It was Bill’s idea to rig up the flap in such a manner that it would not lie against the face, so that the sleeper could have plenty of fresh air, even in rainy weather.  This required the use of two headboards, of the form shown in Fig. 202.  The headboards were connected at the bottom by a thin board, and to this framework the sides of the bag were nailed.  To the end flap several cleats were nailed, adapted to fit into notches cut in the headboards.  The cleat at the end of the flap was laid on edge, as shown, and fitted into deep notches in the headboards just above the edge of the cover piece.  This held the flap securely, preventing it from flying open in a heavy wind.  At the same time the small space between the flap and the cover piece allowed for an ample supply of fresh air.  When using this sleeping bag, if there was any indication of a shower, we took care to have the head pointed to windward so as to prevent entrance of rain through this air space.

The “A” Tent.

[Illustration:  Fig. 205.  The “A” Tent.]

In connection with the sleeping bags it may be well to describe here a curious shelter Dutchy and I came across in one of our tramps.  It was just about dusk one day when we discovered a temporary camp at which a couple of men were preparing dinner.  They informed us that they were naturalists on a two weeks’ outing.  At their invitation we joined camp with them.  They had a small “A” tent of balloon silk, under which they kept their provisions.  The tent had no ridge pole, but was supported instead by a rope stretched between two trees (see Fig. 205).

A Camp Chair.

[Illustration:  Fig. 206.  The Camp Chair.]

[Illustration:  Fig. 207.  Pockets in the Canvas Back.]

The camp was also furnished with an easy canvas chair, made by driving a couple of short posts in the ground for front legs and a pair of longer ones for the back.  A piece of canvas was hung over these posts, forming both seat and back.  The posts were driven into the ground on a slant, as illustrated in Fig. 206, and the canvas was formed with pockets at the corners which were hooked over these posts.  This made a very comfortable chair, though, of course, it was fixed to one spot.  When the men moved camp they would carry with them only the canvas piece, and at the next stopping place new posts were chopped and used for legs.

[Illustration:  Waiting for a Bite.]

[Illustration:  Temporary Shelter Under an “A” Tent.]

The Camp Bed.

[Illustration:  Fig. 208.  Canvas Bed.]

[Illustration:  Fig. 209.  Bed Set up on Posts.]

But what interested us most was the form of bed they had.  This, like the chair, consisted of a piece of canvas arranged to be supported on posts cut from the woods in the neighborhood of the camp.  The canvas piece was 3 feet wide and 6 feet long, with a wide hem at each side, forming pockets through which poles were passed, as in a stretcher.  The ends of the poles were supported on posts driven into the ground.  The poles were also propped up at the center, as shown, the pockets being cut away and bound, so as not to permit any wear on the canvas.  To prevent the posts from leaning inward under the weight of the sleeper, they were braced apart by cross sticks.