Provisions

The question as to what kinds and what quantity of food to carry on a camping trip is perhaps more difficult to settle satisfactorily than any other that besets the sportsman when preparing for an outing. In making up his commissariat he must of course be governed by the number of men that are to make up the party, the length of time the trip is to occupy, what is to be its means of transportation, and how much of that is to be provided; where the party is to go; whether the trip is to be in quest of fish or game or both. If you are to travel by team, over good roads, you may of course carry a much more elaborate bill of fare than if by pack-train, by canoe or on foot. As a rule, however, only plain substantial food should be taken into camp. This is the kind you will crave, the kind you will need, and delicacies should be left at home. As a rustler once expressed it, "Pie and cake are good enough at home, but they don't climb the hills worth a d-n."

Cancel all the knickknacks on your list at the start, and give your stomach a rest during your outing. You doubtless need a chance to recover from the ill effects of the rich food you have been living on for years past. Bread, meat, vegetables and fruits are the staples that you will require when you come to climb the hills, tramp over the prairies, wander in the dense woods, or pull on the paddles. How to make up a list of edibles suitable as to quantity, quality and variety for a given number of days in the woods is therefore a serious question, to those who only go into the woods occasionally. To the old-timer it is the work of but a few minutes. He knows by experience just what he wants to eat and drink, and how much of it he will need per day. His requisition on the supply-store, for a month's trip in the mountains, is usually 50 pounds of flour, 25 pounds of bacon, 2 pounds of salt, 5 pounds of tobacco, and 5 gallons of whisky; but a man of temperate habits would make an entirely different selection.

As to quality, buy the best of everything; it costs but little more than an inferior grade and the best is none too good for an honest man, when hard at work. As to quantity and variety, no better guide can be given than the army regulations regarding the soldier's ration. This is made up as the result of years of study and practical experience, by men whose lives are spent largely in camp, and who have learned to a nicety what an ordinary man, engaged in active outdoor work-or play, for that matter-requires to keep him strong, healthy and happy. The lists of provisions appended to this chapter are based on the figures given in the army regulations as constituting the soldier's daily ration; and any man who has had the good fortune to fall in with a party of soldiers when engaged in partaking of a meal, well knows that they live on the best, for their purpose, that the land can afford.

If you are sure you are going to find plenty of game or fish, you can reduce the figures given as to the supply of meat materially. But don't be too sure on that point. This world is full of disappointments for hunters and anglers. You have heard of men going for wool and coming back shorn.

Unless you are going to have a permanent camp, that can be reached by good wagon roads, don't carry any canned fruits. They are a delusion, and are two-thirds water. The chances are, you will get better water where you are going, and save the freight. Fruits are dried or evaporated nowadays in such an excellent manner that there is no need of carrying them done up in tin and water. These remarks apply with equal force to the popular Boston fruit--canned beans. All provisions should be put up in good strong canvas bags, or in wooden or tin boxes. Never risk paper packages -on a camping trip, or you will very likely find your sugar, salt, coffee, beans and other staples sadly mixed.

Whisky

Don't take any. The guide, packer or cook is sure to steal it and get drunk, if you don't keep it under lock and key, and you and your friends are better off without it.

There are many other points that I should like to treat of but have not space to do so here. I must therefore beg modestly to refer the reader to my book, "Camping and Camp Outfits," wherein exhaustive details are given on all points pertaining to this subject.

Check-Lists

Of Articles Constituting Camp-Outfits, for Various Seasons and Under Varying Conditions.

With reference to the first of the following lists it may be noted that a strong man can carry fifty pounds ten or fifteen miles a day comfortably, when accustomed to this kind of labor. If traveling by canoe the only addition necessary to make to the loads, in case of portages, would be the canoe and paddles. If no long portages are to be made, a photograph camera should be added to the list, and a few luxuries may be taken along; but they should be such as are light, and take but little room.

The total weight of such articles, enumerated in the second list, as are to be carried on the pack-animals, is about 320 pounds, or 160 pounds to each animal. With these loads they will travel comfortably twenty to thirty-live miles a day. As the provisions and cartridges are used up, skins, heads or other trophies may be added to the load in their steads *-\ No animal should ever be allowed to carry more than 250 pounds, and small ones not more than 1 50 to 200. Overloading is cruel and is nearly sure to cause sore backs.

Supplies For Two Men For A Ten Days' Trip On Foot

10 pounds hard bread.

2 belts and hunting

I coffee pot.

12 pounds bacon.

knives.

2 tin plates.

3 pounds dried apples or

2 pocket knives.

2 spoons.

peaches.

i axe.

2 tin cups.

2 pounds salt.

I tent.

I dish cloth.

3 pounds sugar.

2 pack straps.

2 pounds tobacco.

2 pounds coffee, roasted

2 suits extra underwear,

2 pipes.

and ground, or

in bags.

I map.

1/2 pound tea.

4 pairs socks.

300 matches.

2 sleeping bags, or

2 rubber coats.

2 water-proof match

blankets.

2 compasses.

boxes.

2 rifles or guns.

2 watches.

2 ounces insect lotion.

100 cartridges.

i camp kettle.

2 cakes soap.

2 fishing rods.

I frying pan.

2 towels.

2 reels.

I wire broiler.

2 tooth brushes.

Hooks, lines, flies, reels,

I stew pan.

Supply of small change.

etc.

Total weight about 90 pounds.

It is possible to curtail this list slightly, but not without some sacrifice of comfort.

Supplies For Two Men For Ten Days, Tray E Ling With Two Saddle Horses And Two Pack Horses, Summer Or Fall

2 saddle horses.

12 flies, assorted colors.

2 tin cups.

2 pack horses.

2 sleeping bags, or

2 dish cloths.

2 riding saddles.

3 pairs heavy wool

I box matches.

2 pack saddles.

blankets.

2 water proof pocket

2 bridles.

2 pillows.

match boxes.

4 saddle blankets.

I tent.

20 pounds flour, or

4 picket ropes.

2 sheets, canvas.

15 pounds hard bread.

2 sling ropes.

2 suits heavy woolen

14 pounds bacon.

2 lash ropes.

clothes.

3 pounds dried apples or

2 cinches.

4 heavy woolen under-

peaches.

2 manteaus.

shirts.

3 pounds oat or rye meal.

50 feet quarter-inch rope.

4 pairs heavy woolen

3 pounds beans.

50 feet half-inch rope.

drawers.

3 pounds rice.

2 gun slings.

4 heavy woolen outside

2 pounds salt.

2 rifles or guns.

shirts.

i pound pepper.

200 cartridges.

6 pairs heavy woolen

3 pounds sugar.

2 cleaning outfits for

socks.

2 pounds roasted and

guns.

2 light felt hats.

ground coffee, or

I small can of oil.

2 pairs buckskin gloves.

⅜ pound tea.

2 belts.

2 rubber coats.

2 pounds desiccated vege-

I axe.

2 pairs rubber hip boots.

tables.

2 hunting knives.

2 prs. heavy leather shoes.

2 pounds tobacco.

2 skinning knives.

2 bags to carry clothing

2 pipes.

2 pocket knives.

in.

2 toilet cases, each con-

2 steels.

4 pairs buckskin mocca-

taining soap, towels,

I map.

sins.

tooth-brush, needles,

2 compasses.

I camp kettle.

thread, buttons, safety-

2 watches.

Stamped envelopes and

pins, and other small

2 pack straps.

paper.

articles.

2 prs. goggles or smoked

I frying pan.

I kit tools and materials

glasses.

I wire broiler.

for repairing camp

2 pairs ear muffs.

I stew pan.

equipage, etc.

I photograph camera.

I coffee pot.

4 horse shoes.

3 dozen celluloid plates.

2 tin plates.

i pound horse nails.

2 fishing rods.

2 spoons.

2 pounds powdered alum,

Supplies For Two Men For Ten Days, Traveling By Team, Summer Or Fall

i team and its equipment.

i tent.

2 tin cups.

50 feet quarter-inch rope.

r camp cooking stove.

2 dish cloths.

50 feet half-inch rope.

2 sheets, canvas, 4x8 ft.

i bar laundry soap.

2 rifles or guns.

i folding camp table.

i box matches.

2 gun slings.

2 folding camp chairs.

2 waterproof pocket

200 cartridges.

i hammock.

match boxes.

2 cleaning outfits for

2 suits heavy wooleu

20 pounds flour, or

guns.

clothes.

15 pounds hard bread.

i small can of oil for

4 heavy woolen under-

14 pounds bacon.

guns.

shirts.

2 pounds dried apples.

2 belts.

4 pairs heavy woolen

2 pounds dried peaches.

.1 axe.

drawers.

2 pounds dried apricots.

2 hunting knives.

4 heavy woolen outside

3 pounds oat or rye meal.

2 skinning knives.

shirts.

2 pounds beans.

2 pocket knives.

6 pairs heavy woolen

2 pounds rice.

2 steels.

socks.

5 pounds salt.

2 compasses.

2 light felt hats.

⅜ pound pepper.

2 watches.

2 pairs buckskin gloves.

3 pounds sugar.

2 pack straps.

2 rubber coats.

2 pounds roasted and

i map.

2 pairs rubber hip boots.

ground coffee, or

2 prs. goggles or smoked

2 prs. heavy leather shoes.

⅜ pound tea.

glasses.

4 pairs moccasins.

25 pounds potatoes.

Stamped envelopes and

2 bags to carry clothing

2 pounds tobacco.

paper.

in.

2 pipes.

2 pairs ear muffs.

i folding canvas boat.

2 toilet cases, each con

i photograph camera.

i camp kettle.

taining soap, towels.

24 celluloid plates.

i frying pan.

tooth brush,hair brush,

2 fishing rods.

i wire broiler.

needles, thread, but-

2 reels and lines.

i stew pan.

tons, safety pins, etc.

12 bait hooks, assorted

i bread pan.

i kit tools and materials

sizes.

i coffee pot.

for repairing wagon,

12 flies, assorted colors.

i Dutch oven.

camp equipage, etc.

2 sleeping bags, or

2 tin plates.

4 horse shoes.

2 reels and lines.

2 knives.

for curing skins.

12 bait hooks, assorted

2 forks.

Supply of small change.

sizes.

4 pairs of heavy wool

I folding rubber bucket.

25 horse nails.

blankets.

2 spoons.

2 pounds powdered alum

2 mattresses, or

2 knives.

for curing skins.

2 folding cot beds.

2 forks.

Supply of small change.

2 pillows.

If more than one pack-animal to each man is provided, then a folding canvas boat, folding cots, chairs, and even a table may be carried. A sheet-iron cooking stove may be taken, but it adds greatly to the labor of packing and but little to the comfort or convenience of the party.

For a larger or smaller number of people, or for a longer or shorter outing, the requisite quantity of supplies may be determined by multiplication or subtraction.