CAMPING 177 



the excuse, but the tyro often does. Then, again, these men 

 scarcely reaHse how dehcate a canoe is, and that it must 

 receive good care or it soon becomes useless. Pulling them 

 over rough stones or snags should be avoided, and they 

 should always be turned bottom up at nights and never left 

 in the water where a floating log may be driven against them 

 with disastrous results. I merely mention these points 

 because I have seen several instances in which accidents have 

 occurred through failure to take proper precautions. A good 

 eighteen-foot canoe should carry two men and about two- 

 hundred-and-flfty or three hundred pounds of outfit without 

 difficulty, except in very rough water. Some of the wider 

 models will carry much more, but, of course, will not paddle 

 so easily. For a long trip the dory is usually employed. It 

 is a heavy, ungainly, flat-bottom boat, but has wonderful 

 carrying capacity and may be knocked about with compara- 

 tive impunity. They seem to have a failing towards leaking 

 which does not add very materially to one's comfort. 

 Observance in this direction before startiitg may prove 

 useful, a little calking and pitch will save no end of 

 discomfort. 



An article which will be found of use in the early part 

 of the shooting season is " liquid smoke," for with it 

 meat may be " smoked " very quickly and with scarcely 

 any trouble. The shooting season opens for Caribou on 

 August I St (why I do not know, as the stags are still in 

 the velvet and the horns are therefore useless as trophies), 

 and the weather at that time is likely to be quite warm, 

 so that meat will not keep long unless preserved in some 

 way. Salted venison is not good, but the meat when lightly 

 smoked is very palatable. Fish may also be treated in the 

 same way. 



This chapter would not be complete without allusion to 

 the painful subject of insect pests. I wish I could honestly 



