FOR THE HIMALAYAS. 37 



A large waterproof sheet is very useful, though somewhat heavy. 

 It should be of " twill," about 9ft. by 8ft., with brass eyelets every 

 2ft. or so around the edges, and at the corners. The first use for 

 it is to roll up your bedding and valise in, to insure their being 

 quite dry in any -veather on the march ; the second is to double it 

 up and lay it under your valise when sleeping on the ground ; the 

 third is to pull some of it over you when sleeping out and rain 

 comes on ; the fourth is to prop it up on sticks, and form a good 

 tent for your men, when you are in the small shuldarie, and it is 

 pouring with rain ; you may be sure your men will thoroughlv 

 appreciate your care of them. (Poor fellows ! how of tea have they 

 lain down without a murmur round a wretched camp fire, with the 

 rain falling in torrents, and btriven to rest till the morning, when 

 the sahib would be off again. Their solitary blanket is but a poor 

 assistance to their ragged clothes, and any shelter over their heads 

 is acceptable. They do not mind or notice draughts much, but 

 cold rain and sleet make them miserable.) It may be used as a bath, 

 if you prefer not having a canvas one ; and if you Lave a skin you 

 value stretched out drying when rain comes on, lay the sheet over 

 it, propping it up in the centre with a stone, and it will not suffer. 

 In fact, the waterproof sheet is always handy and useful. 



Bath, basin, and bucket can be well made out of sail-canvas. It 

 is sold by the yard, 2ft. wide, and anyone can have these articles 

 made with it, at a very small cost. In making them, the great 

 thing is to have all the seams double, just as they are in the sails 

 of a ship. When new they will leak ; but steep them for a couple 

 of days, and you will have nothing to complain of. Having pur- 

 chased 9yds. of this sail canvas, proceed as follows : Double lyd. of 

 it back on the rest, and cut out a double oval for the bottom of 

 your bath ; this will be three feet one way and 2ft. the other (A) . 

 Then measure enough canvas to go round its outer edge (about 

 7Jft.), and allow 3in. extra for the seam. Join the two ends by a 

 double seam (B). There is a line of blue along the centre of the 

 canvas ; lay a hoop of rope, the length of the large ring of canvas, 

 around on this line, and double the canvas over it ; you will then 

 have (C) half the width of (B) but twice as thick ; sew the canvas 

 down on the rope as shown by the dotted lines on (C). This will 

 be the side of your bath, 1ft. high. Sew in the bottom all round 

 the edge (1, 1, in C) with a double seam, the same as the ends of 

 the side were joined. You will then have (D). Sew on four or 



