172 ADVENTURES IN THE WILDEENESS. 



line from you, the jack is of no service at all. 

 'Now, when deer are scarce and shy, or the nights 

 windy, such a jack is almost useless, and the 

 sportsman is often driven to change his camp or 

 starve, although deer are all around him. Hav- 

 ing in seasons previous experienced the disad- 

 vantages of the old jack, I determined to in- 

 vent and construct one which should absolutely 

 overcome all these imperfections. This is what 

 I hit upon. I took a common fireman's hat, and, 

 having the rim removed, had the crown padded 

 with wadding, and lined with chamois-skin. I 

 caused a half-moon lantern of copper to he made 

 with a concave bottom which fitted closely to the 

 hat, and was fastened thereto with screws. Through 

 the top of the hat a hole was made large enough 

 for the burner to pass ; the lamp itself, containing 

 the oil, was fitted and held by brass studs to the 

 crown, between it and the head. In the back side 

 of the lantern was placed a German-silver reflec- 

 tor, heavily plated. The screw which lifts and 

 lowers the wick was connected with a shank 

 that projected through the side of the lantern, 

 so that by a touch of the finger the light might 

 be let on or cut off. A large, softly padded throat- 

 latch buckled the jack firmly to my head. Ob- 

 serve the advantages of this jack over the old 

 style. Being enclosed by an air-tight glass front, 

 it might be used in a tornado. When floating for 



