11S4 
FOREST AND STREAM 
Where Wilderness Cruising Becomes Business—Did You Read the “Galluses of the Guide” Last Month? Observe Them Here— 
The Heavy City Sportsman in Front Trying to “Warm Up,” is Not Very Comfortable, Nor Happy. 
THE WILDERNESS CRUISING CONTEST 
THE COMMODORE COMMENTS ON THE A. C. A. 
FOREST AND STREAM CONTEST AT SUGAR ISLAND 
By A. F. Saunders, Commodore American Canoe Association. 
T HE consensus of opinion among the specta¬ 
tors of the Wilderness Cruising Contest for 
Forest and Stream Cup at Sugar Island this 
year was that this interesting event has 
proven itself to be not only the most entertain¬ 
ing feature of the regatta program but has be¬ 
come an institution of valuable education in out¬ 
door life. 
The difficulty experienced by the several judges 
to fairly determine the winners speaks well for 
the thorough manner in which the contestants did 
things. 
Beginning with the outfits, it would be difficult 
indeed to imagine how a more compact or prac¬ 
tical outfit for real cruising could be conceived 
than any one of those spread out for the inspec¬ 
tion of the judges, when the hour for the start 
of t.he contest arrived. Jim-cracks or patent de¬ 
vices of any kind were conspicuous by their ab¬ 
sence, each outfit consisting of practically the 
essential articles necessary for comfort and light¬ 
ness. There was no question about awarding 
each man a complete score of points on this item. 
Loading their canoes and getting under way 
was but a matter of minutes; arriving at the des¬ 
ignated carry and camping grounds, the real fun 
began. 
It was assumed that the time of arrival was 
late in the afternoon, the carry one mile long, and 
the weather fair. 
Two of the contestants selected camp sites 
upon landing; the third elected to make the carry 
first, camping on the further side. This, of course, 
under actual wilderness cruising conditions would 
depend largely upon what kind of camping pros¬ 
pects were found when landing, how tired the 
cruiser might be at the end of a hard day’s trip, 
or what the weather signs might portend. 
In making camp, starting the fires and bringing 
them to a point of boiling a pot of water, it was 
nip and tuck which one of the contestants ex¬ 
celled. One man carried a little roll of birch bark 
with which to start his fire—a wise provision, if 
one can get the bark. Another used a bit of 
newspaper—effective, but hardly likely to be 
handy in the woods. The third man, true woods¬ 
man fashion, used what material he found at 
hand. I think all three worked the one match 
stunt; looks foolish in print, but economy is a 
principle of good camping. While on the subject 
of fires, I must confess that I can not under- 
The Wilderness Canoe Cruiser on His Way. 
stand why the modern camper seems to disdain 
the good old fashioned method of starting his fire 
with a handful of shavings. It is a sure go, rain 
or shine, if your jack knife is as sharp as it 
should be. 
Two types of tents were used, one a simple 
square of canvas pegged down on three sides, the 
front drawn up to a peak by passing a rope over 
the limb of a tree. It certainly proved a practical 
shelter, simple to erect, and formed a splendid 
pack cloth when the cruiser was under way. The 
other two tents were of practically the same type, 
a cross, I should say, between a miner’s and a 
canoe tent, light, easy to erect and splendid shel¬ 
ter. 
The general appearance and neatness of the 
camps when ready for the night was generally 
good, but here was where the winner gained the 
point that gave him the cup. The judges decided 
that his tent was more securely set-up, his camp, 
generally speaking, more orderly and better pro¬ 
visions made against insect pests, or any contin¬ 
gency that might arise during the night—heavy 
rain, or high and shifting wind. Neatness is a 
most important detail about camp; upon it de¬ 
pends not only the comfort but the very health 
of the camper. 
In breaking camp and making the carry all con¬ 
testants scored about alike; both tasks were done 
in a methodical and practical manner, and last 
but not least by any means, every man extinguished 
every bit of his fire before breaking camp. This 
is surely a fundamental principle of camping, yet 
often carelessly forgotten at the cost of many 
acres of our beautiful forest lands, also the cause 
of the prohibiting of camping in many places. 
It would seem, in running up the results of this 
(Continued on page 1214.) 
