162 BIG GAME SHOOTING 
weather ; tear more easily in transport through bush; rot 
sooner than English-made tents, and are not proof against the 
attacks of white ants. A floorcloth of the same canvas as the 
tent, but of a coarser and stronger material, cut to the exact 
size of the tent, is a great comfort. This can be packed with 
the body of the tent, without making it too heavy a load. A 
bathroom attached to the fly on the Indian principle is also a 
comfort, and affords extra room for private gear, &c. The 
bedstead should be of iron ; a first-rate folding one, weighing 
about 20 lbs., can be had at the Army and Navy Stores. The 
bedding should consist of a cork mattress, three Austrian — 
coloured blankets, a leather pillow stuffed with hair, with three 
linen cases for the same ; all packed in a waterproof Wolseley 
valise, procurable at the Army and Navy Stores. Clothing, 
books, and all valuables should be carried in air-tight cases, 
the most convenient size being 27 in. x 12 in. xX gin. Last, 
though not least, is a good bath, and this should be an ordinary 
oval one with lid. It is a great convenience to have a wicker- 
work lining, to lift in and out, in which clothing and such-like 
light things can be packed to the regulation weight. When it 
is required for bathing, the lining, with everything in it, can be 
lifted out. This does away with constant packing and unpack- 
ing. It is certainly an awkward load for a porter, and one 
he dislikes very much, but it is well worth taking. Of course, 
india-rubber baths of different makes are very portable, but in 
case of a severe chill they are not deep enough for a really good 
hot bath, besides which the risk they run of being damaged 
and rendered quite useless by careless African ‘boys’ is con- 
siderable. The mosquito curtain is another important item. 
This should not be bell-shaped, but oblong, and a little longer 
and wider than the bedstead. The top should be of calico, and 
should be either sewn to the sloping roof of the tent or attached 
to it with tapes, to tie and untie. When not in use, it can be 
folded up and stowed away flat against the roof, where it is 
out of the way, and when wanted can be dropped down over 
the bed. I strongly recommend everyone at all times to sleep 
ane ee 
