem to say that Cycle-Camping, which has no regular organ or journal like motoring and other new sports, is in need of the condensed experience of a writer who can claim a wide knowledge of the subject. Whether that be so or no, the task lies before me, so we must turn to the actual business. Before doing so, however, I wish to make a closing statement ; that though the question of economy, expedition, charm and freedom of Camping, and all other aspects of it will be dealt with, and thus form the earlier portion of this work, there is a matter that must not be overlooked. Both portable and stationary Camping is not a thing for the poor, and yet it is. To put it another way, it is not a thing confixed to the poor. People who own one, two or more motor cars go Camping, as do people with several horses in the stable and with large incomes. It embraces in traders those who are masters of many profitable places of business, doctors in large and busy practices in the West-end and country, barristers, solicitors,, newspaper owners, publishers, printers, countr\^ gentlemen, ban- kers, etc. Almost every division into which society in England is sDlit, has contributed to the ranks of the Camping fraternit}' of ^av. These, then, are thj reasons whv the Handbook is

THK camper's HAMUHOOK I)

written ; whatever else may be questioned, these facts stand.

I close by asking, what are the Advantages of Camping ? As there Is no operative law lo prevent a man quoting himself, I proceed again to quolc accordingly from " Cycle and Camp":

" Who can question tiiem ? Only those who have never tried it. All the hojTors which outsiders fear and with which they llirealen us, we neither meet nor find. In fact, they don't exist. Camping Is nearly always dehghtful, for a holiday at least, and if well-managed Is pljasant and healthy, as well as cheap, for a more protracted period. But it Is not a lazy life — far from it. The question comes in here, perhaps, as to which kind of holiday is more beneficial— A loafing or active one? He who would spend a holiday in sheer laziness should take luxurious lodgings or quarter himself at a fine hotel, and next to the strain and exertion of eating, do literally nothing. To most nien, however, young or middle aged, who lead active lives and who are gifted with average energy, something less dormant Is, surely, an advantage. The camp gives this — exercise without fatigue; (resh air night and day, and sufficient excitement to create interest, and remind a man that he lives.

That sounds well ! Yes, and has been proved to answer when physic failed and tonics had lost their charm."

CHAPTER n.

"ASSERTIONS."

Pursuant, as lawyers say, to the abovf, I wish to express some ail-round \'ii;ws on Camping in general. It is possibli; that the expressions used may be some- what emphatic, as though I assumed to know the subject. Should it seem that these preliminary notes are a bit too much in the line of " laying down of the law" the reader must take Iht-ni cuni grano salts. Camping, I contend, is the oldest subject , for it interested even primeval man. When he was born he had to be protected from the inclemency or stern extremes of the weather, which always gave trouble. When he became a youth it w~as " about " the camp he played. When he became a man and wished to take unto himself a wife, the subject that must have been uppermost was where he could put her. The problem still exists, and often causes anxiety.

Now we imagine that the neolithic man was a teiTible savage, crude and coarse in form, and defective in brain power. Those who wish to study the splendid form of his head, and the firmness of his jaw. the length and tolerable straightness of his limbs and fine proportion of his frame, may satisfy themselves at Cambridge or other anatomical museums, to the contrary. Fresh air evidently agreed with him, and Camping was a fairly healthy pastime for those who survived it, — they were an ever increasing number ; Leopold II not being then alive.

Camping, when there was no other alternative hut to camp, was quite a different thing from Camping to-day. Then a house would have been a novelty ; to-day, it is the tent on agrcen slope, that is novel, The fragile cover between us and the sky, oi- the

THE CAMPERS HANDBOOK II

elements, is the charm, and we seek it for a variety of reasons, the chief of which is that having started it we soon begin to Hke it, and liking it, it is hard to leave off.

There is rather a grave aspect of Camping ; in fact, there are several *' views " that must be taken seriously. To begin with, it has a rather broadening effect on a man's mind. There is nothing that is more of an eye-opener, so to say, than active and literal Camping. The roughing it is hardly there ; the starvation fare is an absolute delusion ; the scare of rheumatism is the biggest liction of all ; the terror of damp — it has no terrors, owing to the modern equipment ; and in the daily duty there is no time to feel tedious. Leisure for " literary " occupation never comes. But what does come is fresh air in abundance, a surprising appetite, a rare occupation for the mind in conjuring up what the next meal is to be, and trouble to lind time to be ready for it, and to have the meal ready for the appetite when it calls, a, wonderful power for sleeping, an absence of colds, and a jolly mental freedom and content. Time is always ahead of us in camp.

As to a cold : this is very curious. Within a day or so of writing these words, I had told Mr. Mecredy that a fortnight after return- ing home I caught a cold in that little sharp "snap" in the middle of September. He wrote to say he was surprised to have a cold him- self, seeing that he, with his wife, had slept out for some ten months, and he thought he was proof against cold. Soon after reading this, Dr. Yeates, author of "The Medical Man in the Bush," came to see me. He came to interview me on Camping matters, and said, " I have lived out in that tent," showing me a beautiful picture of a tent in which he had slept whilst practising his pro- fession in the Lake District, "for nine months, and directly I came to live in a house, a cold came on me."

This is what the "London Hospital" says : —

" After the San Francisco earthquake, thousands of people had to sleep in the open, and it was thought that there would be an epedemic of enteric, pulmonary, and mental diseases ; instead the general health of the people has been better since the earthquake than it was before. Many of those who were previously in a poor state, and suffering ifrom poor appetites and defective digestions, found both appetite and digestion improving, while their mental condition was also benefited. We hope that the lesson will bear fruit, and that the public

will learn therehy that fresh air and sunshine are essential to-

health, and that the former is particitlary important during

sleeping hours."

I wish, then, to make it quite clear thai those of us who are

susceptible to colds lose them directly we go to live out of doors.

I spoke of this to a wealthy country gentleman who can live in or

out of doors, just as he pleases, and its alternate effect on cold,

and he adduced this fact : "When I am out of doors nearly the.

whole time for a week at a stretch, I have no cold ; directly the weather is inclement, and I cannot get out, a cold lays hold of me. In short, though I am 70 years of age, I go out of doors to cure a cold." Surely, then, these facts are in substantiation of the advantages of Camping.

CAMri\G PKK SK.

It would be foolish to preach that all the people who go Camping do it for mean motives of economy. Let me sink all the

THE camper's handbook 1 3

advantageous conditions of it, such as novelty, economy, and so on, and take Camping as it is, per se. What does it do for a man ?

teaches him no small measure of self-reliance.

gives him a new incentive to independence.

opens to him the possibility of personal resource.

teaches him patience when circumstances are adverse.

opens to him a new pleasure.

gives him greater freedom.

affords rest of mind.

is recreative. Repeated in another form, it is re-creat-ing.

keeps old men young.

gives younger people experience that they would not have.

makes men more tolerant of the domestic life.

gives man the power to manage and develop his personal

force to overcome obstacles, teaches him patience and tolerance with other people, takes him away from the toils of business, opens to a man new society, affords him an opportunity of cutting the society he does not

want, revives his taste and love of the country, enables him to wear out old clothes, for none other arc

comfortable in camp, and none other become the camp, enables a man to get away from his family ; or his family

to get away from him for a spell, allows a man to introduce his family to a new% and rough,

and innocent pleasure, produces in him a new individualism — for the better, has a tendency to the extension of his geographical knowledge, gives him a pleasure that has no vitiating influence, helps to harden his physical nature.

adds to his physical activity, and therefore tends to the lengthening of his life. It is an educational force, which would take a chapter to describe.

Increase of Camping. Camping is increasing for a variety of causes, and perhaps for

14 THE CAMPERS HANDBOOK

the very same reason that driiikiiif^ intoxicating liquors is decreas- ing. It hardly follows that I am compelled in this book to give a reason in the inverse ratio, so to say, for and against each of these two considerations, and to prove my cases. Statistics have settled the drinking business, and I venture to predict statistics will show, if we can get them, an increase of Camping, but I may quote a few. I have known Killarney for nearly 30 years, but , never heard of a tent on its shore, but there have been through — so far as I can learn — the recent movement which I initiated, this year, at one time, ten tents upon the shores of the lake, and possibly more.* Most of the "Old Boys" from our public Schools have an annual camp somewhere. We take the poor errand boys — orphan or otherwise — and give them a camp at the seaside. Organised camps of regulars and volunteers, and all the rest of it, are quite common, so that campers are a growing force, and destined to grow more.

The Health of it.

I have never known anyone to be so unwell in camp as to have to leave it to return home. What happens in camp, and everywhere else, and it is best to state it, is the following : —

Neuralgia' or toothache : — It is difficult to lay these to the charge of the camp ; the causes that operate there would operate elsewhere. I speak now for what I know from experience. When the cause of neuralgia was removed — never mind by what process — the twelve years since of happy Camping have left the writer without the added luxury of pain.

Several years ago, a strong party camped at Muckross, under Mr.

Mecredy's irection.

«^

CHAPTER III.

TYPES OF CAMPEHS.

The lObstinate Novice.— i.— The sore place in this man's life and charac- ter IS of course his obstinacy He is a lerv trying person to meet impossible to h\e with and certamU barelj agreeable to camp with He has a (.reed which is previous theory iiid ihat theory " my own ' He has worked everything out from the problem of creation to the putting m of a tent peg and you can give him no points Indeed it is harder to corner an idea to his mind than it is to wash away a sand hill with a hand

syringe. Without describing in det

see nothing," just as if everything had been put away and

'form" of exercise in which youth so engages. There is the

fetching and carrying," cooking and tidying around

things" away in. But imagine a man having to separate

as I took, say on the lakes and rivers of Ireland, and

A remarkable explanation under this head is contained in Mr. R. J.

^ fim art.

- Faith, just let him see the fire," was the reply given.

" Scratching," the residue of pig's fat, from which lard has been

One regrets the word. I would use a more refined term, but love

j^ipsy is very careful not to peal them. There is no restriction

' what, boil tea ! " No, it did not boil five seconds. The tea

absence of those bulges, depressions and foHations into which

Lahinch, co. Clare.

Raisins are best and sweetest when old and *' candied." No

An account of this incident is recorded in the canoeing book

' Experience is the best teacher." The mission of this book is to

Heigh, sir, sir ! Oh, there ! Do awake, mon ! The porridge.

Erne ' on Irish waters."

THE camper's HANDBOOK 195

he .same kind of clothing would meet most

which I will state. First, they are very

i^ DIVISION VI. We now come to the great question of TENTS — their fabrics^ typeSf planning J making, and accessories^ including poles and their dimensions. If the clauses dealing therewith seem somewhat short and terse f nevertheless an effort is made to embody every true and essential point. The mighty question of STOVES— undoubtedly simplified of late by that cliverest of all^ the ** Primus " Familv --concludes this division. CHAPTER XXII. FABRICS FOR TENTS. Silk.— 343.- The best for tents is undoubtedly Japanese. Us strength, proportioned to it^, ■ thickness, is many times tlial of fine lawn. II is a splendid wet- resister, and folds into a very small compass — one-fourtti ttiat of the finest linen and one-half that of lawn. It is difficult to procure in the colour that seems to suit the purpose best, viz., a light khaki, which does not show dirt, protects from the glare of the sun, and yet admits ample light. It is retailed at 4/- per yard and its width is 36 inches, but only one firm keeps it at that price. I have procured some from abroad, had it dyed to a proper shade, and it is, I believe, of a better quality, and at a lesser rate. " Thintus." — 344. — This is a material somewhat like Japanese silk, both as to touch and appearance, but made of very fine cotton. It is not, however, as close as silk. It makes the lightest cycle tent possible — apart from silk — its weight being two-thirds of best, and half of ordinary lawn. It is also suitable for fly sheets. On the day I write this, I find that a " Canadian " made in this new material, with a linen roof and eaves, 5-ft. 6.ins. wide, 6-ft. 3-ins. long, and 5-ft. 6-ins. high, weighs 3i-lbs. For a cycle tent it would add i^-lbs. The camper can consider whether the daily carrying of this additional weight is a barrier. Lawn.— 345. — There are many qualities of this material, and THE camper's handbook 26 1 it is known by various names. To simply ask for lawn might often produce a material very different, and quite inadequate and unsuitable. For cycle tents it is, on the whole, pre-eminent. Possibly some lo miles of it have been used up for cycle tents since I first introduced it. Egyptian cotton is 15 per cent, stronger than American or Indian, because the fibre is stronger and finer. The best quality of lawn, and the best of all other cotton goods, is now made of Egyptian cotton, which is the finest in the world. The price of the best is somewhere about 8Jd. per yard. I learn that all Egyptian stuff has recently gone up in price. It is generally made in peculiar drabs, neither very permanent or suitable- The colour which stands best is a rich khaki shade. The term
• khaki" is Indian, descriptive of clay. In cotton, it is the most
durable shade, next to red. Linen and Holland. — ^346. — Linen varies greatly in weight and quality. Excellent quality woollen goods are costly, because of the weight of wool. Linen is often costly, because of its fineness. The finest linen makes splendid tents and is of about three times the strength of lawn, about one-and-a-haJf times the bulk, twice the weight, and double the cost per yard. The fibre is heavier. The fineness, closeness, and compact method of its manufacture, which adds to its strength, also accounts partly for its weight. It should be used for tents in its natural colour, not bleached. A white tent is an objectionable and unpleasant covering in the sun, and besides, is soon soiled. Calico " Sheeting." — 347. — ^This is supplied in unbleached and bleached form. It is very strong and suits substantial tents, for boating particularly. It is much too heavy for Cycle. Camping. It would do for small, round tents, " cottage " models, or tents as an annexe to vans. Brov^n Calico. — 348. — This caUco may be had from 2|d. — very common, of course — up to 7id. per yard. Apart from its objectionable whiteness, it makes a tolerable tent. A tent, from 262 THE camper's HANDBOOK -6 to 7-ft. square, may be produced at somewhere about 9/- or 10/-. The material can be bought at any second class draper. To procure it, find the lowest class store in the cheapest locality, and you will get what you require. For a lad beginning to camp arid who, with the help of his sister, intends to make his own tent, nothing more serviceable can be had for the price. Besides it will give him all the pride and pleasure of a £^ 4s. silk tent, and he'll sleep just as well. Cotton Duck. — ^349. — This is a special tent material, mostly made in America. It is used for small marquees, permanent tents, and tents to hire out. It bulks considerably, is fairly heavy ^nd needs, of course, by reason of size and weight, strong staying lines and poles. Compared with linen, in make and weight it is half the price. In choosing this stuff, unless you have a knowledge of fabrics, ■consult an expert as to quality. Thus, a tent of duck at 60/- may be dear in the end, and one at 100/- cheap, for just the same reason that quality in a tent tells. Heavy Tent Cotton Duck. — ^350.— This is specially made for tents. It runs to about 36-ins. in width, is strong, with yarns well twisted and well woven. For permanent camps, tennis and boating tents, it is very good and will stand up to 20-f t. long by 15-ft. broad. It is made in Lancashire, of American cotton, arid may be relied upon. Unbleached Wigan Sheeting. — ^351. — This is fine stuff, though, when exposed to the air and damp, gets wet and dries again, it thickens and bleaches white. It makes splendid boating tents up to lo-ft. square, and with strong staying at all parts will stand fairly well. It is procurable in varying weights, and its price is about 5Jd. per yard, at, say, 40-ins. in width. It bulks a _good deal and, alas, has the objectionable whiteness one docs not, as a rule, like in a tent. Proofed Canvases. — ^352. — Here we have a large compass •of weights. That which is best known is the green Willesden THE camper's handbook 263 stuff, prepared by a method of proofing said to render it water- proof. To a degree this is correct, but the term " waterproof " must be qualified. The heavier makes of canvas are waterproof without any preparation, hence, our water buckets. In the use of canvas for tents the tendency is to use too much weight. Cotton, of course, is less than half the strength of linen, even when thicker. There are so many weights and makes and degrees of quality in linen goods, thai it is simply a question of obtaining the strength that any special requirements may seem to demand. Canvas may be had from 5d. to 3/6 per yard. The gossamer linen I use is 1/4 to 1/6 and unbleached, and is the stuff used for the finest collars and shirt fronts. Holland, from 40-ins. to 80-ins. in width, makes grand tents. They will last for many years and are strong wet-resisters. The weight is 30 per cent more than cotton of the same thickness. Atmospheric Effect on Fabrics. — ^353. — This is, indeed, remarkable. Light, heat, and wet alternating with dry, act and re-act on all kinds of fabrics. Wet contracts, dry causes expansion. Light tones down colours, and causes them to fade. The straining of lines and loops makes tents grow Hterally. Let us follow this out. My fixing on 5-ft. 9-ins. every way struck some people as absurdly small. Why those dimensions ? Simply, experience had taught me that I should in reality get a 6-ft. tent, and that, for over 30 years, I found ample for two or even three men. But we must not dismiss this subject too readily. If this tent were always in a dry atmosphere, that is, what might be termed a transmitted air, inside a building, there would be little stretch- ing, but the action of wet, which shrinks, causes a greater expansion afterwards than if the fabric had never been wet. As it dries it grows, and this does not apply merely to light tents. An experiment gave an expansion of 4-ins. in a material, 6o-ins. wide, the cross way. Take another case. I have a stout red striped linen tent, the red stripe being procured by a cotton warp (cotton holds scarlet dye, linen will not so permanently). This tent was made to 6-ft. 6-ins. every way. It is now 7-ft. 3-ins. 364 THE CAMPER'S HANDBOOK and will peg out to 8-ft. in the middle. It has had 15 years' use, but here is the fact, it is still growing. There are many limitations imposed for small portable tents for the mimic yachts called canoes, and for that fragile but grand little conveyance, the cycle, so these varying growlhs, perpetual growths rather, had better be tept in mind at the start, or trouble will follow with poles. ■Wind Friction on Tents. — 354. — It may not be generally known that wind friction wears everything on which it plays, particularly fabrics. Hard winds, blowing long on tents, thins the stuff,,and literally weakensit, i.e., wears it. CHAPTER XXIII. I. -TYPES OF TENTS. Special Tents and their Uses.— 355. — Though the tent may be treated as thoronghljr as may be, I must add that it is only one item in the outfit. Anextremelysimpledrawingona later page shows variations and proportions which will need little explanation. There are three main considerations in regard to designing a tent, (i) What is it for? {2) Where will it be used? <3) How MUCH will it be used? Really experienced campers have various itinds ot tents. Perhaps the following catalogue of my own possessions in that direction will explain the bearings of the points just quoted. No. r. — Boating tent, 7-ft. every way, made in striped linen — magnificent stuff for such a purpose. It has a fly sheet, weighs S-lbs.-, takes three persons comfortably, and four minus dis- comfort. No. 2. — Canoe tent. An "A" 6-ft. every way, which weighs 3-lbs.; also made in fancy striped material. Takes two comfort- ably an^ three as No. i. No. ^ — A simple "A" tent for carrying on a bicycle, 5-{t. 9-ins. every way — by stretching and use, it now exceeds 6-ft. 3-ins. Weighs 2-lbs. 8-ozs., proofed and holding the dirt of years. Takes two comfortably, and in '■ Cycle and Camp " trip took four .badly. No. 4. — " Wigwam * or Phanlom Tent, 4-ft. 6-ins. every way, encept its length, which is 6'ft. Made of Japanese silk, wei^s 11^-ozs., and by its help the gi-eater part of Ireland has been «ncircled. taken along its seaboard roads often in winds and rains. Takes one or two quite comfortably. No, 1,. — A red silk " Gipsy." It has been used at many camps 55 04 O Q CO CO CO Oh O < o; 2 l-H o o O •4: b O Oii 5^ CO H < THE camper's handbook 267 and demonstrations in public. Takes two very comfortably, and has taken three without discomfort. Weighs 13-ozs. No. 6. — ^Sporting Tent. An "A" tent with a wide base, and to lessen windage, only 5-ft. 3-ins. high. It is made of fine linen to stand anything, on moors, lake and river shores for fishing. All its lines are strong. Weighs 4i-lbs., and will sleep from two to five persons, the base being 6-f t. 9-ins. No. 7. — Garden Lean-to. By two battens with hooks which hitch into a plinth nailed to the garden wall, I erect the Lean-to! It can be put up in five minutes, and taken down, and is used for reading and resting in a quiet time in the garden. No. 8. — This is a successful plan of turning a sailing yawl into a yacht, by a fine " Deck " tent. No. 9. — The " Canadian " for two men to camp with cycle. No. 10. — Newly made "Tee-Pee" Indian. A new model to sleep four men. An effort to make a small " Bell " tent without the nuisance of a centre pole. Tents in Profile. — ^356. — The first in the series is a little "Lean- to," shown in the small illustration (355), and mentioned in No. 7. A batten is nailed to the wall, with an eye at either end. Two sloping roof battens or bearers with a hook therein enter the eyes. Then there is a hinge drop piece 2-ft. high at the lower end, and another cross piece or strut that holds the two out. Over these the tent of striped material is simply thrown. Brass buttons are screwed into the bearer, and holes in the tent corres- pond and fit over them. Here is the thing in which I have spent hundreds of pleasant hours reading, composing addresses, study- ing maps, and — why should it not be mentioned r — day sleeping. The following outlines of tents are drawn to scale : — No. I. — Army Bell tent of the larger size. No. 2. — Large Boating or Seaside tent, known by various names, as " Clyde," " Large Cottage," etc., about 8-ft. ever}^ way. No. 3. — "Cabin" Cycle tent, to sleep three or four, or five on a pinch. No. 4. — Little " Canadian," and a jolly little tent it is. No. 5,— Original "A" No. 4A.— " Gipsy/' 368 THE camper's HANDBOOK No, 6. — Real Gipsy's, of bent hoops. No. 7. — Old Army Bivouac tent, so called because it was or now is, the regulation tent supplied to the French Army The "Cabin." — 357. — This is a very commodious tent. It is wonderful, indeed, what a foot in length or width does in these small portable tents. Though this is marked 7-fl. it should be made 6-ft. 6-ins., as indeed this was. The stretching is great. The "Cabin." until it becomes too long for the poles. Therefore, to get a 7-H- cut it 6-ft. 6-ins. As a suggestion, all tents should be made a little less than the measurements if in thin material. The best dimensions for a cycle " Cabin " are as follows :— Wall (not to exceed) a-ft. ; roof slope, 5-ft. 3-ins. ; slope of fly sheet. i < o X
\
c 270 THE camper's handbook 5-ft 6-ins. ; elevation, 5-f t. 9-ins. ; floor length and floor width 6-ft. to 6-ft. 6-ins. each. Weight. — Tent proper, about 3-lbs. in lawn; fly sheet, i-lb. 8-ozs. ; set of 18 iron pegs, 5i-ins. by |-in. turned over heads, about I -lb. lo-ozs. As this tent differs from the origjinal " Clyde " or " Cottage " I venture to christen it the "Cabin." What are the simplifications ? Instead of two separate lines and pegs, I have one line that descends from the corners and centre of both tent and fly, and the same pegs do for both. The method is simple. There is an eye on the tent, into which a tiny brass hook goes from the end of guy line, the peg permanently left on and set out at 45 degrees, though there is a loose hook which enters a small eyelet in the fly sheet, the end of which is knotted to a slide. They work freely and with equal strain. The fly sheet and the tent can both be eased off for wet or tightened when the sun shines. ^'Canadian.*' — 358. — This is a drawing of my very latest tent design, which makes, for light Camping, the ninth model.*^ Its particular points are that the roof has 6-in. eaves and it is made oifine quality semi-bleached linen. The material admits only " early spray," and after that, the heavier the rain the greater its wet resistance. My aim was to have a tent as proof against heavy wet as though it had a fly sheet, and yet to do without one. In the next place, to have a form of tent which would be rigid in wind, that could be used by myself and a friend in the Highlands or the wild coast of Ireland. In order to combat the extra weight the ends and walls are of ** Thintus." The Tests it stood: — A pail of water Avas thrown on the roof, with several inside, probably to the occupants' alarm, but the spraying was very slight. After a few minutes, I ordered the operation to be repeated, and there was no more effect than a thunder shower would have on slates. Its weight is 3i-lbs. The dimensions are : 5-ft. 6-ins. high, 5-ft. 6-ins. wide, 6-ft. long. Nicely folded it makes a roll of loj-ins. x 4i-ins.
Since, a tenth has come to light, and I like it, i.e., the "Tee-Pee"
see 361). THE camper's handbook 271 For DOUBLE-Camping I consider it is " per fecta." Its walls, though low, make it big enough for four, even to sleep in, at a crush, but for three it is ample. It is fitted with " Wigwam " poles. It stood powerful winds and very heavy rain during 1907 Henley week. ^K>KVK'Sti\^C^iV' C4//fTA/yy^ The "Gipsy." — ^359. — Perhaps no type of tent has afforded greater delight or been so popular as this one. What are its points ? Almost vertical walls : therefore dry. It does not show the same tendency to sag as an "A" does, at the under pressure side. The wider spread of the roof gives material inward head- room. A wider spread than 27-ins. at head and 5-ft. 6-ins, floor gives, on the whole, the best result. Poles longer than 27-ins. cannot well be carried on the cycle. Another point: the "Gipsy" is a picturesque little thing. It is only a trifle more difficult to make than the ordinary "A." The 272 THE camper's handbook stretchers must be fixed outside the poles. The ends are slotted 3-ins. inside the ring so that doors go outside stretcher, and the rings at the end must be very strong ones, three-^sixteenths^of-an- inch brass, three-eighths-of-an-inch opening* They iliust be sewn on with four-cord thread, twisted and well waxed, or carpet thread, and strongly stayed inside with canvas. A "Gipsy" tent has only two guys in the ordinary way, but it should have a stay and the following is the method of making it : — Carry up line to E and give it one or two turns round the pole head, drawing the pole towards you a little out of the The Revised "Double Gipsy." vertical. Next carry the slide end of stay down to the i other ground peg, running the line over same, and draw up the slide stay till it is tight on both sides. This keeps the tent as steady as a house. So long as the pegs hold, it cannot shift or blow over. Don't omit side parrells also (see "Wigwam"). The difference between the "gipsy" and the "A" is thatithe former has more head room, straighter walls, and a flatter roof^ The elevation is slightly lessened to counteract the extra weight of material and " windage." If I am personally asked to advise,. I still pin my faith to the " gipsy," which has been described as " an ingenious bit of tent architecture." It will sleep, without inconvenience, three persons, and only weighs a few ounces more than the " A." The tent floor, A to B, is 5-ft. 6-ins. The height from O to E is 5-ft. 6-ins. G to C is 2-ft. 3-ins ; whilst the length, C to D, is two breadths, or 5-ft. ii-ins. THE CAMPERS HANDBOOK 273 " Giant Gipsy."— 360. — As this tent has been put through the usual testing and not found wanting in one single particular, from my technical standpoint at least, it soon got named the "GIANT GIPSY." I urged that it was not a "Gipsy," and the natural term I will admit is, the " Wigwam-Gipsy." The material is light, but strong, again made, of course, from my favourite Egyptian cotton in the natural colour of that cotton, a warm cream shade. Its dimensions may interest those who contem- plate erecting a fixed camp from which to radiate. They arc 10-ft. 6-ins. long, lo-ft, wide, and 7-ft. 6-ins. high. THK "GIANT Girsv." When pegged it is 12-ft. across from side to side ; it pegs out fully to ii-ft. long, and with the descending angle foot of the door it gives a ground spread lenglh wise of about i8-ft. The poles are made of white spruce, finished natural colour, with a display of brass ferruling that makes the whole almost ornate in its delicate finish, yet it is all strong. Its weight is only 10-lbs. The object of such a tent is to hold concerts and mectiijgs in when it is wet at N.C.C.C. camps. The next object of its being is to allow those who ari; wantin}" to seo what Cycle-Camping possibilities are, and to get an inkling how to do it, to come to the official camps and be lodged for one shilling per night. The " Tee-Pee." — 361. — Ha\'ing frequently been asked as to the best kind of tent that would, in the simplest way, afford most accommodation for a party, I have designed a new type of circular tent. True to its name, it is decorated. There are two poles, and their object is to hold the tent up of coi nuisance of a centre pole, which is always i in any form. After planning, erecting, and testing in actual use, I find it affords a remarkable amount of room, and is very weatlierly and THE camper's handbook 275 comfortable. It is built of " Assouan," and a severe test with the watering- can caused no spray. Its deep eaves shed the fall so well that the sides keep dry. When I could see a way of getting rid of the centre pole, as used in Bell tents, adopting the forked or " Wigwam" poles, light SCAVt PEtT dawned, and I constructed this tent on the Red Man's model, but with very low walls and limited height and no centre pole. The walls are : E to H, i8-ins. ; elevation, O to D, 7-ft. ; floor, 8-ft.» 276 THE camper's handbook which after a few sets out will be 9-ft. (see diagram). This tent will sleep five. Its weight (made in Assouan cloth, which I deem- the best) is 3:i-lbs. The dead end, where all seams join, is finished by a cord gromet sewn to the well-stayed termination, and so fits round the lashed pole ends. It cannot work out of its place, and should it threaten to, there are lanyards to stop it. The roof is made in seven,, eight, nine, or ten sections. Nine guy pegs loop to each seam.. The door left open on one side and a ventilator high up give a flow of air without a draught. In the day-time the walls fasten up by strings — a decided advantage. . • The whole of the floor space is most convenient to a party to- get out of each other's way. They can cook or take meals spread out in the middle, round in a circle all facing each other. In other words, the tent is a jolly addition to my Camping "fleet," the tenth model that I have designed for light-life Camping The price of such a tent would probably be, in lawn about 35/- ; in linen or Assouan cloth somewhere about 45/- to 50/- at a rough guess. How TO Cut it. ' Draw line B E. Make centre a pivot, and mark length of each seam 6 to 7-ins. i Sweep from B to C to a line and chalk. For a spread-eagle model, C to B makes roof. In this case, cut two breadths, one on each side, above construction line E H, which with 2-ft. width per section, gives us a floor space of 8-ft. 4-ins.,. or total length of ground level. I have lessened this model to save pole length, viz., 6-f t. to 7-f t. 6-ins. floor, 6-ft. roof, i8-ins. walls. The ** Brigand." — ^362. — Before I describe this tent and how to make it, I wish to record the fact that it is not original so far as I am concerned. I deeply regret my inability to give the credit to its originator — I believe an American. The tent has five joined- up laths, which may be carried tied to the backbone of a cycle, or strapped on to the off side of the back fork. I have designed the present tent to be only 4-ft. high. Of course, the weight-killing men, and I am one of them, will be THE CAMPER! 277 asking, what about weight? Ihat is a consideration that may be carried to the extreme. A lack of weight that means a lack of comfort and utility is undesirable, but 1 will give the particu- lars. The battens or hoops ii-ft. lo-ins. long, i^-lbs., and the total weight of tent, i-lb, ji-ozs. How TO Cut the Tent. — I have endeavoured to put the diagram in the simplest form possible. Draw the construction line A E. Mark the centre B. This becomes the radius. B to A is elevation of tent when set, 4-ft. Square out from B to F 4.ft. 6-ins. Mark up F to C i-ft. 6-ins. At half way from F to A mark G out 4-ft, 4-ins. Mark H 3-ft. ij-ins. Point E is 6-ft. This is for pegging out. From C mark curtain, J, about 9-ins. From J to E draw straight line M, and throw i-ft. on round as dotted line. N N should be 4-ins. allowed on for overlap of front, whilst P P is underlap. 'nie small dots represent hooks, and on Ihe inside, half way between, the strings to tie. 278 THE camper's handbook Minor Suggestions. There should be three strings at intervals around the ridge to tie it to the pole, and at 6-ins. apart from A, where I put an upright stroke, there should be two loops to run the poles in. Will the reader turn to L ? Here is a mole on the outside, and through an eyelet hole attached to the mole is a lanyard, marked Ntll Waw^lfi^ Scctiofl) CutTroq Sech'D^^ ScAtr 4 '« I Poor Q. This is to hold the bottom of the tent in place, and adjust the strain. The extension at M and E is to peg it out. It makes a very long floor, and is a nice shelter to cook under, and if a THE CAMPER S HANDBOOK 279 side shower comes on, operations can go on practically in the open. N is the foot of the under tape for the hooks on section i , and E represents how the tape should be carried down the outer edge only. Second Half of Tent. This faint outline has a little mission which I will explain. Those who have plenty of time and are fond of using the sewing machine, would find a slight advantage in the construction of this tent if they cut it the same as some scientific sails for boats are supposed to be constructed, i.e., in sections, and have the Nmi downward pull to the loop opposite each seam. I am saying that, having draw^n the loop on at the ground level. The Poles. I have sketched batten F, No. Ill, two-thirds full size. There is a small leather cleat C, whipped on E, through which the lanyard B, marked L on the drawing, pulls through hole A, and pulls the tent down and holds it. Joining of the Battens. This is done by a rivet with a broad copper head, G, and copper washer, F (IV). A is a loose but oblong ring. E 28o THE camper's HANDBOOK represents the tapering of one section, and B that same ring A pushed over until it locks and holds the five battens as firm as if in one piece. N^ IV Folding of the Battens. Diagram V is the battens as they fold up fiat, making a total of 27-ins. when folded. n? V fejs PUf? for Jevnfs To provide coropacf folc'in^ Dimensions of Timber. The width of batten should be ij-ins., its thickness five-sixteenths. It should be made of hickory, ash, or elm. All the edges to be bevelled ofE, i.e., just the sharp edge taken off. The total length should be divided up into five sections, allowing for the necessary 3 j-in. overlap at joints. They need no bending at all, being as pliable as a fly rod. In the ordinary way "pockets" would be best to run the batten through. Van Tent. — ^363. — Most of the caravans that I have met with, carry a tent as a sort of annexe. Sometimes it is used regularly, sometimes occasionally. It is best to have one in readiness, which must give a greater feeling of independence, for it can either be used by the driver, by men while ladies use the van, or by a guest or two, as the case might be. The best materials are light weight cotton sheeting, purposely made, by the way, for light tents; or else linen. Ticking may be used, and almost any kind of fabric of sufficient strength, and sup- THE camper's handbook 28 1 posing the van owner has one of the " Celebrated " cycle tents, it can be used with impunity and, indeed, will stand a long time and give fine accommodation. Union silk — wrongly named — as used for racing sails, is a fine fabric. I have christened it " Assouan." Lady Arthur Grosvenor has adopted the "Double Motor Gipsy," and a " Wigwam " for the outfit of her remarkable and now well- known expedition of 1907 through the Midlands. Family Tent. — ^364. — A family camp should consist of two or three tents. There should be a small tent in which the men can sleep. An old " Bell " would do or a " Cottage " of 7-ft. all ways, which will sleep three or four in comfort, on the ground, of course — the best bed and softest. There should be another of say not less than 9-ft. by 7-ft. 6-ins. high, with a table to accom- modate the party and removable benches or small chairs. This would be the dining room. The ladies might sleep in a 7 footer, on a tarpaulin sheet with thin mattresses or on portable beds, or a rubber mattress. Such a tent could easily accommodate four. If a pretty complete camp for a month is to be fixed, it would be well to have some sort of a roof erected on posts, say, of oiled calico. It will also do duty for a kitchen in which to make preparations for meals and so on. See illustration on page 24 which I took of a camp on a small island in the Shannon, in the occupation of Mr. Lloyd and family. There were altogether five tents on the open airy pitch. As a model for such a dining room the " Giant* Gipsy" is worth attention. Seaside Tents. — 365. — It is almost impossible to get seaside TENTS pitched in certain shelter, yet with a view of the sea. Therefore one of the more massive equipments should be selected. Much depends, indeed, on the site. It is a common thing to see such tents erected on the most exposed positions. Therein lies the necessity, not for extremely heavy tents, such as may be hired but rarely owned by private individuals, but for strength. Apart from whatever power of structure the tents may have, there are many points in favour of having these family tents of a fairly strong type, with an ample latitude for size, mounted on strong poles, fitted with stout guy lines and using wooden pegs, with a cheap wood floor. 282 THE camper's handbook If asked again, as I have so often been, how to get shelter by the sea, I say get shelter from S.W. winds and you have little to fear. If the pitch is to be for a fortnight, rather than face possible S.W. gusts, make your pitch a distance from the shore, in a paddock, or under a hedge. Pedestrian Tent. — ^366. — All things considered the best tent for the pedestrian, and one that will accommodate two, not merely for an odd night but for a protracted camp, is the " Wigwam." Owing to its small size, it is best with three poles, so as to facilitate ingress and egress, and the material of which it should be made is Japanese silk, or, my new cloth, " Thintus.*'^ The best colour, as I have stated, is the khaki shade. A green tent is by no means bad, though the colour will not stand. The tent should weigh 12-ozs. in silk and i-lb. 7-ozs. in "Thintus." Such is the toughness of these special silks that I have seen a pair of the strongest fingers try to tear them, and fail. For its weight and thickness it is the most powerful stuff in the world in the shape of textile goods. I have put several tents I possess to protracted and severe tests, and I have never had one to tear. One has stood some of the heaviest rains, in fact records for 30 hours at a stretch, without letting in wet, and I say this of an ii-oz. silk one. The dimensions should be about 5-ft. floor, 4-ft. 6-ins. high by 6-f(. long. The Sizes of Tents. — ^367. — In appending some few sug- gestions regarding sizes of tents, I begin by pointing out the difference between the "Gipsy" and the "A" tent. Prac- tically they are much the same in area, but I will deal with the "A" first. These dimensions as fixed by me for the very first cycle tent — which is still in use, and sheltered three campers at the N.C.C.C. Whitsun Camp — were determined upon as the very least that would be comfortable, and a bigger one would mean more weight and less gainly poles. I have been attacked, it is true, for having fixed such absurd and limited dimensions. My reply was, the designing of the little " Wigwam " much less, but previous to that, the " Gipsy," also less.
With a fly curtain.
I 284 THE camper's handbook The "A" Model is the father of all tents, and is thousands of years old. Its simplicity is one of its points. My plan of side parrells increases its head space and its wind resistance, so that it still retains its hold. The dimensions (for cycling) should remain practically unaltered. I am not even keen to' concede that the three inches in length which the material gives has any- necessary advantage. One season's use adds five inches to the length and height, owing to stretching. The illustration on page, 283, drawn to scale, shows the four leading models of tents in correct proportion. IL— TENT PLANNING, MAKING, Etc. To plan a Tent, — ^368. — Key Plan. — Before beginning the operation, the architect must consider what kind of tent he wants. Having determined its purpose and the conditions it will have to meet, he will proceed in something like the following manner : Note down its length, width and elevation. Every- thing must follow on these arbitrary fixed quantities. For instance, a 4-ft. 6-in. base every way would look an atrocity if 7-ft. high. A tent 7-ft. each way would look equally absurd if it were only 6-ft. 6-ins. high. The law of proportion appeals to everyone possessed of an artistic taste, but in tent construction there is something more, that is, the physical harmony of parts and proportions — a charming phrase I don't explain. "Sky scrapers" in canvas might be easily constructed, but are difficult to manage when up. The toadstool model is far from best — either artistically or to weather it in. PROPORTIONS. Good Proportions : — Length. " A " 6-ft. " Cottage " 6-ft.
' Family " lo-ft.
Width. 6-ft. 6-ft. 9-ft. Elevation. 6-ft. 6-ft. 8-ft. Walls. 1 2-ft. 3-ft. Bad Proportions : — Length. " A " 7-ft. Width. 5-ft. Elevation. 4-ft. 6-ins. Walls. « Cottage" 6-ft. "Family" 9-ft. 6-ft. 7-ft. 5-ft. 6-ft. 3-ft. 6-ins. 4-ft. The way to test these figures is to draw scale plans, i inch to THE camper's handbook 285 the foot, of the ones you deem the best and the worst respectively. Suppose we propose to make a 6-ft. boating tent. High walls are a nuisance, so we adopt the "Canadian" model, with i8-in. walls. To get it all true, draw a base line, A A, and mark at random a centre, A B. From A we measure up 6-ft. to J. Mark to right, C, 3-ft. and square up D for the walL We next draw. line D to E, parallel C A, and mark wall E 6-ft. long, and mark 6-ins. on the base for curtain. We have got our end elevation, though this in effect is the whole tent plan, save, of course, just to measure slope D to J. »ty- « CJ- .TUiXQ l£NT The roof is formed of" two breadths 3-ft. each. If you are putting roof and walls all in one, mark them 24-ins. for wall to slope. If putting in a separate roof and "running" eaves, add 6-ins. for this extension, or 13-ins. if it is to be d6uble. The key foundation of the plan of a tent like this would do for one of any size, up to that for a thousand people, only in this latter case, indefinite elongation requires lessening of elevation in proportion. End elevation in regard to spread cannot be overlooked. Difficult tents to cut are " Beehives" with bent hoops, or those similar to the " Brigand," shown in this chapter. 286 THE camper's handbook: » The gipsy has no plans for his tents. He simply bends hoops and lashes them together in sections, the top ones having no joint, and therefore less " spring." Over these he ties or secures old blankets, canvas, or anything he can beg or "bag." Probably he would not care for the gift of one of our own dainty houses if we gave it to him. "A" Tent. — ^^369. — Scarcely any "A" tent can be more than 7-ft. high, and it cannot be much more than 8-ft. long, simply because it depresses in the centre under wind and wet, and to have ridge poles longer is rather difficult, because of transit. ^/n'S/At. I o ' JD S^r^,^. z7 Original 5-ft. q-ins. "A." This cut is the original "A" model, 5-ft. 9-ins. every way, of which so many hundreds have been imade since I showed the "way in" to Cycle-Camping. This illustration will, I trust, show clearly a real method of drawing a plan by which to cut it in the material — ends, elevation, and overlap alike. Cutting Tents. — ^370. — In cutting a tent, produce it in paper first. It will prevent mistakes, and may save stuff. Few people possess (as in my own case) a very large table on which these things can be laid down and cut. Therefore the floor of a loft, providing it is clean, or a dining-room, sufficiently large, will do. As everything in a tent is double, it will save time if the material is folded end-to-end. We are going to cut the two breadths of stuff (a yard wide) which, joined together, makes the body of the tent at a go, if all in one, from the ground on one side, over the ridge, to X . ^St .5 bx) u ^ S "^ 8 2 c o c/) 2 -^ u > o o o C ^ ^ s (A JS - «^ cs g ^ -•-» "So X TJ 288 THE camper's HANDBOOK the other. Now, how is it to be done on the cloth ? Lay the two selvedges together* Draw a square line 8-ins. in from one end of the stuff for cutting. This becomes the ground line. Then we will say the slope is 7-ft. We mark that, and put a pencil line, marking the ridge distinctly, putting a pin in to hold one edge to the other. Double back the stuff and cut the other half of it. There is your tent, bar the ends, which require more time and care. Cutting Tent Ends. — ^371. — Assuming you do this in the stufE, mark 4-ins. in from the edge, fold it over, and hammer the fold to mark it, or rub it hard. Mark back (stuff still folded) the width of the floor end, say 3-ft. If the stuff is too narrow, no matter, mark the 3-ft. out on the ground. Put a pin in through a string at the crown or ridge, and draw that string down to your 3-ft. point on the floor of the tent, and pin the second end down also. Next chalk the line for slope. It will be found that these two pieces form one end, turned over the opposite way. The narrow part to the narrow part and the broad below saves stuff. The ends have to be pieced out, of course, at the corners. This plan, I hope, may help the amateur. There is one point of great importance to enforce, and it is as to my claim for the superiority of the "Gipsy" over the "A." The "Gipsy," it will be noticed, gives 15 per cent, more head room in practically the same amount of stuff, and nearly vertical walls. It is best to cut all elevations i-in. under scale, or they soon get too big for poles. Making a Tent. — ^372. — After the tent has been cut, it is well to pin the sections together, and failing that, to put cross marks in pencil. In regard to all seams of light tents, they should be sewn with thin cotton, not coarse thread which draws up when wet. In no part should there be any fulness. Pucker- ing is fatal to the sit of a tent, particularly at first. The seams should be double stitched and done neatly, for the credit of the amateur. All parts where there are loops, all junctions and angles, such as G F in this drawing, should have linen, fairly strong, sewn on for staying purposes, and in the very centre of all these stays, I place a second smaller layer. Three or four CO Q H 55 H O O o ^ ^ 290 THE camper's handbook rows should be run across these stays, so that the strain shall be divided and not centralised. Let us look at A and G. This is a large piece of canvas or linen that should go 6-ins. back from where the loop is, and come right on, covering all junctions. If a double bit is put underneath it, all the better. Then across the ridge X X a piece of tape, length and thickness according to weight of texture, should be sewn on flat, and slightly full, not tight. On top of this tape, when it is finished, put a light tape slightly slacker and fasten it every 6-ins. This is to hang the lantern from, or a collar on to dry, etc. The main ridge stay should be doubled under to form a loop into which a guy is rove or looped. This loop should be about an inch in from the actual end of the tent. The edges of the tent have hooks about a foot apart, B, and then another tape is run down at C, 8-ins. from the edge, and these tapes are put on half way between the hooks. If we go to the door from the back where we have been working, we da the same thing, reversing the hooks. Here the hooks stand back, but the tapes are on the edge. As this is the door, and probably extension down to L of about 14 or 15-ins., carry the tape, as shown, down to the corner, both tapes, in fact, forming a loop THE camper's handbook 291 into which the peg goes for pegging out and extending the tent. All tapes should be shruuk before they are put on. It is advisable to have the curtain "free" at all junctions, as in flat drawing. See that the tapes match the colour of stuff and are not narrow ones. Tents should be put together perfectly fair, without a bit of fulness anywhere, and all seams must be carefully tacked or basted before they are sewn. Amateur Tent Making. — ^373. — There is no reason why, with care and the help of such a book as this, anyone may not make his own tent up to a certain size and weight. Many tents are of home production and a few really cleverly and well made. The best plan, however, is for those who are about to proceed, to first see a tent. This will teach more than many failures. Home- Made. — ^374. — The home manufacture of a Camping equipment is one of the most interesting pastimes known to man or to woman, when she takes to it. It has its limitations, neces- sarily. In Camping requisites of the lighter and what I un- hesitatingly describe the refined order, there are a host of things that cannot be easily and well manufactured at home. The amateur cannot make first-class tent poles, for reasons which it is hardly necessary to explain. What is, however, possible is the making of a tent. Tears in Tents. — 375. — Occasionally a tent gets torn. The amateur needle man will probably botch up a clumsy seam, that takes up the material. In a short time it will tear again. Such a process would cause rucks. The thing to do is to cross-stitch it flat, taking a narrow hold on each side with one stitch and a wider hold on the next stitch, and vice versa. It is possible by running the needle under the noose to lock-stitch, or tie each stitch. That is '* the way they do it in the navy." " Flattening " Tent in Gale. — ^376. — In very heavy gusts it is a good plan to temporarily lower the tent till the gale has passed. This is a performance perfectly simple. It is only necessary fo lift the foot of each pole inwards, when down comes 392 THE CAUPBR'S handbook the tent. To do this, under certain conditions, may mean the saving of your poles. A hurricane or a heavy blast coming side- ways on, or down upon the tent causes the poles to bulge, and then to snap. This " downing " is only mentioned as a last resource under trying circumstances, or while some special efforts are being taken to save the tent from being blown away. I may record that this act would have saved me two good poles at Glencoe. The first time I ever saw il literally done was at our large camp recently, in that grandest of all possible Camping grounds, Takeley Forest, where young Macpherson's tent was seen flat. Knots in Camping.— 377. — In tying your candlestick to the top of your tent do not pull the end through, but run it once over the tape or pole and then draw the double loop through, precisely as these illustrations from " Knotting and Splicing," by Paul N. Hasluck (Cassell), and give it a firm press back so that you feel it is fast, andletalongishend dangle down. This is calleda running THE camper's handbook 293 knot or a " slippery hitch," because, sitting on a tent floor, you just pull the long end and the whole thing becomes free in the hand. The Clove Hitch. — ^These illustrations, taken from "Cycle and Camp," show the method of tying the guy ropes to poles. Many cannot learn it, simple though it is. This double or clove hitch, when there is a strain on the lines on both sides, is moveable even on a smooth surface, without notches or dodges. It only grips when the tent becomes slack and lines cease to bite. The method of tying is to get a piece of ordinary string and, say, the poker or a cane for practising on. {a) Hold line in left hand, (d) hold other section in right hand, (c) with latter give the line a fold beneath, making letter O, (d) form another O on top of this, but again place the piece in hand under O, (e) run a stick through it to test its holding power, (/^get another party to try and push it up or down. Keep these cuts before you during experiments, and it should be simple. End Extensions. — ^378. — Some friends of mine make their tents so that they would set out some 2-ft. forward and aft of the poles. The main tent, which was, say, 6-ft. in length, pegged out 294 THE CAMPERS HANDBOOK something like the line "storm set," and then they had a set of hooks which tightened .over the end and closed it up a little nearer, in what is known a$ "night stay." At the head or foot of the tent, as the case might be, they would place all duffle, as in this drawing. Thus pegged out on an oval, a 6-f t. tent has been known to sleep* two lots of men, end to lend, or the whole row cross- wise. Door Wings — ^379. — These are an advantage. Ever since I began Camping it has been my common custom, in wet weather, to peg the door outwards by a string extension, i.e., a lan3rard tied to one of the loops. It makes a shield against wind and rain. The door may be pegged out on a line with the walls or sides of the tent if it is elongated for the purpose. I was delighted to see, after Cycle-Camping came in, this excellent idea carried out in a more businesslike manner, by adding a ground wing to the tent doors, by my friends, Primavesi and Humphreys. Its utility and advantage is tremendous. Even the "Giant Gipsy," an ii-ft. tent, has the door so cut, and for all purposes it is a fine provision. Running Stays.— 380. — ^Take the measurement from the THE CAMPERS HANDBOOK 295 ground at Y to E (see diagram in article 359), cut a piece of line twice that and a third as much again, splice or tie in a loop at one end and at the other run in an ordinary slide the same as the guy. Having pegged out the corner F giving the peg a good slant, run this loop over peg by a running hitch i;see "Gipsy"). Method of Looping,— 381, — The amateur invariably stitches on his loop, the professional puts in an eyelet, runs through it a line and knots it to a mole inside. The question has often been asked me, " why work in a hole and fix the loop from inside ? " It is a plan that should be followed. The pull of a loop is but slightly vertical and is outwards at an angle of 45 degrees. There is then a liabihty to its tearing away. The method of loop B and worked-hole A (or a brass eyelet) sewn angle-wise, not only divides the spread but it takes off the lateral pull from the stitching. The stay C, whatever its form, so completely strengthens the fabric all round, that tearing is out of the How to Pitch a Tent (single-handed).— 383.— Elsewhere I allude to a competition in which, for expedition as well as excellence in camp kit, I took the first prize, 19 years ago, open to the United Kingdom. The tent was a 7-ft. " Clyde,'k with a fty sheet. The score was partly made by the "pace."' The method of fixing up that tent, single-handed, was that which I 296 THE camper's handbook now describe. The plan,briefly put, may not be seen at first, but if every point is practically followed on a lawn or field with an actual tent, there will, I fancy, be no after question necessary. (a) Lay out the tent, outside uppermost. (3) Peg out the back two corners, hooked, (c) Take guy in right hand, pole in left; double in the clove hitch at the pole head, and to prevent it loos- ing give a half loop twist round the head of the pole to hold it all in position while you proceed, (d) Run out the front guy line and peg it with pole about upright ; as you do so the pole will fall towards you, on to the ground. Let it lie, and do not disturb the slide, (i) Go to the front and take hold of the pole in left hand, guy in right (as **e") and peg out line taut. This act in itself lifts up the stern pole, which is a bit too far back or a bit too forward. (/) Adjust the back slide till the stern pole is a little off the vertical, {g) Return to the front guy, and do the same, and the extra tension on this slide will make the back pole vertical absolutely. Get them very tight (A) Hook the front door at the bottom only, and peg out each corner of door perfectly square. See that there is no wrinkle or pull angle-wise in any part of the tent sides. Is all " square " set ? If so, (i) peg out the two sides and the back end, and tighten up. everything. This principle apphes to almost any tent. Motto : — " If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." "N.B." This is the Latin phrase for take notice. It pays to pay attention to the erection of even a small tent. Pegging Outwards. — ^383. — Tents without ridge poles peg out at a curve. Take head F and side E (dia. 3, page 297), and so on. The aim is to get the fabric taut, and this pegging out is the only way to do it. With regard to the suggested difficulty of ground sheets not covering ground thus left free, I began years ago to add curves on sheets from 3-ins., to 9-ins. in larger tents. I still find, in spite of this improvement, that they come a little short all ways. III.— TENT ACCESSORIES. Ground Sheets, — ^384. — The best plan for a ground sheet is that given in dia. 3. By stretching out the sides we cover the ^1 293 THE camper's HANDBOOK ground. In fact, this building out the sides, which I began many years ago, I found a great advantage. The " Wigwam."— This delightful Uttle tent, which is 4-f t. 6-ins. high and 4-f t. 6-ins. across, is simple and most effective in action. There is no upright pole at the door, because the two top sections of door poles are whipped, as at L, over which the main guy line goes and pegs the tent out, and leaves free ingress for the door* Side Parrells. — ^385. — The principle of the sideparrell is to pre- vent the sagging-in of side of tent by wind or wet. It increases the head room and space, making it into a semi "Cabin" tent. The line 2 is fitted to the inside of the tent by a mole through a hole,, knotted inside. It forms a loop Uke half the letter O. The little guy line, B, has a hook which hitches on the parrell, and pegs it out with a slide in the ordinary way. The best illustration as to how a slide acts on a guy line would be to go to the garden "^gate, and get Fred to hold one end of the line, then run it through the two staves,, and try, by pulling, how difficult it is to move the line to and fro. It is the leverage of the strain held by an acute angle under pressure that holds it fast. For that reason chiefly, the advantage of the wooden slide is apparent. Lashing. — ^386. — Dia. 5 (on page 297) shows the method of joining the junction of the spread poles, or the "Wigwam " method. All that is necessary is for the main guy L to run over the V, and the camper can give it a turn round one of the poles, or both, if he pleases : it is immaterial, it works either way. It is better, however, with the turn. The lashing of these poles must be done very carefully. It is permanent, and has to be done with a well waxed "tatching" end which the shoemaker uses, or else with fine "marling." I emphasise this because a camper once borrowed this tent for an exhibition, and when it was returned to me the lashing, which had taken me 15 minutes to do, was cut ! Fly Sheet. — ^387. — This should be constructed with a partial extension over tb.e stern and a lengthened extension at the front. With a ridge pole projecting forward, a considerable lengthening THE camper's handbook 299 of the roof line is held outwards. It is supposed usually to be set above a tent. If, however, it rests on the ridge it is only the top 2j-ins. of the tent that gets wet, that is, just where the fly touches. People go to a great deal of trouble and expense in elevating the fly, but experienced campers do not bother. The idea of the fly sheet resting on some support separately is certainly not essential. Personally I am content to have a fly resting on the tent, as is customary in all real hard Camping. Fly sheets must not be raised high above the ground at their fall. The more like a dupHcate tent they are, the better. All the lines should be short, for the reason that the fly is steadier. i S u u. O r^Y .6heet The wind has not the same power to lift it or draw out pegs. The simplest method of fixing a fly sheet is to have one or two small slots worked or bound with tape, in the ridge, so that the stretching of the tent and variable positions of the poles do not prohibit it being slid over the head of them. Fly sheets of linen only need have a double hem all rounds and should not be taped. " Thintus," lawn, and light fabrics should have a slack tape run on flat all round — and that tape of linen — for taking the eyes, and cut away along the ridge. Lastly, the fly sheet should extend about 20-ins. forward. 300 THE camper's HANDBOOK and about lo-ins. aft. It may also be made of a very light fabric where weight is a consideration, as it breaks the wet and keeps the tent dry as well as heavier stuff. A very light fabric will keep the under tent almost dry, and prevent the heavy spray from straying through. I have never been a very strong advocate of fly sheets for Cycle- Camping, for the reason once explained, namely, their weight, bulk, and added pegs and lines. But a little fly sheet for down- right bad weather is a desideratum that I have always been free to admit. In regard to carrying a fly sheet with a small "Wigwam," there is no difficulty. I camped a fortnight with a FLY SHEET over the tent used on the "Erne," on the fourteen or fifteen lakes that I cruised over in the North Shannon, and what- ever the rain, we simply took no notice of it. * • Flat Fly Sheet.— 388. — When a tent, through age or other fault, admits wet, even if the camper is unprovided with a fly sheet, he may make it quite proof against ^et by throwing a piece of extra stuff, such as fine calico or muslin, flat down on top of it. The question of its touching is of no moment. Mr. P. Stutfield, N.C.C.C, when Camping on mountains, finding that the wind got beneath his fly sheet, and threatened to blow it away, tied it down on top of the tent, and thus kept it dry. I would say that wherever two are Camping in company, and do not mind the weight, or, indeed, wherever one goes Camping for that matter, a few ounces not making much difference, take a fly sheet by all means. Ridge Lines. — ^389. — I now come to an important factor, and that is the ridge. Really and truly every tent should have a ridge pole. I do not advocate the carrying of this, but when I pitch my own tent, I either insert some extemporised ridge pole from my boat or use a jointed paddle, or 1 cut or borrow a stick. I speak of tents 7-f t. all ways. Even though a very taut ridge can be got, no tent can be made to sit so well without as with a ridge pole. Ridge Lanyard. — Splice in a small eye X, as diagram, or reeve in a " toggle" on to a thin Hne, and run loose end through eye J, THE camper's handbook 301 and fasten it on to a leather cleat fixed to the other pole 6-ins. down. After all, a ridge cord is to keep the fly off the tent. I do not, personally, like ridge cords, as they keep one from attaining a r IW first necessity, viz., a strong strain on the ridge itself, without which no roof sits as it should, i.e., like a drum head. Tent Poles. — 390. — It is a weak truism to say that poles play a very important part in regard to the tent. Hitherto, poles have been too clumsy. All my efforts in regard to these, as in every- thing connected with the camp, has been in the direction of handy, smart and light things. My poles are almost imperceptible when hitched to the off fork of a bicycle. Materials of Tent Poles. — ^391. — The materials of which poles are made are {a) elm, (d) grown spruce, (c) American spruce, which is a clean white wood with scarcely a knot perceptible in a mile, {d) ash or hickory, for poles for rough mountain climbing, mounted infantry, etc., which join up with heavy ferruling, and (<?) bamboo, which, whatever else it is adapted for, is splendid. Dimensions of Tent Poles.— 392, — I shall divide up the dimensions of poles somewhat on the lines of woods that have already been mentioned, except that I will take; the marquee first, and couple with it the dimensions or thicknesses of the wood. Each of these has been tested. >l VI i4 I Ag
1l
Pedestrian Pole. Splicing. THE CAMPERS HANDBOOK 303 Size of Tent. Height. Spruce Poles. Bamboo Poles. 20-ft. lO-ft. 3-ins. lO-ft. 9-ft. 2-ins. ij-ins. 8-ft. 7.ft. if-ins. i^-ins. 6-ft. 6-ft. i-in. fin. 5-ft. 6-ins. 5-ft. 6-ins. J-in. |-in. Pedestrian Pole. — ^393. — This is an unique arrangement. The illustrations show {a) a walking stick in a man's hand, shod with metal and a metal head, {b) the stick with the head off, and {c) the various pieces which fit into each other and so make a complete pole. It acts well for the man who does not want to carry poles when walking. It is not a freak, it is an actual working thing. Splicing Tent Poles. — ^394. — If a tent pole breaks, as some- times is the case, the camper is driven to extremities. If a splint is tied on a broken pole, fastened above and below the fracture, and duly lashed, it will still do its work, but that lashing must be tight. There are two ways of getting it tight; the one is to cross-tie it by running the line underneath and then over the lashing. Then cut a smooth clean stick of hard wood, as a wedge, and drive in so that the lashing becomes so tight that it is solid, steady and firm. So treated, they are more rigid than if screwed. We have frequently resorted to this expedient in battens, poles and sculls, and never known it to fail. The illustration is from " Knotting and Splicing " by Paul N. Hasluck (Cassell & Co.). Carrying Poles. — ^395. — I would like to describe those plans which I have used. My army poles are slotted, and a strap is screwed on to one section of the pole which remains Ihere per- manently. This strap runs through each section and keeps them together, and finally straps round them, so that they can be carried by coolies up mountains, lashed to the saddle, tied to a cart, or slung behind the knapsack. Bamboo poles are best carried in bags, precisely as a fishing rod, such bag being covered with leather at the ends. When the end is folded over, as illustrated, and tied down, the two straps hold THE CAMPERS HANDBOOK the thing together for ordinary transit, but when they are hitched on to a cycle or other conveyance, the straps serve the purpose of keeping (hem intact. The care of the ferruling is important. If a dent or flattening takes place at one of the sockets, there is likely to be trouble, because it is difficult to get it back true. Therefore, the "plug" system is not bad, only we seem to dislike anything separate lest we lose it, as we do. Candelabra. — 396. — A is a glass disc with two sockets let in. The object in selecting glass was to allow light to fall on the floor, act of grace it declined. GLass looked well and answered, but it cost half-a-crown for drilling, so I made a little thing of tin with copper wire fitments, and it answered well for years. However, Hi ^=1 IS imif ii THE camper's handbook a little aluminium thing, B, claimed attention. It i^ light, s] and better in adjustment, and : after stages of experiment, it hi is a tray with a shallow flange. tray, and the tiny chains are ri hitches it to the ridge. undoubted success now that, reached perfection. In short, it The sockets are rivetted to this through a ring. Another ring Canvas Buckets.^3g7. — This illustration is that of a most practical water bucket. The wedge form gives it greater steadi- ness. The mode of packing ii shown in the smaller cut. L Experimenls were delayed in of water. Light, but strongly best results, and it holds water order to find a n definitely. anvas retentive i has given the ^ CHAPTER XXIV. / STOVES. The utility of the stove for Camping is a product of civilisation, an article of utility and expedition used against the protest of sentiment, but never against one's sense of convenience. The delight of cooking a la gipsy is one thing, but the delight of having coffee, porridge, bacon and eggs, and all ready in twenty minutes, with clean pans, is another. The Russian Stove.— 398.— The first stove, viz., the Russian, we campers used was made popular by the immortal Rob Roy in his books. In the early 'sixties, Camping was an exceptional indulgence, and those who followed it were voted freaks. There is no need to illustrate an obsolete article, for that it is. The principle of the present " Primus " is the same, except that it burns paraffin, happily, instead of spirit. The " Mersey." — 399. — The so-called " Mersey " is an adapta- tion of the French stove, but made up in a more substantial character. In the early days of Cycle-Camping there was a deep prejudice ag^nst the "Primus," hence, I introduced the "ueksey cuisine, in sizes from 7-ins. down to 5-ins. by aj-ins. deep. The true history of the " mersey" cuisine is that it was designed by a Liverpool architect, named Barth, a member of the Mersey Canoe Club, and it was from this gentleman I also got the plans for the first tent I ever made. It is the best and safest stove to use inside a tent. Every part fits inside the kettle pan, C, except the porridge pan, F, which slides on the bottom, and the lid, D, which is the frying pan. To charge. — Remove screw top and insert funnel, G. Into top 3o8 THE camper's handbook of funnel pbur a small charge of spiril. Nexl place funnel, G, in hole above A. Place on shield, B, with groove over funnel pipe- If the flame gets too fierce, pour cold water through funnel to cool it. For fr5^ng, add more cold water. The pan, C, rests on B. The lid, D, is fitted with a slotted groove for handle, F, and inverted, becomes a frying pan. The inner wick, which is inserted in a cylinder burner, should fit tightly. The outer wick should protrude slightly. In working, the burner should be watched. If all the spiril is consumed, the wick burns and Is then useless. The outer wick can be made of any cotton stuff. If this does not fill the hole snugly, or is overcharged, or the gauze is too fine, it causes foul combustion. It needs lots of air, but no draught. The weight of a 7-inch " Mersey" is about j-lbs., and its cost ij guineas or so. The Pad or Vapour Stove.— 400, ^This is made in thin copper. The fire is an ordinary brass or gauze covered pad, with VAPOUR STOVE IS PARTS. a moveable damper hd. Reading from left to right, the first cut THE camper's handbook 309 is the pad. The second on the ground is the damper. The third is a little handle that fits into a slot. The fourth, also on the ground, is a shield perforated and fixed on the bottom. This goes round the fire. The next part is the lid which makes the frjdng-pan ; the middle piece is the boiler, and the next but one is the porridge pan that fits on below. This stove is 6-ins. across. It is a little slow and consumes a lot of spirit, but has this merit, that it is clean, does its work well for one (or two on a pinch), and its total weight is but a pound. It is a stove I go single-handed with. The kit, 6 pieces, costs 12/-. The French Stove. — 401. — The difference between the Russian and this is very great. The French stove is simply a receptacle into which spirit is poured through an opening, shown in H H. lliis little metal cylinder, with a hole on top, is filled with a wick. G G represents an empty chamber into which water may be poured to cool the spirit, and keep it down for frying. E is an outer wick that is tied to the top of a cylindrical 3IO THE, CAMPERS HANDBOOK burner, with perforations as indicated in illustration, and this must project up into the air, as at A, and after a time, as this tube gets hot, the spirit which is soaked up by the inner wick vapor- ises in the small part of the chamber and exudes through B, gassified. Thus we get the flame D and C, but no blast. The " Primus." — 402. — Why I was so slow to take up the " Primus " for Camping purposes, was because of my hatred of paraffin. Experiments, begun fifteen years ago, both at home and Sunbury Camp, showed what a powerful and efficient thing it was, but too big to carry on a cycle. It took me three years to get a smaller size — 5-ins. across — made, and then it had pro- jecting legs. So I devised a second model and had the feet set "KABY PRIMUS." right underneath, the projecting pump shortened, and changed the valve from the side to the top, christening it the " Baby Primus," which is the best of all the "Primus" models. Still pursuing my Spartan notions re compactness, space and solid packing, I designed the "So-Soon" pans for taking the " Primus" stove inside. This, of course, for cycling. "So-Soon" Set.— 403. — For lightness and compactness, this registered set is very handy and smart. The pan that is mounted THE camper's handbook 3II is the outside one, into which a second fits, so that there are two boilers in the. space of one. Into the smallest, the "Baby" goes. When the inner pan has its lid on, the top is larger than the bot- tom ; the result is, or might be, a rattling. To obviate this, the . outer pan h built in, so to say, so that it fits tight at the bottom and top. A deeper lid goes on the outside, and this is the porridge pan, whilst the boilers can be used for two kinds of cooking. The pans are made of aluminium, and where a party of three is cruising, I should recommend that the outer pan be leffat home and a larger one carried, with the stove in the smaller one, and other things padded round to keep it steady. This bigger pan better suits the appetites of the larger party. I unhesitatingly say that the "Primus" in its revised form, with these beautiful light pans, is the most efficient and suitable stove in the world for the average camper. As I have already meiitioned, it is necessary to have a little 312 THE camper's handbook board, as illustrated, on which the stove can stand firmly, to save spills. The Duplex Primus Range.— 404. — This is a useful cooker. I strongly recommend it for van and yacht coolting. Wlien both the burners are in action, the noise is something serious indoors, but that can be obviated by the silent burner system, to which I thinic there is no real objection. The principle of the thing is that there are two "Primus" stoves, one lank, one pump, but two valves. There is a duphcate nipple for pricking purposes on the back. It weighs about 8-lbs. and takes up but little room. What it needs is some kind of shut-up box of wood to hold the lot, and close it in for transit and even in use, and also for keeping the effluvia, when out of action, from penetrating one's "cuddy." THE camper's handbook 313 " Hestia" Oven. — 405. — My first acquaintance with the "Primus" was in connection with this oven at a fixed camp. It has an outer flue, hut no outer shield for the air. The idea, excellent as it is, I think would be improved if an outer asbestos casing, which would not be expensive, were added to keep in the THE " HESTIA." heat. I found a gooseberry tart and a leg of lamb being roasted, as well as potatoes being boiled on the top, by the aid of one "Primus." I give this illustration of the method of doing it, and have, whilst writing this, consulted the designer of this range, who says that it is by no means slow. It is really a clean and efficient method of cooking for a yacht or a fixed camp, where roasts, etc., are needed. Petrol Stove. — 406. — I have just seen and tried a petrol STOVE of Freiich make. I have sought illustrations and partic- ulars of the Paris maker in vain. Its points are : Weight, 10 lbs., rather dirty, i.e., " blacky," 1 fancy, and of less power than even the "Baby," or least of the "Primus" family. An unsurmountable 314 THE CAMPERS HANDBOOK difficulty is the distance at which the petrol has to be placed and yet connected. It has about aoo jets within 6-in. discs. Primus Ring.— 407. — Now there are three fittings for this that render it a perfect delight in use. The first is a little simple ring instead of the heavy, cast-iron grill that was supplied. THE HOLDING GB[LL OFF. This fits over the fingers and so gives a steadiness to the pan. In packing, this goes on under the pump, so that it takes up no room, and does not rattle. It springs on, so to say. Primus Toaster.— 408.— The litlle toaster here illustrated is a very useful acquisition when toasi in camp is c price is only 1/3, and its weight not more than n Stock Sets. — 409. — The aluminium pan here shown has the ordinary slotted lid and handle, and is a stock article manufac- THE CAMPERS HANDBOOK tured by the London Aluminium Co. The handle is shown below. The small teapot, which would do, by the way, for boiling water in, has a screw-on pipe and a folding handle. It is an excellent thing, 110 doubt, for picnics, and may be very useful indeed in the camp. The other illustration is that of the frying pan with fold- ing handle. This is rivetted to the pan, and therefore more durable than the ordinary tin one that works with a hinge, which rusts, and so soon gives out. Stove Shield. — 410. — The '■Primus" stove requires a shield. Owing toils height any temporary thing placed beside it cannot effectually protect it. In spite of the force of the flame under blast, the wind has an adverse effect upon the stove. Currents of cold air not only prevent the boiling, but push the flame to one corner, and so neutralise the heat. This is sufficient to justify my remark that the stove must have a shield. This is easily made (see article 251). Four canes of very light bamboo, to which a piece of any thin material is sewn, will answer. This requires to be not less than 2-ft. 6-ins. to 3-ft. end to end, and 20-ins. high My own plan, which is simplest of all, is to get four old umbrella ribs, which have holes ready to sew the stuff to, and just put them into the ground. This goes inside the pole case, and I forget it is 3i6 THE camper's handbook there, but the "Baby" is not happy without it. If it is set out- side, away from the tent, with something over the top to t>aulk. the current, it is also a help. A bit of paper may be used, without much fear of its igniting, with a stick to keep it in position. Tin Shield. — 411. — A strip of aluminium which can be easily bent and flattened at will, to drop round the burner, not only facilitates immediate lighting, but helps it in work. Mr. Vasey introduced the aluminium portable shield, and Mr. D. McC Yuile introduced one of tin, which he uses. It is simply a little cylindrical shield that keeps the flame intact inside it, and it is wonderful I10W little effect the power of the flame has upon it in use. DIVISION VII. This division brings us to the end of our journey ^ with no less important subjects than C YCLE, MOTOR CAR, LIGHT WEIGHT, BOAT, CARAVAN, aftd PEDESTRIAN CAMPING, including contributions from the pens of undoubted and experienced authorities. With a list of CAMPING SITES in all parts of Great Britain, and a7i ample index for ready reference, the " Campers' Handbook " will draw to a close. CHAPTER XXV. CYCLE-CAMPING. ! The Power of Cycte-Camping I — 412. — The word " power " in this con- nection is used as to the numbers, possibilities, past accomplishments, and ! prospects. As a movement it has had a ! stupendous effect upon Camping. Arti. cles and reports, ten thousand times more in value than the book that placed it before the country, have drawn attention to Camping at large. It is not too much to say that this movement alone has brought Into line, thoroughly or partially, something like 3,000 people. The whole question of Camping has been awakened afresh by its influence. Its power was demonstrated in the third year of its public existence, when 40 people could be got together in one camp, and larger and lesser numbers have gathered up and down country ever since. The Association of Cycle-Campers, which I started with two members, has now over 300, while the National Camping Club, which I founded only 14 months ago, has 250 members. Added to this hundreds are pursuing the sport unaffiliated. The Joy of Cycle-Campiog. — 413.— I say it is a joy to turn out of a railway station or from the deck of a steamer, and, after making a few purchases, to sally forth with a couple of packages strung on your machine along the shore road, round the bay, up over the cliff, down into the valley and up again, away into the breezy, free, and thinly inhabited land, to you as yet unknown and stay there just as long as you desire, at almost no-pence per day. I say it is grand to feel that on the two wheels you can travel 60 or 70 miles comfortably, almost without being tired, carrying your kit-and food. Surely it appeals to the Englishman to stop at will, and do it all with the feeling of the ploughman who whistles in the furrow. The Machine. — 414. — Any good average roadster will do if its owner will insist on a civilized handle-bar, only a few inches less than the space of his shoulders. The ponderous weight that THE PIPE AND PEACE. some campers afflict themselves with is a matter that does not A fairly light kit is one that a machine feels nothing Decidedly, let the camper have two speeds if not three, as ' 320 THE camper's HANDBOOK this may mean miles a day if he wants to cover hilly ground and face winds. It will mean that those extra miles can be covered and the day closed at an earlier hour with less fatigue and less strain. The best gears for the Camping cycle would be : 55 hills ; 72 average ; 86 before wind. I am aware of no gear so gauged. On being asked for gear advice, I say take any patent, irrespective of its name, that comes nearest. A machine with a 48 I hate, because it gives too much to do and a 66 for No. 2, which is too low for one's average — I speak of 7-in. cranks. Selecting an Equipment. — 415. — Let us assume you are a cycle-camper. Do you want to do it luxuriously ? Is weight of no great consideration to you, or do you want to do it with the least possible weight, and in the most simple form ? Are you very poor, and, therefore, cannot spend much ? Or, is money of small object to you, and, therefore, you want everything to be of the best and the amplest ? It cannot be expected that in the confines of this book all the interrogations here set forth can be met by so many specific and interchangeable and complicated particulars for alternatives as it might otherwise be possible to state. The facts, therefore, which stand at the front may be placed in three alternatives, as follows : — First Kit. — For a single man (but will take two) get an "A" or " Thintus" " Wigwam," ground sheet, small ground blanket, two pillows to stuff, small vapour stove, pint " Campo " or other carry- able milk tin, and a single down quilt. N.B. — The above makes a perfect one-man kit, and its weight is about 7-lbs. Such a kit as this has half encircled Ireland, affording ample pleasure, security and comfort in all kinds of weather. It was this kit precisely that two members used during the Killarney week, 1906. Second Kit. — Whilst the "A" has points of simplicity, the double "Gipsy" has points far in advance of it, and this takes two, luxuriously, so to say, and will take three without difficulty. Add to this the usual ground sheet and a whole floor ground blanket, two of the inflated pillows with removable down second pillows, the little "Baby Primus" with a " So-soon " set for compactness. THE camper's handbook 321 and a quart " Campo" or other milk tin, would meet all conditions. Third Kit. — The "Cabin" tent, which is about 6-ft. 6-ins. in every direction, and after being set a few times comes out to 7-ft., weighs about 2|-lbs. iThis has walls 20-ins. high, leaving a good pitch of roof, but with a deep fly sheet that descends far down over it at each side. This will sleep four perfectly and give them all ample room, and providing that it is pitched amid shelter it will be as comfortable and dry as a house. The ground sheet and ground blanket should cover the entire floor, and it forms in its entirety the completest camp kit possible. A fly sheet gives great satisfaction to those inside because the tent keeps dry. The materials that are recommended are placed in the order of lightness. ibs.ozs.' 1. Japanese Silk 36-ins. wide at about 3/6 yard "A" Tent i o 2. Thintus" 39 „ „ /ioi„ „ i 9 3. Best Lawn, Egyptian 39-ins. wide /lo ,, ,,20 (J. Goodman & Sons, 30, Glasshouse St.,W.) 4. Ordinary Lawn 39-ins. wide „ /8J „ (Piatt & Co., St. Martin's Lane, W.C ) 5. Fine Unbleached Linen, about 36-ins. 1/4 ,, These prices have all been raised. Agents cannot be bound by them after issue of this book. Weights of Camping Kits. — 416. — Undernoted are the ascertained and admitted weights of the various parts of kits with adaptations and additions. I might say that I have put the lightest first, which is my own. It includes part of the eatables and bags for carrying them. Phantom Kit with part food and all appliances, 12-lbs. The Original Camp Kit without food but including bag that carries it, 14-lbs. 3-ozs. The same Camp Kit, home made, and with bags and plates, cutlery and general fittings, without poles, i9J-lbs. Another is the little cottage tent with a stronger ground sheet, pegs and eaves, large towel and all appliances of heavier selection which works out at about 28-lbs. Lastly, the heaviest cycle kit I know is that of a much respected friend, which is 38-lbs. double handed. There is a double handed kit which I have seen pitched (made }) i} 323 THE CAMPER'S HANDBOOK in two divisions) wetghing 25-lhs. for a lady, and 40-lbs for a: gentleman. I strongly commend to the mental digestion of the intending cycle-camper, these weights. Where two camp. I urge the claims of the " Canadian," whtcli needs no fly sheet and affords room for three campers (see 358). COMPLETE DOUBLE OUTFIT. The accompanying illustration looks rather formidable, but in reality it is a complete outfit for two men with an "A" tent, down quilt, etc. The large package behind is empty, and is the bag, as on the handle, that carries the lot, but by looking at it carefully it will be seen that almost every possible article is there. It is 15- ins. by 7 by 7. Essentials for Cycle-Camping. — 417.— I have been asked to give a list of essentials for Cycle-Camping. I append a catalogue from my last singlc-t>anded expedition on Kerry coast. THE camper's handbook 323 Tent. Poles. Pegs. Ground sheet. Ground blanket. Cooking apparatus of three or four parts to fold one in the other. Five little bags for tea, cof- fee, sugar, oatmeal, and bread. A small tin for salt. A tiny pepper box. Marmalade or jam tin. Combined knife and fork. One spoon. Half -pint spirit tin. Towels. Bathing drawers. Bit of soap :|-in. thick by 2-ins. long. Small toilet tackle and razor. Spare under vest. Gossamer pillow to stuff with hay, etc. Pair of spare shp stockings. Leg overall trousers. Cycling Cover coat.*- Candelabra. Candles. Matches. Two spare flannel collars. A pair of knit slippers, with thin leather soles. Maps. Methods of Carrying. — 418. — The problem that threatens everybody who has not begun, is how to carry the "great weight," as they suppose it to be. Let them refer to article 416, where the weight of a complete outfit is given, and it will be found that in less than 20 lbs., including food, everything that two men actually need for Camping may be carried. Even supposing it to be a dozen pounds each, it does not hurt them. Indeed, men singly have carried a greater weight. In one case a man carried 30 lbs. for 170 miles at a go, and many do 70 miles right on, and even with leisure to call and look at things of interest on the way. Fifty miles may be said to be an easy average for men and women. Chieflv the methods of carrying are these ; (i) Bag on the handles ; (2) behind the head ; (3) front carrier attachable to the head ; (4) angle bag in the frame ; (5) abaft the saddle bag ; (6) " Turner " or other carrier on back forks ; (7) saddle bags over carrier behind ; (8) basket bags on the carriers anywhere ; and lastly, knapsack-wise on the shoulders. This latter plan, no doubt, is influenced by such media3val, religious,
Capes are inconvenient when pitching a tent in the wet, hence
I have adopted this coat. S HAMDBOOK KIT AS CARKIED, DOWX QUILT OX HANDLE. Saddle Bags.— 419.— It is best to see that ttiese fit both carrier and machine. The straps which hold them to the back forks, should be so placed that they fall into position and hold the bags from the inside. They are made in leather and brown canvas. They are pretty easily packed, and the weight is low. 'They do not absolutely prevent those who use the step for mounting from doing so if they wish. Some of them have extra pockets outside ; that is to say, there are extensions which lie fiat when empty and extend when full so that things of small dimensions may t>e put in and taken out without unpacking or disturbing the main contents. On a large "Turner" carrier it is possible to carry a couple of these bags, and to add another small basket on top of the connecting Hap. Practically everything can thus be carried on the hind wheel, which, by the way, also carries the rider, though the balance of weight is not at its best adjustment possibly. THE CAMPERS HANDBOOK 325 Abaft Saddle Baj;.— 420. — This is a very simple appliance of which I am extremely fond. It is a curiously shaped bag with a tie-strap that goes round the upper part of the back fork and holds the bag snug in position. The other strap running beneath and through under the saddle and over the springs holds it up tight. For several years I have carried this with another bag, ABAFT SADDLE BAG. and also a small camera, and yet there was no metal fitting, nol even a thumbscrew to adjust and but few buckles and straps to manipulate. They are of no weight worth naming. In mounting and dismounting do not forget that it is there. Once dismounting hurriedly I omitted to recollect this trifling fact and fell badly on top of the machine and had a finger put out. Handle Bag. — 421.— For a good many years I carried simply one bag, known as the " handle-bar bag." It is not and never will be popular, but it is effectual. I have one that I use twice every day through London, carrying, as a journalist, my papers, books, parcels purchased on the road, waterproof, and in very bad weather a pair of clean boots for the office, and thus through the London " hatter " — a knowledge of which by John 326 THE camper's handbook Bunyan might have improved the " Pilgrim's Progress." Its merit, for it has one I think, is that the hearing strap simply whips round the two handles, and will take anything up to 30-lbs. I have carried a lo-ft. bottle of gas and a hundred slides in this bag. It takes the entire kit, including goods to about iB-lbs. There is a Uttle loop strap that balances it to the handle bar. It is made in brown canvas and is waterproof. HANDLE BAG. Forward Handle Bag.— 422,— P. W, Pears, Esq., j.p., writing to C.T.C. Gazelle, says: — "This bag is made of canvas, with sides 3-ins. at bottom, tapering to point at top ; a strip of canvas down the back protects bag from rubbing against machine. A short bamboo or light stick is fastened to the handle- bar B by two ordinary leather pump-holders, with a rubber ring on. The bag is cut from one piece, with a 6-in. flap. This in use is drawn up between A and B, and folded over, A line or strap fastened to the bar comes down over the bag, round the head of cycle, and back up the front of the bag, and takes all the weight. The bag can he drawn up as far as necessary to keep the contents compact. For heavy loads 1 use a horse-hide bell lacing with a loop tied on one end. This is very pliable, and practically unbreakable. I only take a double hitch round the handle-bar. This bag will adapt itself to anything from a few sandwiches to THE CAMPERS HANDDBOOK 327 -clothes supplies for several days. It does not get loose, and has no metal of any kind about it. If it is lifted when being fastened with the cord its own weight keeps it tight. Of course this bag can only be used on a cycle without a front brake, otherwise it OD FORWARD HANDLE BAG. would be against the brake rod. I have never felt the want of a front brake, even on rough mountain roads. I use a -back rim- brake worked by pedal — the Rover free-wheel back-pedaUing brake." Head Carrier. — 423. — The next method, and one I adopt, is to have a front '* Lucas," with screw clamps fixing it on the forks forward. The down quilt, ground blanket, tent, and ground sheet, and everything "soft" (except the rider) makes a little roll-up which sits snugly in the " Any-Size " on this carrier — the lamp being removed to the front fork, on the near side. This and the little abaft saddle bag carry everything splendidly. I camp with a small ** Wigwam " which I designed for " one only," but find two of us are quite comfortable in it, and we scarcely know we have anything to carry, which is no slight advantage, to pur imagination at least or to the miles we cover. The first to use front "Cannard" carrier for camp stuff was Mr. Horsfield. I i^trongly recommend it, particularly on sentimental grounds ; "* what the eye does not see the heart does not grieve over." Besides it is nice to have clear decks. The "Any-Size" Kit Bag.— 424. — In order to still further 328 THE CAMPERS HANDBOOK lighten the kit, I have worked out a special sort of hold-all which I call the " any-size " kit bag. It is made of brown caii- L BOX END B vas, and I see no reason why anyone should not be able to make it for himself. I am going to try and suggest how it may be done. THE camper's handbook $29 To begin with, the figure shows a bag 30-ins. long, i6-ins. wide, and 3-ins. thick — apart from its possible extension — loaded up. Empty, it can be wrapped round the backbone, or any part of the machine without taking up room, or it can be folded and put in the pocket, or on the top of camera or inside camera case. The material is thin brown canvas, not ruhhertd. AC represents the width, i6-ins. It may be i8-ins. or more. The three B's are the sides and back end respectively. The centre is very thin stuff, just to hold the things in. It folds mnmmiimmmntiml vj^ KULL. THE "ANY-SIZE FOLDED. better with very thin material, and I have shaded it to show this thin part, which is joined to the box end which folds over B to B, find all B's to A. Then at the extreme end, which is slightly curved outwards, there is a hole and button on the thin cotton, which holds the end together. DD represents two eyelet holes, in which a piece of thin linen cord is rove permanently 43-ins. long. On the face or outer side there are four rings, about 5-ins. apart. These are hollow rings, sewn firmly on to a piece of tape placed underneath to hold the sewing. These strings by being run through the rings can be tied to hold the package in or out to any size, and by giving them a turn through one of the rings a second lashing is formed to hold the waterproofs on top, as shown by the hne through the rings over the top of cut marked 330 THE camper's handbook " full." H represents one of the rings. Strong linen staying for the eyes and other places is important. Plain sewing does the rest. Angle Frame Bag. — ^425. — I know of no more uncomfortable type of bag than this. To begin with, the frame is a nice enough place to carry a bag, but when charged it bulges uncomfortably, and you cannot help it doing so. The trouble is of one's legs being chafed by the bag, and the chances are that we soon have ventilation where not convenient. It is, therefore, advisable to avoid the frame bag. I have possessed one or two, but have parted with them, minus regret — or payment. Sling Bag. — ^426, — This bag affords an excellent method of temporarily carrying small things, and is made of light canvas, with a strap adjustable so that it can be looped up or extended. It will bear a considerable weight, and can be carried afoot or awheel. Its real purpose is best described as follows : When packing up the lunch bag or loading the cycle, this bag is placed in a little fold 1 beneath a strap or within reach of the "Any-size." Why is it placed there ? It is likely that in the course of the afternoon a store, or probably a farm, will have to be visited, for a loaf of bread, some groceries, fruit, or other small things, which can be carried in this bag, for a spell thus saving the un- packing of the others. Distance to Cycle. — ^427. — This depends on many things. There is the man who pushes on, his eyes but 100 yards ahead ; neither castles, churches, cliffs, cascades, pretty sea bays, nor mountain passes, have any attraction for him. But happily there* is the man who will pass none of these, and who keeps pegging steadily on, but not at the expense of everything just to get there. His aim is to get all the enjoyment he can from every- thing he sees, and to learn everything worth learning on the road. There is a grand castle, study its points. There is a glorious bridge across a chasm, creep down the cliffs and see its structure, and wonder why it was made so beautiful — Milton Malby. We climb a steep and lofty height to gaze upon the blue sea in the distance, and when we have reached the top of the cliffs, we lift the machine over a stone wall, and go and look down these THE camper's handbook 33 1 cliffs and see the cathedral-like towers and buttresses, rugged, grand, and wave-swept, while the ocean's blue waves are breaking in whiteness on the steep rocks at the cathedral door. Who would pass such a scene ? And then as we walk up the hill we meet a quaint and original character, voluble of words, asking many questions, telling us many fables, asking for a pipe of tobacco. "Will not the gentleman sit down and have one,, too ?" and she puts the short pipe in the corner of her mouth. So we take a seat, and we learn in half-an-hour as much as we could gather from a shilling shocker in two night's reading of tragedy and comedy in that kind of life which those who enquire and observe can always come across — South Kerry. Now which shall it be ? To scorch with nose on handle-bar, or to study scenes and incidents like these ? We presume the latter. At such a rate, 50 miles a day is easy work. There are stores to buy, a nice lunch to get in a pretty spot, comprising hot potatoes and milk from the farm, a couple of boiled eggs and a slice of ham fried in the morning. Have a lie down before the journey is re-started, and when it is over at 7 p.m. the cyclometer gives 52 miles only. Well, two of those make a 104, and 14 days a goodly holiday covers over 700 miles, and that is not to be sneezed at when it costs but 30/-. Where to Tour. — ^428. — I place Ireland as the best country for Camping of every kind, because of its freedom and general convenience, and the abundance of the necessaries of life always at hand. One can camp anywhere, so to say. Next to Ireland, possibly comes Scotland. I speak from experience, having camped a good deal in both countries. There are many places in England and Wales, as will be seen from list at end of this book, which will help him or her who wanders forth to test. Stand-by Stores. — 429. — The stores that every tcycle-camper should have, partly as a safeguard, and partly because they form part of his dietary, are, at least, a good half or whole loaf of bread, a jar of marmalade, a jar of butter, salt, pepper, tea, coffee, oatmeal, and sugar. Let him always be provided, if he is going through a barren and desert country, with a small bottle of milk. It was for this sort of thing that I designed the "Campo" milk tin 332 THE campfr's handbook article 393). Through many miles of moorland, or through country where it is not easy to get milk, it is l>est to have it "on board." If a shower comes on, and Ihe camp has to be pitched where there is no supply, you are ready for it. If it should turn hot, and you have nothing, and can get nothing but water, if there is milk it can be mixed with water, and the two are far more healthy and palatable than either by itself. CHAPTER XXVI. LADIES AND CYCLE-CAMPING. By Mrs. F. HORSFIELD. ~| Woman's place is, we are told, at home but " home " is a term which applies with ^ equal force to one's tent as to the most ~ expensively appointed house or tiat ; this _ is my experience and that of all lady
campers. It is, perhaps, a matter for
surprise that the number of ladies who take up Cycle-Camping is not larger. Once the joys and freedom of the open- air life have been experienced it is safe to say that the ordinary form of cycle touring hoUday will palL Family ties, of course, account for some of the married men Camping solus, but " where there's a will there's a way." It requires a certain amount of determination to take a baby Camping, but those who live in large lowns will be well repaid by the greatly improved health of their children after a week or two under canvas. During the last Summer, with my boy of twelve and a baby of as many months, I spent a month Camping on a farm at Chesham, this following, by the way, a three weeks tour in France. One reads of Camping holidays which have not been successful and this is frequently due to unsuitable equipment. There is now no difficulty in obtaining good and sound advice on the question, there being no less than three associations, devoted to the furtherance of the sport. I well remember, as soon as the last stitches were put into our first little tent (now some six years ago) a feeling that so flimsy a structure could not possibly keep out a heavy rain, and it was with mingled hope and dread, that wc lay down for the first 334 THE camper's handbook night in camp ; hope that the rain would come, dread as to the result ! Our hope was realised for we had not been in bed for more than half-an-hour when the first few heavy drops warned us of more to come. Despite a downpour of several hours' duration not a drop came through. Since that date we have no fears of storms, the wind only causing us anxiety, and from this element shelter can generally be obtained. The busy housewife will be the first to appreciate the delightful change from household duties to camp life, no large rooms to- dust and tidy, no beds to be made, only the little tent to be put straight for the day ; no worry about varied dishes for meals, just one or two simple courses, the ingredients for which can be obtained at the village shops. Think also of the difference of cooking in a hot kitchen to sit- ting on the grass in an open field. It is a fact that bacon never tastes so good for breakfast, as when cooked and eaten out of doors. It should not, however, be imagined that one has absolutely no- thing to do in camp. Indeed, it is really quite a busy time, what with cooking, washing up, fetching provisions, milk, water, letters from post, etc., and if a camera be carried, photography occupies all spare time in a pleasurable manner. It is not always fine in camp, and for wet days I always carry a ball of cotton and crochet hook, which take up very little space in the kit. It is a fact, freely admitted by mere men, that many refinements in equipment are the outcome of ladies having joined the Associ- ations devoted to the furtherance of Camping interests. The help of oiir sex is found invaluable when the tent, etc., are home-made, and this applies largely to those in use . The pleasures of anticipation are enjoyed in Winter evenings when one under- takes the home manufacture of tent, etc. Really, there are so many things to be thought of and worked out. It is then that one appreciates the help of experienced campers, which is invariably cheerfully given, for every camper with a new idea willingly shares it with his fellow campers — fellows of either sex in this connection. THE camper's handbook 335 While it is not to be expected that we can carry as much kit on our machines as those possessors of diamond frame cycles, instances can be given of independent ladies carrying their whole outfit. I do not propose to enter into the details of a feather-weight kit. This is dealt with elsewhere by Mr. Holding, but I may briefly say that the practice of carrying a tent large enough for three or four, with cuisine in proportion, cannot be recommended. A lady's machine is not sufficiently rigid for much weight to be carried satisfactorily, and if the load exceeds 15 or i6-lbs., there is danger of Camping becoming a toil rather than a pleasure. One should not be tired out when the)Camping ground is reached, as there is a good deal to be done on arrival. My load occasionally exceeds 20-lbs., but this is only for a short distance, as it consists partly of provisions which, on a Cycle-Camping tour, disappear very quickly owing to the splendid appetite which follows from the exertion of riding and the open air life generally. My plan is to carry a Japanese basket on the front carrier of the machine to take provisions only. It is the general experience that weight can be carried with greater comfort if it is placed low. I have, therefore, had a couple of panniers made for my back carrier. They are easily •attached and detached, leave the carrier free for any additional package, and, being of soft waterproof canvas, are very accom- modating. The sizes are 12-ins. by 8-ins. by 3-ins. In one pannier is packed the tent, fly sheet, toilet case (com- prising a miniature work bag) ; in the other a ground blanket two sleeping bags, nightdress, pyjamas, down pillows, and towels. It may then be asked what does my husband carry ? His share weighs 28-lbs., and includes stove, plates, cups, saucepans, frying pan, cutlery, pegs, poles, methylated spirit, bacon, jam, butter, tea, camera, photographic plates, etc., etc. Neatness in packing is an art worth cultivating. A tightly packed basket straps better to the carrier, and is more sightly than if the articles of the kit are thrown in anyhow. Our average distance per day on a recent tour in France was 35 miles, two whole days being spent in Paris— our Camping 336 THE camper's HANDBCX>K ground in the "gay city" being in the Bois de Boulogne, for which site we were indebted to- the Editor of " La Vie au Grand Air" — after which we journeyed through Fontainebleau, the Touraine district, returning via Rouen and Abbeville to Boulogne. " When in Rome," etc., we carried out literally to the extent of using the public river washing places. Our laundry operations commenced with handkerchiefs, and so much did the novelty of the methods employed appeal to us that the blanchisseuses lent us their wooden flappers. So we flapped away right earnestly, and soon had dish cloths, tea towels, and the tablecloth spotlessly clean. Toilet soap is unsuitable for washing clothes, a good carbolic answers all purposes. A penny tin of " Globe" polish should always be included in the kit — providing pleasant occupation for a wet day in brightening the stove and pans. If any appreciable distance is to be covered per diem, it is necessary to rise early in the morning. Not only is this the most pleasant part of the day, but it is desirable to get packed up before the sun gains power. Three hours should be allowed from the time of rising to leisurely dress, breakfast, and pack. There is no trouble in getting up early in the summer time as, if the tent is pitched facing the east, the interior will be uncomfortably warm by seven o'clock or so. Of course, in Spring or Autumn it is desirable to delay starting on account of the heavy dews which saturate the fly sheet and add considerably to its weight. Toilet Requisites.— 430.— A very handy little contrivance, which I have found invaluable, can be made from any strong material in the form of a tool roll. The one which I, personally, use is about 5-ins. in width and, when open, is about 12-ins. in length, with a deep pocket at the bottom for hair pins, studs, darning wool, needles and cotton, etc. Two shallow pockets above are used for such articles as combs, handkerchiefs, looking glass, etc. Dress. — 431. — This is a subject upon which one can write ad infiniiunty and, being an interesting one for our sex, a few remarks 33^ THE camper's handbook as to the special requirements i for cycle and possibly general Camping will be apropos. It is a common remark of ladies about to take up the sport, " I suppose any old coat and skirt will do ? " But, if allowed to carry- out their idea, they invariably regret the shabbiness of their attire as it is the rule, rather than the exception, fqj^ visitors to come and inspect the camp . A good tweed cycling costume will be found most suitable, and a motor cap of the same material is preferable to a hat of any kind, as it not only looks smart, but will stand any amount of. wetting and drying and still keep its shape ; it is also easily pinned to the back of the tent out of the way. When choosing material of costume it is advisable to get a cloth which will not crease easily, as on a cold night a good thick skirt will almost take the place of a blanket. It is well to avoid very dark colours as the eiderdown often has a nasty trick of working through its cover, and it is not an uncommon sight at camp to see one's neighbour emerge with evidence thereof. A nightdress of " nainsook muslin," or " nun's veiling,'* in addition to one's sleeping bag, is essential for a good night's rest and is well worth the extra weight. Ground Blanket. — 432. — An absolute novice in coming into- our tent once remarked, " why not line the ground blanket and make it into a bag to hold straw ? " This excellent idea we have since adopted, and found it splendid in every way. It keeps the tent tidy, and, on striking camp, the bag is simply carried to the barn and emptied. This saves littering the grass. If a bag is made, the ground blanket must be made full size,, as the stuffing will take it up a good deal, and if it is too small — and there are two people sleeping in the tent — there will be a decided tendency to roll off the edges ; also, if it is not quite long, enough, either the head or the feet will be four or five inches lower than the body. The length can be obviated by making a long bolster case of lawn. Cookery. — ^433. — Eternal eggs and milk, varied by tin meats^ are generally supposed to comprise the cycle camper's diet, but to prove the variety possible I give a few hints that may help THE camper's handbook 339 " bachelors " of both sexes who have had no experience in camp cooking. Chickens and rabbits should be cut into small pieces for stewing. Rabbit is much more tasty if fried in a pan with a few sausages and well browned before being stewed. Make batter for pancakes with three tablespoonfuls of flour, one egg, and about half a pint of milk, fry in a pan with enough butter to prevent them "sticking." If cooked over a " Primus" stove the pan must be held five or six inches from the burner and the flame lowered or they will burn. Ground Rice. — Mix about three tablespoonfuls of ground rice with enough cold milk to well moisten, then stir it in to a pint of boiling milk and boil for two minutes — sugar to taste. Omelettes. — Allow three eggs and one ounce of butter for each person, beat the eggs in a large cup with a little chopped parsley (chop with a knife on the back of a plate) pepper and salt, stir these into a frying pan with the butter previously heated, stir until the mixture thickens, afterwards allowing to brown slightly underneath when the omelette will be done. The pan, in this case, must also be held well above the stove to prevent burning. Instead of parsley, tomatoes, mushrooms, sardines and a host of other things are good for flavouring an omelette. Semolina Pudding. — This is made in the same way as ground rice) but rather more semolina must be added. Hasty Pudding. — Take a desertspoonful of flour and one egg, mix together with enough cold milk to make a thin batter, heat }-pint of milk, add to this the batter and stir continually until it boils (when it should be of the consistency of porridge), serve and eat with butter and sugar. Suet Puddings of all kinds are a great? success in camp ; in place of butcher's suet use "Hugon's Atora" which merely needs shredding with a knife instead of chopping. In rolling out crust the plan I have adopted has been to put clean paper on the grass, on top of which the pudding cloth is laid, well floured, the paste can then be turned on to this cloth and pressed out with the palm of the hand. Beef Steak Pudding. — The great objection to this pudding is the time required for boiling, 2^ hours, it is therefore possible only in fixed camps. CHAPTER XXVII BOAT CAMPING. Boating Tents. — 434. — The matter of dimensions is of less serious moment than weight, size, and bulk. Boating tents may weigh anything frpm 2 J to 20-lbs. for a couple of men. It will be gathered by this time that what- ever other advice this book tenders, it is against heavy tents. When I re-started Camping (as a canoeist) I sought for compactness. I resolved to build the tent myself and selected a light material, with the result that one third the weight and less than half the bulk served my purpose, at half cost or less, and served it well. For 30 years I have progressed on the lines of lightness and compact- ness — but ever changing from one thing to another — in the same direction, until I produced the lightest tent extant. * The t best type of tent for the amateur to begin with is a simple ^'A," and, not to tax his skill too much in designing even so simple a tent I would suggest that the best form would be six feet every way. This will do well for two men, and not ill for three. For the rest the reader must consult the index. Deck Tent. — ^435. — I confess to having tried and seen many boat tents. In designing the present one to fit over my sailing boats, ^* Severn " and " Erne," I hit on points before missed, A boat rides nose to the wind. This tent has a plough- like nose and offers little resistance to the wind. It fits a boat five or six feet beam and gives head room of six feet. The little circles are plate glass windows (see pa^e 342). The roof is supported by four stretchers of elm inside. Lanyards are inserted through THE camper's handbook 341 small eyelets and rove round these battens. The stern halyard whips round the head of the mizzen mast or, of course, could go over the boom, through a block aft, and, so fixed, is really adjustable, so that If the tent is raised 'too high it can be eased down so that it hooks to deck readily. The roof was lightly oiled, much as I object to oiling. This seemed a necessity, because it was flat, but in future I shall put a thin cover over the top, which beats oiling, for itirots all fabrics it touches. The out peak halyard M shewn draws through block at mast fool, and cleats inside the well. By slackening off this lint- one can creep out forward. When all is taut above deck, remove superfluous duffle out of the well, and so out of the way. The hooks at E at the aft end show the overfold, whilst inside there are strings that tie in the end. We sleep with this end open generally, and as the head of the boat must always be put to the wind, either side of it can be used for ingress and egress. This is the door of our house afloat. 13 as > X THE CAMPERS HANDBOOK 343 It will be noticed that it the bottom there is an outer curtain, which falls down only 5-ins. to shield from the wet, but there is also an inner curtain sewn on. which falls on to the side of the decks and so keeps things from falling out. Some very strong tent hooks are sewn on firmly, i3-ins. apart .the whole length of the tent, from i-ft. forward of the well. Around tlie combing of the boat there are oblong flat rings, that drop and rise in slots left in the beading on purpose. These rings are imperceptible in the ordinary way, but they are always "THE ERNE" TENTED OVER. there. The idea was originated by my friends Messrs. Nicholson and Marable, who built themselves a beautiful canoe in chambers in New Inn. The tent is made of strong linen, in red and white stripes. It Is shown in the photographs. A heavy wind was blowing into the 344 THE camper's handbook open stern on this occasion, where we were moored. To take the strain of the mast, the boom is lashed to.themizzen mast of course. This illustration shows her moored at I'ortumna, on the Shannon, with a sister boat, having an otled cotton 'tent above the oars, jointed up for the purpose. Square Deck Tents.— 436,— This illustration is of a little "Cottage" ten!, or the "Cottage" form, built over a canoe^ erected. by struts and poles. I have slept in a canoe more than once, and have indeed been fairly comfortable. This square house-like tent, kindly drawn for this work by my friend, Mr. McC. Yuile, isa copy of one on asm<ill yawl in which THE CAMPERS HANDBOOK 345 he cruises. No doubt the tent is snug and very comfortable, but it does not -cover the boat, and therefore the space so valuable on side decks is not available. Another drawback to this type of tent is, like the one above shown, the head windage. Canoe Camp.— 437 —This delightful little drawing I take, with all acknowledgments, from "Outing" (U.S.A.). It represents a fixed camp at the time when the Auierican Canoe Association was in force, and used to get as many as eighty in camp, with forty or fifty canoes. These camps were very jolly. The men have now matured into middle life who so recently were so full of canoeing enthusiasm. Canoe Carriage.— 438. — This is a carriage for a canoe designed for one, but which has taken two all over Scotland and elsewhere, as well as carried a considerable camp kit in splendid lockers, fore and aft, which held and kept things dry. It was so constructed that it was steered by the feet, and could be propelled by sculls or paddles, or sails, and thousands of miles were traversed in her. When a train had to be taken to transfer it, as from Beleek to Lifford, the little wheeled carriage which I designed took the boat. It was put on the train and we could start again, independent of eithec horses or carts. r y^ THE CAVPEK S Figure i. — A b the axle, which is It is made of best steel-dnnra tnbmg. At the centre it is i| (fiameter, taping to {-in. at axle end, Figore 2^ — ^B is an iron plate, ^in. thick, 3-ioSw brood, and long, and is brazed on to the axle, perforated vitfa e^it holes, by which the keel rest is made fast to it. B2 is the brazed to the plate, and also shows the back or underneath of this arrangement. ■:g:g;:r^^^ #r£fl f CAXOE CARRIAGE. In Fi|;;ures i and 3, C C shows the end and side elevation of keel block as fastened to the plate, and into which the keel slips. This ought not to be made a tight fit. I had one a close fit, but not having tied the canoe steadily down to axle, the strain of the first lurch in a rut broke it off. Though I have shown the block THE camper's handbook 347 as in one piece, in reality, it is in three, of good elm. The bottom part of block is i-in. thick. The side pieces are also i-in high, and cut for the garboard streaks lo lie snugly on them, but yet allowing the main weight to lie on the keel. It is as well to have lines from axle over deck to steady it. 1 he top of block and the bottom of keel groove have thin rubber buffers fixed in. The Wheels. These are 14-ins. in diameter, constructed as follows : — J-in. isteel spokes ; the felloes are |-in. U-shaped steel rims. Into these are fitted |-in. rubber tyres. The spokes are screwed direct into a gun-metal hub. The axle end runs through, of course. On the «nd, E, is a washer that fits against axle end, and so when the , thumb screw, G, is screwed up it does not affect, touch, or press the wheel. I find that the wheels can be fixed in their places, and the carriage put under the boat in a minute. The axle is raised to bring the canoe higher into hand, and so prevent stooping when pulling along. Canoeing with these powerful little cruising canoes, with centre- boards and sails, has gone out of fashion. Cruising has gone out of fashion, and yet, is there a more manly, a more enjoyable sport, or a more efficient method of ascending or descending rivers, of doing lakes and estuaries, and even coast work, than in these fine little boats, which have been brought to the highest degree of perfection ? True, the Canadian canoe has come, and so long as it is used on closed waters or on rivers, it is a splendid craft to enjoy a holiday in, but for big lakes and open waters the little cruising boat above mentioned would drown it. Kit Bag. — 439. — The man who goes Camping in foreign parts or he who has to send heavy gear, as I send mine, to Ireland, would probably find this design of service also. Mr. McC. Yuile has kindly drawn the plan of my kit bag. He shows it as made and filled. The great strap round the centre is to lift it by, but it also acts as a steadier of the weight inside. The part, however, for which I claim most originahty, is the closing neck. Cumber- some eyelets, lock and metal are a nuisance. It will be seen by ihe drawing that there is a cord sewn on the stout canvas of 348 THE camper's HANDBOOIC which it is made. The Httle strap of bridle leather with a; \ 27"x ^ S-rr* 5-e 70 * /-2 SfetLt* BOATING KIT BAG. working brass buckle is also sewn on the bag. When the bag is- 350 THE camper's handbook full this strap comes twice round the head. It takes two people- to fasten it, but when the rope " flanges " so to say, it prevents- the strap coming off. My bag has travelled something like 13,000 miles loaded to the brim with gear, baskets, camera,, blankets — all sorts of things — and it answers splendidly. The- circular bottom, the permanent attachment of the straps, the- strength of everything gives one confidence in its utility. Cruising Canoe "Severn."— 440. — This is a type of boat CRUISING CAXOE "SEVERN." that carries two and kit practically anywhere, and sails like a yacht THE camper's handbook under fair conditions. It is fitted with a small tent, o plan as on the "Severn " yawl — a much bigger craft. Canoe Yawl.~44i.— This is the " Erne "— 4-ft. 6-ins. by 17-ft. 6-ins. She sleeps 1 anything. YAWL " ERSE." 1. and will sail over and through almost CHAPTER XXVIli. CARAVAN CAMPING. I. With this subject it would ill become me to deal at any great length, partly because it is, in a sense, newer and a more luxurious and costly method of Camping than is possible to the majority of meii. There are one or two features of the case, however, I should like to mention. The first is that I con- sider the average caravan is on far too heavy a scale in build. It takes " too n^iich horse " to drag it about. My notion is embodied in a light weight caravan that I designed for the poorer man, embodying, as It does, economy, lightness, and simplicity, with, I think, comparative efficiency. -The approximate weight of ■cwls. By way of comparison. BERTKAM SMITH'S CARAVAN. the Gordon Stables Caravan weighs i-ton 13-cwts. Handsomely fitted, made of wood, and of enormous strength, with a very 354 THE CAMPERS HANDBOOK heavy uppier structure, finely jointed timber and panelling, it makes a real house on wheels. In the above sketch, we have the large box-like, but comparatively light, one-horse van of Mr. Bertram Smith, who loans the illustration from " The Whole Art of Caravanning." The Bristol Wagon and Carnage Works Co.^ GORDON' stables' caravan. Ltd., built Gordon Stables' Caravan, and they have neatly workecf out my rougher drawings for a one-horse light roadster. The dim en sons are ; — Length, g-ft. B-B, folding canopy. Depth of sides, z-ft. 3-iiis. C-C, back of body Axed. Beam, 6-ft. 6-ins. D, curtains at back. Front wheels diameter, 2-fi. F-F, tail rack and canvas cover. 6-inf. K-K, footboard to hinge. Hind wheels diameter, 3-fl. G, shafts and pole. A- A, portable top. The most important thing in the van is the disposition of the interior. There is a wooden seat forming a sleeping bunk, which is fixed, as shown at C in an end view, and underneath if is the second bunk — on the floor. This is a fixture. Along the same side at the other end is a cupboard with shelves, but it has a canvas front that draws over on brass rods and buckles tightly over round at the side. Each shelf has a combing of light wood to keep things intact. On the opposite side is a strong wooden frame, with the same strong canvas fixed, so thai it forms a second bunk for sleeping. THE camper's handbook 355 It is also 2-ft. 3-ins., and folds down against daytime, but it forms a bed and allows of one if necessary, so that this little van sleeps four the side in the- underneath alsa 1 A I I It will be noticed that a wooden shelf is fixed in the other corner opposite the cupboard. This is. a wooden board that 356 T«E CAMPER S HANDBOOK slides into slots and can be drawn out. A drop leg supports the " free " corner or angle ; the space beneath takes impedimenta that cannot be carried otherwise. It does duty also as a pastry- board and for washing up in wet weather, and makes a useful shelf or even a table. On the other hand, a regular table, when the beds are folded and put away underneath, for eating and working is formed by the first mentioned table. Caravan Cooking Cranes. — ^443. — As will be seen in a later illustration, the lady Vice-President of the National Camping Club is cooking with the crane. I had not seen her plan until IRON GROUND CRANE. after I had sketched the illustration here shown, which I call the
' Corona " crane. This is purposely set high out of the ground
to show the shoulder provided for driving it well down into earth. When permanently fixed, of course, it will be more upright. Stout strong ash or other hard wooden crane is possible when an iron one is not at hand. It needs a long chain because the head is far above the fire. The way to fix it is to make a little hole in the ground, put it well down, then weight, and wedge with strong bearing stones, or add forked stick inside. It is wonderful how long this will stand stiff if the wood is not too green. rHE camper's handbook 3; The sketch of three pots boiUng over one wooden fire i: WOODEN' CRAXE. fake. It is done quite easily, but it will need separate ctiains, of course, for each. II.— BY THE LADY ARTHUR GROSVENOR. Vans. — 444.— Travelling through England in a gipsy van is -a most delightful way of seeing the country. A van can always be bought secondhand from gipsies or van dwellers for from £30 to £$0. A good scrubbing and fresh paint will soon make it as good as new. New vans cost from £50 to ^zoo. Sleeping Accommodation, —445. — When touring, two people can sleep in the van, one bed being on top and the other in the cupboard. Some folks look doubtfully at the bottom berth and think it must be very hot. As a matter of fact it is cooler than the top one, which being so near the roof of the van, naturally gets the greater heat. Carrying Kit. — 446.— When caravanning, it is best to take as few clothes as possible, there being little room for carrying them. 35S THE camper's handbook For this purpose there are two lockers, into which all necessaries ■can be placed. Any extras should be packed in a small port- manteau and carried on the rack at the back of the van, together with the tents and a small sack of coal for the stove, which latter ■on cold damp evenings is very comforting. " Putting-Up." — 447-— Living in the van altogether, as is the custom in this particular mode of touring, avoids the expense of hotels. The pitch is usually made in a farmer's field, after, of course, permission has been obtained. Unfor- tunately, this is not always easy, many farmers being very suspicious of vans and van people^ It has often been said to us, "folk like you go off in the middle of the night, so you'd better pay now." The caravanner must be prepared to meet with these little difficulties. At the same time, ! must admit that it is somewhat annoying to be compelled to travel thirty miles instead -of fifteen or eighteen on a hot day over hilly roads, owing to refusals of permission to put up. Camping on the roadside, of course, is prohibited. Horses. — 448.— These are best bought from gipsies. A gipsy "pal" can be trusted, being used to long distances, and having no inclination to stray when turned out in a field. A useful animal THE CAMPER'S HANDBOOK 359 ■of this kind can be bought for ;£io to ^30. A chain horse for hills is indispensable, thus making three horses where two vans are used, as in my case. It is desirable to have horses as near the same size and stamp as possible, so that each may take its turn as wheeler. Costs. — 449. — The cost of van travelling is comparatively small, a day's expenses for four persons coming out at about 5/0J, made up as follows : — Three horses for one night, at (id, each i 6 Milk for tea, sapper, and breakfast ... li Meat 2 o Eggs I o Bread : 5 S oi To (he above, various little items must of necessity be added, such as shoeing, slight repairs to harness, etc., though, of course, these are not frequent o "THE POT THAT NEVER BOII^." Cooking. — 450.— When the weather permits this is done outside on an open fire. All the pots and pans should be constructed so that they can be hung over the fire on a little iron prop or crane, as shown in the accompanying illustration. This should be stuck firmly into the ground. An Enjoyable Tour.— ili,— Having got maps together 300 THE camper's HANDBOOK and planned out our route to a certain extent we prepared to start at the end of May. The vans had been newly painted green and red outside, while the interiors were enamelled white and green. We took a supply of dry goods from the house, also jam and bacon. The route we decided upon took us through part of North Wales, where we had varied experiences of the Welsh farmer:-, who were not too obliging. We went through part of the Wye Valley, through Hereford to Newent, doing, on an average, 15 to 20 miles per day. Then we went througli Gloucester to North Cerney, where we stayed three days, as the horses had been going for a fortnight and so were glad of a few days' rest. Starting SUPPER TIME. again we went on by Malniesbury, Chippenham, Wells, Glaston- bury, Bridgwater, Dunster, to Porlock Wier, which we reached in three weeks from the daj' we started. We stayed here a week and then on lo P2xmoor, where we stayed another week. We then started for home, which we reached about the end of July, returning by way of Dulverston, Taunton, Trowbridge, Devizes, and across Marlborough Downs to Swindon. Thence through the lovely old village of Burford, by Morlon-in-lhe-Marsh to Warwick, through the Black Country to Cannock Chase to Stafford, and so home, which we were rather sorry to reach, having had glorious weather most of the time and thoroughly enjoyed our tour, which we hope to do again in the near future. THE camper's handbook 361 III.— By MATTHEW ARNOLD. Cost of Caravan. — 452. — My own van was built by the Birmingham Wagon Co. of mahogany, and cost £2
'<l'l 1 ••• ••• ••• ••• ••• ^ Tooth brush, etc., etc. ... ... ... 3 Hold-all, with straps (under) ... ... 8 9 2 In addition to this 9-lbs. 2-ozs., there is a towel and also some, food, as we always like to keep a small supply. This weight is, I' believe, less than that of the military rifle alone. One word more as to clothing. Wear a big pair of boots and thick socks, nothing loose round the ankles, and nothing tight anywhere. CHAPTER XXX. VARIANT CAMPING. By R. J. MECREDY. Light ■Weight Camping.— 48a.— My Camping experiences date back to a period nearly twenty years ago— long before the moveable cycle tent had been rendtred possible and popular by the author of this -handbook. My nearest approach to that class of Camping in the early days was a ten- i\'-HAND cycle tour, carried out round the North coast of Ireland, and we were mounted on a Singer dubbed " The Tendam." A baggage wagon was hitched on behind and this carried the tent, cooking utensils, etc. The prodigious weight of the machine and outfit made the work too laborious to be a pleasure. On other occasions I have organized Cycle- Camping excursions so arranged that the party remained for two or three days at each place, and the tents and baggage were sent on by train. This, of course, enabled comparative luxuries to be in- cluded in the outfit, ' During the last five or six years I have gone in for Cycle- Camping a la Holding, and motor Camping, while, for over two years, I have taken to sleeping altogether In a tent close beside my house, and in all weathers keep the door open, I intend, as far as Cycle-Camping is concerned, to confine myself altogether to what might be described as light weight Camping, carried, I might almost say, to extremes. I have always been an exceedingly keen cyclist and appreciate the easy and smooth running of a bicycle, riding the lightest machines 1 could possibly get. 378 THE camper's handbook Weight, therefore, I have found an irksome burden, especially in the mountainous districts which I generally frequent. I have carried out many a delightful excursion in the lightest possible marching order ; in fact, the whole outfit has consisted only of tent, blanket and ground sheet. To the more orthodox camper such a programme would, no doubt, prove irksome, but I have not found it particularly in- convenient, more especially as in such trips I try and arrange a night or two in a central position, and explore the neighbouring country, my object being to strip my bicycle of everything ex- traneous, so that I may enjoy the greatest amount of pleasure from mere riding. The Outfit. — As an example of what the saving of weight amounts to, I give details of the meagre kit carried on these occasions, which does not, however, include provisions : — Light Kit for Two. "Wigwam" tent Wire pegs Special spliced poles Eiderdown Two sheets of American cloth to pack impedimenta and to serve as ground olXwv^i. ••• ••• ••• 7 i2| It will be observed that the ground sheet serves a double purpose and saves the weight of the bags, which would otherwise be necessary for carrying the outfit. A silk " Wigwam " tent w^ould save another pound, bringing the total weight for each rider down to 3-lbs. 6|-ozs, and the wire pegs might be dispensed with and sticks used instead. Even the poles are not absolutely essential. It would nearly always be possible to cut or procure two stout sticks about 6-f t. high, which would suit the purpose. A pitchfork, borrowed from a neighbouring cottage, would do in an emergency. My readers will no doubt notice that pots, plates, cups, knives, forks, etc., are conspicuous by their absence. I camp near a cottage, where I can borrow and purchase. In the case of those who would prefer to be absolutely independent, I would suggest the following additions to the kit : — bs. ozs. 2 oi lO 14 2 4i 2 o THE camper's handbook 379 Small " Sirram " spirit stove, with full lbs. ozs. reservoir Two aluminium cups Two aluminium forks Two knives Two spoons lO 2i I I Total extra weight ... i 2 J This little " Sirram " stove consists of (i) an aluminium pot in the shape of a large cup, and holding three afternoon cupfuls ; (2) a methylated spirit pad ; (3) a small reservoir for spirit. Items 2 and 3 fit inside the pot, and the lid can be used as a pan for frying bacon. This little cooking arrangement suits admirably as a stand- by in wet weather, when a fire is impossible, for it enables one to cook eggs, etc., in the tent and boil sufficient water to make tea. When travelling light and overtaken by wet weather I have either dispensed with cooking altogether, pr else taken refuge in a cottage, where in Ireland one is always welcome. In the Highlands of Scotland, too, I have always found the peasants very hospitable. Cooking Arrangements. — 483. — Before pitching, dry sticks are collected, and a rough fireplace is constructed with sides 6-ins. high, and quite open at one end. If possible, it is well to embody one or two flat stones in the sides, for they will prove invaluable for keeping chops, bacon, etc., warm, as the stones will, of course, become hot. Such a fireplace can be built in a few minutes. Even sods can be used if stones are not available. A really big stick fire should then be built up and left to burn while the tent is being erected, and bedding, milk, eggs, etc. procured. The fire should be replenished from time to time until the other preparations are nearly completed, when it should be left to sink into embers. Before beginning to cook, a good sprinkling of salt should be scattered over the embers to prevent them from blazing. If chops or steaks have to be grilled, some straight, green sticks, about as thick as one's finger, should be cut and placed across the sides of the fireplace about 2-ins. apart, and the chops or steaks placed over them. The latter to be turned at regular intervals 380 THE camper's handbook and a little pepper and salt should be scattered on both sides. If the cook is inexperienced and uncertain as to whether they are thoroughly done he should lift them on to one of the stones and make a slight incision. Practice, however, will quickly enable one to judge. Meanwhile, I have taken it for granted that the pot containing the water for the tea has been resting on the embers, and is at boiling point when the chops are ready. If not, the latter will keep quite hot resting on the stones constituting the sides of the fireplace. Bacon can be grilled similarly, but produces so much grease as to make it difficult to prevent the fire from blazing up, and I pre- fer carrying a tiny aluminium pan weighing about one ounce, or using the lid of a small biscuit box. In case of necessity, chops and steaks can be cooked directly on the embers, provided plenty of salt is used to prevent a blaze. Kidneys also can be cooked in the same manner, or can be actually buried in the embers. If a chicken has to be tackled, the best method is to thoroughly encase it in mud formed of the clean clay, well damped, and then it* should be buried in the heart of the embers. I prefer, however, to buy in the last town passed through, a chicken which has been already cooked. It will serve cold for the evening meal, and the bones can be grilled for breakfast. Excellent toast can be made on the improvised grid-stick, and eggs can be cooked by covering them up in the embers, but the shell should be first cracked at one end to prevent them exploding. Potatoes are delicious baked in this manner. If the green sticks forming the grid should char and blaze, fresh ones should be substituted. A teapot is by no means essential for brewing tea. There are three other very simple methods : (i) Use an infuser for each cup, taking care that the water poured in is boiling ; (2) when the water is boiling in the pot, add the tea, stir, and at once remove the pot from the fire ; (3) put the tea in the cold water before the pot is placed on the fire, and remove the pot off the fire the moment the watei* boils. Being an ardent angler, I have carried a rod on some of these excursions, and the method of cooking trout may interest some of my readers. As before, a large stick fire is allowed to burn down into embers. The fish having been cleaned are then separ* THE camper's handbook 38 1 ately rolled up in newspapers, the ends of same twisted, the outside slightly damped with water, and the whole thrust into a hollow in the centre of the fire and the embers piled on top. A ^-Ib. trout will take from 10 to 15 minutes cooking in this manner, and a larger one perhaps 20 to 25 minutes. The paper does not burn, and opens quite clean, the oil from the fish soaking into it and preventing it from sticking. A trout cooked in this manner is far more tasty than fried in the ordinary way. Motor Car Camping. — ^484, — This is, perhaps, the most delightful form of Camping, especially if indulged in in the manner favoured by the writer. I always like, if possible, to have a tandem bicycle available, so as to vary my mode of progression, while the machine can be stripped of everything and ridden light, as the motor car carries all the impedimenta. Briefly my outfit consists of the following, for a party of five, including the chauffeur : A bungalow tent for two ladies, a " Gipsy " for the two men, and a "Wigwam" for the chauffeur. These occupy a very small space, and I have found it as a rule advisable to make them up in small parcels so that they can be placed in side baskets, lockers, or other available corner. For cooking utensils, I carry a 7-inch " Mersey " stove with an aluminium outfit of cups, plates, saucers, knives, forks, etc. These are best stowed in a Japanese basket, for it adapts itself to periodical increases or diminutions in the bulk, due to difference in packing or the addition of articles of food. The selection of a Camping ground is in one respect more difficult than in the case of a bicycle, for it is advisable as a rule to provide shelter for the car. Such shelter can frequently be had in any large farmyard, or even in some neighbouring gentleman's coachhouse, as the owner will rarely refuse permission to put the car under cover. If the weather is fine, however, and the car can be driven into the field where the tents are pitched, it is a distinct convenience to have it close at hand. On the other hand, the enormous range of the motor car simplifies matters, because if a suitable site cannot he secured in one district, one can proceed 10 or 15 miles, or even 20 miles further, until a satisfactory position is found. Needless to say, motor car camping is luxurious compared 382 THE camper's handbook with Cycle-Camping, because the travellers can carry with them larger tents, substantial ground sheets, warm blankets, pillows, and a full supply of provisions, besides many other luxuries which would be impossible in the case of a bicycle. The presence of a good stove, too, simplifies the cooking operations, though even when MOTOR car camping I have a leaning towards a fire when dry sticks can be procured. Permanent Camps. — ^485. — As regards permanent Camping, I would like to say a few words. If anyone had told me three years ago that I would find benefit and pleasure from sleeping under canvas all the year round I would have scoffed at the mere idea, and yet for the last two years my wife and I have slept in a small marquee tent, lo-ft. long, 9-ft. high and about 9-ft. broad, with one end fully open to the weather. How I came to forsake the ways of civilization and sleep all the year round in the open air may interest my readers. As mentioned in another article, I have been an enthusiastic camper myself for some twenty years, but I absolutely failed for a long time to convert my wife, who would not even take part in week- end trips. In July, 1905, we planned a holiday trip to the North of Ireland, and as she would not camp I rented a little cottage on the shores of Lough Melvin, as our head quarters. We sketched out a circuitous route of some 170 miles of cycle tours to this rendezvous, and while my eldest son and I rode on a tandem push bicycle, my wife drove her motor car with a lady friend for companion. This carried two " Holding " tents and the Camping impedimenta in general. On the first night we stopped at Glendalough, Co. Wicklow. The ladies slept in the hotel and my son and I in the tents under the shadow of the round tower and the famous seven churches. Next day while en route northwards the car met with a failure in regard to the water circulation, so we had to stop in a little provincial town to effect repairs. It so happened that the hotel was exceptionally poor, and my wife declared that rather than sleep in it she would camp out ! Inwardly I was delighted of course. Accordingly I had the tents pitched in a hayfield, and with plenty of fresh hay for bedding we spent a pleasant and comfortable night. That one experience accomplished what my persuasive THE CAMPERS HANDBOOK , 383 eloquence had failed to do, and when at length we reached the cottage on Lough Melvin's shores, although at the time it was raining steadily, the wife insisted on having the tents pitched, and she and her lady friend occupied one. We were there some ten days, during which period it rained at least every second day, but the cottage was only used for meals and for dressing. On returning home one of the tents was permanently pitched some seventy yards from my residence, as shown in the photo. MY PERMANENT CAMP. There we have slept ever since, to the great astonishment of our friends and neighbours. There are now two other tents close by, occupied by my sons, and my daughters. Such an idea as Camping out all the Winter had never entered my head, but as the Autumn waned, and the evenings grew shorter and colder I made the startling discovery that my wife was bent on doing so. She was very thorough in her methods also, for whereas I had been satisfied with leaving a small portion 384 THE camper's handbook of the door open, nothing would content her but to leave it altogether open, so that, in fact, we practically slept in a tent with only three of its walls closed. As November approached I began to get anxious ; she had always been susceptible to colds, and Winter never passed without her contracting one or two severe ones, which generally necessitated absolute confinement to the house, and left her in a very weak condition. She had also suffered from bronchitis and rheumatism. I could hardly realise that there was not ex- treme danger in exposing one so susceptible to the fogs and snows and frosts of Winter. In this dilemma I wrote to Mr. Holding and put the case to him. I was not so much nervous about the actual Camping out, but I could not help thinking that an absolutely open tent was risky. Mr. Holding's reply was brief and to the point. It read as follows : — " There is no such thing as catching cold. People catch heat. You may leave the tent door open with every confidence." Mr. Holding was right. My wife has never had one of those severe colds since she has adopted the open-air life, nor has she suffered from bronchitis or rheumatism. As regards the effect of such a life on one's general health, in my own case there was not much margin for improvement ; the principal difference it has effected is that I now wake up fresh and active in mind and body, whereas when sleeping in a room even with the windows open, I generally felt apathetic and depressed, with a tendency on being awakened to lie for another half-hour. In fact, camp life has given one man at least an hour longer per diem of active life. Sleep in a tent is so sound and refreshing that I find that I can with advantage get up much earlier than heretofore. In my wife's case, however, the change has been even greater. As already mentioned, she has lost the tendency to catch severe colds, and has also entirely got rid of occasional insomnia. As regards covering, two blankets of ordinary thickness are, as a rule, found sufficient, but for frosty nights, or when the cold is intense, one of the light Cycle-Camping eiderdowns as planned by Mr. Holding, is used in addition. This weighs only 2j-lbs. and would do for three persons in a small tent. The tent is a marquee, lo-ft. long, 9-ft. wide, and 9-ft. high, THE camper's handbook 385 made of strong calico, by Saunders, of Wisbech, for £5. A fly sheet of home manufacture was added. At first the ground on which we camped was uncovered, but finally we had the floor cemented with a good foundation of stones so as to ensure dryness. There is a wooden beading all round the cement, and the bottom of the tent is secured to this beading at the sides at intervals of about 6-ins, so as to pre- vent draughts penetrating underneath the edge. I experienced at first considerable inconvenience through the necessity for sallying out should rain commence to fall, in order to slacken the various guy ropes. This difficulty was got over in a very simple manner. I purchased a number of comparatively light helical springs from Messrs. Terry, of Redditch. These were embodied in the ropes at the ends, and when the latter contract the springs yield, and thus compensate for the reduced length. This device, too, makes the tent safer in a wind, because, owing to the flexibility of all the ropes, due to the helical springs embodied in them, the tent yields bodily to sudden squalls instead of the strains being concentrated at certain points. It is, there- fore, less likely to tear or otherwise yield to the force of heavy gales. These at times are really terrific, and I used to feel appre- hensive that the tent would be blown bodily away. It has weathered so many storms however, that we have ceased even to awake when extra fierce gusts rush down from the mountains and sweep through the little glen in which we reside. At the time of writing, although it is well on in the Winter, we have been sleeping under two blankets, with the front of the tent wide open, and my eldest son, who occupies a tent hard by, sleeps under a single blanket. One thing, however, is absolutely essential for this style of Camping, and that is the use of wool exclusively ; linen or cotton would inevitably absorb the damp and cause dangerous chills. As regards the question of damp it rarely troubles us. SUPPLEMENTARY. Colds. — ^486. — My readers may ask how is it that one can so often locate the commencement of a cold to being exposed to some draught. The explanation is simple. The draught upsets the circulation of the blood. It brings an excess of blood to that 386 THE camper's handbook portion of the body exposed to its force, but more especially to the nose which begins to run. Now the mucous of the nose has an antiseptic substance called mucin. This kills all the germs which get into the nose, provided the mucin is sufficiently sticky. If, however, the nose has been running there is less mucin in it, and hence, if we go into a warm room where microbes are, the first " cold " microbes that we meet find ready access to our system. From this it is evident that if we can keep always in pure air the cold microbe would be powerless. The conventionalities of modern life prohibit this, but we can approach it as nearly as possible and to a great extent protect ourselves against the danger. That exposing one's person to severe cold is not necessarily detrimental so long as one breathes pure air, I can offer a good example. On one occasion, some years ago, I went on a Camping trip late in October, when the nights were cold and frosty. It so happened that I was suffering from rheumatism in my shoulder at the time and to such an extent that I could hardly turn my head to right or left. My friend and I camped in long damp bracken. We could only get wet hay to put under the rubber ground sheet, and when we unpacked our impedimenta I found to my dismay, that the warm woollen night garment I had intended to wear had been forgotten, and we only had one thin "Jaeger" blanket for covering. The cold about 3 o'clock in the morning was absolutely intense, and skep was impossible. We lit a paraffin lamp, which went on fire and nearly burnt the tent down and had to be hurled out aflame. Finally, we had to resign ourselves to fate and lie shivering till daybreak. Not only did we not catch cold but the rheumatism was actually gone in the morning. It may have been sleeping in the open air that put it to flight, or it may simply have been a coincidence. At all events, the incident proved that sleeping in the damp and extreme cold had not the effect of causing a cold or of aggravating the rheumatism that was already troubling me. ^ CHAPTER XXXI. THINGS LEFT OVER. % i Iw ~5« B^ This heading covers some matters out of a great multitude that might have been dealt with more fully had not this work already considerably exceeded the contract. This chapter* therefore, though dealing with many and varied subjects of undoubted interest to campers, must necessarily be as brief as its importance will allow. Ladies Camping in Pairs. — 487. — Though it is not often at present that ladies go a-camping inpairs, the project need have no terrors. Ladies have been kr^own to put up a tent over a punt or boat, or in fields. Fear of molestation is groundless, happily, in England, save under circumstances already described. The lightness, simplicity, and efficiency of recent appliances enables two ladies to work easily together, and to take a slight change of clothing. They may thus explore the Highlands or the countryside with ease and enjoyment. Ladies, to become adepts, should take alternate days at cooking and fetching, etc. Herein there is a fresh field for experience opened for women's pleasure ; all with decency and health. Mixed Fixed Camps. — ^488. — There is no difficulty in regard to these, supposing proper plans are laid beforehand, and some three or four unwritten rules are put into force. In regard to the British Canoe Association, the National Camping Club, and the Association of Cycle Campers, men and women camp together. A plan of the ground should be made, and the Camp Steward should have certain instructions in regard to this. Single ladies 388 THE camper's handbook should camp not far from the married quarters, but quite separate. It should be an understood thing that the chaperonage of the senior lady present should be recognised throughout. It is extremely pleasant to have ladies in camp who have the necessary adaptability, not to mention the genius for affability and good fellowship. Ladies exercise a reserve, give agreeable tone, and add grace to the camp. Personal Kit. — ^489. — Linen and cotton make excellent tents, and a waterproof ground sheet is indispensable to the camper who rests his limbs on mother earth, but linen, cotton, and waterproof fabrics are wholly unsuitable for personal wear. "'Ware cotton! Wear wool!" is a cry as suitable to the camper as to the hunting man. The Jaegar Company, whose depots and agencies are every- where, are specialists in supplying campers' clothing and bedding. Foremost features, in addition to the Jaeger pure wool day and night underwear, guaranteed against shrinkage, are the excellent Jaeger sleeping bags and Camping rugs, of undyed camel hair and wool fleece, making a delightful substitute for a bed. The Jaeger airy-Hght " Cosy Spencer," with its delightful chainwork of softest wool, takes the place of the more or less useless (cotton lined and backed) waistcoat. The Jaeger " Colic Band" (a porous elastic contrivance, 7-ins. wide and 2 yards long) is invaluable for winding round the stomach, that especially vulnerable part of a camper's anatomy. It can also be used, if occasion should require, as a throat muffler, or even as a surgical bandage. No camper's outfit is complete without a pair of Jaeger slipper Sy for boots should always be removed on entering a tent. The Jaeger "Fleece" slippers, with leather soles, of the "Albert' type, not only act as slippers but as bed socks, and warm feet are essential to ensure sound sleep. A word of warning ! Slippers should never be worn in the dewy grass ; the camper should go barefooted until he dresses for the day's work. To cap the Jaeger requisites, let the camper invest in their " Campaigning-cap." It makes a much better " night-cap " than whisky-toddy, and, moreover, it is quite presentable for day wear. THE camper's handbook 389 Boots. — 496. — One of the most essential parts of the camper's outfit should be his boots, because not only comfort but health is likely to be endangered by not giving particular attention to the footwear. Say, for instance, a walk in the early morning is contemplated across the fields or along the banks of stream or river, a boot must be worn that will stand the swish of the. dewy grass (which is very penetrating) and also protect the feet from feeling the stones on gravelly walks. The ideal boot for both comfort and hard wear, is undoubtedly the brown one, called the "Week End" boot, .advertised in this book, and made by a well-known reliable firm, who guarantee every pair they sell, because it is good value for good money. For long country walks, for fishing, for any kind of hard wear, my readers cannot do better than try a pair. Its greatest virtue is that it is a good, stout boot, yet a very phant and flexible one also. Playing at Tramps. — ^491. — Mr. J. C. Bristow in the Evening News gave an interesting description of two ladies who deter- mined to play at tramps for 10 days. They started away with 5/- between them. The selected route was from Bognor to London and back again. Carrying just the few petty articles with which the gentlemen and ladies of the hard iron road are wont to load themselves, the fair " Weary WilHes " made a start one morning early. A few miles from Bognor, they partook of a breakfast of stolen apples and pears and tea. When lunch time arrived they paid a visit to a little rose- covered cottage, the humble home of a sweet old lady with white hair and the face of an angel, and ate heartily of cold boiled bacon, broad beans and potatoes. It was a pitiful story of a life of sorrows and hardships that persuaded the old woman to allow the strangers to share her homely meal. But, doubtless, by this time she is regarding the visit in the light of a Heaven-sent blessing, for an acceptable cheque has been sent to the generous old soul. Towards tea time the wanderers went into a corn field and begged the toilers to allow them to share their tea. The request was granted readily, and what a tea it was ! When the repast came to an end, the ladies offered to take 390 THE camper's handbook part in the work in exchange for a supper and the permission to sleep in a barn. This second request was also granted readily. As supper was commenced and the air was chilly, a fire was lit. By ten o'clock, however, the fire was but a heap of dull, smoking cinders. The company had dispersed, and silence reigned. The ladies laid themselves down on a heap of straw in a barn, fully determined to sleep long and soundly. They closed their eyes and began to try to make themselves believe they were dropping off to sleep. For a few hours on the fourth day they helped a poor widow to make shirts for her sons in exchange for a supper and a night's rest on a sofa, while one of her sons cobbled up their broken shoes. In the dusk of the evening of the fifth day they went to a lonely stream in a meadow to bathe. Alas and alack, whilst they were splashing about in the cool, clear water, some cows, attracted by the noise made their appearance and took up a position by their clothes. No amount of words, harsh or otherwise, would drive the creatures away, " but when at last," said the English girl, " I took my life in my hands, so to speak, and appeared for a moment on the bank, the brutes fled in all directions, stamping our clothes under foot in their mad, wild retreat." They were up betimes on the following morning, and after a bathe in the river and a hasty meal of cold tea and more stolen fruit, hurried on their way. The next night was spent on the top of a wheat rick, and a sound sleep obtained, and little wonder, for both ladies were by this time footsore and tired. The remaining five nights were spent respectively in a stable, on the floor of an outhouse, on a cottage floor, beneath a hay- rick, and in the house of some friends. On three occasions the ladies were drenched by rain to the skin. Once they tramped from nine in the morning till six in the evening without succeeding in obtaining an5ihing to eat, and on another occasion they barely escaped arrest at the hands of a village constable. Notwithstanding these unpleasantries, both declare the holiday the pleasantest they have ever spent. THE camper's handbook 391 Head Shield to Tent. — 492. —1 now mention a trouble from which every camper suffers in small tents. We naturally have to sleep with our pillows somewhere near the " head " of this wall of cotton. When the rain is driven with force on to this vertical shield, which should always be placed to windward, it runs down freely on to the ground and often makes our pillows and things wet if they come in contact, as is likely, because we shuffle about in the night. In a recent Highland cruise on wheels, I adopted the precaution of having a spare fly sheet fixed outside, and by pegging it down below and fastening it at the sides and hitching it on to the head of the poie I found the head of the tent kept drv — an achievement long desired. A head shield pro- perly cut and fitted is good in every way The Edgington Tents. — 4^.— Benjamin Edgingtons Double-Roof Ridge Tents have a world-wide reputation. For several generations the most eminent travellers, missionaries, and sportsmen have used them — among the multitude a few names may be mentioned ; Sir H. M. Stanley, Commander Cameron, Sir H. H. Johnston, Col. Von Wissman, Dr. Moffatt, Bishop Hannington, etc. The Government Commissions and Survey parties in all parts use these tents. For home use, caravanning, boating, etc., the firm make a simpler and cheaper tent of same shape without the double fly. They also make a speciality of the tent designed by Mr. E. 1 I. 392 THE CAMPFRS HANDBOOK Whymper, which has been used in the Alps, Andes, HimalayzL, and recently for the ascent of Ruwenzori by the Duke of the Abruzzi. Also the minute " Mummery " tent, used by Sir Martin Conway, Dr. Workman, Dr. T. G. Longstaif, Mr. Douglas Freshfield, and others, for work at high altitudes. Camp equipment of latest designs, personal outfit, and clothing, etc., are also supplied by this firm. Catalogues can be obtained at 2, Duke Street, London Bridge, or 67, Cornhill, E.C. Hardivare Specialities. — ^494. — Richard Melhuish, Ltd. have opened their new wholesale and retail premises at 50 and 51, Fetter Lane, London, E.C, where thev have on view sl variety of their patent tools, including their patent combined w^ork benches and tool cabinets, patent tool rools for motorists, patent bit clips, all the latest inventions in English, American, and Continental tools and machinery. They also show a large variety of builders and household ironmongery, gas lamps and, fittings, electric lamps, electric fittings, electric cooking utensils electro plate, English cutlery, and the celebrated large *' Primus " stoves both for household and 3'acht use. This new warehouse is fitted up with all the latest labour- saving devices, and is, without doubt, the finest in Great Britain. The readers of this volume are cordially invited to pay them a visit, where they will be received by a staff of competent assistants who are instructed to show visitors right through the establishment and give them information. This firm publish the following catalogues, all of which are fully illustrated: — No. 14 Metalworkers. No. 15 Woodworkers. No. 16 Horticultural. No. 17 Electrical and Ironmongery, and a special catalogue of silver goods suitable for presents. Nos. 14, 15, 17 sent post free on receipt of 6d. to cover postage, the remaining numbers free. Foreign postage i/- per copy. A Little Trouble with the " Primus."— 495.— After having cooked, with one nipple, over 100 meals with my little " Baby Primus," I discovered the other day a slight blackening of the THE camper's handbook 393 tins. Being a long time puzzled to find out the cause 1 discovered that the nipple opening had become a triHe large. The pressure with the blast and constant pricking had made it too big. The " Primus " in action should not deposit black round the bottom of the tins and very little beneath even. When the combustion is perfect it does not. But note it must not admit loo free a supply. The smaller the opening the better the " Primus" works, and the better the pressure tells on its force. Therefore, always have a "spare set" by you, and at (he first indication of the blackening process replace the nipple by 3 new one." AS LOUNGE THE "TOCAH." The Tocah.— 496.— This is neither a pain killer nor a nerve reviver, but a fatigue reliever and a body soother. I was lioping to have given this new *ype of bed-chair, or chair-bed lounge, or smoking lounge, or whatever it may be termed, a good practical trial, and get it rigged up on a sunny day on the lawn. When I now procurable, at 1/6 394 "^^^ camper's handbook went with my book I found it occupied, and I found the occupant very slow to move, being wrapped in slumber. The Tocah did it ! Of course, the question was, **are you comfortable ?" And the answer, pert and sharp, "I was until you disturbed me." The fact is, THE TOCAH is a simple, but intensely useful adaptation of the mattress-cloth-under-tension type, all working and moving on a few spider laths and wooden cantilevers. I am aware that is a clumsy sentence, but the chair is not clumsy. It will go as flat as a big tea tray, so to say, and can be put in at least eight f)Ositions. If I had a fixed camp, I should be tempted to sleep on it, and for coolness I should put it under a tree in the daytime, and when I hear of one town, a health resort of consequence, ordering 200, I am not alone in my opinion of the tocah. Gabardine. — 497. — How glad one is to have a mackintosh to put on when it rains, and how one is **gladder" — pardon the term — to get out of it again. Now, I take it that these mixed wool and cotton materials, of which Burberrys are the originators, and for which they have a world-wide name, are an attempt to give us a waterproof garment that does not stifle the body and defy Nature by holding all the moisture that exudes from the pores, of which we are said to have 2,000,000. Perhaps there is no one material, no speciality, of which more is consumed in rain-resisting garments, than these wonderful fabrics of Burberry's. They are generally known as various species of Gabardine, and the variety of colourings is very great, but all sober hued. They are lighter than the average macs. Tents for All Purposes. — 498. — Campers of all classes will find much to interest them in the extensive show rooms of Messrs. Piggott Brothers & Co., Ltd., situated at Nos. 57, 58 and S9, Bishopsgate Street Without. This Company manufactures Camping tents of great variety. An instance of their enterprise IS their tropical tent with windows and ventilating curtains against the deadly malaria mosquito, and with its double roof as a protection against the torrential rains and blazing sun of the near regions of the Equator. Piggott's marquees cover almost every field of demand. Canvas churches, banquetting halls, lawn tennis, a bungalow THE camper's handbook 395 with a low verandah, tents for the army, beds, inflated beds to stuff, etc. In looking at the pictures contained in the beautiful catalogue, one feels a wish to play tennis, and regrets he has not a great garden and is not rich and able to have innumerable friends to invite to have tea on the lawn. Garden seats and easy chairs, tarpaulins, and all the rest, but it is, of course, for the camper that they provide with their world-wide reputation, portable habitations that are essential to the amateur gipsy's life. Photography. — ^499. — This plays a very important part in the camp. I notice that quite ten out of twelve men who take to Camping use the camera. It is important that certain conditions in regard to photography in camp should be duly considered, for I have had alike the most satisfactory and the most* fatal experiences. These lessons have taught what I wish to lay down. Instead of recommending someone's patent speciality, I shall only deal with general principles. Photographic Plates. — This distinctly has to do with the plates or films. The first consideration in regard to them is immunity from damp, I can quote the case of Mr. W., who when spending a fortnight's cruise with me photographed persistently, did good work, and was on the whole successful. When we came to reckon up, we found our weather had been almost the entire time fairly dry. There was an absence of those long damp days, when everything gets clammy. Now to show the danger regard- ing damp and its effect on plates, I will again allude to the same gentleman. He was again canoeing and camping for a fortnight, and out of thirty plates he had but three good pictures. Equal care was taken, but nine days out of twelve it rained. His case was, of course, in and out of his boat and his tent day after day, and he attributes the failures to the damp. I could record many other similar experiences. The plates taken should be packed in a box, and wrapped up in a piece of waterproof paper or mackintosh, and they should be well tied so that neither damp nor air can reach even, the box. Again, if dark backs are charged and_put in the camera case ready for use, the case itself should all the time be kept strapped up in mackintosh — that is if it contains an ordinary time camera, with ordinary dark backs. *It is the many little exposures to the air 390 THE cauper's handbook and damp that affect the plates, and, singular to say, a leather case will absorb a certain amount of damp, and the plates are so sensitive that they absorb it in time. In dry weather there is less danger. As the plates or films are used it is best to send them to some person, with whom arrangements should be made previously, for the development, or else to carefully pack, post — duly marking as "private" or "not to be opened" — and send to your own dark room every other day. I should like specially to recommend one particular plate which I have found best and that is Paget's Prize Plate. They are somewhat enpensive, but cheap! " Man wants but little here below, but wants that little good." Since this note was written I see a water developing plate is out, known as the "Watalu." The great claim of this plate to the attention of the camper is that the only developer required is aquapura, a supply of which is an essential in every camp. The plates differ from all other platen only in that they are coated on the one side with the ordinary sensitive emulsion, and on the other side with a developer which dissolves immediately on plac- ing the plate in water. Thk Camera.— Portability and compactness are essential in any camera that is selected (or a Camping outfit, and I would therefore advise one of the following types, as here illustrated. THE camper's HAJIDBOOK 397 The "Cameo" allows of the image being focussed, either on the screen or by focussing scale. It takes plates in dark slides, or the well-known Filmpack, taking twelve cut films, may be used in a special adapter. The weight and dimensions of such a camera arc cut down to the finest point consistent with rigidity in working. Ambitious workers may require amore universal type of camera than I have just described, and to those I would suggest an inspec- tion of the "Sanderson" camera. There is no subject too difficult for such a well thought out instrument as this, which simply THE "SANDERSON. revels in the intricacies of architectural and telephotographic work. It cannot, however, be made quite as compact as the first camera indicated. There are now such a variety of designs in folding cameras for plates and roll films, that it is impossible to give full details in a work of this character, and I would therefore advise the camper to go to a good photographic dealer, such as the Westminster Photographic Exchange. Ltd., of 119 Victoria Street, and 211 Oxford Street, W., where a large variety of outfits, etc., may be inspected, and his special requirements can undoubtedly be met. This particular firm has also made arrangements for developing r 398 THE camper's handbook and printing for the hurried and pressed tourists and campers and those who have no dark room. Camera Stands. — Everyone who goes Camping with a camera needing a stand likes light ones. Many have been tempted to use those of aluminium. Having had three weeks' experience of these, in company with others, we found them so troublesome that we abandoned them in favour of a simple but light weight one, with rather tall wooden legs, which gives no inconvenience. Camera Bag. — The ordinary so-called waterproof brown canvas camera bag made of cotton is not waterproof as a rule. The case should be of the very best Hnen with a good thick proofing of rubber between that texture and a cotton back lining. A Ne"W Tent. — ^500. — On a long cruise I tested a new type of tent, planned to be commodious and yet light and efficient, without a fly sheet, which I considered for the cycle a little heavy. I also considered it was a trifle too luxurious, and, there- fore, I have modified it and made many changes, which I should like briefly to mention. A most delightful tent, and by all those who inspected it at a recent big camp it was voted practically perfection for cycle or canoe, or even pedestrian Camping. I have christened it the "Canadian Midget." It has a little wall of 15-ins., and it is 5-ft. high, 4-ft. 6-ins. on the floor, and 5-ft. 9- ins long (or 6-f 1.), with very thin walls and ends. But the roof — ah ! there's the rub. It is made of Assouan cloth, the finest make of cotton known in a close texture. There is no unproofed cloth in the world that I have yet found so impervious to wet. It resists it like tin stuff. The weight of this tent is a^-lbs. Clip Pole Candle Holder. — ^501. — Whilst at meals, we hang our candle, it is best, after meals, for reading, to have it over our head. I have made a simple clip that takes the candelabra (article 396), and needs no screws or fastenings. It weighs only half-an ounce, and is no larger than a small shaving brush. Camping Countries. — ^502. — British Isles in Contrast. — It is difficult, in a paragraph, to state, even from the closest THK CAMPERS HANDBOOK 399 acquaintance, the differences, or to analyse them. There are differences. Thirty-two years' Camping in all parts of Great Britain enables me to say, however, that Scotland may be placed first. Since writing a previous article (428), I have again re-visited Scotland, and this 1907 cycle cruise has definitely persuaded me that Ireland must take a second place to the former country. I ought to add that most of my previous camps in Scotland have been by water. Scotland. ^ The Scottish roads are good ; the scenery varied and fine from the most beautiful glen to the wildest of braes and moun- tains. People very courteous and ready to oblige, but evince little or no curiosity or interest in one's camp. This is accounted for by the fact that the country is, if I may use the term, infested by gipsies, who form a mighty army— detached, scattered, and nomadic. The rainfall in Scotland is only some two or three more inches than for England. In almost every town where stores might be required, they are to be had in abundance, of good quahty and at moderate prices. A feature ' of Scotland is that it affords at once camp sites, select, secluded, private, and protected, when needed. The camper has also an equal chance of blossoming forth out of sight of a house or the sound of man's voice, when he lists. The winds appear to be lighter than they are when they first strike the western coast of Ireland, as though the land had a modifying effect. For van and ^ cycle work the gradients are moderate, except in the mountainous districts, where the law of gravitation becomes all too evident. To carry a fly rod in handy, walking-stick form, as I do, means a bit of sport. It may be had almost everywhere by a slight detour, for apparently every stream and river and tributary has its big family of trout. There are restrictions in places, which, however, must be respected. I can recommend Scotland. Ireland. I place Ireland second on the list of the three countries, No anxiety need bother the camper here, so long as he has a supply of milk, if he is dependent upon it, and so long as he can get shelter which, next to provender, is the consideration that must stand first. 400 THE camper's HANDBOOK The best part of Ireland to tour in is the West coast, where most of the roads are less slippery in wet, and the indentations, bays, and inlets are always interesting, and very beautiful. The majestic limestone formations of Clare, the open moorlands of Connemara and the grand mountain vistas of the coast of Donegal, Clew Bay, and the mountain flanking the Kerry fiords have, I am told and feel, no rivals on this globe for the same class of scenery. Permission is readily granted every- where. The quality of the native- food is of the finest, when I speak of fowls, fish, milk, butter, eggs, and the potatoes which are peerless. England. And why should England be !left out ? Everyone knows it. Its chief fault as a Camping country is its over civilisation, a slight suspicion that attaches to anyone Camping, and the difficulty of finding those really homely little farm houses. Yet with its canals and streams and roads there is good Camping, and whilst an occasional rebuff may be met, as a rule the con- cession sought for is granted. Of switchbacks per road there are plenty, but of the long gradients as described in the two former countries we have comparatively little save in the country of North Yorkshire, Westmoreland, Cumberland and part of Durham. Mainly, perhaps, England is placed third because of its lack of wildness and variety. Scotch and Irish Miles. — 503. — Scotch people assured me recently that the Scotch mile is the same as the English. Irish- ' men will tell you also, that there is no difference between the Irish and English mile. I think it well to state here what the differences are. (i) Fourteen English miles make only 11 Irish. (2) For every 6| miles you travel in Scotland (according to the milestones) you put in 8 Enghsh miles. Example : — 28 English miles make 22 Irish. 16 EngUsh make 13^ Scotch. 56 English make 44 Irish. 32 English make 27 Scotch miles, and so forth. Camping Sitc0*-5O4* Unless where otherwise stated, Camping Ground, Supplies, Shed and Apartments are available. PROVINCIAL, County Town Bedford Cheshire Cornwall CumbTd Derby Devon Dorset Durham AspleyGuise Tarporley • Camelford Helston Tintagel Bootle Borrowdale Ebchester Holmrook Ashbourne Buxton Buxton Colyton Dawlish Exeter Monkleigh Weymouth Easington Seaton Carew station. Essex Sandon Glos'ter Campden Stonehouse iNr Stroud i Hants iTitchfield Southampton Ridgmont Buston Castle Otterham Helston Camelford Bootle Keswick Ebchester Ravenglass Alsop'le-dale Hurdlow Hartington Colyton Dawlish NAME Beavington, Mrs. Salt, Mrs. Stephens, Mrs. C. James Mrs. Congdon, Mrs. E. Burrows, Mrs. Wilson, Mrs. Dixon, The Misses Thompson, Mrs.J. Wint, Mrs. Nelson, Mrs. A. Goodwin, Mrs. S. Power,^rs. L. M. Rowe, Mrs. NewtonStCy |Scott, Mrs. Bideford Smith, Mrs. Weymouth Haswell Seaton Castle Chelmsford Campden Stonehouse Dudbridge Fareham Beaulieu Vine, Mrs. E. S. Jackson, Mrs. G. Boddy, Mrs. J. E. Groves, E. F. Wyatt, Mrs. Pickering, Mrs. Fowler, Mrs. A. Howick, Mrs. J. Hendy, J. M. Address High Fields Farm. Rose Mount. Trewinnon Barton. Gwealmoyowr. Downrow. The Nook Farm. High Lodore Farm. Broad Oak. Bell Hill Farm. NewHo. Fm.,Wetton Crongstone Grange. Banktop Fm. Hart'on. Elm Grove. Aller Farm. Lower Marsh House. Saltren House. North Fm. Chickwell. Junction House Fm. Glebe Farm. Southland's Farm. Holly Bush Farm. Plough Farm. Selsley Hill Farm. Old Iron Mills Farm. Badminstow, Fawley. Cooaty Town Station NAME Address Herefd Nr Ledbury Ledbury Beaumont, Mrs. WaUs Hill Farm. Br'pton Brian Bucknalls Watkins, Mrs. Heartsease. Tarrington Stoke Edith Austin, Mrs. Nr Hazel Farm. Kent » 1 Penshurst .Cowden 'Brooker, Mrs. Cold Harbour. Lincoln 1 Keasden ;Clapham Close, Mrs. Dovermanter. MarketRasen MarketRasenlHankins, Mr. Coistor Road. Norfolk Haddiscoe iHaddiscoe iShardalow, Mr. Thorpe Hall. Reedham Reedham .Hewitt, Mrs. T. Wood Farm. [Parva | Wyinondh'm'Hardingham Church, Miss Manor Ho. Brandon • Notts Epperstone Lowdham Wood, G. The Poplars StaplefordJ. Newark li;^^ Oliver, J. E. Lodge Farm OUerton Boughton Mahey, Mrs. F. Haughton. Worksop < Worksop or Shireoaks Mesley, Mrs. Lady Lee Farm. North'l'd Ellington Widdrington Whittle, Mrs. J.W. Linton Mill. Oxon Watlington Watlington Hoar, Miss L. M. Court Meadow. Yarnton Yarnton Jnc Walton, Mrs. M. Minnis Farm. Salop Bridgnorth [Bridgnorth Beble, Mrs. Walsbatch. Ch Stretton Ch Stretton Rogers, Mrs. Botoyle House. Nr Ludlow i Ludlow Brown, Mrs. B. Overton Farm. Mkt Dra)^on Newport Rose, Mrs. M. E. ' Tatterhall Fm. Hins'k. Much Wenl'k Presthorpe Gittens, Mrs. Great Oxenbold. Somerset Ashill Ilminster Hilliar, Mrs. E. Axhill House. Batheaston Bathampton Maidment, Mr. Old House Farm. • Glastonbury KcmtonM'vle Bush, Mrs. M. Old Homestead. Dodington Bridgwater Browning, Mrs. Castle of Comfort. Dulverton Eastanstey Kelland, J. Churcht'n,W.Anstey. Milverton Milverton Dinham, Mrs. Quaking House Farm. SheptonM'let SheptonM'let Tucker, Mrs. C. Ham Western Farm. Uphill W'on-S-Mare Smith, E. Stouridge Farm. Frome Fronie Penny, A. M. Irndoghill Pytle Fm. Clevedon Clevedon Tinklin, Mrs. W. Salisbury Farm. Taunton Taunton Hawkins, M. E. Haydon Farm. Suffolk Thwaite Eye Rose, Mrs. Willow Hall. County Town station NAME Address Stafford Nor bury Norbury Mellor, Miss K. High Grounds. WolseleyB'ge Colwich Lewis, J. H. Moreton Grange. Wesfnd Brough Musgrave Bainbridge, Mrs. Brough Castle. Longwathby Culgaith ' Gow, Mrs. Skirwith. Oxenthwait Barras Beckwith, Mrs. Ivy View. Tebay RSO Tebay Metcalfe, Mrs. Byebeck. Tebay RSO Tebay Thwaites, Mrs. Bretherdale. Warcop SO Warcop Atkinson, Mrs. G. The Birks. Wilts Swindon Swindon Cox, Mrs. Elcombe Ho. Wr'ton. Stanton Stanton Belcher, Mrs. L. Holmfirth Ho. Blans'n Wors'ter Hint on. Hinton White, Mrs. W. Furze Hill Farm. Broadway Broadway Franklin, Mrs. S. Wychwood House. Welland Malvern W'lls Harber, Mrs. F. Welland Farm. [Fm. Welland Malvern W'lls Collins, Mrs. F. Three Cedars Searpool Pershore Fladbury Meakins, Mrs. Patty's Fm., Crop- thorne. Yorks Addingham Addinghani Lister, Mrs. B. Turner Lane Farm. Brough MktWeiget'n Turner, Mr. Sancton Lodge. Driffield Driffield Foster, Mrs. T. Skerne Leys Farm. Fo'ntain Ab'y Ripon Barker, Mrs. Oldfield Farm. Flaniboro' Flamboro' Stonehouse,W. North Cliff Farm. Lebbcrston Gristhorpe Atkinson, Mrs. P. Cliff Farm. Hohl'dswai'e Pemstone Todd, C. Hill Top House. Loftus Grinkil Hogarth, T. Scaling. Leyburn SO Redmire Dinsdale, W. Low Bolton Redmire. Middleton-in -Teesdale Dent, T. W. Stanhope Gate Farm. Middleham Leyburn Stott, W. Cover Bridge. Pateley Bdge Pateley Bdge Hallah, Mrs. E. New Causeway Farm. Snainton SO Snainton Beswick, R. Grosvenor House. Whitby Sleights Ventress, Mrs. Intake Ho., Littlebeck. Westerdale Castleton Mercer, Mrs. P. Hall Farm. SOUTH 'WALE^. Count}' Pemb'ke Monm'th Town St. Davids Haverf'dwest Chepstow Monmouth station Fishguard Johnston Chepstow May Hill NAME Morgan, Mrs. John, J. H. Williams, Mrs. A. Williams, Mr. G. Address The Windmill Farm. Johnston Hall. GairlHwyddShirement Southvilla, Dixton-rd. NORTH V7ALES. County Town station NAME Address Anglesey Anglesey Rhosguch Jones, Robert Nanner, Camaes.^ Car'von Aber Aber Jones, Mrs. R. E. Pen-y-Bryn. Denbigh Chirk Penmaen-M* Chirk Glan Conway Hughes, Mrs C. Williams, Mrs. Pontfaen Farm. The Farm Ty-Mawe. Merion'h Dyffryn Corwen Dyffryn Corwen Williams, Mrs. Evans, Mrs. S. Llany war ad wyan . Groes Lryd.
No Apartments.
i Payment for Camping Sites. — 505. — Experience and fairness in regard to this question seem to point in the direction of some kind of payment for the sites we use. True, in not a few cases I have been asked what I would be prepared to give for permission to put up a small tent on the lake shore or in a field or the corner of the wood near the cottage, but I never yet came across the man who would state when he put the question, what his price was, but would ask what we would give. It is useful, therefore, to have some kind of a tariff that has been and may be adopted. Thus, the scale in the National Camping Club is : — i/- per tent for i night, 1/6 for 2 nights, 3/- for i week. FINIS. The Author wishes to express his indebtedness for the use of various illustrations in this work^ which he. begs herewith to acknowledge with his sincere thanks, The Whole Art of Caravanning" (Bertram Smith— WITH Longmans, Green & Co.), "Knotting and Splicing" — (Paul N. Hasluck— Cassell & Co.), "The Forest" B (Stewart Edward White), "Forest and Stream" E (U.S.A.), "American iCanoeist," " C.T.C. Gazette," S "Yacht and Boat Sailing" (Dixon Kemp), T "Salt Lake Herald," "The Ladies' Cutter," — "Outing," "Motor Cycle," "Cycle, and Camp," T " Watery Wanderings," " La Vie au Grand Air," H .Bristol Wagon and Carriage W^orks Co., A Ltd., London Aluminium Co., Ltd., N Escoffier, Ltd., North British Rubber K Co., Ltd., De Vere & Co., S The Lady Arthur Grosvenor, J. J. Boutwood, J.P., E. Horsfield, E. T. Holding, R. C. Mills R. J. Mecredy, D. McC. Yuile, G. J. Gill, H. Ricketts, Matthew Arnold, G. E. Webster, "The London Tailor," Moeller & Condrup, E. Manders, J. Ward, etc. 3nt)ey. Article i Article Camping. Economy of Camping 13 As a Change... '... 17 Expenses of Camping 32 As a Sport ... H Beginners, Late 18 Company in Camp 1. Beginning, Cheap 168 Brother and Sister 175 Careless 9 Camping Chums 19 Cold Weather 177 „ Touring Parties 176 Cycle Camping, Essentials 417 Choosing Companions 24 Cycle, The joy of 413 Company 10 „ The power of ... 412 Husband and Wife ... 174 Detail 28 Ladies in pairs Ennui 26 Mixed Fixed Camps ... l88 Equipment, Selecting an 415 Sexes, The ... 16 Experience ... 12 Failure, Causes of 21 The Camp. How to make the best Canoe Camp... 437 of a day... 171 Cattle and Tents 224 In Woods ... 212 Damp 34 Kit, Pedestrian 481 Dew on Tents 234 „ Weights of 416 Down-Pegging 220 Lesspn, Giving a 169 Draughts 179 Light- Weight 482 Drops inside Tent 233 Motor Car ... 484 Drying a Tent 238 Opinion, Another 469 Early Morning Starts... 181 Pedestrian, Modern ... 470 Flattening Tent in Gale 376 „ Treble ... 472 Hygienics 15 Pedestrianism, Advant- • Ill-provided Camps ... 172 ages of ... 478 Litter left Behind 29 Perambulator 477 „ „ Outside 30 Permanent ... 485 Loafing 31 Practice and Persever- Localities 215 cince ... ... 27 Lone Camps... 249 What gives the most Molestation ... 221 pleasure... 170 Night Surprises 222 Object, A Definite II Costs. Packing, Quick 182 Caravan 452 Pegging Outwards 383 Caravanning... 449 Privacy 210 •• ••• ••• 468 Public, The ... 20 Safety Scares Selecting a Tent Self-contained Camps Shelter „ Artificial Simplicity Snow on Tents Spraying in Tent Tent to Tent, End on Tips Trench round Tent Unprotected Tents Ventilation . . . Warming a Tent Wet Day in Camp Packing Tent up Tent in... „ Walls of Tent Wind and what it does with Tents „ Change of W^ind's Ways Camp Sites. Ground, 'J'he List of Payment for Permission ... Putting-up ... Searching for Selecting >i >} Article 223 207 173 213 214 25 235 232 241 23 230 225 216 236 33 239 237 231 218 219 217 211 504 505 466 447 208 209 Types of Campers. Energetic, The Fine Weather, The ... Ideal, The „ Failure, The Novice, The Obstinate Self-Reliant, The Tentless Variable, The ..: Tents. 5 3 7 4 I 6 22 2 " Brigand " "Cabin"*... "Canadian" Caravan ... Deck ,, Square Divided ... Edgington's Family For all Purposes "Gipsy" .:. „ Giant In Profile ... New, A Pedestrian Seaside Special, and their uses "Tee-Pee" Van Cutting Making, etc Cutting „ Ends Door Wings End Extensions Home-Made Making „ Amateur .. Tents, Sizes of Tears in To Plan Types : — "A" Boating 369 434 Fabrics : — Atmospheric Effects on Calico, Sheeting „ B^rown Canvases, Proofed .. Duck, Cotton „ Heavy Cotton Gabardine... Lawn Linen and Holland .. Sheeting, Unbleached Wigan Silk "Thintus" Wind Friction on , Article 362 357 358 454 435 436 226 493 364 498 359 360 356 500 366 365 355 361 363 370 371 379 378 374 372 373 367 375 368 353 347 348 352 349 350 497 345 346 351 343 344 354 Pitching : — Dark, Pitching in .. Divided Labour Single- Handed Voluntary Help Wet, Pitching in .. Accessories. Bath, Portable Buckets „ Canvas Candelabra ... Candle Holder, Clip Article 228 180 382 229 227 455 461 397 396 501 Curtain and Ground Sheet 240 Fly Sheet ... ... 387 Flat ... 388 Ground Sheets ... 384 „ „ and Tent 454 Hardware Specialities 494 Head Shield for Tent... 492 Pegs Aluminium ... 321 Drawing ... ... 319 How to Use ... 317 How to String ... 323 In Soft Ground ... 318 Iron ... ... 320 „ Dimensions of... 322 Make-Shift ... 324 Pegs ... ... 316 Poles Dimensions of ... 392 Materials for ... 391 Poles ... ... 39Cf Pedestrian ... 393 Splicing ... ... 394 Ridge Lines... ... 389 Screen, Canvas ... 463 Side-Parrells... ... 385 Slides Dimensions of ... 327 Points in ... ... 328 Shape of ... ... 325 Types of ... ... 326 Tables, Folding ... 456 Article Beds, Bedding, etc. Bags, Sleeping ... 206 Beds ... ... i8<> Bracken ... ... 202 Hay ... ... 201 Heather ... ... 204 Leaf ... ... 203 Reeded, full length ... 193 Straw ... ... 190 Blanket, Ground ... 195 » » •• 432 Blankets, Horse ... 196 ,, Austrian ... 197 Cushions, Rubber Hip 192 Hammock, Tent ... 194 „ The Tocah 496 Head, Covering the ... 200 Hip Hole ... ... 191 Late Nights ... ... 188 Opiates ... ... 185 Pillows ... ... 205 Quilts, Down ... 198 Sleep, Hours of ... 183 Sleeping ... .. 184 >) ••• ... 4^5 „ Accommodation 445 Snoring ... ... 186 Valance, The ... 199 Waking to Time ... 187 Carrying Equipment. Bags Abaft Saddle ... 420 Angle Frame ... 425 "Any-Size" Kit ... 424 Cruising Kit ... 439 Forward Handle ... 422 Handle ... ... 421 Rooksac ... ... 474 Sac, Canadian ... 475 Saddle ... ... 419 Sling ... 426 Swatch, Shoulder ... 476 Carriage, Canoe Carrier, Head Impedimenta, Caravan 438 423 457 Kit, Caravan... Methods of ... Pack, The ... Poles Article 446 418 480 395 » ti Drag "Shoe" Horses Touring and Distances. Camping Countries ... 502 Canoe, "Severn," Cruising 440 „ Yawl ... ... 441 Distance per Day, Cycle 427 Caravan 467 Pedestrian 473 453 448 464 414 491 503 451 47Q 428 442 444 Machine, The Playing at Tramps Scotch and Irish Miles Tour, An Enjoyable „ Walking „ Where to Van, The Lightest Vans Clothes. Men's : — Bare Feet ... 261 „ Head ... 263 Boots ... ... 490 Clothes, Colour of ... 268 „ Pedestrian 471 „ Spare ... 269 Coat ... ... 254 Footwear ... ... 259 Headgear ... ... 262 Kit, Personal ... 489 Nether Garments .. 257 Slippers ... ... 260 Stockings -.. ... 258 Underwear ... 256 Waistcoat... ... 255 Waterproofs, Boat Camping ... 264 Waterproofs, Cycle... 266 „ Van ... 265 „ Care of 267 Article Ladies' : — Coat ... ... 270 Corsets ... ... 271 Dress ... ... 431 Footwear ... ... 277 Headgear ... ... 276 Hose, Wool 275 Knickerbockers ... 273 Skirt ... . ... 272 Under Garments ... 274 Waterproof Coat ... 278 Skirt ... 279 Selecting 280 Toilet. Bag... ... ... 304 Basin, Wash-hand ... 307 Bathing ... ... 314 ,, Costume ... 315 Brush, Hair ... ... 312 Comb ... ... 313 Glasses, Looking ... 311 Razor ... ... 308 „ Strop ... ... 309 Requisites ... ... 430 Sets ... ... 303 Soap Box ... ... 306 „ Paper ... ... 305 Shaving, Hot Water for 310 • Fires, Stoves, etc. Cranes, Caravan Cooking 443 Fires Camp, Real ... 242 Number of Pans on 245 Stick ... ... 243 „ How to Make... 244 Trench ... ... 459 Wet Sticks... ... 246 Ovens Earth Hole ... 247 "Hestia" ... ... 405 Stoves French ... ... 401 "Mersey ... ... 399 Article Article Pad or Vapour • •• 400 Cookerv • . . 433 Petrol
• •
406 Cooking • . * 450 "Primus" ... • • • 402 >> ... . . . 458 „ A little trouble „ Arrangements 483 with • • • 495 „ Quick . . . 253 Range, Duplex 404 „ in Wet Weathe T 252 Ring 407 Dried Apricots, Pipp ins 133 Russian 398 Duck in Embers 250 Shield 410 „ Roasted 63 „ Tin 411 Kgg Omelette 53 Used inside Tent 251 Eggs, Boiled... . ■ . . . 50 t „ Cooking 49 Culinary Utensils. „ Fried ... 51 "Clouts" 297 „ Poached • 52 Cups, Drinking 284 Eels, Stewed... 47 » Egg ... • • • 288 Fish, Boiling 48 „ Horn Tea 286 Fruit Stews, Wild lOI Horns, Drinking ... 285 „ Stewed • k. » 102 Knife, Bread 282 Fowl, Boiled 77 Knives and Forks 28J Gruel 86 Plates 283 Haddock, Boiled 41 Saucers 287 „ Fried' ' 42 . Sets, "So-Soon" 403 Herrings, Fried 38 „ Stock ... 409 Pickled 40 . Spoon, Porridge ^• Red 39 Tea Cosy, Paper ... 89! Jelly 93 „ Strainers ... .296 Kidneys, Fri«d 59
Toaster, "Primus"
408 Liver and Bacon 60 • Mushrooms, Fried 62 Cooking. 1 „ Horse 76 Apples, Baked • • . 96 „ Stewed 75 •i . „ 'v'DtimpKftg ... 94, Mutton Chop 55 1) M Baked 95 Onion Gravy 61 Bacon, Fried • • • 54 „ Spanish ' Parsley Butter ^. . • 80 Bloater, „ » ^ • • • 37 79 Blackberries • • ♦ 103 Pancakes 91 Blanc Man^e • • • 92 Pigeon, Stewed 74 Bread, Bakmg • • • 70 Porridge, Eating 85 „ i» in earth hole 248 „ Making 83 „ Making • • • 69 Potato Cakes 68 „ and Milk • • • 87 Potatoes, Fried 67 „ and Butter Pudding loo „ Roasted 66 Carrots, etc., with Steak 58 ,, with Cnop 56 Chicken Broth • • • 78 Rice, Ground 98 „ Fried • • • 64 „ Pudding 97 Grilled • • • 65 Rabbit, Stewed 73 Coffee • • • 90 Salmon, Boiled 45 Salmon, Fried Soups „ Stock ... Steak „ Stewed Stew, Irish ... Tapioca Pudding X \^ A • • • • • • Trout, Boiled Fried... f> Dietary, Food, Ampleness of ... Foods, Nutritious Fruit, Skins of Lunch ... Cooked Cycle-Camping Meals, eating before ... „ in Company ... Meal Hours, Regularity v/1 • • • • • • Vegetarian ... Article 46 81 82 57 72 71 99 88 44 43 114 104 fo6 109 no III 112 115 117 113 108 Foods and Beverages. Beverages Bread „ ' Brown Butter Cheese Coffee in Tins Cream Eggs „ Fresh ... „ New Laid Fruits, Dried Milk Salad, Lobster „ Simple Camp Stores, Stand by 130 118 120 122 121 131 124 125 127 126 132 123 128 129 429 Tinned Foods, Fruits, &c. Apricots ... ... 152 Beef, Braized ... 147 Bloater Paste ... 138 Crabs ... .. 134 Fruits and Vegetables Greengages ... Lobster Meats „ Potted... „ „ in earthen- ware jars Milk Peaches X \^Al 3 • • • • « • X^ Cdtd • • • • • • Pie, Camp ... Plums Sausages, Irish Salmon Sardines - Scollops, Minced Steak „ Minced... Soups Tomatoes „ Soup Tongues Sheep • • • )) Preserves, etc {ams ioney „ Ealing Heather )) „ m squares Run ... >» >» Sweatmeats Article 150 15* 136 142 14S 149 160 153 IS5 157 140 154 139 135 137 156 144 143 141 158 159 145 146 162 163 167 164 166 165 161 ft Carrying Foods, etc. Baskets, Camp ... 298 Hamper ... 301 Japanese ... 299 Wicfker ... 300 Bread Bag ... ... 119 Jam Tins, etc. ... 291 Milk Tin, " Campo " ... 293 „ Cruising ... 294 Oatmeal Bag... ... 292 Pepper Boxes ... 289 Salt „ ... 290 Spirit and Oil Tins ... 295 straps. Leather 302 Linis, Surgical Lumbago 329 341 Ailments and Remedies. Plasters 331 Bandages 330 Poisoning, Ptomaine . ■ 338 Bruises ■ 336 35 Colds
$
Skin, Gold Beater 332 Sunburn 342 „ Feverish 340 „ The Scienc of! . l6 Cuts
5S
Hiscellaneous. Diarrhoea, etc. Knots in Camping
W.
Finger-stalls Gatherings ... 333 Lashing 33S Lighting ... . 462 Headache ... 339 Looping, Method of . 38. Hunger- Faintness 105 Photography 499 Indigestion ... 107 Pioneer Implements . . 460 337 Stays, Running . 380 Price : ' lit QaUitT 21/ itnd QornUt^ AS HAMMOCK 15/=* Xhe XOCAM. What makes this invention specially attractive and useful, is its very siniple and ingenious method of adjustment. To alter the height of one end or vary the inclination from the head to the foot, one simply ' rotates one or other of the supporting props lo the required position, and the whole becomes immediately locked in place automatically hy the mere replacing of the load upon the seat. Stretcher, and Deck Chair. Full particulars free on application to THE TOCAH CO., Ltd., A^oosoi} Cb&rqbers. — ,, LinCOL/l. Price : 21/- 2nd ftulit ISA AS BED "PHUVIUS" COOKING STOVES. 10/4 "PICNIC PRIMUS." No. 230. ■ Roarer Burner No. 934. Silent Burner ... lo/S TioBox"A,"6iby 6| by 34 in- jll I extra. Weight, complete with Box, 3 lbs. The"PicnicandCamp- ing Primus" both take to pieces and pack up into amall (in case, 'and can be carried ready filled with par- aflin. These are sufficiently powerful to boil two pints of water in four minutes. Thou- sands of users acknowledge the fact that the complete case, as illustrated, is indis- pensable to Motorists, Cyclists, Camping Parties, etc., etc. "CAMPINQ PRIMUS." No. 215. Roarer Burner . No 3i6. Silent Burner ... 15/. Tin Sox "C," 8^ by 8 by 4i in', 4/5 extra. iveighi, complete with Box, 4i lbs. i3/r "PRIMUS" TOASTER. Specially adapted for use with the "Primus" Stove and Gas Rings. Price 1/3 each. Complete list of'Primds" Stoves sbn Post Fr£B. RD. nELHUISH, Limited, HARDWARE MERCHANTS, 50, SI, 84, 88, & 87, FETTER LANE, E.C. and 143, HOLBORN, E.C. Detailed List free on Application. Canjpins Revolutionized ! Its Origin, and Se«UEL. 1/- [postage ao.] 5/- [P08TAQE 40.] Mr. T. H. Holding (expert camper, canoeist, yachtsman, and cyclist) has designed over loo original specialities in light, refined Camping appliances, suitable for Alpine and Rock climbing. Van and Cycle, Canoe and Boat, and Pedestrian Camping. These are at once the lightest r QUALITY appliances in the world. Tents from ii-ozs. to ii-lbs. Prices from 19/- to £8 (silk). THE WESTMINSTER Photographic Exchange, Ltd. CAMERAS, LENSES AMD ACCESSORIES by all the Leading Manufacturers. folding pocl^el KodaJis, Cameos, aid Sandersons, a speciality. "THE OAMEO." A compact folding camera taking ptaies in single metal dark slides [o;:ussing by rack and pinion, either on ttie screen or by scale, rising and cross front, Automatic shutter giving all speeds from i second to ]/iooth second. Weight in J-plate size, I^-lbs. Dimensions (no. 5) -.Si by4ibyii. Made in ^-plate, 5 by 4, post card, and J-plale sizes. Prices from £3. " THE SINSEBSON." A folding camera equal to every class vilh ex- lending front. Maximum rise and swinging front. Made of mahogany throughout, covered in best leather, su- perbly finished. An ideal camera for ar- chitectural and tele- pholographic work. Made in t-plaie, 5 by 4, post card, and J-plate sizes. PRiCEsfrom£5iO.- Second-baod Apparatus Bought, Sold, or Exchanged. Che CEIcstminstcr photographic Gxchangc, Ctd. The Westminster Photographic Exchange, Ltd., o NOT occupy the premises at 211, Oxford Street, s stated, in error, on page 397. ^haaM you require PRINTING 0/ aiiy de5Criplio[\ Casle/uUy Pone, al TleasonabU Charges, Consult— DE VERE & CO., Comnietc(a[ & Srtlatlc |>rintei3, 1-3 Church Passage, New Compton Street, London, w.c.

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The Camper's Handbook

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