The light steel boxes made in England for travellers in India and Africa would prove of value in South American exploration.  They have the advantage of being insect and water proof and the disadvantage of being expensive.

It would be well if the traveller measured each case for personal equipment and computed the limit of weight that it could carry and still float.  By careful distribution of light and heavy articles in the different containers, he could be sure of his belongings floating if accidentally thrown into the water.

It is not always possible to get comfortable native saddles.  They are all constructed on heavy lines with thick padding which becomes water-soaked in the rainy season.  A United States military saddle, with Whitman or McClellan tree, would be a positive luxury.  Neither of them is padded, so would be the correct thing for all kinds of weather.  The regulation army saddle-blanket is also advised as a protection for the mule’s back.  The muleteer should wash the saddle-blanket often.  For a long mule-back trip through a game country, it would be well to have a carbine boot on the saddle (United States Army) and saddle-bags with canteen and cup.  In a large pack-train much time and labor are lost every morning collecting the mules which strayed while grazing.  It would pay in the long run to feed a little corn at a certain hour every morning in camp, always ringing a bell or blowing a horn at the time.  The mules would get accustomed to receiving the feed and would come to camp for it at the signal.

All the rope that came to my attention in South America was three-strand hemp, a hard material, good for standing rigging but not good for tackle or for use aboard canoes.  A four-ply bolt rope of best manilla, made in New Bedford, Mass., should be taken.  It is the finest and most pliable line in the world, as any old whaler will tell you.  Get a sailor of the old school to relay the coils before you go into the field so that the rope will be ready for use.  Five eighths to seven eighths inch diameter is large enough.  A few balls of marline come in conveniently as also does heavy linen fish-line.

A small-sized duffel-bag should be provided for each of the men as a container for hammock and net, spare clothing, and mess-kit.  A very small waterproof pouch or bag should be furnished also for matches, tobacco, etc.

The men should be limited to one duffel-bag each.  These bags should be numbered consecutively.  In fact, every piece in the entire equipment should be thus numbered and a list kept in detail in a book.

The explorer should personally see that each of his men has a hammock, net, and poncho; for the native, if left unsupervised, will go into the field with only the clothing he has on.