Camping and woodcraft - Scoutmastercg.com

CAMP BEDDING 135protect the bedding en routes and then is easy toturn into a mattress when you make camp. A pillowbag, similarly stuffed, with spare clothing atop,was not the least important item in my very lightkit. When one has room, it pays to carry a smallfeather pillow or a down cushion about 12x18inches.Air Mattresses.— An air bed is luxurious inmoderate weather, but too cold to use late in thereason unless well insulated with blankets or a feltpad. The thinner the bed the less objectionable itis in this respect, as it does not then steal so muchof one's animal heat.There are sleeping bags combined with airmattresses,full-length or only ** body size," that aregood for canoe cruising, horseback journeys, or othertrips when camp is changed every day or so andgood sites are not always to be found. They savemuch work, and sometimes a good deal of anxiety.There is then no night wood to cut, no browse togather, no tent to trench, and little bother aboutsmoothing the ground. Wherever one may be, indamp forest or on sandy dune, on rocky ground ormucky ground, down goes the bundle, it is unrolled,and one inflates his " blow bed " with the bellowsthat nature gave him. In ten minutes he is assuredof a dry, warm, elastic bed for the night, in spite ofJupiter Pluvius, or Boreas, or both of them allied.If water runs in on the floor, let it run. If the tentblows down, let it alone until you feel like gettingup. Come morning there is no bed making to do, ifyou are too hurried to air things, except to deflatethe mattress and roll the bag up. It straps into awaterproof pack that stows conveniently anywhere.But such a bed is quite expensive. For ordinaryservice, blankets and a bed tick will do just as well.In any case, study your health and your ease atnight. There is a veteran's wisdom in what ChaunceyThomas says: " I go camping to have a goodtime, and a third of that time is spent in bed,"