sort of
ridge along the middle of the blade, murderous-looking, but of little
use; rather fitted to adorn a dime novel or the belt of "Billy the
Kid," than the outfit 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 improvised from a beech 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 3/4 inches on top, side 2 inches high. The bottom is of the
heaviest tin procurable, the sides of lighter tin and seamed to be
watertight without solder. 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 inverted 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 a perfect cover for the next larger. The other piece is a tin
camp-kettle, also of the heaviest tin and seamed watertight. It holds
two quarts and the other dishes nest in it perfectly, 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 rim of the kettle and
the bale falls outside, so, as none of the dishes have any handle,
there are no aggravating "stickouts" to wear and abrade. The snug
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. However 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. Fo