310 CARE OF THE FEET 



it being only necessary in ordering to specify 

 the district it is intended to visit ; but in addition 

 to the contents of these conveniences it is desirable 

 to carry a good stock of common Epsom salts for 

 the needs of the native carriers and servants. 



While I am on this subject, let me say a few 

 words upon that most important of matters, the 

 care of the feet. This is a duty far too often 

 relegated to chance, and heavy have been the 

 penalties which I have seen paid by the careless. 

 Of course chafes and blisters usually, but not 

 always, make their appearance after the first or 

 second long march, and it is, therefore, a good 

 plan to harden the feet for some days before the 

 expedition starts. An excellent way of doing this 

 is to soak them nightly in a bucket of hot water 

 containing about a pound of common rock salt 

 and a little alum in solution. The feet should be 

 immersed when the water is so hot as to be hardly 

 bearable, and remain therein until it grows cool. 

 They should be allowed to dry slowly, and not be 

 wiped with a towel. On starting in the morning 

 excellent results are also obtained by soaping the 

 feet all over with a good coating of ordinary 

 toilet soap and water. 



Should, however, blisters make their appearance 

 in spite of these precautions, and despite most 

 carefully selected boots and socks, they must at 

 once be dealt with lest worse befall. In my early 

 days I was once confined to camp for ten days, and 

 a shooting trip was completely spoiled, by march- 

 ing upon a blistered foot, and my case is by no 

 means a singular one. If the blister be a small one 



