If flat rocks and mud are plenty, you can perhaps build a fireplace at the door of your tent (outside, of course), and you will then have something both substantial and valuable.  Fold one flap of the door as far back as you can, and build one side of the fireplace against the pole,[11] and the other side against, or nearly over to, the corner of the tent.  Use large rocks for the lower tiers, and try to have all three walls perpendicular and smooth inside.  When up about three feet, or as high as the flap of the tent will allow without its being scorched, put on a large log of green wood for a mantle, or use an iron bar if you have one, and go on building the chimney.  Do not narrow it much:  the chimney should be as high as the top of the tent, or eddies of wind will blow down occasionally, and smoke you out.  Barrels or boxes will do for the top, or you can make a cob-work of split sticks well daubed with mud.  All the work of the fireplace and chimney must be made air-tight by filling the chinks with stones or chips and mud.  When done, fold and confine the flap of the tent against the stonework and the mantle; better tie than nail, as iron rusts the cloth.  Do not cut the tent either for this or any other purpose:  you will regret it if you do.  Keep water handy if there is much woodwork; and do not leave your tent for a long time, nor go to sleep with a big fire blazing.

If you have to bring much water into camp, remember that two pails carry about as easily as a single one, provided you have a hoop between to keep them away from your legs.  To prevent the water from splashing, put something inside the pail, that will float, nearly as large as the top of the pail.

HUNTERS’ CAMP.

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It is not worth while to say much about those hunters’ camps which are built in the woods of stout poles, and covered with brush or the bark of trees:  they are exceedingly simple in theory, and difficult in practice unless you are accustomed to using the axe.  If you go into the woods without an axeman, you had better rely upon your tents, and not try to build a camp; for when done, unless there is much labor put in it, it is not so good as a shelter-tent.  You can, however, cut a few poles for rafters, and throw the shelter-tent instead of the bark or brush over the poles.  You have a much larger shelter by this arrangement of the tent than when it is pitched in the regular way, and there is the additional advantage of having a large front exposed to the fire which you will probably build; at the same time also the under side of the roof catches and reflects the heat downward.  When you put up your tent in this way, however, you must look out not to scorch it, and to take especial care to prevent sparks from burning small holes in it.  In fact, whenever you have a roaring fire you must guard against mischief from it.

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Do not leave your clothes or blanket hanging near a brisk fire to dry, without confining them so that sudden gusts of wind shall not take them into the flame.