APPENDIX B 



THE OUTFIT FOR TRAVELLING IN THE SOUTH 

 AMERICAN WILDERNESS 



South America includes so many different kinds of country that it 

 is impossible to devise a scheme of equipment which shall suit all. A 

 hunting-trip in the pantanals, in the swamp country of the upper 

 Paraguay, offers a simple problem. An exploring trip through an un- 

 known tropical forest region, even if the work is chiefly done by river, 

 offers a very difficult problem. All that I can pretend to do is to give 

 a few hints as the results of our own experience. 



For bedding there should be a hammock, mosquito-net, and light 

 blanket. These can be obtained in Brazil. For tent a light fly is 

 ample; ours were brought with us from New York. In exploring only 

 the open fly should be taken; but on trips where weight of luggage is 

 no objection, there can be walls to the tent and even a canvas floor- 

 cloth. Camp-chairs and a camp table should be brought — any good 

 outfitter in the United States will supply them — and not thrown away 

 until it becomes imperative to cut everything down. On a river trip, 

 first-class pulleys and ropes — preferably steel, and at any rate very 

 strong — should be taken. Unless the difficulties of transportation are 

 insuperable, canvas-and-cement canoes, such as can be obtained from 

 various firms in Canada and the United States, should by all means 

 be taken. They are incomparably superior to the dugouts. But on 

 different rivers wholly different canoes, of wholly different sizes, will 

 be needed; on some steam or electric launches may be used; it is not 

 possible to lay down a general rule. 



As regards arms, a good plain 12-bore shotgun with a 30-30 rifle- 

 barrel underneath the others is the best weapon to have constantly in 

 one's hand in the South American forests, where big game is rare and 

 yet may at any time come in one's path. When specially hunting the 

 jaguar, marsh-deer, tapir, or big peccary, an ordinary light repeating 

 rifle — the 30-30, 30-40, or 256 — is preferable. No heavy rifle is neces- 



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