Camping and woodcraft - Scoutmastercg.com

332 CAMPING AND WOODCRAFTregarded by the old-fashionedPennsylvania Dutcl^and by many backwoods folk, as a specific for rheumatism,ringworm, sties, sore eyes generally, andeven for hydrophobia! A large fat snake yieldsfrom two to two and a half ounces of oil. A pieceof muslin is stretched over a glass jar, and thefat, which resembles that of a chicken, is spread onthis. The hot summer sun renders it, and the muslinstrains it. The Dutch are reported to have acurious way of telling whether the snake has bittenitself and thereby poisoned its fat. They drop alittle of the oil into a glass of milk. If the oilfloats as a film on top it is good ; but if it separatesinto small beads and the milk gathers in thickwhite flakes, as though soured, it Is a sign that the6r>ake bit Itself.Slush Lamps.—^While I am on the subject ofanimal fats and oils, I may as well say somethingabout extemporized lights for a fixed camp that isfar in the wilderness. A slush-lamp Is made bytaking a tin can, half filling It with sand or earth,sticking in It a thin rod of pine or other Inflammablewood, wrapping around this a strip of softcotton cloth, and filling the can with melted fatwhich contains no salt. Grease can be freed tromsalt by boiling It In water. This Is a much betterarrangement than to use a shallow dish (as I haveseen done) or a mussel shell, and letting the endof the immersed wick project over one side, whereIt will drip grease. But such a light, althoughit was the best that many of our pioneers had Inthe olden da.ys, is at best a smoky and stinkingaifair. The estimation in which It Is held by thosewho have had to use it may be judged from the factthat In English-speaking countries It has universallybeen known as a "slut," except In the Klondike,where they call It a "bitch."If more light Is wanted thao one wick will afford,use a square vessel with a wick at each corner.Make snuffers or tweezers, by bending a