leaves the fire soon reaches large proportions.  If the young trapper should ever be so unfortunate as to find himself in the wild woods, chilled and hungry, minus matches, powder, caps, and sun glass, he may as a last resort try the following:  Scrape some lint or cotton from some portion of the garment, or some tinder from a dry stick, and lay it on the [Page 235] surface of some rough rock, white quartz rock if it can be found.  Next procure a fragment of the same stone, or a piece of steel from some one of the traps, and strike its edge sharply, and with a skipping stroke into the further side of the tinder, the direction being such as will send the sparks thus produced into the inflammable material.  Continue this operation until the tinder ignites.  By now gently fanning the smoking mass it may easily be coaxed into flame.  At least so our Adirondack guide told us last summer.  The author has never had occasion to test the merits of the plan for himself, and has no special desire of being so placed, as that his life will hang upon its success.  He presents it therefore as a mere suggestion without endorsing its practicability, and would rather prefer matches in the long run.  The open fire generally serves both for purposes of warmth and cooking, but by many, a camp stove is considered a great improvement.  Stoves of this character, and for this especial purpose, are in the market.  They are small and portable, with pipe and furniture, all of which pack away closely into the interior.  A fire is easily started in one of these stoves, and, by closing the damper, a slow fire may be kept up through the night.  The stove is generally set up at the entrance of the tent, the pipe passing through the top, in a hole near the ridge pole.  The furniture consists of three pots or kettles, which pack easily into each other, and when in the stove still leave ample room for a considerable amount of provisions.

The kettles are made of block-tin, and frying-pans also, as these are much more light and portable than those made of iron.  The lid may be used as a plate, and for this purpose the handle consists of an iron ring, which will fold flat against the surface when inverted.  Knives, forks, and spoons are easily stowed away in the stove or knapsack, and a coffee-pot should always be carried.  There is a knife known as the combination camp-knife, which is much used by hunters and trappers, and contains a spoon, fork, knife, and various other useful appendages, in a most compact form.  It costs from one to two dollars.

For provisions, potatoes will be found excellent, both on account of their portability and the variety of ways in which they may be served.  They are healthy and nutritions, and always palatable.  Beans are also very desirable for the same reasons.  Wheat flour will form a valuable addition to the trapper’s larder, and particularly so, if the “self-raising” kind can be had.  This [Page 236] flour contains all the required ingredients for light bread and biscuit,