s the hand as it
would appear looking down upon it; the one at the right shows the view as
you look at it from the side.

Packing Boughs

After collecting a handful of boughs, string them on a stick which you
have previously prepared (Fig. 4). This stick should be of strong, green
hardwood, four or five feet long with a fork about six inches long left on
it at the butt end to keep the boughs from sliding off, and sharpened at
the upper end so that it can be easily poked through a handful of boughs.
String the boughs on this stick as you would string fish, but do it one
handful at a time, allowing the butts to point in different directions.
It is astonishing to see the amount of boughs you can carry when strung on
a stick in this manner and thrown over your shoulder as in Fig. 5. If you
have a lash rope, place the boughs on a loop of the rope, as in Fig. 6,
then bring the two ends of the rope up through the loop and sling the
bundle on your back.

Clean Your Hands

When you have finished gathering the material for your bed your hands will
be covered with a sticky sap, and, although they will be a sorry sight, a
little lard or baking grease will soften the pitchy substance so that it
may be washed off with soap and water.

How to Make Beds

To make your bed, spread a layer of the larger boughs on the ground;
commence at the head and shingle them down to the foot so that the tips
point toward the head of the bed, overlapping the butts (Fig. 7). Continue
this until your mattress is thick enough to make a soft couch upon which
you can sleep as comfortably as you do at home. Cover the couch with one
blanket and use the bag containing your coat, extra clothes, and sweater
for a pillow. Then if you do not sleep well, you must blame the cook.

Other Bedding

If you should happen to be camping in a country destitute of balsam,
hemlock, or pine, you can make a good spring mattress by collecting small
green branches of any sort of tree which is springy and elastic. Build the
mattress as already described. On top of this put a thick layer of hay,
straw, or dry leaves or even green material, provided you have a rubber
blanket or poncho to cover the latter. In Kentucky I have made a mattress
of this description and covered the branches with a thick layer of the
purple blossoms of ironweed; over this I spread a rubber army blanket to
keep out the moisture from the green stuff and on top of this made my bed
with my oth