12 



THE GROUND SHEET. 



cost; and a little timely precaution may avert 

 serious consequences. 



Having had much. " roughing it " in my time, 

 often with very small means and few con- 

 veniences, I have been compelled to study how 

 to make one article serve in a variety of ways. 

 When baggage is obliged to be limited and car- 

 riage is difficult to obtain, it is very desirable to 

 have multum in parto. 



I shall now describe " a poncho " of my own 

 invention, carried out by Mr. Cording, of 231, 

 Strand, which serves as a ground-sheet, a tent, a 

 bed covering, or even, if required, a boat or raft 

 for crossing rivers. 



It consists of waterproof 

 canvas, 8 feet by 7 feet 6 

 inches in size, with a longi- 

 tudinal slit in the centre, 

 and eylet-holes worked all 

 round, as in the cut, when 

 it serves as a ground- 

 sheet and coverlet. 



The Ground-Sheet. 



