TOOLS AND COOKING UTENSILS. 199 



blankets, a buffalo-skin, and waterproof wrapper 

 to spread on the ground, and' roll the bedding 

 in when travelling, can be easily carried 

 with a tent, and will be found very pleasant to 

 sleep on at night or lounge on in the day. Great 

 care should be exercised in packing up the 

 bedding. Mules and horses often get a swim, or 

 fall in fording streams, and rain frequently 

 drenches one when least expected. If well rolled 

 the bed should be impervious to water, and 

 therefore safe against any accident from wet ; 

 finding soaked bedding on camping is enough to 

 try the temper of a saint. 



Tools. An American axe and a three-inch 

 auger are the only tools a skilled hand needs; 

 with them he can build a log-house, or roof 

 it, and add fireplace, chimney, door, and win- 

 dow; he can also make a raft, build a bridge, or 

 hollow a cedar-log into a safe and shapely canoe. 

 A strong case-knife, such as pork-butchers use, 

 is by far the best kind of knife for general pur- 

 poses. Worn at the belt, it is useful for everything, 

 from mending a pen to skinning a buffalo or a 

 humming-bird. 



Cooking Utensils. A frying-pan, small wooden 

 pail, and tin pannikin. The former is equal 

 to any emergency, for baking or frying; the 



