48 HANDBOOK FOR CAMPERS. 



Candle lanterns. — With the point of a hatchet blade cut slits 

 about 2 inches long in the form of an X in the side of a lard 

 pail. A candle pushed into this aperture will be held steady, 

 and the can will shade it from the wind and serve as a reflector. 



To dry matches. — Carefully blot oft as much water as possible 

 with a soft cloth and then pass them through the hair a dozen 

 times or so. 



A shoulder pack can be improvised as follows : Take a grain 

 sack and place a pebble an inch or more in diameter in each of 

 the lower corners. Tie one leg of a pair of overalls to each of 

 these corners. (The pebble prevents the knot from slipping off.) 

 To close the sack tie the mouth of it and the waist of the overalls 

 tightly with a cord. The legs make comfortable shoulder straps. 



Chafed heels can be alleviated bj^ rubbing soap into the socks. 

 Also, by sticking adhesive tape on the bare heels. 



Getting lost. — There is little danger of a person being lost in 

 the California mountains during the summer. Usually the worst 

 that can happen is the possibility of an uncomfortable night in 

 the open. The realization that one is lost is, however, often 

 accompanied by a panicky feeling that may hurry one into diffi- 

 culties or even into accidents. Fight against this, and keep 

 your head. Thirty minutes' calm thought will be worth more 

 than hours spent in aimless rushing. 



Don't try to travel after dark. Camp as comfortably as you 

 can as soon as night comes on, no matter how near to camp you 

 think you are. 



You can always reach the settlements by traveling down- 

 stream. Some of the Sierra canyons are difficult going, and it 

 may often be better to stick to the ridges. But make sure which 

 way the stream is flowing and travel in the same direction. 



Snow blindness. — Snow blindness may occur in mountain 

 climbing on snow unless the eyes are protected with dark 

 glasses. If these are unobtainable, daub a mixture of grease 

 and charcoal on the cheeks just beneath the eyes. 



o 



