CAMPING OUT. 107 



If you are out only for a few days or whilst 

 travelling, it may be better to sleep on the 

 ground than to go to the trouble of making a 

 bed ; but let me assure you, if you are located 

 for any length of time, you will find a bed much 

 more neat and comfortable. All you need to 

 carry besides your ordinary bed-clothes is a 

 common bed-cord, and the labor of building the 

 bed is almost inconsiderable. Four stakes, three 

 to four inches thick and about four feet long, 

 are cut from the neighboring trees, and driven 

 firmly and to equal depth into the ground, in 

 the angles of the parallelogram the bed is to 

 occupy ; six feet in length by four and a half in 

 breadth, being proper for two ordinary persons. 

 Two other strong poles are next cut the in- 

 tended length of the bed, and fastened, one on 

 each side, about six inches below, and connect- 

 ing the tops of the stake-s. Each stake being 

 strongly braced to prevent its springing in side- 

 wise, the cord is wound tightly around and 

 across, from one side pole to the other, the 

 entire length of the bed, the turns of the line 

 being about four inches apart. Other poles are 

 now cut and fastened in position for side, head, 

 and foot boards ; the cording covered with a 



