February 13, 1S80.J 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



27 



A SPORTSMAN'S TENT. 



[The metric notation in the following article may not bo fa.mil- 

 iar to all ma- readers. We therefore give tlie equivalents in feet 

 and inches: -l meter. 30.3" Incites; I fleottbeter, 3.031 inches; I 

 centimeter, .303,' iueli ; 1 millimeter. J088J inch; 1 kilogram, .WOtf 



pounds; 1 i-numui', 13.-UI grains; 1 litre, L051 quarts."! 



SIX years having proved the usefulness of this tent 

 under greatly varying conditions, this account is 

 written, as it may be of use to some who, wandering in 

 their vacations among the mountains far from shelter, 

 feel the need of protection from changes in temperature, 

 rain and ins 



In making a tent, for exploration several objects were 

 kept in mind : — First, it must bo light ; second, it must 

 be waterproof; third, well ventilated, else half the ben- 

 efit of a sojourn among the lulls will be lost; fonrth.it 

 must afford protection from insects, or in warm climates 

 from reptiles; fifth, the method of pitching should bs 

 simple, as on a march it is often desirable to avoid a sud- 

 den shower. The tent to be described has met these re- 

 quirements :— Weight, 3 kilog 



In shape the tent (Fig. 1) is" 

 metres ; the diameter 

 centimeters. Fig. 1 si 



Manv times in a fore: 



nines. 



:one, the height about 2 

 se, when set up, is 250 

 ig from a branch, 

 ntry this method can be used. 



! found llu 



t\i 



implex 



ris to 

 meti 

 re tin 

 ) plac 



or if a brand: 



fasten to a pole tied 1: 



apart. In a treeless region it is advisable to 1 



bamboo poles, each 3 metres long, jointed in 



like a fish rod. 



Tlie butt of each should be provided with a, pointed steel 

 rod 5 centimetres long and 4 millimetres in diameter. 



When the tent is to be pitched these poles are brought 

 together and tied in the form of a tripod, the tent being 

 hung from the point. 



The tent (Fig. 1) is made of nine equal segments of Pc- 

 qubt unbleached cotton sheeting, which is to be shrunk 

 before being used. How to cut the segments with least. 

 waste is shown in Fig. 2 ; A B C O is one segment. All 

 the figures were drawn to. scale, hut in making the pho- 

 to-lithographs care enough was not taken, therefore all the 

 important measurements will be given. Each segment 

 is to be cut out 10 centimetres wide at the top, Fig. 1, A 

 to B, and 94 centimetres wide at; the hot torn, Fig. 1, C to 

 D. The length is 40 centimetres. As 2 centimetres are 

 in all cases allowed for seams and hems, all these dimen- 

 sions in the finished lent are reduced I centimetres. 



To form the doorway one seam remains unsewed for a 

 distance of 130 centimetres from the lower edge of the 

 tent. 



Over this opening is sewed the weather-flap, Fig. 1, 

 D. G. This is of the same material as the remainder of 

 tlie tent. It is 1 metre wide and 160 centimetres long, 

 after being sewed to the tent and hemmed at the bottom. 

 Sew it on 140 centimetres from the lower edge of the 

 tank 



This weather-flap is placed in front of the always-open 

 door as a protection from rain and sun. 



It is stretched over a horizontal pole supported by the 

 forked stakes, as shown in Fig. 1. 



It extends to within a few centimetres of the grouud, 

 and is held to the upright forked stakes by pieces of tape 

 10 centimetres long, sewed to each lower corner. 



Fig. 6 shows the inside of the tent at the doorway. Tlie 

 observer is supposed to be in the tent and looking out. 

 The dotted lines represent the sides of the doorway, 

 turned back outside. Over the triangular space thus left 

 Is a piece of fine muslin, too close for midges to get 

 through. This is represented in diagram by the crossed 

 lines. It is made strong by a binding of cotton cloth, 2 

 centimetres wide. This bin-ling is sewed to the tent along 

 the upper and left hand edges (Fig. 6, U, E, F). The bot- 

 tom and right hand edge are free, the latter being pro- 

 vided with stud-holes, through which pass brass shirt- 

 studs, the heads of which are seen in Fig. 0, at A, A, A, 

 A, A. When in use the muslin door is buttoned between 

 two narrow bands of cloth, sewed to the tent at the right 

 hand side of the doorway. In Fig. 6 the inner of these 

 folds is, for a short distance from the bottom, turned 

 back to show how the muslin door is buttoned. 



The tent is fastened to the ground by steel pins, passing 

 through loops sewed to the tent. 



These are shown at J, J, J, Fig. 1, and the loops more 



plainl 



The 



of lin 



long. 



A loop is to be sewed to each of the eight closed ,seams 

 of the tent. The other two are to bo sewed, one oh each 

 side of the open seam forming the doorway. Sew each 

 one on with a double row of stitches, beginning 10 centi- 

 metres from the bottom of the tent and extending up 

 each side the tent seams for 10 centimetres. 



The object of sewing ou the loops 10 centimetres from 

 the bottom is that when the tent is pitched, the bottom 

 for 10 centimetres is turned in and lies flat upon the 

 ground ; so that by covering this with fir boughs or moss 

 there can be no open space between the tent and ground 

 for insects or reptiles to enter through. 



Fig. 1, K, K, K. represents strips of linen tape 20 cen- 

 timetres long and 2 centimetres wide. To each of the 

 nine seams in the tent body sew one of these strips. 



The sewing should begin'3 centimetres below the top of 

 the tent body, and extend as a double row of stitches 

 down each side of each scam for a distance of 8 centi- 

 metres. Three- centimetres are left unsewed at the top, 

 because the muslin cap, yet to be described, is tucked in 

 between the linen strips and the top of the tent body. The 

 upper ends of these nine stops are looped over the ring, 

 shown in Fig. 5, and sewed. Through the hole in the 

 center of the bar bisecting the ring (Fig. 5) passes the sus- 

 pension cord (Fig. 1, B). The ring is 5 centimetres in di- 

 ameter. 



( * It is made of brass wire, -I millimetres in diameter. 

 Only the caps (Fig. 1, C) nowrequire description. 

 There are two of these, though only the outer one is 

 shown in the drawing, 



TMs isof cotton-, like the tent body. The inner one is 

 of muslin, like the door. 



The diQipnsions are the same. Thoy are coo.es, 30 cent ; - 

 metres high, with a diameter at the base of 2-1 centi- 

 metres. 



The apex is perforated for the passage, qf a BugDendihg 

 cord (Fig. 1. B). 

 Fig. 1, A, represents a disc of rubber 4 centimetres in 



diameter, which fitting to the suspending cord prevents 

 water from entering the tent at the apex. 



The outside cap is turned up as in the figure, answer- 

 ing two purposes :— First, to prevent rain from entering ; 

 second, to create a draft by deflecting the wind. The 

 inside or muslin cap is tucked under the upper edge of 

 the tent-body, between it and the suspending strips, 

 KK K. Fig. 1, serving in connection with the muslin 

 door as a perfect protection against insects, yet allowing 

 < if good Ventilation, As these are the important, features 

 of the tent, attention is called to them. 



The tent pins, Fig. 3, are pointed rods of steel, heavily 

 coated with zinc. Thoy are ten in number. Length, 25 

 centimentres ; diameter, 4 millimetres. 



Two of these are permanently fastened together by 

 being tied one at each end of a piece of linen cord, which 

 when drawn straight, separates the pins bv ajdisfance equal 

 to one-half tlie diameter of the base of the tent when 

 pitched. 



Two others are fastened in the same way, the distance 

 between them being equal to the distance between the 

 loops J J, Fig. 1. 



After the tent is made, before sewing on the muslin 

 door and adjusting the muslin cap, dip it into the follow- 

 ing fluid to render it waterproof : Naphtha, 8 litres ; 

 paraftme wax, 1 kilogramme ; cosmoline, 50 grammes. 

 Dissolve the para Hi ne and cosmolino in the naphtha by 

 heating to about 37 centigrade. 



As a considerable time is required for solution, keep the 

 mixture in a large bottlo until ready for use ; then pour 



y-gff 



[TENT DESIGNED 



:. ROLLINS.] 



ips are ten hi number, made by doubling pieces 

 tape, 3 centimetres broad and 2S centimetres 



into a proper vessel, and dip the tent into it. After re- 

 moving wring out the fluid, hanging up the tent in the 

 sun, or if in winter, iron in the mixture with a sad-iron, 

 after the naphtha has evaporated. If desirable, dip the 

 tent again ; the amount of fluid given -will allow of this. 



After sewing on the muslin door and adjusting the 

 muslin cap, the tent will be complete. 



To pitch the tent : — Push one of the tent pins into the 

 ground in the centre of the spot chosen for the tent, then 

 with the other, which is attached by the cord, mark 

 a circle ou the ground. If the pins are fastened at a 

 proper distance, the circle will have the same diameter 

 as the base of the tent. 



Now with the other two pins, which were fastened by 

 the shorter cord, mark on the circle the points where the 

 tent pins are to go. Then pass a pin through a loop and 

 push it into the ground. Do this with the remaining nine 

 pins and nine loops. Now by pulling on the suspending 

 cord, which has been thrown over a branch, the tent will 

 rise into form. After fastening the cord, turn in the 

 lower edge of the tent ten centimetres, laying it flat 

 upon the ground. The object of this, as mentioned be- 

 fore, is to make the junction with the ground as tight as 

 possible, to prevent reptiles and insects from entering. 



Alter placing the weather flap, Fig. 1,B, in position, 

 the tent is ready. 



Before going "to bed, cut a piece of thick bark, making 

 a smudge on it. Place in the tent ; close the cotton door ; 

 after a minute draw down the cap. After five minutes 

 take out the smudge, throw back the cotton door, draw 

 the muslin door across the opening, lift up the cotton 

 cap, draw down and tuck in the muslin cap. Sinter 

 i tent before all the smoke has escaped, adjust the 

 weather flap, button the muslin door, crawl into a blan- 

 ket and sleep without being annoyed by insects, or 

 dreaming of finding a rattlesnake or a scorpion in your 

 blanket, ~ William Hekbjskt Rollins. 



Boston, Dee. 20th, 1879. 



BASS FISHING AT CHARLESTON LAKE. 



New Tore, Feb. 6th, 



I wish to Introduce to the lovers of fly-fishing a lake which has 

 never to my knowledge been mentioned in the columns of For- 

 est and Stream. It is in the Province of Ontario, Canada, and 

 about as secluded from civilization as any sportsman could de- 

 sire. Charleston Lake, the body of water 1 speak or, may be 

 reached In two ways. One by going from New York to Clayton, 

 St. Lawrence County, N. Y., and rowing up the Gananoque River 

 from the town of that name through the "Drowned Lands." 

 Tills necessitates two carries and a thirty-mile row before reach- 

 ing the lake. A second and easier way, thouadi far less agreeable 

 to a lover of scenic effect and the woods in all their wlldness, is 

 to go to the small village of Rockport, on the Canada side of the 

 St. Lawrence, about opposite Alexandria May, and drive from 

 there to the foot of the lake, twenty miles. Hewho does not care 

 for bass fishing need not go. That Is the only tish the lake con- 

 tains, if I except some few pickerel and numerous lake trout 

 which can only be caught by trolling with heavy sinkers, one to 

 two hundred feet helow the surface— a modus operandi which 

 most flshormou will concur In pronouncing with me no sport. 

 But for bass Charleston Lake is the place par excellence. Should 

 you be a novice at casting you may troll with a heavy rod and a 

 gang of Hies and have sport enough. Leave all j'our fancy flies 

 at home aud use a large red or white fly, as these will take ninu- 

 tenths of all the fish caught. 



But to the expert who can cast well his fly it is simply perfec- 

 tion. What a sensation it is I You stand up iu your hoat await- 

 ing a favorable place to cast. Your hoatman pulls Blowly and 

 evenly around a rocky shoal. One skillful turn of the wrist, your 

 line Hies out, and seemingly before your fly has touched the water 

 there is a rush, a flash, and your nerves tingle with tlio shock on 

 your seven-ounce rod as your line whizzes from the reel. Gradu- 

 ally the rush ceases and you commence to reel in. Now is (he 

 time lo bring all your skill into play— a single slip, a slackening 

 of the line, and your fish is gone. Slowly you bring him along, 

 and nearer and nearer heapproaches the net which your boatman 

 keeps in readiness by his side ; but he sees the boat, and with re- 

 newed strength is off again. You were taken by surprise. Your 

 line slackens a little, and your fish jumping from the water shakes 

 the hookfrom his mouth aud is lost. You are disappointed now, 

 but hotter luck next time. Another bass is hooked; but to your 

 surprise becomes in without a struggle. Faugh! It Is a rock- 

 bass, and you throw him away, recognizing one of the evils of the 

 sport. But now you have better luok, and after another strug- 

 gle your fish lies gasping iu the net, a perfect type of a gamy boss 

 cold mid bl ick like the water he has just involuntarily left. 



Such is the sport as I found it. at Charleston Lake; and as this 

 hike is not well known eiihor to Americans or Canadians, the bass 

 are in great nuoibers. A one-pound black bass here will give as 

 much sport and show as much fight as a fish of twice his weight 

 lit Hie St. Lawrence. Another peculiarity of theso fish is the fact, 

 verified by personal experience, that the tiass in this lake seems to 

 go ou and off the shoals periodically; so it happens sometimes 

 that one may have a-oodfistiing ono week and poor the next. On 

 our last, trip to this place the fish did not rise well to a cast; they 

 were ou the shoals, aud most of those taken wero caught by those 

 who trolled with a long line. Ordinarily, however, when you find 

 them on the rocky shoals and on the edge of wecd-beda thoy will 

 rise well; later in the season they seek the deep water when it is 

 almost impossible to take them. 



If any of the readers of this journal have a week to spare let 

 them go up to this lake in July tor tlie best fishing, and in Sep- 

 tember for the best shooting and fishing combined. The 

 'Drowned Lands" through which they will pass they will find 

 black with ducks, and the grouse around the lake are very plenti- 

 ful, though hard to get at. A congenial party prepared to rough 

 it need not fear any lack of fun. You can stay at the hotel (fj 

 (by courtcsj) for $6 each per week, or you can camp out either on 

 the main land or on some one of the numerous islands. In neither 

 place will you be bothered with flics or mosquitos. Our party 

 averaged last season tweucy-five bass a day per boat, not count- 

 ing the fish under three-quarters of a pound, aud fishing only in 

 the early mornings and afternoons. 



If any party would like to try their luck at Charleston next 

 summer my advice would be to ;go direct to Clayton by the New 

 York Central Kuilroad, and hiring men with their boats on the 

 river to row up the Gananoque River to the lake, and camp out. 

 All the boatmen are good cooks and can make a camp with an3'- 

 body. No ono who takes this trip will ever regret it. The flue 

 scenery, the good fishing, and the pleasure of camping out, all 

 tend to make a visit pay better than most places. As far as T 

 know, but two other parties besides ours ever visit the lake, and 

 this is in Itself a recommendation. About the shooting one must 

 deposit at the Custom-Houso on entering- Canada a sufficient sum 

 to covor the dut}-, which money he will receive back on leaving 

 Canadian territory. This is a rule applying ta fire-arms of all de- 

 scriptions. I cannot speak from personal experience about the 

 fall shooting, but while at the lake during- the month of July we 

 saw many grouse and even some few ducks. Prom the appear- 

 ance of the country and the abundance of wild rice and food of 

 all kinds, it must be as the guides declare— a fine placo for ducks. 

 At any rato, the fishing will well repay any parties who may per- 

 chance wish to make a nice trip irrespective of roughiug it. 



W.D. 



A Temporary Shanty.— Toronto, Feb. Zd.— Select two 

 trees, ten feet apart. Between them and at a height of 

 eight feet nail a three-inch pole to form a ridge, and then 

 on either side slope light poles, driving one end into the 

 ground and nailing the other to the ridge-pole at a spread 

 of eight feet. Cover these with pine or cedar bark, which 

 is easily procurable off dead or fallen trees, taking care 

 to lap the edges of the hark so as to throw off water. A 

 light; coat of pine tops and a second layer of bark will 

 give additional security. Bind the whole with light sap- 

 lings. The ends can be made by driving in small up- 

 rights and weaving between thorn pine Lopg I savin) at 

 one end an opening to serve as a door. The above may 



it have much "solid comfort, " but it 



NEW PUBLICATIONS. 



The Nuttall Bulletin.— The opening number of volume five 

 of the Bulletin of the Nuttall Ornithological Club comes to us on 

 the 1st of January with very attractive contents, and we wel- 

 come it as warmly as ever. It would be difficult for any one who 

 has not watched with care tberapidity with which tholove for that 

 delightful science, of which the Bulletin is the. recognized repre- 

 sentative in this country, has spread among the people, to appre- 

 ciate how great a work this publication has done for science du- 

 ring its short life. The constantly increasing number of ornith- 

 ologists throughout the length and breadth of the land, and the 

 vastly improved character of the work which they do, bear wit- 

 ness to its usefulness. 



The present number opens with a delightful article by Mr. 

 Brewster, on the Habits and Distribution of the Philadelphia 



triple 



a by a i 



3h is follow 

 led Remarks on the Nidification 

 .with a Description of its Nest 

 spoudentr-, Messrs. T. S. BpBerts 



purpose . can be run up in a few hours, and is no loss to 

 leave behind, 



philai 

 ing sketch by Mr. Bick 

 of .hazux Curviroslra A 

 and Eggs. Our freqw 

 aud F. Bonner, present 



ncEotn, in the shape of a list of eighty-six; species ot birds ob. 



served in the counties of Grant and Traverse of that State. 



i birds noted were thrco not : previously reported troui 



...•-, i i. , ... ,-.,. ,,c;.3 ornatas, Ctitatnaipita hfcoiar and 



,„ Tiirannusivrih ■ ,-. , -'paper on. tho Keating in Missouri 



J, G. I of EmpUtonax acwliem and Empldwiax tmUlti in of great Interest. 



