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In sandy or soft ground it often taxes one's ingenuity to supply anchors for one's tent; an anchor is a weight of some sort to which the guy ropes may be attached. Fig 296 shows a tent anchored by billets of wood; these are all supposed to be buried in the ground as in [Fig. 308], and the ground trampled down over and above them to keep them safe in their graves. [Fig. 297] shows the first throw in the anchor hitch, [Fig. 298] the second throw, and [Fig. 299] the complete hitch for the anchor. [Fig. 303] shows the knot by which the anchor rope is tied to the main line. [Figs. 300], [301], and [302] show the detail of tying this knot, which is simplicity itself, when you know how, like most knots. [Fig. 303] shows the anchor hitch complete.
Stones, bundles of fagots; or bags of sand all make useful anchors; [Fig. 304] is a stone; [Fig. 305] are half billets of wood, [Fig. 306] shows fagots of wood, [Fig. 307] a bag of sand. All may be used to anchor your tent in the sands or loose ground.
Shears, Gins or Tripods
Are the names used for different forms of rustic supports for the tents. [Fig. 312] shows the ordinary shears, [Fig. 313] shows the tent supported by shears; you will also note that the guy ropes for the tent ([Fig. 313]) are made fast to a rod instead of to the pegs in the ground. This has many advantages, because of the tendency of the rope to tighten or shrink whenever it becomes wet, which often makes it necessary for a fellow to get up in the night to adjust the guy ropes and redrive the pegs. When the rain is pouring down, the thunder crashing and the lightning flashing, it is no fun to go poking around on the wet ground in one's nightie in order that the tent pegs may not be pulled out of the ground by the shrinking ropes, and the cold mass of wet canvas allowed to fall upon one's head. It is always necessary to loosen and tighten the guy ropes according to the weather; naturally the longer the guy ropes are the more they will shrink and the more they will stretch as the weather varies. To prevent this, lay a rod over the ends of the guy rope between the pegs and the tent ([Fig. 316A]) and it will be an automatic adjuster. When the ropes are dry and stretch, the weight of this pole will hold them down and keep them taut; when the guy ropes shrink they will lift the pole, but the latter will keep the tension on the ropes and keep them adjusted. The arrangement of [Fig. 313] has the advantage of making a clothes rack for your bed clothes when you wish to air them, while the weight of the suspended log keeps the tension on the ropes equalized. [Fig. 314] shows the shears made by the use of forked sticks. [Figs. 315] and [318] show the ridge pole supported by shears, and the ridge poles supported by forked sticks; the advantage of the shears in [Fig. 315] is that it gives a clear opening to the tent. [Fig. 316] shows an exterior ridge pole supported by shears to which the top of the tent is made fast. [Fig. 317] is the same without the tent. [Fig. 318] shows the famous Vreeland tent; in this case the ridge pole is supported by a crotched upright stick, but may be equally well supported by the shears as in [Fig. 315]. [Fig. 319] shows the gin or tripod made by binding the three sticks together. [Fig. 320] shows the same effect made by the use of the forked sticks; these are useful in pitching wigwams or tepees.
