Campercraft or the Summer Camp
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288)X* Campercraft or The Summer Camp Camping Out EVERY boy looks forward to camping out. Then it is that he gets the best chance to practise the things that are peculiar to scouting; and camping out is the only complete outdoor life. When a boy, I was of course eager for a chance to camp out, but I had a very wrong idea about it. I believed that one must undergo all sorts of hardships, in order to be really "doing it"; such as, sleep on the ground with one blanket, go without proper food, etc. I know some boys that were injured for Hfe by such practices. It is well, then, to keep in mind that camping out oflFers a number of priceless benefits, and is also beset by one or two dangers. Let us aim to get all the good and avoid all the ill. The good things are: The pure air, especially at night; the bracing and lung-healing power of the woods; the sun bath; the tonic exercise; and the nerve rest. The bad things are: The danger of rheumatism from sleeping on the ground, or in damp clothes; the exhaustion from bad nights, through insufficient bed-clothes or an uncomfortable bed; and the dangers arising from irregular meals and badly cooked food. I have seen boys go back from an ill-run camp, tired out and but little benefitted; whereas, if properly guided, every289)Camper craft or The Summer Camp 257 camp-out should mean a new spell of life — a fresh start in vigor for every one concerned. Many mothers ask with fear, Won't my boy catch cold, if he camps out?" This is the last and least of dan- gers. Almost never does one catch cold in camp. I have found it much more likely that boys suffer through irregular hours of eating and sleeping; but these are troubles that the camp discipline is designed to meet. The great evil that campers should beware of, is of course rheumatism. But none need suffer if they will take the simple precaution of changing their wet clothes when not in action, and never sleeping directly on the ground. A warm, dry place for the bed should be prepared in every tent and teepee. As a rule, it is better to go on a trip with a definite object. If you go with a general vague determination to get healthy, you are likely to think too much about it. It is better to live correctly, and safely assume that you will be healthier for the trip. To illustrate: One of my trips was made to determine the existence of Wood Buffalo on the Great Slave River; another to prove that the Canadian Fauna reached the Lake of the Woods. Some of my friends have made trips to win the badge of expert canoe-man ; others for the camper badge, and so forth, and I think it best to go a long way from home. Get as complete a change as possible. OUITIT FOR A PARTY OF SIX (CAMPING ONE WEEK IN FIXED camp) I 1 2-foot teepee (if for cold weather), accommodating five or six men not forgetting a storm-cap. Or, in summer, a 10 x 12 wall tent.
X 10 awning for kitchen and dining-room, in hot or
wet weather.290)258 The Book of Woodcraft
yards mosquito-bar and some dope for stinging-insects.
3 or 4 one-gallon bags of cotton for supplies. A few medicines and pill-kit or "first aid," including cold cream for sunburn.
strong clothes line; bail of cord; ball twine; of ball of
strong linen pack-thread. Axe. A sharp hatchet. Claw-hammer. Whetstone. Small crosscut saw. Spade. File. Packing needles and sewing-kit for repairing clothes. Nails: One lb. of i|, two lbs. of 2^, two lbs. of 3I, and one lb. of 5 -inch. Pocket tool outfit (A, K, and B is good) Soap. Mirror. Toilet-paper. Waterproof match-box. Book of Woodcraft A locker. Cooking outfit: Either a ready-made, self -nesting *'Buzza- cot," or
cover-kettles, lo-qt., 4-qt., and 2-qt. (riveted, not
soldered).
fr>dng-pans, with handles and covers.
2 big spoons. Coffee strainer. I Dutch oven.
wire grill. bake-pans.
I butcher knife.291)Campercraft or the Summer Camp 259 Salt and pepper casters. Tin boxes to hold stock of same.
folding buckets. folding wash-basins.
Dishpan. Tea-pot (riveted). Coffee-pot (riveted). Dishcloths and towels. Soap. Folding lantern and supply of candles.
flat steel rods to cook on.
And for each man, plate, cup, saucer, and porringer (preferably enameled) ; also knife, fork, and spoon. And such other things as are dictated by previous experi- ence, or for use in the games to be played. Besides which each member has his ordinary clothes, with a change, and toilet-bag, also: A rubber blanket.
wool blankets.
I cotton or burlap bed-tick, 2§ x 6f ft. Swimming- trunks . A pair of brown sneaks. A war-sack of waterproof. Khaki suit. Fishing tackle and guns, according to choice. Pocket knife. Food to last six fellows one week: Oatmeal 6 lbs. Rice 2 lbs. Crackers 10 lbs. Cocoa 3 lb.292)26o The Book of Woodcraft Tea I lb. Coffee 3 lbs. Lard 5 lbs. Sugar 6 lbs. Condensed milk 12 tins Butter 7 lbs. Eggs 3 dozen Bacon 15 lbs. Preserves 5 lbs. Prunes 3 lbs. Maple syrup 3 quarts Cheese i lb. Raisins 3 lbs. Potatoes ^ bushel White beans 3 quarts Canned corn 3 tins Flour 25 lbs. Baking-powder i lb. Concentrated soups ... ^ lb. Salt 2 lbs. Pepper i ounce Fresh fish and game are pleasant variations, but seem to make little difference in the grocery bill. OUTFIT FOR EACH BRAVE I good 5-foot lancewood bow, complete with string.
standard arrows, 25 in. long, 3 feathers, steel points.
I quiver of waterproof canvas or leather. I arm-guard. I head-band. I pair moccasins or "sneaks."
waterproof blanket. Indian blankets of gray wool.293)Campercraft or the Summer Camp 261
TENTS There are many styles of small tents on the market; al- most any of them answer very well. For those who wish to equip themselves with the latest and best, a 10 x 12-foot wall tent of lo-ounce double-filled army duck, stained or dyed yellow, brown, or dull green, is best. It will accommodate a party of five or six. For tramping trips, light tents of waterproof silk are made. One large enough for a man weighs only two or three pounds. Any of the established makers can supply what is needed if they know the size of the party and nature of the outing. TEEPEES The Indian teepee has the great advantage of ventilation and an open fire inside. It has the disadvantage of needing a lot of poles and of admitting some rain by the smoke-hoh. (It is fully described on page 444.) A new style of teepee, invented by myself some years ago, has been quite successful, since it combines the advan- tage of teepee and tent and needs only four poles besides the smoke-poles. It is, however, less picturesque than the old style. This gives the great advantage of an open fire inside, and good ventilation, while it is quite rainproof.294)It can be put up with four long poles outside the canvas, the holes crossing at the top as in the Indian teepee. Of course the point of the cover is attached before the poles are raised.
It may be got from D. T. Abercrombie & Co., 311 Broadway, New York.
THE CAMP GROUND
In selecting a good camp ground, the first thing is a dry, level place near good wood and good water. If you have horses or oxen, you must also have grass.
Almost all Indian camps face the east, and, when ideal, have some storm-break or shelter on the west and north. Then they get the morning sun and the afternoon shade in summer, and in winter avoid the coldest winds and drifting snows, which in most of the country east of the Rockies come from the north and west.
Sometimes local conditions make a different exposure desirable, but not often. For obvious reasons, it is well to be near one's boat-landing.
After pitching the tent or teepee, dig a trench around, with a drain on the low side to prevent flooding.
LATRINE
Each small camp or group of tents in a large camp, must have a latrine, that is a sanitary ditch or hole. For a small camp or short use, this is a narrow trench a foot wide, surrounded by a screen of bushes or canvas. It is made narrow enough to straddle. Each time after use, a shovelful of dry earth is thrown in.
But a large camp needs the regulation army latrine. This is a row of seats with lids over a long trench which has a layer of quicklime in the bottom. The wooden structure295)Campercraft or the Summer Camp 263 is banked up so no flies can get in. The lids are down tight when the seat is not in use. A shovelful of quicklime is then thrown in after each occasion. A running trough 's arranged along side so it is tributary to the main trench; this also is kept coated with quicklime. The place should be thoroughly screened, but is as well without a roof except over the seats. All camps should be left as clear of filth, scraps, papers, tins, bottles, etc., as though a human being had never been there. ARRIVING ON THE CAMP GROUND As soon as all are on the ground, with their baggage, let the Leader allot the places of each band or clan. Try to have each and every dwelling-tent about 25 feet from the next, in a place dry and easy to drain in case of rain and so placed as to have sun in the morning and shade in the after- noon. Each group is responsible for order up to the halfway line between them and the next group. Loose straw, tins, papers, bottles, glass, filth, etc., out of place are criminal disorder. Pitch at a reasonable distance from the latrine, as well as from the water supply. As much as possible, have each band or clan by itself. As soon as convenient, appoint fellows to dig and pre- pare a latrine or toilet, with screen. All will be busied settling down, so that usually there is no methodic work the first day. But the second day it should begin. CAMP OFFICERS AND GOVERNMENT After the routine of rising, bathing, breakfast, etc., there should be called at eight o'clock a High Council. That is, a296)264 The Book of Woodcraft Council of all the Leaders, Old Guides or Medicine Men, and Head Chief; that is, the Chief of the whole camp, appointed for that day. He is the Chief in charge, or Head Man of the village. It is his duty to appoint all other officers for the day, and to inspect the camp. In some camps this High Council meets at night when the younger members are asleep. The other officers are: Assistant Chief in Charge, who goes about with the Chief and succeeds him. next day. Keeper of the Milk and the Ice-box, when there is ice for the milk. Keeper of the Letters, He takes all letters to the post and brings back all mail. Keeper of the Canoes. No boats may be taken without his sanction, and he is responsible for the same. Keeper of the Garbage. He must gather up and destroy all garbage each day at a given hour; preferably late afternoon. Keeper of the Latrine. He must inspect hourly, and see that all keep the rules. Keeper of the Campfire. He must have the wood cut and laid for the Council-fire at night, with an extra supply for all the evening, and must keep the Council-fire bright, not big; but never dull. Also, the High Council should appoint a Tally Keeper for the whole camp ; he is to serve throughout the whole period of the encampments, keeping the records for every day. Sometim.es the work is divided, but one fellow can do it better, if he is willing. A band or clan prize for the whole term is always offered. The competition for this is judged by points, and for each of the above services to the camp, the band, to which the scout belongs, gets up to 25 points per day, according to his efficiencv.297)Campercraft or the Summer Camp 265 No fellow should leave camp without permission. If he does so, he may cause his Band to lose points. THE DOG SOLDIERS In every large camp it is found well to follow the Indian custom in forming a Lodge of Dog Soldiers. These are a band of eight or ten of the strongest and sturdiest fellows. They act as police when needed, but wear no badge. They must at once run to any place where the signal (a loud bay- ing) is heard, and act promptly and vigorously. When the Chief has selected the huskies he wishes to have in the Dog Lodge, he invites all to meet secretly in some quiet teepee at night, explains the purpose and adds "I have called on you who are here. If any do not wish to serve, now is the time to retire." The sacred fire is lighted in the middle, all stand in a ring about it, each with his right hand on a war club above the fire, his left holding a handful of ashes. Then all repeat this vow: "As a Dog Soldier I pledge the might of my manhood to the cause of law and justice in this Camp for the term of the Camp or until released by the Chief, and if at any time I fail in my duty through fear entering into my heart, may I be dropped, scorned and forgotten like these ashes. " Then he scatters the ashes. It is customary for each Tribe to adopt further a secret sign and password, which is taught to the Dog Soldiers as a finish. INSPECTION Every day there is an inspection. It is best in the middle of the morning. The Chief and his second go from298)266 The Book of Woodcraft tent to tent. Each Clan is allowed 50 points for normal, then docked i to 10 points for each scrap of paper, tin, or rubbish left lying about; also for each disorderly feature or neglect of the rules of common sense, decency or hygiene, on their territory; that is, up to halfway between them and the next group. They may get additional points for extra work or inventions, or unusual services for the pubhc good; but it is always as a Clan that they receive the points, though it was the individual that worked for them. After the inspection, the Chief announces the winning Band or Clan saying: The Horns of the High Hikers were won to-day by Band." And the horns are accordingly hung on their standard, pole or other place, for the day. At the end of the camp, provided ten were present for at least a fortnight, Clan or Band that won them oftenest carries them home for their own; and ever after- ward are allowed to put in one corner of their banner a small pair of black horns. The Wolf Band banner p. 77 shows that they have twice captured the horns. THE HORNS OF THE HIGH HIKERS What are they? Usually a pair of polished buffalo horns with a fringed buckskin hanger, on which is an inscription saying that they were won by Band at such a camp. When buffalo horns cannot be got, common cow horns or even horns of wood are used. COUNCIL-FIRE CIRCLE In every large permanent camp I establish a proper Council-fire Circle or Council Camp. The uses and299)Campercraft or the Summer Camp 267 benefits of these will be seen more and more, as camp goes on. For the Council-fire Circle, select a sheltered, level place that admits of a perfectly level circle 40 feet across; 30 feet has been used, but more room gives better results. On the outer rim of this, have a permanently fixed circle of very low seats; 6 inches is high enough, but they should have a back, and for this, the easiest style to make is that marked K. L. on page 457. Each Band or Clan should make its own seat, and always go there in Grand Council. On the back of the seat should be two loops of wire or string in which to put their standard. Back of the first row should be a slightly higher row. If the ground slopes up, all the better, but in any case there should he fixed seats enough for all the camp. The place should be carefully leveled and pre- pared, and kept always in order, for it will be used several times each day, either for councils or for games, dances and performances. At one side of the ring in a conspicuous place should be the throne of the Chief (p. 457); close by this a desk and seat for the Tally Keeper and on the desk should be a lan- tern holder; in the exact middle of the ring is the Council- fire, never a bonfire. TOTEM-POLE Directly opposite the Chief's throne, on the outer edge of the camp, should be the Totem-pole. This I always set up as soon as possible in all permanent camps. Its purpose is, ist, to typify the movement; 2nd, to display the Totems of all the Tribes, or Bands that camp here; 3rd, to serve as a place of notice. Any document posted oi> the Totem-pole is considered published.300)268 The Book of Woodcraft c- a Totem-pole of the Sinawa Tribe (15 feet high) b of Flying Eagles c and d from Niblack's West Coasts Indians. Eagles and Bears COUNCILS Three kinds of Councils are held in the Council Place : . The High Council of the Chiefs and the Old Guides every morning at 8 o'clock, and at other times when called. . The General or Common Council of all the fellows every night from seven to nine o'clock. At this we have some business (in the awarding of honors), some campfire stunts or challenges, and a little entertainment. . Grand Council. This is usually held once a week. Every one comes in full Scout or Indian dress. Visitors are invited. Business except when very interesting is dispensed with, and a program of sports and amusements, chiefly for the visitors, is carefully prepared. This is
- Strangers' Night" and they should be entertained, not
bored.301)Campercraft or the Summer Camp 269 BEDS Of all things, the camper's bed is the thing most often made wrong, and most easily made right, when one knows how; and of all things comfort at night is most essential. Every dealer in camp outfits can produce an array of different camp beds, cots, and sleeping bags, that shows how important it is to be dry and warm when you sleep. The simplest plan is the oldest one — two pair of blankets and waterproof undersheet on a neatly laid bed of evergreen boughs, dry leaves, or dry grass. The ideal way of laying the boughs is shown in the figure below. When I canH get grub of the Broadway sort, I'll fatten on camper's fare, I'll tramp all day and at night resort To a bed boughed down with care. .OTAKS TAKr- But there are few places now in eastern America where you are allowed to cut boughs freely. In any case you cannot take the bough bed with you when you move, and it takes too much time to make at each camp. Sleeping bags I gave up long ago. They are too difficult to air, or to adjust to different temperatures. Rubber beds are luxurious, but heavy for a pack outfit, and in cold weather they need thick blankets over them, otherwise they are too cool. So the one ideal bed for the302)270 The Book of Woodcraft camper, light, comfortable, and of wildwood stuff, is the Indian or willow bed, described on p 471. WATER, OR THE INDIAN WELL If there is swamp or pond, but no pure water at hand, you can dig an Indian well in half an hour. This is simply a hole about 18 inches across and down about 6 inches below water-level, a few paces from the pond. Bail it out quickly; let it fill again, bail it a second time, and the third time it fills, it will be full of filtered water, clear of every- thing except matter actually dissolved. It is now well known that ordinary vegetable matter docs not cause disease. All contamination is from animal refuse or excreta, therefore a well of this kind in a truly wild region is as safe as a spring, MOSQUITOES, BLACK FLIES, ETC. If you are camping in mosquito or fly season, the trip may be ruined, if you are not fully prepared. For extreme cases, use the ready-made head-nets. They arc hot, but effectual. You can easily get used to the net; Ro man can stand the flies. In my Arctic trip of 1907, we could not have endured life without the nets. Indians and all wore them. Of the various dopes that are used, one of the simplest and best is Colonel N. Fletcher's, given in Kephart's "Book of Camping and Woodcraft": "Pure pine tar ..... . i oz. Oil pennyroyal i oz. Vaseline 3 ozs. Mix cold in a mortar. If you wish, you can add 3 per cent, carbolic acid to above. Somie make it i^ ozs. tar."303)Campercraft or the Summer Camp 271 Most drug shops keep ready-made dopes under such names as Citronella, Repellene, Lollakapop, etc. LICE AND VERMIN In certain crowded camps there is danger of head Hce and body vermin. I have heard washing in potato water recommended as a sure cure. Potato water is the water potatoes have been boiled in. Most drug shops have tobacco ointment and blue ointment ; a very little of these applied to the body where there is hair is a sure cure. SUGGESTED CAMP ROUTINE
- 30 A. M. Turn out, bathe, etc.
:oo Breakfast.
- 00 Air bedding in sun, if possible
- 15 High Council of Leaders.
:oo Scouting games and practice. 1 :oo Swimming.
- 00 M. Dinner.
I :oo p. M. Talk by leader.
- 00 Games, etc.
:oo Supper. :oo Evening Council.
10:00 Lights out. Sometimes High Council for a few minutes instead of in the morning. CAMPFIRES The day Columbus landed (probably) the natives re- marked; White man fool, make big fire, can't go near; Indian make Httle fire and sit happy."304)272 The Book of Woodcraft We all know that a camp without a campfire would be no camp at all; its chief est charm would be absent. Your first care, then, is to provide for a small fire and pre- vent its spreading. In the autumn this may mean very- elaborate clearing, or burning, or wetting of a space around the fire. In the winter it means nothing. Cracked Jimmy, in "Two Little Savages," gives very practical directions for lighting a fire anywhere in the timbered northern part of America, thus : '^ First a curl of lurch hark as dry as it can he, Then some twigs of soft wood, dead, hut on the tree, Last of all some pine-knots to make the kittle foam. And there^s a fire to make you think you're settin' right at home." If you have no birch bark, it is a good plan to shave a dry soft-wood stick, leaving all the shavings sticking on the end in a fuzz, like a Hopi prayer stick. Several of these make a sure fire kindler. Fine splinters may be made quickly by hammering a small stick with the back of the axe. In the case of a small party and hasty camp, you need nothing but a pot hanger of green wood for a complete kitchen, and many hundreds of times, on prairie and in forest, I found this sufiicient.305)Campercraft or the Summer Camp ' 273 A more complete camp grate is made of four green logs (aspen preferred), placed as in the illustration. Set the top logs 3 inches apart at one end, 10 inches at the other. The top logs should be flattened in the middle of their top sides — to hold the pot which sits on the open- ing between the top logs. ^^^^^ j^^ ^^^^ The fire of course is built on the ground, under the logs. Sometimes stones of right size and shape are used instead of the logs, but the stones do not contribute anything to the heat and are less manageable. Camp kitchen In addition to this log grate, more elaborate camps have a kitchen equipped with a hanger as below, on which are pot hooks of green wood. In wet weather, an axeman can always get dry wood by306)274 The Book of Woodcraft cutting into a standing dead tree, or on the under side of down timber that is not entirely on the ground. On the prairies and plains, since buffalo chips are no more, we use horse and cow chips, kindled with dry grass and roots of sage-brush, etc. To keep a fire alive all night, bank the coals: i. e., bury them in ashes. Always put out the fire on leaving camp. It is a crime to leave a burning fire. Use buckets of -water if need be. COUNCIL-FIRE The Council-fire is a very different thing from the cooking fire or the so-called bonfire. And there are just as many ways of making it wrong. These are the essentials: It must be easily started. It must give a steady, bright light. It must have as little heat as possible, for it is mostly used in the summ^er. Therefore, it must be small. It is best built as in (c), about two and one half feet high; the bottom stick about three feet long; the rest shorter and smaller. The small wood and chips to fight it can be put either under or on top of the second layer. It should be drawn in toward the top, so as to burn with- out falling apart. It must contain a large proportion of dry, winter-seasoned wood, if it is to blaze brightly. The readiest seasoned wood is usually old lumber.307)Campcfcraft or the Summer Camp 275 For an all-evening Council-fire, at least three times as much should be in stock as on the fire when started. Here are some wrong methods. The high pyramid or bonfire, (a) goes off like a flash, roasts every one, then goes dead. The shapeless pile (b), is hard to light and never bright. The bonfire is always bad. It wastes good wood; is dangerous to the forest and the camp; is absolutely un- sociable. A bonfire will spoil the best camp-circle ever got together. It should be forbidden everywhere. FIREARMS Experience shows that it is unwise to have firearms in camp. And no one under fourteen years of age should be allowed the use of a gun or pistol under any circumstances. The didn't-know-it-was-loaded fool is the cause of more sorrow than the deliberate murderer. For any one to point a firearm at another is a crime. If he didn't know it was loaded, he should be still more severely punished. Never let the muzzle of the gun sweep the horizon. Never carry a gun full-cock or hammer down. The half- cock is made for safety. Use it. Never pull a gun by the muzzle. Never shoot at anything about which you are in doubt.308)276 The Book of Woodcraft CAMP COOKERY (See Horace Kephart's "Book of Camping and Wood- craft.") In most camps the staples are: Cofifee (or tea), bacon, game, fish and hardtack, bannocks or biscuit, usually and most appropriately called sinkers" and "damper." To make these necessary evils, take I pint flour. I teaspoonful of baking-powder, Half as much salt. Twice as much grease or lard, With water enough to make into paste, say one half a pint. When worked into smooth dough, shape it into wafers, half an inch thick, and three inches across. Set in a greased tin, which is tilted up near a steady fire. Watch and turn the tin till all are browned evenly. For other and better but more elaborate methods of making bread, see Kephart's book as above. For cooking fish and game the old, simple standbys are the frying-pan and the stew-pan. As a general rule, mix all batters, mush, etc., with cold water, and always cook with a slow fire. There is an old adage : Hasty cooking is tasty cooking. Fried meat is dried meat. Boiled meat is spoiled meat. Roast meat is best meat. This reflects perhaps the castle kitchen rather than the camp, but it has its measure of truth, and the reason why309)Campercraft or the Summer Camp 277 roast meat is not more popular is because it takes so much time and trouble to make it a success. During my Barren Ground trip I hit on a remarkably successful roaster that, so far as I know, was never tried before. The usual pot-stick is set in the ground (if no tree be near), and the roast hung by a wire and a cord; where they Camp-roaster meet is a straight or flat piece of wood, or bark, set in a loop of the wire. The wind strikes on this, causing the roast to turn; it goes till the cord is wound up then unwinds itself and goes on unceasingly. We used it every day. It was positively uncanny to see the way in which this thing kept on winding and unwinding itself, a!l day lon^;;, if need be.310)278 The Book of Woodcraft WAR-SACK Every brave in camp should have a war-sack. This is a sack of waterproofed canvas to hold clothing and anything that is unbreakable. It has several advantages over a trunk. It is cheap ($1.50), waterproof, light, a comfortable pack to carry or to stow in a canoe, collapsible when empty, safe to float in an upset, and at night it serves as a pillow. Its disadvantages are that it will not protect breakables, and you have to take out most of the things to find an article not on the top. Nevertheless, all old campers use the war- sack. They can be had of any camp outfitter. SCOUT BUTTONS On the Plains, when a button is lost or needed, it is easy to make one of leather. Usually a piece of an old strap is is used. Cut it the right size, make two holes in it, and sew it on as an ordinary button. This never breaks or fails. As the old plainsman who first showed me, said, "There's a button that'll be right there when the coat's all wore away from behind it."311)Campcrcraft or the Summer Camp 279 LACE OR THONG If you need a lace or thong and have no leather long enough, take a square piece, round the corners, then cut it round and round, till it is all used up. Pull and roll the thong produced, until it is small and even, with- out kinks.
