Camping and woodcraft - Scoutmastercg.com

TRIPS AFOOT 113The "Wigwam," as Mr. Holding calls his tinytent, is of ordinary "A" shape and is made ofJapanese silk, 5 f t. 1 1 in. long, 4^ ft. wide, and 4 ft.high, giving sufficient headroom to lounge in comfortably.When rolled up it can be carried in anordinary pocket. It will be noticed that the polesand pegs weigh practically twice as much as thetent itself. This is due partly to the use of shearpoles in front, instead of a single vertical pole,giving freer entrance and egress, besides supportingthe tent better. A ridge pole, weighing 10 ounces,is supplied extra, and is recommended for the sakeof trim setting. The poles are of jointed bamboo,and the pegs of aluminum, flattened at the endsinstead of pointed, to give a good grip in the ground.Of the silk tent Mr. Holding says: "Such is itstoughness that I have seen a pair of the strongestfingers try to tear the material, and fail. For itsweight and thickness it is the most powerful stuffin the world in the shape of textile goods. I haveput several tents I possess to protracted and severetests, and I have never had one to tear. One hasBtood some of the heaviest rains, in fact, recordsfor thirty hours at a stretch, without letting in wet,and I say this of an 11 -ounce silk one. . . ."What, however, silk does not stand well isfriction. As an instance, open your silk umbrellaand look down the folds, half way between eachrib. The parts of a tent, therefore, which showthe wear are at the pegging and head places, wherethe fingers touch it in erecting. To this end Irecommend they should not be rolled up, as cottonfabrics, but rucked, like a pocket handkerchief.'*The "Wigwam" is also furnished ready-made invarious other materials, cheaper but heavier thansilk, of which the next lightest is lawn, weighingI pound 8 ounces.The ground sheet is of light mackintosh. Overit goes a little "ground blanket" of thin cashm.ere,with eyelets at the corners, so that it may be peggeddown. This is not only for the sake of warmth.