he clothing, blanket-bag and shelter-cloth are all that need be described in that line. The next articles that I look after are knapsack (or pack basket), rod with reel, lines, flies, hooks, and all my fishing gear, pocket-axe2, knives and tinware. Firstly, the knapsack; as you are apt to carry it a great many miles, it is well to have it right, and easy-fitting at the start. Don't be induced to carry a pack basket. I am aware that it is in high favor all through the Northern Wilderness3, and is also much used in other localities where guides and sportsmen most do congregate4. But I do not like it. I admit that it will carry a loaf of bread, with tea, sugar, etc., without jamming; that bottles, crockery, and other fragile duffle is safer from breakage than in an oil-cloth knapsack. But it is by no means water-proof in a rain or a splashing head sea, is more than twice as heavy—always growing heavier as it gets wetter—and I had rather have bread, tea, sugar, etc., a little jammed than water-soaked. Also, it may be remarked that man is a vertebrate animal and ought to respect his backbone5. The loaded pack basket on a heavy carry never fails to get in on the most vulnerable knob of the human vertebrae. The knapsack sits easy, and does not chafe6. The one shown in the engraving7 is of good form; and the original—which I have carried for years—is satisfactory in every respect. It holds over half a bushel, carries blanket-bag, shelter tent, hatchet, ditty-bag, tinware, fishing tackle, clothes and two days' rations8. It weighs, empty, just twelve ounces. [Pg 7]
Knapsack and Ditty-Bag Knapsack and Ditty-Bag
Hatchet and Knives
The hatchet and knives shown in the engraving will be found to fill the bill satisfactorily so far as cutlery may be required. Each is good and useful of its kind, the hatchet especially, being the best model I have ever found for a "double-barreled" pocket-axe. And just here let me digress for a little chat on the indispensable hatchet; for it is the most difficult piece of camp kit9 to obtain in perfection of which I have any knowledge. Before I was a dozen years old I came to realize that a light hatchet was a sine qua non in woodcraft, and I also found it a most difficult thing to get. I tried shingling10 hatchets11, lathing12 hatchets, and the small hatchets to be found in country hardware stores, but none of them were satisfactory. I had quite a number made by blacksmiths who professed13 skill in making edge tools, and these were the worst of all, being like nothing on the earth or under it—murderous-looking, clumsy, and all too heavy, with no balance or proportion. I had hunted twelve years before I caught up with the pocket-axe I was looking for. It was made in Rochester, by a surgical14 instrument maker15 named Bushnell. It cost time and money to get it. I worked one rainy Saturday fashioning the pattern in wood. Spoiled a day going to Rochester, waited a day for the blade, paid $3.00 for it, and [Pg 8] lost a day coming home. Boat fare $1.00, and expenses $2.00, besides three days lost time, with another rainy Sunday for making leather sheath and hickory handle.
Hatchet and Knives Hatchet and Knives
My witty16 friends, always willing to help me out in figuring the cost of my hunting and fishing gear, made the following business-like estimate, which they placed where I would be certain to see it the first thing in the morning. Premising that of the five who assisted in that little joke, all stronger, bigger fellows than myself, four have gone "where they never see the sun," I will copy the statement as it stands today, on paper yellow with age. For I have kept it over forty years.
A woodsman,
To getting up one limber-go-shiftless pocket-axe: Dr.
Cost of blade $3.00
Fare on boat 1.00
Expenses for 3 days 3.00
Three days lost time at $1.25 per day 3.75
Two days making model, handle and sheath, say 2.00
Total $12.75
Per contra, by actual value of axe 2.00
Balance $10.75
[Pg 9]
Then they raised a horse laugh, and the cost of that hatchet became a standing17 joke and a slur18 on my "business ability." What aggravated19 me most was, that the rascals20 were not so far out in their calculation. And was I so far wrong? That hatchet was my favorite for nearly thirty years. It has been "upset" twice by skilled workmen; and, if my friend "Bero" has not lost it, is still in service.
Would I have gone without it any year for one or two dollars? But I prefer the double blade. I want one thick, stunt21 edge for knots, deers' bones, etc., and a fine, keen edge for cutting clear timber.
A word as to knife, or knives. These are of prime necessity, and should be of the best, both as to shape and temper. The "bowies" and "hunting knives" usually kept on sale, are thick, clumsy affairs, with a sort of ridge23 along the middle of the blade, murderous-looking, but of little use; rather fitted to adorn24 a dime25 novel or the belt of "Billy the Kid," than the outfit26 of the hunter. The one shown in the cut is thin in the blade, and handy for skinning, cutting meat, or eating with. The strong double-bladed pocket knife is the best model I have yet found, and, in connection with the sheath knife, is all sufficient for camp use. It is not necessary to take table cutlery into the woods. A good fork may be improvised27 from a beech28 or birch stick; and the half of a fresh-water mussel shell, with a split stick by way of handle, makes an excellent spoon.
My entire outfit for cooking and eating dishes comprises five pieces of tinware. This is when stopping in a permanent camp. When cruising and tramping, I take just two pieces in the knapsack.
I get a skillful tinsmith to make one dish as follows: Six inches on bottom, 6? inches on top, side 2 inches high. The bottom is of the heaviest tin procurable30, the sides of lighter31 tin, and seamed to be water-tight without solder32. The top simply turned, without wire. The second dish to be made the same, but small enough to nest in the first, and also to fit into it when inverted33 as a cover. Two other dishes made from common pressed tinware, with the tops cut off and turned, also without wire. They are fitted so that they all nest, taking no more room than the largest dish alone, and each of the three smaller dishes makes [Pg 10] a perfect cover for the next larger. The other piece is a tin camp-kettle, also of the heaviest tin, and seamed water-tight. It holds two quarts, and the other dishes nest in it perfectly34, so that when packed the whole takes just as much room as the kettle alone. I should mention that the strong ears are set below the rim22 of the kettle, and the bale falls outside, so, as none of the dishes have any handle, there are no aggravating35 "stickouts" to wear and abrade36. The snug37 affair weighs, all told, two pounds. I have met parties in the North Woods whose one frying pan weighed more—with its handle three feet long. How ever did they get through the brush with such a culinary terror?
It is only when I go into a very accessible camp that I take so much as five pieces of tinware along. I once made a ten days' tramp through an unbroken wilderness on foot, and all the dish I took was a ten-cent tin; it was enough. I believe I will tell the story of that tramp before I get through. For I saw more game in the ten days than I ever saw before or since in a season; and I am told that the whole region is now a thrifty38 farming country, with the deer nearly all gone. They were plenty enough thirty-nine years ago this very month.
Rods
I feel more diffidence in speaking of rods than of any other matter connected with out-door sports. The number and variety of rods and makers39; the enthusiasm of trout40 and fly "cranks"; the fact that angling does not take precedence of all other sports with me, with the humiliating confession41 that I am not above bucktail spinners, worms and sinkers, minnow tails and white grubs—this and these constrain42 me to be brief.
But, as I have been a fisher all my life, from my pinhook days to the present time; as I have run the list pretty well up, from brook43 minnows to 100-pound albacores, I may be pardoned for a few remarks on the rod and the use thereof.
A rod may be a very high-toned, high-priced aesthetic44 plaything, costing $50 to $75, or it may be—a rod. A serviceable and splendidly balanced rod can be obtained from first class makers for less money. By all means let the man of money indulge his fancy for the most costly45 rod that can be procured46. He might do worse. A practical every day sportsman whose income is limited will find that a more modest product will drop his [Pg 11] flies on the water quite as attractively to Salmo fontinalis. My little 8?-foot, 4?-ounce split bamboo which the editor of Forest and Stream had made for me cost $10.00. I have given it hard usage and at times large trout have tested it severely47, but it has never failed me. The dimensions of my second rod are 9? feet long and 5? ounces in weight. This rod will handle the bucktail spinners which I use for trout and bass48, when other things have failed. I used a rod of this description for several summers both in Adirondack and western waters. It had a hand-made reel seat, agate49 first guide, was satisfactory in every respect, and I could see in balance, action, and appearance no superiority in a rod costing $25.00, which one of my friends sported. Charles Dudley Warner, who writes charmingly of woods life, has the following in regard to trout fishing, which is so neatly50 humorous that it will bear repeating:
"It is well known that no person who regards his reputation will ever kill a trout with anything but a fly. It requires some training on the part of the trout to take to this method. The uncultivated trout in unfrequented waters prefers the bait; and the rural people, whose sole object in going a-fishing appears to be to catch fish, indulge them in their primitive51 state for the worm. No sportsman, however, will use anything but a fly—except he happens to be alone." Speaking of rods, he says: "The rod is a bamboo weighing seven ounces, which has to be spliced52 with a winding53 of silk thread every time it is used. This is a tedious process; but, by fastening the joints55 in this way, a uniform spring is secured in the rod. No one devoted56 to high art would think of using a socket57 joint54."
One summer during a seven weeks' tour in the Northern Wilderness, my only rod was a 7? foot Henshall. It came to hand with two bait-tips only; but I added a fly-tip, and it made an excellent "general fishing rod." With it I could handle a large bass or pickerel; it was a capital bait-rod for brook trout; as fly rod it has pleased me well enough. It is likely to go with me again. For reel casting, the 5? foot rod is handier. But it is not yet decided58 which is best, and I leave every man his own opinion. Only, I think one rod enough, but have always had more.
And don't neglect to take what sailors call a "ditty-bag." This may be [Pg 12] a little sack of chamois leather about 4 inches wide by 6 inches in length. Mine is before me as I write. Emptying the contents, I find it inventories60 as follows: A dozen hooks, running in size from small minnow hooks to large Limericks; four lines of six yards each, varying from the finest to a size sufficient for a ten-pound fish; three darning needles and a few common sewing needles; a dozen buttons; sewing silk; thread, and a small ball of strong yarn61 for darning socks; sticking salve; a bit of shoemaker's wax; beeswax; sinkers, and a very fine file for sharpening hooks. The ditty-bag weighs, with contents, 2? ounces; and it goes in a small buckskin bullet pouch62, which I wear almost as constantly as my hat. The pouch has a sheath strongly sewed on the back side of it, where the light hunting knife is always at hand, and it also carries a two-ounce vial of fly medicine, a vial of "pain killer," and two or three gangs of hooks on brass63 wire snells—of which, more in another place. I can always go down into that pouch for a water-proof match safe, strings64, compass, bits of linen65 and scarlet66 flannel67 (for frogging), copper68 tacks69, and other light duffle. It is about as handy a piece of woods-kit as I carry.
I hope no aesthetic devotee of the fly-rod will lay down the book in disgust when I confess to a weakness for frogging. I admit that it is not high-toned sport; and yet I have got a good deal of amusement out of it. The persistence70 with which a large batrachian will snap at a bit of red flannel after being several times hooked on the same lure71, and the comical way in which he will scuttle72 off with a quick succession of short jumps after each release; the cheerful manner in which, after each bout59, he will tune73 up his deep, bass pipe—ready for another greedy snap at an ibis fly or red rag—is rather funny. And his hind74 legs, rolled in meal and nicely browned, are preferable to trout or venison.
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1
hatchet
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| n.短柄小斧；v.扼杀 | |
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axe
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| n.斧子；v.用斧头砍，削减 | |
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wilderness
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| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
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congregate
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| v.(使)集合，聚集 | |
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backbone
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| n.脊骨，脊柱，骨干；刚毅，骨气 | |
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chafe
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| v.擦伤；冲洗；惹怒 | |
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engraving
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| n.版画；雕刻（作品）；雕刻艺术；镌版术v.在（硬物）上雕刻（字，画等）( engrave的现在分词 )；将某事物深深印在（记忆或头脑中） | |
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rations
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| 定量( ration的名词复数 )； 配给量； 正常量； 合理的量 | |
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kit
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| n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物 | |
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shingling
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| 压挤熟铁块，叠瓦作用 | |
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hatchets
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| n.短柄小斧( hatchet的名词复数 )；恶毒攻击；诽谤；休战 | |
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lathing
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| 覆以板条，板条 | |
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professed
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| 公开声称的，伪称的，已立誓信教的 | |
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surgical
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| adj.外科的，外科医生的，手术上的 | |
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maker
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| n.制造者，制造商 | |
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witty
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| adj.机智的，风趣的 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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slur
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| v.含糊地说；诋毁；连唱；n.诋毁；含糊的发音 | |
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aggravated
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| 使恶化( aggravate的过去式和过去分词 )； 使更严重； 激怒； 使恼火 | |
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rascals
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| 流氓( rascal的名词复数 )； 无赖； （开玩笑说法）淘气的人（尤指小孩）； 恶作剧的人 | |
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stunt
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| n.惊人表演，绝技，特技；vt.阻碍...发育，妨碍...生长 | |
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rim
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| n.(圆物的)边，轮缘；边界 | |
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ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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adorn
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| vt.使美化，装饰 | |
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dime
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| n.（指美国、加拿大的钱币）一角 | |
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outfit
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| n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装 | |
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improvised
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| a.即席而作的,即兴的 | |
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beech
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| n.山毛榉；adj.山毛榉的 | |
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utensils
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| 器具，用具，器皿( utensil的名词复数 )； 器物 | |
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procurable
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| adj.可得到的，得手的 | |
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lighter
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| n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级 | |
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solder
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| v.焊接，焊在一起；n.焊料，焊锡 | |
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inverted
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| adj.反向的，倒转的v.使倒置，使反转( invert的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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aggravating
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| adj.恼人的，讨厌的 | |
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abrade
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| v.擦伤，磨损 | |
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snug
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| adj.温暖舒适的，合身的，安全的；v.使整洁干净，舒适地依靠，紧贴；n.（英）酒吧里的私房 | |
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thrifty
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| adj.节俭的；兴旺的；健壮的 | |
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makers
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| n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式） | |
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trout
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| n.鳟鱼；鲑鱼(属) | |
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confession
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| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
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constrain
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| vt.限制，约束；克制，抑制 | |
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brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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aesthetic
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| adj.美学的，审美的，有美感 | |
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costly
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| adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的 | |
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procured
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| v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的过去式和过去分词 )；拉皮条 | |
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severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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48
bass
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| n.男低音(歌手)；低音乐器；低音大提琴 | |
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agate
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| n.玛瑙 | |
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neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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primitive
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| adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物 | |
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spliced
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| adj.（针织品）加固的n.叠接v.绞接( splice的过去式和过去分词 )；捻接（两段绳子）；胶接；粘接（胶片、磁带等） | |
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winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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joint
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| adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合 | |
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joints
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| 接头( joint的名词复数 )； 关节； 公共场所（尤指价格低廉的饮食和娱乐场所） （非正式）； 一块烤肉 （英式英语） | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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socket
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| n.窝，穴，孔，插座，插口 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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bout
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| n.侵袭，发作；一次(阵，回)；拳击等比赛 | |
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inventories
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| n.总结( inventory的名词复数 )；细账；存货清单（或财产目录）的编制 | |
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yarn
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| n.纱，纱线，纺线；奇闻漫谈，旅行轶事 | |
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pouch
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| n.小袋，小包，囊状袋；vt.装...入袋中，用袋运输；vi.用袋送信件 | |
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63
brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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strings
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| n.弦 | |
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linen
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| n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的 | |
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66
scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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flannel
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| n.法兰绒；法兰绒衣服 | |
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copper
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| n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的 | |
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69
tacks
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| 大头钉( tack的名词复数 )； 平头钉； 航向； 方法 | |
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70
persistence
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| n.坚持，持续，存留 | |
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71
lure
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| n.吸引人的东西，诱惑物；vt.引诱，吸引 | |
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72
scuttle
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| v.急赶，疾走，逃避；n.天窗；舷窗 | |
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73
tune
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| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
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74
hind
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| adj.后面的，后部的 | |
参考例句： |
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