the land of footprints-第59节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ading miles； it would seem an obvious necessity to protect one's bare skin as much as possible。 The only reason given for these astonishing garments is that they are cooler and freer to walk in。 That I can believe。 But they allow ticks and other insects to crawl up； mosquitoes to bite； thorns to tear； and assorted troubles to enter。 And I can vouch by experience that ordinary breeches are not uncomfortably hot or tight。 Indeed； one does not get especially hot in the legs anyway。 I noticed that none of the old…time hunters like Cuninghame or Judd wore shorts。 The real reason is not that they are cool； but that they are picturesque。 Common belief to the contrary； your average practical； matter…of…fact Englishman loves to dress up。 I knew one engaged in farming…picturesque farming…in our own West； who used to appear at afternoon tea in a clean suit of blue overalls！ It is a harmless amusement。 Our own youths do it； also； substituting chaps for shorts； perhaps。 I am not criticising the spirit in them； but merely trying to keep mistaken shorts off you。
For leg gear I found that nothing could beat our American combination of high…laced boots and heavy knit socks。 Leather leggings are noisy； and the rolled puttees hot and binding。 Have your boots ten or twelve inches high； with a flap to buckle over the tie of the laces； with soles of the mercury…impregnated leather called 〃elk hide；〃 and with small Hungarian hobs。 Your tent boy will grease these every day with 〃dubbin；〃 of which you want a good supply。 It is not my intention to offer free advertisements generally； but I wore one pair of boots all the time I was in Africa； through wet； heat； and long； long walking。 They were in good condition when I gave them away finally； and had not started a stitch。 They were made by that excellent craftsman； A。 A。 Cutter； of Eau Claire； Wis。； and he deserves and is entirely welcome to this puff。 Needless to remark； I have received no especial favours from Mr。 Cutter。
Six pairs of woollen socks； knit by hand； if possible…will be enough。 For evening； when you come in； I know nothing better than a pair of very high moosehide moccasins。 They should； however； be provided with thin soles against the stray thorn； and should reach well above the ankle by way of defence against the fever mosquito。 That festive insect carries on a surreptitious guerrilla warfare low down。 The English 〃mosquito boot〃 is simply an affair like a riding boot； made of suede leather； with thin soles。 It is most comfortable。 My objection is that it is unsubstantial and goes to pieces in a very brief time even under ordinary evening wear about camp。
You will also want a coat。 In American camping I have always maintained the coat is a useless garment。 There one does his own work to a large extent。 When at work or travel the coat is in the way。 When in camp the sweater or buckskin shirt is handier； and more easily carried。 In Africa； however； where the other fellow does most of the work； a coat is often very handy。 Do not make the mistake of getting an unlined light…weight garment。 When you want it at all； you want it warm and substantial。 Stick on all the pockets possible； and have them button securely。
For wet weather there is nothing to equal a long and voluminous cape。 Straps crossing the chest and around the waist permit one to throw it off the shoulders to shoot。 It covers the hands； the rifle…most of the little horses or mules one gets out there。 One can sleep in or on it； and it is a most effective garment against heavy winds。 One suit of pajamas is enough； considering your tent boy's commendable mania for laundry work。 Add handkerchiefs and you are fixed。
You will wear most of the above； and put what remains in your 〃officer's box。〃 This is a thin steel； air…tight affair with a wooden bottom； and is the ticket for African work。
Sporting。 Pick out your guns to suit yourself。 You want a light one and a heavy one。
When I came to send out my ammunition； I was forced again to take the other fellow's experience。 I was told by everybody that I should bring plenty； that it was better to have too much than too little； etc。 I rather thought so myself； and accordingly shipped a trifle over 1；500 rounds of small bore cartridges。 Unfortunately； I never got into the field with any of my numerous advisers on this point； so cannot state their methods from first…hand information。 Inductive reasoning leads me to believe that they consider it unsportsmanlike to shoot at a standing animal at all； or at one running nearer than 250 yards。 Furthermore； it is etiquette to continue firing until the last cloud of dust has died down on the distant horizon。 Only thus can I conceive of getting rid of that amount of ammunition。 In eight months of steady shooting； for example…shooting for trophies； as well as to feed a safari of fluctuating numbers； counting jackals； marabout and such small trash…I got away with 395 rounds of small bore ammunition and about 100 of large。 This accounted for 225 kills。 That should give one an idea。 Figure out how many animals you are likely to want for ANY purpose； multiply by three； and bring that many cartridges。
To carry these cartridges I should adopt the English system of a stout leather belt on which you slip various sized pockets and loops to suit the occasion。 Each unit has loops for ten cartridges。 You rarely want more than that； and if you do； your gunbearer is supplied。 In addition to the loops； you have leather pockets to carry your watch； your money； your matches and tobacco； your compass…anything you please。 They are handy and safe。 The tropical climate is too 〃sticky〃 to get much comfort； or anything else； out of ordinary pockets。
In addition； you supply your gunbearer with a cartridge belt； a leather or canvas carrying bag； water bottle for him and for yourself； a sheath knife and a whetstone。 In the bag are your camera； tape line； the whetstone； field cleaners and lunch。 You personally carry your field glasses； sun glasses； a knife； compass； matches； police whistle and notebook。 The field glasses should not be more than six power； and if possible you should get the sort with detachable prisms。 The prisms are apt to cloud in a tropical climate； and the non…detachable sort are almost impossible for a layman to clean。 Hang these glasses around your neck by a strap only just long enough to permit you to raise them to your eyes。 The best notebook is the 〃loose…leaf〃 sort。 By means of this you can keep always a fresh leaf on top； and at night can transfer your day's notes to safe keeping in your tin box。 The sun glasses should not be smoked or dark…you can do nothing with them…but of the new amberol； the sort that excludes the ultra…violet rays； but otherwise makes the world brighter and gayer。 Spectacle frames of non…corrosive white metal； not steel； are the proper sort。
To clean your guns you must supply plenty of oil； and then some more。 The East African gunbearer has a quite proper and gratifying； but most astonishing horror for a suspicion of rust； and to use oil any faster he would have to drink it。
Other Equipment。 All this has taken much time to tell about； it has not done much toward filling up that tin box。 Dump in your toilet effects and a bath towel； two or three scalpels for taxidermy； a ball of string； some safety…pins； a small tool kit； sewing materials； a flask of brandy； kodak films packed in tin； a boxed thermometer； an aneroid （if you are curious as to elevations）； journal； tags for labelling trophies； a few yards of gun cloth； and the medicine kit。
The latter divides into two classes： for your men and for yourself。 The men will suffer from certain well defined troubles： 〃tumbo；〃 or overeating； diarrhaea； bronchial colds； fever and various small injuries。 For 〃tumbo〃 you want a liberal supply of Epsom's salts； for diarrhaea you need chlorodyne； any good expectorant for the colds； quinine for the fever； permanganate and plenty of bandages for the injuries。 With this lot you can do wonders。 For yourself you need； or may need； in addition； a more elaborate lot： Laxative； quinine； phenacetin； bismuth and soda； bromide of ammonium； morphia； camphor…ice； and asperin。 A clinical thermometer for whites and one for blacks should be included。 A tin of malted milk is not a bad thing to take as an emergency ration after fever。
By this time your tin box is fairly well provided。 You may turn to general supplies。
End
