Packing and Portaging

CHAPTER XII

TRAVELING WITHOUT A PACK HORSE

THE man who travels without a pack horse, and carries his full equipment and provision supply upon his saddle must, of necessity, deny himself many things that under ordinary circumstances are deemed essentials. He must indeed travel light, and unless he is well inured to roughing it will be content to confine his activities to the warmer and less inclement months.

The food supply is the first consideration, but nowadays one is certain to come every three or four days at the outside upon some point where fresh supplies may be purchased. Therefore, twelve to fifteen pounds of provisions, carefully selected from the ration already suggested, will meet the utmost needs. In selecting the ration it is well to eliminate all luxuries. It may also be said that canned goods are too heavy, where one is to pack more than a two-days' supply, and bacon should be made the basis of the meat diet. But then we are considering methods of packing and carrying, rather than check lists. Limiting the quantity to fifteen pounds for a five-days' trip—and this is ample with judicious selection—the individual will be left to decide his ration for himself.

Saddle bags will be found indispensable and in them will be ample room to carry the limited toilet articles required, a hand towel, one change of light woolen or summer underwear, matches, tobacco and rifle cartridges. The best shelter is a lean-to tent, made of extra light cloth. This should be about seven feet long, four and one-half feet high and four feet deep. Such a tent will weigh about three pounds.

The cooking outfit will be limited to essentials. If it can be had an aluminum army or "Preston" mess kit, either of which weighs about two pounds, a sheath knife with broad blade, and a pint cup, will fill all requirements. If the mess kit cannot be procured, a small frying pan with folding handle, an aluminum or enamel plate and a dessert spoon with sheath knife, and a pint cup, will do nearly as well. In this latter case coffee may be made in the cup. A small canteen, which may be hung upon the saddle horn, should also be provided.

A small belt axe that weighs about two pounds, with sheath, a lariat and a few feet of rope will be required.

A single blanket or a pair of light blankets not exceeding five pounds in weight will constitute the only bedding that can be conveniently carried.

To pack the outfit spread tent flat upon the ground, turning the triangular ends in to lie flat. Fold the tent once, end for end. This will make a rectangular pack cloth three and one-half feet long and about five and one-half feet wide. Fold your blanket to a size a little smaller than tent and spread it flat upon the tent. Arrange your provision packages on the blanket a foot or so from one end and with a margin of a foot or more on either side. Fold the end of blanket and tent up and over the packages and roll up blanket and tent together with a band close to the knob in center to hold the packages in place and prevent their working down toward ends of roll.

The provisions should be thoroughly protected in bags, as previously suggested, in order that they may not soil the blanket.

Place the roll directly behind saddle seat with the bulge caused by the provision bulk resting against saddle seat, the end of roll falling on either side, and tie in position by means of leather tie strings attached to saddle on each side. The tie should be made in both cases just below the bulge in roll.

The tent will protect blanket and provisions, and if judgment has been used in the selection and arrangement of provisions the bulk should not be unduly or inconveniently large. The cooking kit, if enclosed in a canvas case with handle, may be lashed to roll by passing lash string through the handle and over the top and around the kit. A strap above the upper loop of the rifle boot and through the belt loop on the axe scabbard will hold the axe and another buckled around the rifle boot and lower end of handle will prevent a slapping motion of the handle.

The poncho, neatly rolled, may be carried on the pommel, the center of the roll pressed against the back of the horn, the ends drawn down and forward of the pommel on either side and secured with the leathern tie strings attached to the saddle. When not in use sweater or Pontiac shirt may be carried with the poncho.

The horse may be picketed with the lariat. Hobbles may be made as cowboys make them from rope. A strand unraveled from half-inch rope brought once around one leg, twisted rather tightly, the ends brought around the other leg and secured in the twist between the legs, makes a good hobble. Always fasten picket rope or hobble below the fetlock just above the hoof—never above the fetlock.

The outfit here outlined will weigh, including rifle and a reasonable amount of ammunition, from forty to forty-five pounds at the utmost, and one may be very comfortable with it. If game and fish can be caught and are to be depended upon, the provisions may be cut down to a little flour, bacon, coffee and sugar, and the traveler may tarry in the wilderness for a considerable time.

One may leave out the tent, and in a warm climate even the blanket, relying for shelter wholly upon the poncho. An experienced man will often limit his cooking outfit to a cup and canteen. A good strong reliable horse, a good saddle equipment, and enough plain food is all one really needs who has experience in wilderness travel. Such a man can make himself comfortable with exceedingly little.

CHAPTER XIII

AFOOT IN SUMMER

ON the portage one may carry a pretty heavy pack and think nothing of it, for the end of the portage and the relaxation of the paddle is just ahead. The portage is merely an incident of the canoe trip.

The foot traveler, however, has no canoe to carry him and his outfit five or ten miles for every mile he carries his outfit. He must carry both himself and his outfit the entire distance traversed. This is obvious, and it leads to the conclusion that the outfit must be accordingly reduced both in weight and bulk.

How heavy a load may be easily transported depends, of course, upon the man, but it is safe to say that the inexperienced will find twenty-five pounds a heavy enough burden, and within this limit must be included shelter, bed, and one week's provisions; though ordinarily the tramper will be able to renew his supply of provisions almost daily.

Under all ordinary circumstances a single woolen blanket weighing not to exceed three pounds will be found ample summer bedding. A lean-to shelter tent seven feet long, four feet wide and four feet high of one of the light tenting materials previously described, weighs less than three pounds and furnishes ample and comfortable shelter. Blanket and tent may be carried easily in a roll, the tent on the outside to protect the blanket.

To make the roll spread the tent upon the ground, fold the blanket once, end for end, and spread it upon the tent, the sides of the blanket (not folded ends) toward the ends of the tent. Fold in ends of tent over blanket and roll up. Double the roll and tie together a little above the ends with a stout string. The roll, dropped over the head with center resting upon one shoulder and the tied ends coming together near the hip on the opposite side, may be carried with little inconvenience. Blankets are usually seventy-two inches wide, therefore the roll should be about six feet in length before it is doubled and the ends tied.

A belt axe will be carried, in a sheath, upon the belt, the remaining equipment and provisions in a Nessmuk pack or a ruck sack. The Nessmuk pack, sold by most outfitters, is about 12 × 20 × 5 inches in size and made of waterproofed canvas. This will easily hold a nine-inch frying pan with folding handle, an aluminum pan 7 × 3 inches with folding handle, a pint cup (if you do not wish to carry the cup on your belt), a spoon or two, a cooking knife, a dish cloth and a dish towel, together with one week's provisions, matches, etc. There will still be room for a small bag containing the few needed toilet articles and hand towel, and another small bag containing one change of light-weight woolen underwear and two pairs of socks.

The cooking outfit indicated is limited, but quite ample. I have done very well for weeks at a time with no other cooking utensils than a pint cup and a sheath knife. But here we cannot go into woodcraft or extreme concentration of rations and outfit. We are considering, rather, comfortable or moderately comfortable outfits and how to pack or transport them.

Tent, blanket, axe, food and other equipment above suggested will, if intelligently selected, not go beyond the twenty-five pound limit. The greatest weight will be in the food, and each day will reduce this about two pounds. If provisions can be purchased from day to day these, of course, need not be carried, and the remaining load will be very light indeed.

I would suggest that a light sweater take the place of a coat as it will be found more comfortable and useful and may be carried on top of the pack or in the blanket roll, for it will rarely be worn save in the evening camp.

A broad-brimmed felt hat, an outer shirt of medium-weight flannel, khaki trousers and strong but not too heavy shoes make a practical and comfortable costume. Woolen socks protect the feet from chafing. Some campers like long German stockings, which serve also for leggings, and wear thin cotton socks inside them. In selecting shoes take into consideration the kind of socks or stockings to be worn, and see that the shoes are amply large though not too large, for shoes too large are nearly as uncomfortable as shoes too small.

CHAPTER XIV

WITH SNOWSHOES AND TOBOGGAN

IN the mode of travel here to be considered the voyageur, equipped with snowshoes, hauls his provisions and entire camping paraphernalia upon a toboggan or flat sled. The toboggan (Indian ta´-bas-kan´) had its origin in the prehistoric past among the Algonquin Indians of northeastern America. It was designed by them for the purpose of transporting goods over trackless, unbeaten snow wastes where sleds with runners could not be used, and for this purpose it is unequaled.

While for our purpose the conventionalized toboggan sold by outfitters and designed for hill sliding and general sport will answer very well, the wilderness model in use by Indians and trappers in our northern wilderness is a better designed and preferable type for the transportation of loads.

Various lengths of toboggans are in use, each intended for the particular purpose for which it was built. The longest Indian toboggan I ever saw was twelve feet in length, but from six to eight feet is the ordinary length, with a width of nine inches at the tip of the curved nose, gradually increasing to fourteen inches wide where the curve ends and the sliding surface or bottom begins, and tapering away to about six inches wide at the heel. The conventionalized type averages from four to six feet in length with a uniform width of about fifteen inches from curve to heel.

Some three or more crossbars, depending upon the length of the toboggan, are lashed at intervals across the top, the forward one at the beginning of the curve where the nose begins to turn upward, and on either side of the toboggan from front to rear side bar, and fastened to the side bars at their ends are side ropes.

Beaver-tail, bear's-paw, or swallow-tail snowshoes, of Indian make, are the shapes best adapted to the sort of travel we are considering. These models are all broad and comparatively short. The web should be of good caribou babiche, closely woven for use upon dry snow, and indeed for all-around conditions. While on wet, soggy snow a coarse web may in some respects be preferable it will not compare in efficiency with the close web on loose snow, or for all-around work under all sorts of conditions. Long, narrow snowshoes may be very good for racing where the country is smooth, but they are not suited to a rough, wooded or broken country or to hummocky snow.

The best and most practical, as well as the simplest sling or binding for the snowshoe is made as follows: Cut from an Indian tanned buckskin a thong about half an inch wide and thirty inches in length. Thread one end of this, from above down, through the web at one side of the toe hole, and from the bottom up at the opposite side. Pull it through until the two ends are even. Draw the thong up at the middle, where it crosses the toe hole, to make a loop large enough to admit the toe under it, but not large enough to permit the toe to slide forward against the forward cross-bar. Wrap the two ends of the thong around center of loop two or three times bringing them forward over the top and drawing them under and back through the loop. Slip your toes under the loop, bring the ends of the thong back, one on either side of the foot, and tie snugly in the hollow above your heel.

This sling will hold well, will not chafe the foot, and with it the snowshoe may be kicked free from the foot or adjusted to the foot in an instant.

Should the thongs stretch in moist weather, the sling may be tightened by simply taking an additional turn or two (without untying) around the toe loop.

I believe that lamp-wicking would answer as well as buckskin thongs, though I have never used it because I have always carried an ample supply of buckskin.

The best underclothing for the winter trail is good weight—though not the heaviest—woolen. Two suits should be carried besides the suit worn. Underclothing should not fit the body too snugly. It is better that it should be a size too large than an exact fit.

The outer shirt should be of flannel, and of good quality, though not too heavy.

Hudson's Bay Company trappers wear good-weight moleskin trousers, almost entirely to the exclusion of other fabrics, and I adopted them several years ago as superior to any other. They are wind-proof and warm and are particularly well adapted to the rough work of the trail.

The ordinary coat is not at all adapted to the northern wilderness in winter, for it will not protect against drifting snow and driving blizzard. In its stead the Eskimo adickey should be worn.

Any seamstress who can cut and make an ordinary work shirt can make an adickey if your outfitter cannot supply it. This garment is slipped on over the head like a shirt, and has a hood attached to draw over the cap as a neck and head protection. The neck opening is large enough to permit the head to pass through it without the necessity of a buttoned opening in front, for no matter how closely buttoned a garment may be drifting snow will find its way in. In length the adickey reaches half way between hip and knees and is made circular at the bottom. The hood should be of ample proportion to pull over the cap loosely, with a drawstring encircling the front by which it may be drawn snugly to the face. A fringe of muskrat or other fur around the face increases the comfort, the fur acting as a protection against drifting snow. While white Hudson's Bay Company kersey cloth is a favorite fabric for this garment, it may be made of any woolen blanket duffle or similar cloth.

Over the kersey adickey another adickey of some smooth-surfaced, strong material, preferably moleskin, should be worn. This outside adickey should of course be just enough larger than the kersey or blanket adickey to fit over it easily. The adickeys may be worn singly or together, according to the demands of the weather.

A Pontiac shirt, to be worn under the adickeys in extremely cold weather, should be included in the outfit. This will serve, too, in camp, when the adickeys are laid aside.

A round cap of fur or heavy cloth provided with flaps to turn down over the ears makes the best head protection. The hoods of the two adickeys, as before stated, should be large enough to draw over this.

Very important indeed is the question of foot dress. Not only must we aim to secure the greatest possible freedom and ease in walking, but the ever-present danger of frostbite must also be guarded against.

Socks should be of wool, of the home-knit variety, and besides the pair worn, three or four extra pairs should be carried in the kit.

Knit socks will not be sufficient protection, however, and where two or three pairs are worn they are certain to bunch or wrinkle, with chafed and sore feet as a result. All Hudson's Bay Company stores keep in stock a white fuzzy woolen duffle of blanket thickness. If you are making your start from a Post purchase some of this duffle and have one of the women at the Post make you a pair of knee-length stockings of the duffle to pull over your knit socks, and two pairs of slippers of the same material, one just large enough to fit over the foot of the long stockings, the other just a little larger to fit over all. These should be made of proper size, to obviate wrinkles. The larger outfitters carry in stock good wool duffle, and will make these to fit properly.

In crisp, cold weather, when the snow never softens or gets moist even under the midday sun, buckskin moccasins should be the outer footwear. Ordinary leather will freeze stiff, stop the proper circulation of blood, and certainly lead to frosted feet. The moccasins should be made with high tops, reaching above the ankles, with buckskin strings to wrap around and secure them. Moccasins are light to pack, and it is always well to carry a couple of extra pairs, to have on hand in case of emergency.

Leggings of moleskin (or some other strong, pliable cloth) large enough to push the foot through protect the legs. These should be knee high, with a drawstring to secure them just below the knee. Ordinary canvas leggings will not do. The leggings must be made in one piece, without side buttons or other fastenings, for otherwise snow will work through to the great discomfort of the wearer.

I have a pair of buckskin moccasins sewn to legs of harbor sealskin, the hair side of the sealskin out. This arrangement is preferable to separate leggings but sealskin legs are difficult to procure.

Ordinarily I have found one pair of knit socks, one pair of the long duffle stockings described above and one pair of the duffle slippers, worn inside the buckskin moccasins, quite sufficient.

The knit socks may be done away with entirely and also one pair of duffle slippers if rabbit-skin socks are to be had. These are worn with the hair next the foot, and are very warm and soft.

In weather when the snow softens and becomes wet at midday, buckskin moccasins will not do, for the least moisture penetrates buckskin. In such weather sealskin boots are the best foot protection. They are waterproof, pliable and light. Sealskin boots for this purpose have neither soles nor heels. They are simply sealskin moccasins with legs, secured with drawstrings below the knee. These are of Eskimo make, and not generally obtainable though they may be purchased in Newfoundland. Oil-tanned moccasins, or larrigans, are the next best moist-snow foot gear.

Buckskin mittens with one or two inner pairs of mittens of thick wool duffle, will protect the hands in the coldest weather. One pair should be a little smaller than the other, that it may fit snugly into the larger pair without wrinkles, and the larger pair of a size to fit in the same manner into the buckskin mittens. When the weather is too warm for both pairs, one pair may be removed. A fringe of muskrat or other fur around the wrists of the buckskin mittens protects the wrists from drifting snow.

A pad of rabbit-skin worn across the forehead will protect it from intense cold. Hunting hoods of knit camel's hair worsted are a pretty good head protection, particularly at night. They cover the whole head except the face, and may be drawn up over the chin. Mouth and nose must not be covered, or the breath will quickly form a mass of ice upon the face.

One caution, though it may seem a digression, may be made: If the nose or cheeks become frosted, as will certainly happen sooner or later to one traveling in a very low temperature, do not rub snow upon the frosted part. Snow rubbed on is pretty certain to fracture and remove sections of the skin. The Eskimo way is to hold or rub the frosted part with the bare hand until frost has been removed, and is far superior.

The clothing outfit above described will be found ample. Extra trousers or other extra outer garments are not needed. Let all hang loosely upon the body. Nothing should fit snugly.

A pair of smoked or amber goggles should always be included in the winter outfit. Amber is more effective than smoked glass, though ordinarily the latter will do. The goggles should be fastened with a string to slip over the back of the head. No metal should touch the flesh.

The best low temperature sleeping bag is one of caribou skin made with the hair inside. Under ordinary conditions, however, a waterproofed canvas bag lined with good woolen blankets will do as well, though such a bag with sufficient blanket lining to give it warmth equal to that of the caribou skin bag would be much heavier and more bulky than the latter. A bag lined with four thicknesses of llama wool duffle (that is, four thicknesses over and four beneath the sleeper), however, should not weigh more than ten pounds, and would correspond in warmth to one lined with blankets weighing twenty pounds.

An A or wedge tent will be found the best model for winter travel. A sheet-iron tent stove with bottom and telescoping pipe will make the tent warm and snug. The tent should be fitted with an asbestos ring at the stovepipe hole as a protection. A pack cloth or tarpaulin will serve as an adequate and comfortable tent floor.

It is never safe or advisable for one to travel in the wilderness alone, for a sprained ankle or broken leg in an isolated region would be more than likely to result in death.

In the Hudson Bay country two pounds of flour, one pound of fat pork, with baking powder, tea and sugar, form the daily ration for a man. It is well when possible to carry frozen fresh meat, free from bone, with a proportion of desiccated vegetables to vary the diet. Butter makes a tasty variety to the fat, for it will remain sweet at this season. Prunes and chocolate are both worth while.

Or if the journey is to be extended the menu may be simplified by the introduction of pemmican and the elimination of other articles. Pemmican is the best condensed food ever invented for cold weather work. One pound of pemmican and a quarter pound of pilot biscuit, as a daily ration, will sustain a man at hard work, though it will prove a monotonous diet. The above is merely suggested as a basis. It may be expanded or contracted as circumstances require without disturbing its mean value. Let it be remembered, however, that ordinary bread and other moist foodstuffs will freeze as hard as stone. Jerked venison and desiccated vegetables make tasty and sustaining additions to the ration, and will not freeze.

A man is supposed to be able to haul at good speed upon a toboggan a load equal to his own weight. Therefore two men, each weighing 150 pounds, should between them haul 300 pounds. Camp equipment, tent axes, guns, bedding, extra underclothing and all personal belongings of both, if proper care be exercised in selection, should weigh not to exceed 140 pounds. Add 80 pounds of food, and we have 220 pounds, or a maximum load of 110 pounds for each. The tent and general camp outfit is indeed sufficient for four men. It is presumed that the aluminum cooking outfit previously described will be chosen. Some eliminations, as, for example, that of the folding baker, might easily be made without serious loss of comfort.

To secure the load upon the toboggan, arrange the bags in which it is packed evenly, taking care that no part of the load extends beyond the sides of the toboggan. Adjust the tarpaulin or canvas ground cloth neatly over it. Secure one end of your lash rope to the side rope on one side at the rear. Bring the other end over and under the side rope opposite. Cross it back over the load and over and under side rope to front of next crossbar, and so on to front crossbar, taking slack as you proceed. From front to rear criss-cross rope in same manner over load and under side ropes, forming diamonds where the rope crosses itself on top of load. Bring the end of rope under side rope at rear, take in all slack and tie.