It will save strain upon any tent, to stay it in windy weather with ropes running from the iron pins of the upright poles (which should project through the ridgepole and top of the tent) to the ground in front and rear of the tent.  A still better way is to run four ropes from the top—­two from each pole-pin—­down to the ground near the tent-pins of the four corner guy-lines.  The two stays from the rear pole should run toward the front of the tent; and the two front stays toward the rear, crossing the other two.  The tent is then stayed against a wind from any quarter, and the stays and guy-lines are all together on the sides of the tent.

Loosen the stays and guy-lines a little at night or when rain is approaching, so as to prevent them from straining the tent by shrinking.

Around the bottom of any tent you should dig a small trench to catch and convey away the water when it rains; and I caution you against the error which even old campers sometimes make,—­do not try to have the water run up hill.

HOW TO PITCH A WALL-TENT QUICKLY.

After you have once pitched the tent, and have put the poles and pins in their exact places, note the distance from one of the upright poles to the pin holding one of the nearest corner guy-lines, and then mark one of the poles in such a way that you can tell by it what that distance is.  When you next wish to pitch the tent, drive two small pins in the ground where the two upright poles are to rest,—­the ridgepole will tell you how far apart they must be,—­then, by measuring with your marked pole, you can drive the four pins for the corner guys in their proper places.

Next spread the tent on the ground, and put the ridgepole in its place in the top of the tent, and the two upright poles in their places.  Then raise the tent.  It will take two persons, or, if the tent is large, four or more, having first moved it bodily, to bring the feet of the upright poles to touch the two small pins that you drove at the beginning.  You can now catch and tighten the corner guy-lines on the four pins previously driven.  In driving the other pins, it looks well to have them on a line, if possible; also try to have the wall of the tent set square:  to do this you must tie the door just right before you tighten a guy-line.

You will find this way of pitching a tent convenient when a wind is blowing, or when your assistant is not a strong person.  If the wind is very high, spread your tent to windward, and catch the windward guy-lines before raising the tent.  You will thus avoid having it blown over.

TENT-POLES.

As tent-poles are not expensive, you may find it convenient to have two sets for each tent; one stout set for common use, and a lighter set to take when transportation is limited.  Sound spruce, free from large knots and tolerably straight-grained, makes good poles; pine answers as well, but is more expensive.