448 
Forest and Stream 
A SIMPLE CAMP LAMP 
T here is a way in which you can 
make your flashlight over into a 
serviceable camp lamp. It is not in- 
tended that this lamp should take the 
place of a lantern or fire, but for certain 
things it is much to be preferred. When 
eating the evening meal, it adds a touch 
of home surroundings to have a bright 
light on the table. 
Saw a wafer from the end of a log 
four or five inches in diameter and in the 
center of this make a hole just large 
enough to take the base of the flashlight. 
Unscrew the top and remove the lens, 
reflector and bulb. The lens will not be 
needed and should be carefully wrapped 
in cloth and placed in a safe place. Now 
turn the reflector upside down and screw 
in the bulb. 
Set the point of a common pin against 
the side of the center contact of the top 
cell in the light handle and carefully 
drive this down until it stands of its own 
accord. The hard wax used to seal the 
cell will hold it upright and also against 
the center post, thus forming a contact. 
The head of the pin is carefully cen- 
tered and then the cap with the inverted 
reflector and bulb are screwed back in 
place. It is necessary that the pinhead 
come in contact with the center of the 
base of the bulb, thus closing the circuit 
when the switch is closed. 
If you ever need a light such as this 
you will now know how to make one. 
And it is a dandy, too. 
Dale R. Van Horn, 
Nebraska. 
E are depending upon the 
friends and admirers of our 
old correspondent Nessmuk to 
make this department ivorthy of 
his name. No man knew the woods 
better than Nessmuk or ivrote of 
them ivith quainter charm. Many 
of his practical ideas on camp- 
ing and “going light” have been 
adopted by the United States 
Army; his canoe has been preserved 
in the Smithsonian Institution; and 
ive hope that all good woodsmen 
luill contribute to this department 
their Hints and Kinks and trail- 
tested contrivances ^ — [Editor.] 
THE HOLLOW-HANDLED 
ROD 
T hose of us who have given the mat 
ter any thought have about con- 
cluded that the last word in fly-rod con- 
struction has been said. 
In the last 120 years the rod has 
changed considerably. Early in the nine- 
teenth century the fly-rod was a com- 
posite affair, made up of various dif- 
ferent woods, and the extreme tip was 
frequently composed of whalebone. Of 
course, there were a few split bamboo 
rods even then. Erom evidence that 
has lately come to light, split bamboo was 
a not unknown material for rods in the 
eighteenth century ; but these rods were 
very uncommon, and the introduction of 
greenheart put them out of count alto- 
gether. 
Coincident with the arrival of green- 
heart in the eastern hemisphere, the art 
of making split-bamboo rods was re- 
discovered in America, and American 
craftsmen going a step further discov- 
ered the wonderful possibilities of the 
hexagonal rod. 
Since that time there have only been 
minor improvements, principally in mat- 
ters of details ; but we must not forget 
the gradual improvement in the action 
of rods which has. been going on slowly 
for years. 
.What more was there to do? The 
average observer would have replied. 
“Nothing.” But something has happened 
recently that to me appears to be as big 
an improvement as the introduction of 
the hexagonal split-bamboo rod. 
I refer to the invention of Mr. Foster 
Handy, of Scarborough, England. This 
invention consists of making the handle. 
and that part of the rod that carries the 
reel, hollow ; to the lower end of this 
tube the rod is attached, but except at 
the ferrule the rod is free from contact 
with the' walls of the tube. 
That is very simple, but how is it go- 
ing to improve rod construction ? The 
best way to answer that question is to 
state a concrete case. 
There is a certain rod of m}' acquain- 
tance that I admire tremendously; it is a 
9-foot 6-inch “Special Tournament,” 
made by the foremost rod builder in 
America. It is a very powerful rod, 
although not much over ounces in 
weight ; but to use this rod in its present 
state appears to me as being more like 
work than pleasure. 
To do the rod full justice iii making 
long fishing casts taxes my wrist too 
much. Therefore I have concluded that 
much as I admire this rod it is not for 
me, and that I must content myself with 
a 9-foot model by the same maker. 
All is not lost, however. Let us see 
if something cannot be done by using the 
hollow-handled rod in connection with 
this wonderful casting implement. 
In the accompanying illustration Ij 
have shown an outline of this rod in 
action ; and by means of the dotted lines | 
I show the position in which the rod is | 
held if the hollow-handled device is used. | 
Let us analyze just what has happened. . 
The first thing to notice is that the live 
or effective casting length of the rod,! 
that is to say, that part of the rod that 
extends from the upper end of the hand- 
grasp is the same as ever it was ; that 
has not been changed a particle. 
