Remember the usual fault of a “tender-pad” or beginner, is to try to make too big a fire. You will never see a backwoodsman do that—he uses the smallest possible amount of wood for his fire.
First collect your firewood. Green, fresh-cut wood is no good, nor is dead wood that has lain long on the ground. Get permission to break off dead branches for it.
To make your fire you put a few sticks flat on the ground, especially if the ground be damp. On this flooring lay your “punk”—that is, paper, shavings, inner skin of the bark of the tree, splinters, or any other material that will easily catch fire from your match.
On this you pile, in pyramid fashion, thin twigs, splinters, and slithers of dry wood, leaning on the “punk” and against each other. These are called kindling. A few stouter sticks are added over them to make the fire.
A good kind of kindling can easily be made by slitting a stick into several slices or shavings, as shown. This is called a firestick.
If stood up, with the shavings downwards towards the ground, it quickly catches light and flares up.
Set light to this, putting your match under the bottom of the “punk.” When the wood has really got on fire, add more and larger sticks, and finally logs, which should be placed star-shape, like spokes of a wheel.