Mending Leather Water-vessels.—­If a water-vessel becomes leaky, the hole should be caulked by stuffing a rag, a wedge of wood, a tuft of grass, or anything else into it, as shown in the upper figure and also in the left side of the lower one (p. 230), and then greasing or waxing it over.  A larger rent must be Seized upon, the lips of the wound pinched up, a thorn or other spike run through the lips, and lastly a piece of twine lashed firmly round, underneath the thorn; the thorn keeps the string from slipping off (See the right-hand corner of the lower figure.) When there is an opportunity, the bag must be patched, as is also shown in the lower figure.

[Sketch of parts of two bags as referred to in text].

Repairing a battered Metal Flask.—­Fill it with dry seed, such as peas or mustard-seed; then pour in water and put the stopper into it.  After a period varying from 1 to 3 or 4 hours, according to the nature of the seeds, they will begin to swell and to force the sides of the flask outwards into their original shape.  The swelling proceeds rather rapidly after it has once commenced, so the operation requires watching, lest it should be overdone and the flask should burst.

Corks and Stoppers.—­Thrust a cork tightly into the mouth of the flask, cut a hole through the cork and plug the hole, which will henceforth form the outlet of the flask—­with a stopper of wood, bone, or other hard substance.  Thread, wound round a slightly conical plug that has been sufficiently notched to retain it in its place, makes it nearly water-tight as a stopper.  It is of less importance that the stopper should fit closely, if the flask be so slung that its mouth shall be always uppermost:  a very imperfect cork will then be sufficient to check evaporation and splashing, and to prevent the loss of more than a few drops from occasional upsets.

Drinking, when riding or walking.—­It is an awkward matter to drink when jolting on wheels, on horseback, or on foot.  I adopted the plan of carrying a piece of small india-rubber tubing 6 or 8 inches long, and when I wished to drink, I removed the stopper and inserted the tube, just as an insect might let down its proboscis, and sucked the contents.  Sir S. Baker says of the people of Unyoro, “During a journey, a pretty, bottle-shaped, long-necked gourd is carried with a store of plantain-cider; the mouth of the bottle is stopped with a bundle of the white rush shreds, through which a reed is inserted that reaches to the bottom:  thus the drink can be sucked up during the march, without the necessity of halting; nor is it possible to spill it by the movement of walking.”