All three of these pests are found abundantly in the woods, and without being prepared for them, instead of pleasure, the sportsman’s trip would be one long torture. People have been known to be completely disfigured by their bites, and I have had my neck as thoroughly girdled as though it had been done with a hot iron. Their bite inflames the blood, and if accompanied with the free use of ardent spirits, may produce unpleasant consequences. Let no man through foolhardiness brave their attacks, thinking he can rough it and not give way before such pitiful insects; as brave and strong men as ever lived have had their pleasure destroyed by these curses of our country, and he will repent his rashness, if not in sack-cloth and ashes, in blood and misery. I have seen a hard-working man so worn out by their attacks as to fall fast asleep standing up leaning against a rock in a hot July sun, that by its excessive warmth had for the moment driven the torments away. He wore a veil, but not being properly arranged, the flies could climb up its folds, and it was little protection.
One may well ask how is it possible to defend oneself from such irrepressible villains; nor can it be done perfectly; with the best precautions there will be enough to try nerve and temper. Gauntlets of leather drawn above the wrists over the coat sleeve will, though rather warm, effectually protect the hand, and when oppressive, may be cooled by being dipped in water. A veil is the best thing for the face; a piece of elastic run round the top will enable you to slip it over your straw hat and fasten it above the brim, which will keep it out from the face; a spring wire or whalebone hoop sewed in a few inches below, will keep it off your nose, and another piece of elastic round the bottom will hold it tight around your cravat, so that the flies cannot make their way beneath it; or the latter may be omitted to enable you to wipe your face and rub off those stragglers that will find their way in, notwithstanding your precautions. There is a light substance called tissue, that makes a cool but delicate veil, and is preferable to the ordinary barege, and for mosquitoes and black flies, bobinet is still lighter, but sand-flies might pass the meshes.
Various ointments have been tried with partial success; among them, tar ointment has lately become conspicuous, as also oil with a few drops of creosote, but my favorite has always been a mixture of the oil of penny-royal with an equal amount of almond or sweet oil; this is both cleanly and effectual, and need only be renewed once a day. But remember it must be the oil and not the essence of pennyroyal, which latter is utterly worthless. Care must be taken with it, as with the others, not to let them run into the eyes, as they will produce unpleasant smarting. This composition is death on black flies, and quite successful against mosquitoes; but it is well, also, to be provided with tar ointment, which will not spill if the bottle is broken.
For clothes, the best suit is of strong duck, heavy enough to resist an able-bodied mosquito, but as loose as possible, so that warm flannels, of which every description should be taken in abundance, can be worn beneath. Flannel coats, shirts and drawers or pantaloons can be crowded into a small space, and are excellent for keeping out cold, and are not rendered unpleasant by moisture. It must be borne in mind that the Summers in Canada are occasionally absolutely cold, and for weeks in July, I have shivered in every coat and flannel I had with me.
Moccasins are the things for the canoe, but if you try to clamber over rocks or wade streams in them, your feet will be bruised and cut severely. It is advisable to wear stout ankle gaiters that lace up, with heavy iron-nailed slippers that may be fastened with a strap and buckle over them, after you have left the canoe, and by means of which you can cling to the rocks without slipping so frequently as you otherwise would. You will wear a straw hat, of course, and where mosquitoes are not innumerable, your flannel underclothes will make a delightful boating suit. Never use anything but woollen socks for any sort of hard walking, and by having your net handle shod with iron, and carrying it in one hand, you will make your way among the slippery rocks with comparative safety.
The bedding should consist of plenty of blankets, and one or two of them coated with India rubber and rendered waterproof, to keep off the moisture that will always rise from the ground at night, to wrap the rest of your clothes in, and to protect them and yourself from rain and wet. A stout leather strap and buckle is necessary for the latter purpose. The best tent is a circular one without any ridge-pole, but supported by a rope run through a pulley attached to three long poles cut in the woods, and placed in the shape of a tripod above. The pins are driven into the cloth itself, and hold it so close to the ground that no insects can penetrate beneath, while a flap effectually closes the door. There is a hole for ventilation at the top, which, in a rain, may be closed with a canvas cap. A stout post may be set up in the centre with a few nails on which to hang clothes. This tent should only be used at a permanent camp; and for travelling, the ordinary tent with a ridge-pole, as more accurately described hereafter, is preferable; a piece of oiled cloth laid over sticks planted slanting in the ground, will keep off the rain and dew.
A round tent of twenty-four feet in circumference will not accommodate more than two men luxuriously, whereas one of double that circumference will hold five times the number. A large tent is a great comfort and not much trouble. A separate tent should of course be taken for your men, and another simple one for a make-shift and a dining-room. To arrange the latter is your first care on arriving at your permanent camping-ground, the table is of bark, either birch or spruce, nailed fast to posts, and shielded by some protection from the rain; the seats are either a large log or the barrels you have brought with you to carry stores and fish, or else stools ingeniously chipped from the trunks of trees with the branches for legs. A dressing-stand is then arranged, with a wash-basin made of birch bark; the fire-place is rigged up with a ridge-pole supported on two notched sticks, and with a hooked withe to support the kettle, and your sylvan home is furnished.
To support and gratify the inner man, it is well to have with you all conceivable little delicacies, such as nutmegs, allspice, preserved fruits, meats and vegetables, sweet oil, lemons and raisins, sardines, chocolate, citric acid and ginger; but the necessaries are clear salt pork, flour, rice, oat-meal and Indian-meal, coffee, tea, brown and white sugar, red and black pepper, fine and coarse salt, butter, sauces, preserved and fresh eggs, solidified milk, ales and ardents according to consumption, potatoes, smoked beef, pickles, piccalilly, matches, the essence of coffee, bacon, ham, dried beans and peas, hominy, cigars, onions, bread, crackers, molasses, tobacco, desiccated meats and soups. Many of these articles may be advantageously stowed in the barrels intended for packing fish, but the butter should be put up in air-tight jars in small quantities, and may in hot weather be buried under water in the sand. The oil tried out of the pork is usually used for frying; but if you have sufficient butter the latter is infinitely preferable.
For cooking you will need an iron pot and boiling kettle, tin kettles fitting inside of one another, a frying-pan with a handle like the kettle, a coffee-pot, some knives and tin plates, cups, spoons, forks and deep dishes, and above all an oyster broiler. The latter has thin wires, and, having two surfaces, can be turned more readily than a gridiron. It should be used extensively: fish and game split open and broiled, well basted with butter, are undeniable, and will be found a pleasant change from the eternal fry. Large fish may be boiled and served up with a little of the liquor strengthened with a teaspoonful of Worcestershire sauce. The greatest difficulty will be found with the bread; the latter may be kept a couple of weeks, and when excessively dry, by steaming in the pot will be rendered eatable, but not good. Ship biscuit must be the main reliance for a long tramp. Before taking your departure, if you could obtain a few lessons in cooking from some elderly lady friend whose youth has not been so entirely devoted to dress as to prevent her knowing something of her household duties, and will carry with you a few simple recipes, you will not regret it.
As no one can be certain of perfect health or freedom from accident, it is well to be provided with plenty of sticking and court plaster, cholera medicine and Rochelle salts; but generally the fine exercise and open air are a brave preventive against sickness. Do not forget brown soap to wash the dishes, candles for light in the evening, and cream of tartar and soda to make the flour rise.