monise with her ways, and thus to lead a natural,
comfortable, and wholesome life. Heed not the
"tough" camper who flings himself down "any old
place" and mocks you on your bed of thick, soft
boughs or of air ; and if you prefer to spend a morning
in loafing about camp or engaged in that delightful
pastime called by Charles Dudley Warner the "art
12 The Way of the Woods
of sitting on a log, " do not let your soul be ruffled by
his derisive guffaw.
Therefore, while striving to go light and to become
independent of really unnecessary appurtenances of
city life, by no means neglect comfort. On a first
or second trip there is even no harm in taking too
much. The art of elimination is not learned in a
day, but comes inevitably with experience. There
is a charm, too, in trying out new things. It is a
part of the game. Improvements in forest para-
phernalia appear every year, and to flout them is
folly. Why not cleave for ever to the muzzle-loaders,
the black powder, and the heavy fishing-rods of our
fathers ?
My advice is to send for the catalogues of the manu-
facturers of and dealers in camping and sporting
articles, whose advertisements are found in the
sporting periodicals, and to study them closely.
While, they contain many things that are unnecessary
and sometimes bad, they also offer the latest and
best, and are inspiring as well as instructive.
The financial question is, of course, a very im-
portant one. The tourist who has had no experience
of camping or canoeing would be very
foolish to undertake a trip of any length
without the services of one or more guides, or at
least the help of some experienced friend. Even an
old camper will find the help of a guide a great com-
fort, especially if he intends to do much fishing or
shooting, for the management of a loaded canoe while
on the move, plus the work necessary to pitch,
maintain, and strike camp, including the cutting of
wood, drawing water, and cooking, will, if he does
Planning the Outing 13
everything properly and feeds himself well, prove a
severe tax upon his time and energies. The tendency
under such circumstances it to get along with the
minimum, to save time and trouble, a method which
often leads to underfeeding. There are few amateur
woodsmen really competent to undertake a long
journey in the woods without professional help,
unless two or more be banded together, and for these
this manual has not primarily been compiled. Of
course a single camping-out season may serve to
promote the neophyte from the tenderfoot class,
and the future extent of his undertakings will be
limited by his ambitions and his physical powers.
I do not mean to discourage "going it alone" as soon
as this can be done with profit, but life in the woods
is like most other arts; it must be learned, and pro-
gress will be the faster for a course of instruction under
a competent master, either amateur or professional.
There are many things, such as fire-making, fly-
casting, paddling, etc., which can perhaps be learned
in time by experience alone, though by no means
so readily or thoroughly as when taught by a good
master; while others, such as using the axe, packing
a horse or mule, and various kinds of shooting and
hunting, can never be really mastered without the
aid of practical lessons. In many provinces, such
as Maine, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, non-
residents are not allowed to hunt without guides,
nor in some regions even to camp.
In Nova Scotia, and the less known portions of
some other provinces, guides charge $1.50 a day for
fishing trips and $2 for hunting. As one goes west
these charges increase. It follows that the most
inexpensive expeditions may be undertaken in
14 The Way of the Woods
Nova Scotia, from $2.75 to $3.50 per day and person
covering all expenses including a guide and canoe
for each member of the party, tents, blankets, cook-
ing-kit, food for all hands, and teaming of persons,
canoes, and duffle. The cost of a trip to New Bruns-
wick, Quebec, or Newfoundland will be from one
to three dollars a day more than this; while Maine
prices are about the same as those of New Brunswick.
In the hunting season the required license-fees for
non-residents must be added to the expenses. These
are in New Brunswick and Newfoundland, $50; Nova
Scotia, $30; Quebec, Ontario, and Michigan, $25;
Maine, $15 (see Game Laws in Brief, Forest and
Stream Co., 346 Broadway, New York City, 25 cts.
for latest game-laws of U. S. and Canada).
CHAPTER II
CLOTHING
THE most suitable clothing is that which is simplest
and lightest, consistent with durability and pro-
tection against the elements. A somewhat wide
choice is offered and the selection depends upon the
object and locality of the expedition, the season,
and the individuality of the sportsman. Under
separate headings, e. g., "Moose-Hunting, " " Ang-
ling, " will be found remarks upon the clothing best
suited to the various branches of sport. Let us
prepare, in imagination, for a canoe trip in spring or
summer, and note winter variations as we proceed.
The reader's attention is called to the costumes worn
by the persons depicted in our illustrations.
At all seasons of the year soft, pure woollen under-
clothing is best and in cold weather indispensable.
It is very porous and absorbent, and thus Under-
ventilates the skin and absorbs moisture clothing
readily, both water and perspiration. You may
wade a cold stream for hours and yet not take
cold, while every other cloth gets clammy and
uncomfortable. Many complain that wool irritates
the skin beyond bearing, but perseverance and a
little will-power will overcome that. In very warm
weather it is not necessary, but even in summer
15
16 The Way of the Woods
cold nights and even days occur frequently in the
north woods. I prefer my underclothing very thin
and of the softest, finest variety, like the Jaeger.
In cold weather I put on two suits, or, if need be in
winter, even three, which are warmer than one gar-
ment of their combined thickness. Northern morn-
ings have a way of starting in cold and raw, calling
for about everything that one can conveniently pull
on; then one can "peel" as the sun sends the ther-
mometer soaring.
Wear all underclothing before taking it into the
woods, and have it washed several times, to be sure
of the fit. Drawers should not be too tight round
the knees. In summer it is well to have one under-
shirt with short arms, as one often goes with rolled-up
sleeves. Nor does the forearm require so much
protection. In case, however, you are wont to
perspire freely, both undershirts had better have
long sleeves. No more than two need be taken, as
one can always be washed at .night. For sleeping
an extra silk or cotton undershirt may be taken if
desired. In winter another woollen undershirt should
be added for emergencies. One extra pair of drawers
is sufficient for all seasons.
Wear nothing but wool. If the feet are tender
wear a pair of light cashmere socks next the skin
Socks and and a thick pair over them, or even two if
Stockings extra large moccasins are worn. As socks
take up very little room I take three thicknesses
with me, and can thus clothe my feet to fit any
shoe and any temperature. Long stockings are worn
with knickers of course, and the home-knit ones that
can be best got in the country are better than the
Clothing 1 7
machine-made golf-stockings. With these a pair of
light socks may be worn next the skin. In winter
very heavy long stockings are worn by woodsmen,
either over thick drawers, or pulled up over drawers
and trousers both and tied round the knee to keep
out the snow. This, with moccasins or larrigans, is a
rig that cannot be improved upon for cold weather.
The shirt should be of soft but strong flannel and
should fit well. Grey is the most inconspicuous
colour. Blue is conspicuous and apt to
crock and get rusty. Have the wide
collar nearly meet when turned down; it will fit
better so and will protect you more effectively when
turned up. There is usually a small pocket in the
breast for the watch; if not have one made. A light-
weight shirt is best in summer; in winter it may be
thicker or even thickest. Unless you have plenty
of room take only one shirt. When it gets wet or
you are drying it after washing, wear your sweater
or go without.
A soft but strong silk handkerchief is a good thing
to wear round the neck, protecting from both sun
and cold, as well as from chafing. In case of accident
it makes a good bandage or sling.
These should possess two virtues: protection against
wind and weather, and plenty of pocket-room. For
the latter reason a coat is preferable to a Outer
sweater, especially for a sportsman, and, Garments
from this standpoint alone, a khaki or duxbak
shooting-coat is best, being practically all pocket.
It sheds a shower but a hard rain wets it through,
1 8 The Way of the Woods
and it affords little protection against the cold. I
like to wear duxbak trousers in summer, and have
found that, though not impervious to rain, they dry
off in a jiffy. For any kind of hunting, it, like all
canvas, is too noisy. On the whole my preference is
for an old woollen sack-coat of neutral colour and
loose fit, with reinforced pockets. If the trip is
entirely overland the duxbak is perhaps better, and
an extra sweater (light-weight) may be taken along,
worn under the pack on portages. Some campers
wear sweaters entirely, but they are inveterate brush
and bur catchers and soak up rain quickly. Never-
theless a sweater is a great comfort and I never go
into the woods, except in the hottest weather, without
one. The best kind is one that has a high collar
which may either be turned down or buttoned up
round the neck by means of a snap-button. Light
reddish-brown or grey are the best colours, as they
can then be used for hunting and do not show every
bit of dirt.
There is great comfort and convenience in a waist-
coat, and the very best one is a canvas shooting- vest
with four big pockets. Have this lined with flannel
and provided with an interior pocket. It will then
represent the ideal of comfort, convenience, and
toughness. For midsummer work the lining is not
necessary. Especially when no coat is worn such
a vest is invaluable. The inside pocket may be
made of some waterproof material.
If only one pair of trousers is taken the material
should be wool with little nap. They should be slit
from just below the knee down and a wedge-shaped
piece cut out to make them fit the lower leg, the slit
being closed with four or five thin but strong buttons.
Clothing 19
In this shape the trousers will fit without inconvenient
folds into high boots, leggings, or stockings. The
" tough" camper will tell you they look dudish, but
don't be bullied by a phrase. Care should be taken
not to have them in any way tight at the knees. Any
old pair of still whole trousers can be treated in this
manner in an hour. To the wearer of knickerbockers
the question of side buttons is of no consequence.
Knickers with simple straps are better than those
with buttoned cuffs. All trousers should be pro-
vided with generous back pockets, one on each side.
If your trousers are old have the seams of the pockets
reinforced or the pockets renewed. Trousers should
also be provided with loops for the belt, which should
be of stout leather, as upon it are slung the hunting-
knife, camp-hatchet, revolver, or what-not. The
belt-buckle should not be of sparkling steel, to
frighten all the game in the woods or trout in the
stream, but of some dull material.
The question of suspenders is a personal one. They
are necessary when a belt filled with heavy car-
tridges is worn. This ought to be avoided where
possible. For field shooting a special shell-vest is
usually chosen, while for rifle ammunition there is
on the market a short leather strip provided with
loops for a dozen cartridges, which may be hooked
securely on to any belt ; and no man is entitled to more
big game than he can kill with such a supply.
A suit of oilskins should be taken on a canoe trip
of any length, especially in spring and early summer,
my experience being that it is apt to rain about one
third of the time, especially near the coast. The
Gloucester fishermen's oilskins are stiff at first but
become pliable with wear. To be preferred are the
20 The Way of the Woods
garments now made for yachtsmen, which, though
not so tough, are much lighter and more comfortable.
Oilskins are positively the only covering that will
keep you quite dry in a severe rain of any duration,
except perhaps the rubber fishing-shirt, which is a
bulky and hot affair. With oilskins the outer coat
is not absolutely necessary. Mackintosh is not to
be recommended for the woods; it is too heavy and
not impervious to a long, hard rain. A light rubber
poncho is not a bad thing, but for canoeing it is in-
ferior to the oilskin jacket, as the arms are confined.
For land trips the poncho is better, -as it may be either
worn over the head, or used as a bed or tent and
in many other ways. The lighter the better, but
lightness is always gained at the expense of strength.
Going without waterproofs will do for overland trips
where one is almost constantly on the move, but to
sit in a canoe or fish along a stream for a day or two
completely drenched is altogether too miserable a
business, as well as quite needless.
In a hard rain the wristbands of the oilskin jacket
should be tied up with twine or a couple of those
convenient stout rubber bands, a supply of which
should be in every kit.
For winter I have found a Carss Mackinaw jacket
excellent.
Hat or cap? I vote for hat, a medium-weight
felt with a fairly wide brim stiff enough, when turned
down in wind or rain, to ''stay put" and
Headwear
not flop about. For this reason I choose
one with the edge of the brim bound. The leather
sweatband may be torn out, as the felt will cling
better to the hair in a gale, or one of flannel may be
Clothing 2 1
substituted. I keep the leather, however, as I don't
like the press of the rougher material on my forehead.
Light-brown is the best colour; grey is good. Caps
allow the sun and rain to strike in from the side, a
serious fault in my eyes. As a spare headpiece one
may be taken along, a light one. For camp use a silk
or knit wool skull-cap is excellent, the former for
warm weather, the latter for cold. They make good
nightcaps. For those who wear glasses the broad,
stiff brim of the hat is a necessity. Don't take sou'-
westers, rain-hoods, and that ilk. Your hat sheds
nearly all the rain. The coon-skin and other fur
head-coverings are only for winter use in the far north.
The Amerind, as the ethnologists call the American
Indian, invented the moccasin, and the paleface
has thus far failed to improve upon the
pattern of this foot-covering for forest
life. But the white man makes better moccasins
than the average Amerind, and I would rather have
a pair bought of a good dealer or in a country larrigan-
factory than one made by my guide. The two great
virtues of the moccasin are lightness and softness.
When you get used to them they are like gloves,
and the foot becomes in a manner prehensile, gripping
the stones and sticks like a hand. Their lightness
makes you feel skittishly lively after dragging about
a pair of heavy hunting-boots. At first they will
hurt your poor, tender, pampered feet, but stick
to them; in a short time your feet will toughen.
Wear an extra pair of socks with them or an insole
of some material that will keep shape after wetting.
You can cut a good pair out of birchbark in the
woods. These may protect you from a stubbed
22 The Way of the Woods
toe before you have acquired the catlike, careful
gait of the old trail-hitter. The best insoles are of
straw or stiff felt. There are two varieties of mocca-
sin, the moccasin proper and the larrigan, or ankle-
moccasin. I prefer the latter, as they protect the
ankle and do not allow the ingress of sticks and
gravel so easily. Literal tenderfeet may have a
pair of double-soled moccasins made to break in
their feet, graduating to single soles later. Double
FIG. i. Moccasin, Shoepack, and Moose- shank
soles are good at any time in rough country. The
extra sole should be inside and not show. Buy good
stuff. Take the moccasin in your hand and examine
and feel. Reject all ornamented work. Either
oil-tanned or smoke-tanned are good. On long
trips take two pairs, especially in rough country,
as they do not wear well. Tallow them frequently
or treat them with some good boot -grease. This
will keep them soft. "Collan Oil" is also excellent.
Do not attempt to dry any tanned shoes before the
fire; disaster will follow. Let them dry naturally
or stay wet, which they are really not, save on the
outside. Moccasins on fishing trips are only for
Clothing 23
the camp; for wading something stouter must be
worn.
For canoe trips a pair of camping-shoes with
pliable heelless soles may be recommended, though
after all they are no improvement upon moccasins,
save in the protection of the foot. Any old but still
good walking-shoe will do, though not so soft or
tough. For general use in the woods, whether canoe-
ing or cruising about, I am personally very fond of
the soled moccasin called in the Maritime Provinces
and other regions shoepack, made either low or
ankle high. It is made with a rather stiffish sole,
which either extends the whole length of the bottom
with an extra thickness for the heel, or is absent under
the instep, thus lightening the shoe but affording
less protection against sharp stones and sticks.
When sparingly provided with small, round-headed
Hungarian nails, even a steep, wet, moss-covered
rock has no terrors for the shoepack, and it is ex-
cellent as a wader, especially when worn with stout
leggings. In the canoe you must be a bit careful
not to scratch the bottom. The nails should be put in
near the edge. Hobnails are a delusion; never use
them. Shoepacks are hard to find in town, but can
be got of the country larrigan makers.
Moose or caribou ' 'shanks," made from the legs of
these animals, with the hock for a heel, are tough and
comfortable, but so warm, the hair being left on, that
they are generally worn only in winter. They should
be bark- and not alum-tanned. For still-hunting
there is nothing better.
For those who like a stout sole and solid ankle-
brace, the hunting-boot, seven to twelve inches high,
is a satisfactory article, though wofully heavy. It
24 The Way of the Woods
should have a few round-headed nails on sole and heel,
not over eighteen altogether. Better than the boot
is the high moccasin. I have a double-soled, ten-inch
pair made by Gokey that are waterproof and solid ($7).
The same thing is made for prospectors and other
rough-country travellers with a sole, and a substitute
for the rubber boot is made by providing these with
a leather top. This is the ideal wader, though
expensive.
FIG. 2. Moccasin -Boot, Hunting-Boot, and Double-Soled Larrigan
In the woods no waders have any place, because,
though they are warm, even when wet inside, and
protect the legs, they are too heavy and bulky. The
idea that they, or any other shoes, keep out water
is a delusion, for perspiration and condensation do
the work, and all too often a slip on the rocks causes
the water to pour in and one is " stewed in one's
own sauce."
Don't be afraid of wet feet; it is the normal
Clothing 25
condition of the woodsman in spring and summer.
It keeps the feet soft and, if woollen stockings are
worn, does no harm.
Take along some tallow or a box of "Touradif
Boot-Grease." Before starting your footwear may
be thoroughly treated with ''Never Wet" or Collan
Oil. The greasing should be done inside as well as
outside. I pour Collan or neat's-foot oil into all my
shoes and let it soak into the seams, warming the
shoes a little first.
For camp slippers the extra pair of moccasins may
be used. Some take a pair of "sneakers," but they
are flimsy. A pair of felt slippers is best if there is.
room for them, but the moccasins should suffice.
In rough country leggings are a great comfort,
especially when knickers are worn, as briars and
sharp sticks soon tear to pieces the stoutest
stockings. In wading with low shoes
they protect the legs and prevent the trousers from
sagging down when heavy with water. For spring
and summer brown canvas is a good material, but
do not buy those bound with cheap leather, which is
sure to come off after an hour's wading. Have them
stoutly bound with cloth or canvas. The army
pattern is about the best for this season. Leather
is well enough on the plains but is too heavy and
noisy for the woods. The like may be said, so far
as hunting is concerned, of canvas, and for this reason,
and because the underbrush is less troublesome than
in summer, long stockings are preferable. The ideal
legging I have not yet found. It should be of some
tough but smooth woollen cloth, like loden, and
lace on.
2 6 The Way of the Woods
The puttee legging, composed of strips of cloth
wound spirally up the leg, is too apt to be displaced
and torn in the north woods.
Before leaving the subject of clothing it may be
well to suggest that some ability with the needle is
Home- often of advantage in the forest, particu-
made larly on long trips far from civilisation.
Clothing The ideal woodsman should be able to
fashion at least every piece of his outer clothing, in-
cluding cap and moccasins, should occasion require it;
and, at very least, to make all necessary repairs with
thoroughness if not elegance. Woodland shoe-mak-
ing may come in very handy should the kit be lost
or the moccasins wear through. One must have
the leather (see Woodcraft), and a small awl and
some waxed ends ought always to be in the kit.
(For those who care to essay a pair of home-made
moccasins an article in Forest and Stream of De-
cember 15, 1906, may be recommended.) Better
take an extra pair with you from town, as even
Indian work is inferior.
RECAPITULATION
Clothing for Canoe Trip in Warm Weather
Worn on Person: Woollen underclothes; grey flannel shirt;
trousers; belt; waistcoat; handkerchief; socks or stockings;
moccasins or shoepacks; hat.
(Optional: neckerchief; coat; sweater.)
Take Extra: Coat (if not worn); sweater (if not worn);
suit underwear (of different weight); 3 or 4 pairs socks;
5 handkerchiefs ; cap or skullcap ; pair trousers ; pair shoes
or extra moccasins; oilskins or poncho.
(Optional: camp slippers; dogskin gloves- if not worn.)
Clothing 27
For Overland Trip (Carrying Everything on the Back)
Omit from above: 2 pairs socks; coat or sweater; slippers;
extra trousers; cap; oilskins.
For Winter Trips; Overland or not
Add: suit underclothing; extra stockings. (Optional:
Mackinaw coat instead of sack-coat; German socks; moose-
shanks; mittens or gloves of knit wool; oilskins.)
CHAPTER III
PERSONAL OUTFIT
THE personal outfit includes everything used by
the individual alone and not in common with all the
rest. It may be divided into:
1. Articles Carried on the Person.
2. Knapsacks and Bags and their Contents.
3. Sporting Articles.
ARTICLES CARRIED ON THE PERSON
Spring or Summer Trip
Continual: Watch; compass; jackknife; waterproof match-
box; dope-can; salt-box; emergency lunch; plaster.
Optional, recommended: Hunting-knife; ammonia; head-net;
note-book and pencil; magnif ying-glass ; hooks and line.
Occasional: Opera-glasses; liquor- flask; pistol or revolver;
smoked glasses; camera (see Photography); camp-hatchet;
money; pipe and tobacco; map.
Although it is quite possible to get on in the woods
without a timepiece of any kind except old Sol, most
of us do not spend enough time in the
forest to escape the feeling of being more
or less lost without one. Nevertheless I strongly
recommend trying the experiment, if for. the one
reason that a watch represents, perhaps more than
any other single article, our dependence upon arti-
ficial helps. Here is a golden opportunity to cast
aside what is, if you come to think of it, a totally
28
Personal Outfit 29
unnecessary piece of baggage; for what difference
does it make to you in the woods if you are a half-
hour out of the way according to old tyrant Green-
wich? You have no train to catch. Leave your
ticker at home and note how quickly you will take
to scanning the heavens with a new interest. Sun-
down and high noon will acquire a new significance
and you are nearer to nature at once. - Before you