THE STORY OF AN OUTING 



The completeness of our outfit in all its appointments 

 surpassed all my previous experiences. We reveled in 

 luxury; we each had a wall-tent eight by ten feet, with 

 bathroom extension in the rear, all covered by a fly 

 twenty-one by eighteen feet; which in the interest of 

 coolness and ventilation only came within one foot of 

 the ground and preserved a one-foot space between 

 itself and the roof of the wall-tent. By means of hangers, 

 one ridge-pole served for both. One ridge-pole and three 

 standards all jointed so as to pack conveniently con- 

 stituted all the woodwork. Each had a collapsible 

 canvas bed, with wood and iron slats that shut up into 

 a package three and one-half feet long by eight or ten 

 inches thick, all wrapped in canvas; a canvas carpet for 

 covering the ground of the inner tent; a wash-stand that 

 consisted of two letters X of light wooden slats and two 

 letters X of light iron bands that shut up into a roll 

 three inches in diameter. A canvas wash-basin, with 

 soap-pocket, holds these slats in place and easily takes 

 a gallon of water. Opening them out until the frame is 

 about one foot from the ground, another canvas tub 

 holds them in place and takes eight or ten inches of 

 water. For one sitting d la mandarin this affords an 

 excellent bath; netting along the inner side of the wall- 

 tent affords ample storage for all loose articles. The 

 fly affords additional protection from the sun and tor- 

 rential rains which sometimes obtain, and, projecting 

 in front of the wall, affords a porch for dining or visiting; 

 a mosquito netting suspended from the ridge of the 

 tent envelops, at night, one side of the tent, includ- 

 ing your bed, and protects, not only from mosqui- 

 toes, which are few, but from ticks, centipedes, and 



