1130 
FOREST AND STREAM 
Side View of Tent—High Water—Drying Out After the Rain. 
A TENT THAT MADE GOOD 
WITH SOME FURTHER NOTES ON A SPRING 
NEVERSINK CAMPING AND FISHING TRIP 
By Dr. George Parker Holden. 
O NE does not naturally expect to go on a 
camping trip in the middle of June in 
this latitude and encounter two weeks of 
the coolest and wettest weather that the 'Weather 
Bureau has turned out in forty years for a 
corresponding period. And yet if one of the 
chief features of the expedition was the testing 
of the practical qualifications of a little home¬ 
made shelter tent, no one can deny that the 
weather served that purpose admirably. 
The place was the upper waters of the Never- 
sink, N. Y., a stream that for recommendation 
has size, beauty and wildness in great variety, 
freedom to angle for miles without interference, 
and the presence of many trout in its waters, 
both native and brown, averaging a goodly size 
and never in primer condition than during this 
season, the early summer of 1916. 
The modest intention of the author, and de¬ 
signer of the aforesaid tent, was to produce a 
creation that should embody all the good points 
of all the good tents that had preceded it, and 
then some. Whether or not he succeeded in this 
particular endeavor, the tent proved a success all 
right; with the addition of a bath and garage it 
might almost pass for a Newport summer cottage. 
It is seven feet square on the ground, seven 
feet to the peak, at the top of the front triangular 
side, and has an 18 inch wall at the back. It has 
15 by 18 inch windows, screened by cheesecloth 
and provided with flaps outside adjusted by 
cords; and the door in the front is five feet high 
above a six-inch sill, three feet wide at bottom 
and 14 inches at top. This opening is also pro¬ 
tected by a cheesecloth screen-door which draws 
to one side when not in use, and there is also 
a regular flap-door, hinged at the top and secured 
when closed by large hooks and eyes. The door 
may be entirely closed, be stayed out in front 
like that of a Frazer canoe tent, or be closed 
at either side with the opposite side held open. 
The sleeping bag flaps are likewise fastened by 
hooks and eyes. 
The material is best quality unbleached muslin, 
about 25 yards, tanned by immersing in a hot 
decoction of ground white oak bark. It is passed 
through the solution three times, rinsed each 
/ 
/ 
1 
Wall. D—Triangular Pockets at Back and Corners 
to Insert. E—Twigs to Hold Flap Flat. 
time and hung out to dry (thereby greatly arous¬ 
ing the curiosity of the neighbors'). This before 
cutting. The proportion for the dye, as given by 
Kephart, were two pounds of dry ground bark 
to three and one half gallons of water. After 
drying, the muslin was waterproofed by the 
alum and lead method. The weight of the tent 
without the ground-cloth was a little over five 
pounds. 
From past experience the writer holds strong 
convictions that the stretcher form of bed is 
at once the most practical and comfortable for 
camping, so he decided to incorporate stretcher- 
bed accomodations for two in the ground-cloth 
which was sewed to the bottom edges of tent 
all the way around. He also decided to provide 
flaps for these beds, to hold the blankets in place. 
Furthermore the tent bottom, in addition to serv¬ 
ing as combined ground-cloth, stretcher-beds and 
sleeping-bags, was also to be the waterproof 
cover for the whole outfit, when packed; and 
could be utilized as a packsack to carry addi¬ 
tional duffle, as a small ax, folding reflector-baker, 
an intrenching tool, and last but not least a half- 
dozen old newspapers. All this and in addition 
two five-pound single army blankets, which were 
laid out flat inside the tent, on the bottom, and 
folded within it. Thus the tent could be put up 
in a rainstorm without wetting the bedding. 
The ground-cloth complete as described and 
waterproofed by paraffining, was made of regu¬ 
lation io-oz. army khaki duck, three widths of 
which, laid crosswise of the ground-plan, came 
out just right after allowing for the lap seams. 
About 11 yards were required. In paraffining, 
about a pound was cut into shavings and melted 
on the stove, removed, and added to two quarts 
of gasoline or the roof (more incitement of 
neighbors’ curiosity—almost painful), the whole 
kept warm and fluid by placing in a basin of 
hot water. The ground-cloth was then spread 
out and the paraffine and gasoline mixture ap¬ 
plied hot to the bottom side with a paint brush. 
It congealed in streaks soon as applied. It was 
then hung out in the sun and air (neighbors for¬ 
gotten by this time) for three or four hours, 
