TRAPS AND OTHER HINTS FOR TRAPPERS. 



199 



wheat flour, corn meal, beans, bacon, with the necessary supply of 

 tea, coffee, sugar, good paking powder, salt, pepper and a quantity 

 of rice. If, as I have before stated, the camp is so located as to be 

 of easy access by wagon, then choose a bill-of-fare to your own 

 liking. 



The medicine box should contain a box of good cathartic pills 

 and a quantity of 2-grain quinine tablets, with any 'other medicine 

 you may wish. Other necessities about the camp are a good supply 

 of strong cord, a few feet of small rope, a yard or two of muslin, 

 a yard of oilcloth. 



It may be well to give a few suggestions about a temporary 

 camp for a night, if by chance you should get caught out and un- 

 able to reach camp. You should select a place before dark. If a 

 large fallen tree can be found that lies close to the ground where 

 you wish to build the fire it is best. If the log cannot be readily 

 found then select a bank or knoll to build the fire against. First, 

 build the fire out from the log five or six feet where you will 

 make your bed so as to warm the ground. Now set two crotches 

 about four feet high and place a pole in these crotches. Then 

 from this pole place three or four poles, one end on the ground, 

 the other resting on the pole that rests in the crotches. Then place 

 boughs, bark, or anything to break the wind. This shelter will, 

 of course, be placed over the spot where you will make your bed. 

 Now rake the coals and live embers down against the log where 

 you will have the fire for the night. Now place some boughs over 

 the spot where the fire has been and where your bed will be. 



With this kind of a camp you can get along through a rather 

 chilly night. You should always carry matches wrapped in waxed 

 paper in three or four different places about your person. You 

 may lose your match safe. 



If convenient, when going into camp, you should take several 

 stretching boards for different kinds of fur with you. If not, you 

 can usually find a tree that will split good and you can split some 

 out. It is usually hard to find withes that are long and straight 

 enough to bend so as to form a good shaped stretcher. You should 

 always aim to stretch and cure the furs you catch in the best man- 

 ner. In skinning you should rip the animal straight from one heel 



