THE LAST FRONTIER 



tear, and assorted troubles to enter. And I can 

 vouch by experience that ordinary breeches are not 

 uncomfortably hot or tight. Indeed, one does not 

 get especially hot in the legs anyway. I noticed 

 that none of the old-time hunters like Cuninghame 

 or Judd wore shorts. The real reason is not that 

 they are cool, but that they are picturesque. Com- 

 mon belief to the contrary, your average practical, 

 matter-of-fact Englishman loves to dress up. I 

 knew one engaged in farming picturesque farm- 

 ing in our own West, who used to appear at after- 

 noon tea in a clean suit of blue overalls! It is a 

 harmless amusement. Our own youths do it, also, 

 substituting chaps for shorts, perhaps. I am not 

 criticising the spirit in them; but merely trying to 

 keep mistaken shorts off you. 



For leg gear I found that nothing could beat our 

 American combination of high-laced boots and 

 heavy knit socks. Leather leggings are noisy, and 

 the rolled puttees hot and binding. Have your 

 boots ten or twelve inches high, with a flap to buckle 

 over the tie of the laces, with soles of the mercury- 

 impregnated leather called "elk hide," and with 

 small Hungarian hobs. Your tent boy will grease 

 these every day with "dubbin," of which you want 

 t good supply. It is not my intention to offer free 

 advertisements generally, but I wore one pair of 



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