November, 1917 
AND STREAM 
545 
FOREST 
Swinging Axe Scabbard 
If the belt axe is suspended in a swing¬ 
ing scabbard it is never in the way when 
- sitting down. I have made a very good 
scabbard like the diagram, cut from sole 
leather, either with or without flap accord¬ 
ing to the size of piece of leather. If no 
flap is cut the top of the scabbard should 
be closed with a thong run through two 
grommets, which can be taken from an old 
shoe. A loop should be cut from the leather 
and riveted to the back of the scabbard, 
and the belt passed through it. I made 
one like this several years ago and it is 
still doing duty. The cost is very small 
and it looks as well as an expensive “store 
made” article. F. V. W., Nejv York. 
A Many-purpose Garment 
This combination rain coat and sleeping 
bag should be made of waterproof material. 
A strip eight feet long of yard-wide ma¬ 
terial will be sufficient unless you are very 
tall. Shape as indicated, cutting about 
twenty inches wide at the top where the 
fold comes. Sew up the sides, leaving a 
slit on each side, twelve inches long, for 
the arms. Protect slits with flaps four 
inches wide, and insert pockets. Slit the 
fold eight and one-half inches in the center 
for a neck space, and put on a collar with 
a puckering string. Cut down from the 
center of the neck space ten inches, and 
A NAVIGABLE BOAT RAFT 
AN EXTRA BOAT FOR USE AROUND CAMP 
WHICH COSTS NOTHING BUT THE LABOR 
IF HORSESHOES ARE NOT OBTAINABLE 
SHORT PIECES OF BOARD MAY BE 
There are times in camp when another 
boat would be a blessing; not necessarily a 
good boat from the standpoint of beauty 
and grace, but one which can be moved 
along in the water in the direction one 
wishes it to go. Perhaps you wish to go in 
sedgy water where your motor boat cannot 
go; or other members of the party refuse to 
take fair turns with the boats. Here is where 
a little knowledge of constructing such a 
boat raft as pictured will come in very 
acceptably, to say nothing of the moments 
when from some accident you find ydurself 
on the wrong side of a sheet of water and 
with no way to cross it. Cut three logs 
of equal size of the length which you de¬ 
sire your boat to be. Remember that the 
longer the heavier, so seven or eight feet 
is a good length. Nail the logs together by 
a board across either end. In emergency 
these can be split from a cedar tree, and 
with the help of the camp auger and axe, 
the whole constructed without a nail. At 
either side near the ends of the logs nail 
two short boards. These are to hold up 
the long planks which form the sides of 
the “boat.” In the middle of each plank 
nail an old horseshoe so that the ends will 
protrude beyond the plank, forming a very 
good rowlock. If you cannot find horse¬ 
shoes, short pieces of board may be nailed 
to the plank instead, but you will generally 
be able to pick up horseshoes even in the 
deep woods near lumber camps, and along 
the old “tote” roads. 
A boat of this kind may be the means of 
saving one’s life in some of the exigencies 
of camp and trail, and a few moments’ 
study of the diagram and description will 
be time well spent. To build the boat is a 
matter of some few hours’ work, accord¬ 
ing whether the material is all near at 
hand or has to be hunted for and brought 
from a distance. “Lone Scout." 
put on a lap as indicated. Material for 
collar, flaps and lap will be left when cut¬ 
ting out the sides, also for sleeves, if de¬ 
sired, but pocket slits and flaps are better 
and easier to make. When a rain coat is 
wanted the user gets in the garment head 
first, like putting on a shirt. When a 
sleeping-bag is needed, draw up the collar 
puckering string and get in feet first. To 
get a comfortable night’s rest, a blanket 
bag of wool open at the ends like Ness- 
muk’s should be tried in connection. If 
the shoulders get chilly, cover with a coat 
or sweater. J. F., New York. 
W E are depending upon the 
friends and admirers of 
our old correspondent 
Nessmuk to make this 
department worthy of his name. 
No man knew the woods better 
than Nessmuk or wrote of them 
with quainter charm. Many of 
his practical ideas on camping 
and “going light” have been 
adopted by the United States 
Army; his canoe has been pre¬ 
served in Smithsonian Institution; 
and we hope that all good woods¬ 
men will contribute their Hints 
and Kinks and trail-tested con¬ 
trivances. A Nessmuk knife will 
be given for the best idea sent 
in next month. Jim Ferguson 
wins the knife this month. 
A Lodging for the Night 
If caught away from camp over night, 
the quickest and easiest made shelter can 
be constructed in a few minutes with an 
axe. A thickly branched evergreen fur¬ 
nishes all the material. Select one with 
branches very heavy at the roots. Chop 
nearly through about four feet from the 
ground, so that when the tree falls it will 
still rest on the stump. Cut away the 
under branches, and use for a bed. Other 
branches may be used to thatch the shelter 
until it becomes nearly rainproof. There 
is room for several people under this shel¬ 
ter. M., Southampton, L. I. 
The Nessmuk knife given last month for 
the best hint was awarded to Alfred Bo- 
rarius, who sent in his contribution with¬ 
out his address. If he will send it at once 
to this department, the knife will be for¬ 
warded to him. 
