BOOTS, SHOES, AND SANDALS.
We have already advised the traveller to include in his outfit a good
store of English made boots and shoes--suited to the work he is likely
to engage in--in warm countries such as Africa or India. We prefer
shoes, and like them as light as is consistent with durability; but,
for wear in the jungle or by the river side, we have never found any
foot gear to equal moderately stout, but flexible, laced shooting boots
and saumber-skin gaiters. The chief defects of a shoe is, that if it is
too low, or ill made, so as to open at the sides, it may admit dirt or
small stones, and that it does not protect the ankle or shin in walking
through sharp grasses, such as the spear grass of India (the seeds of
which are like the heads of Liliputian arrows), the _Triodia spinifex_
of Australia, or the low "haak doorns" of Africa.
Medical and military writers recommend shoes either without or with
only very low heels, and say that the so-called military heels give
2in. of additional height at the expense of all other good qualities;
and this will at once be evident if we consider that the proper use of
the foot in springing, walking, or running, depends upon its being able
to move from a perfectly horizontal position, till the line of the sole
from toe to heel forms an angle of 45° or 50° with the ground. If then,
by the interposition of a block of leather, we prevent the heel coming
within 15° or 20° of the horizontal line, we diminish the power of the
foot just as much as we should the power of a bow, when, knowing that
the archer could draw at 36in. we were to insist that the bow should be
made with a curve of 18in., instead of being, as it ought, very nearly
straight.
The so-called support to the ankle is not only unnecessary but
positively injurious. Opera dancers do not usually perform in boots,
but shoes as light as possible. The Zouaves simply wear gaiters to
keep dirt out of the shoe, and they detest the tight leggings, and on
a march pitch them away, and let the knickerbockers lower down upon the
leg. Men, in the constant habit of wearing tight or heavy boots, are
not likely to have good legs, and none march better than Highlanders in
their kilts and shoes; or natives of wild countries, who only put on
sandals when the expected march is so long, that the hard skin of the
foot would wear through faster than the natural growth could replace
it. We suppose that it will be sufficiently definite to consider boots
as having the upper leathers sufficiently high to cover the ankle, or
as much of the leg or thigh as may be requisite. Shoes, as covering a
part, or the whole of the foot up to, but not above, the ankle, and
sandals as being merely soles fastened on by laces or thongs, but not
covering or inclosing the foot. [Illustration: 1-2] The form we have
found most useful is that called the oxonian (Fig. 1), coming just high
enough to cover the whole instep without interfering with the action
of the joint, and fitting closely round beneath the ankle. Fig. 2
represents the Irish brogue, a good serviceable foot covering. Elastic
sides do not stand hard wear in tropical heat, and therefore we use a
front lacing. We object to bluchers, because after some wear the flaps
of the quarters become loose, and bits of rotten stick or stiff grasses
frequently are forced in in walking. {African boots.} Most countries
have some form of shoe easily made from materials obtainable upon the
spot, and in Africa the "velschoen" of untanned leather is the general
wear. [Illustration] Sometimes these are very clumsily made, the naked
foot is planted on the piece of leather intended for the sole, and
the outline is marked out with the point of a knife, the blade being
held so far clear as to obviate all danger of cutting the foot, a plan
which certainly has the merit of making the shoe sufficiently roomy.
The thinner hide intended for the front is then laid on over the
instep, and the edges, being brought down, are cut even with those of
the sole; and, both being bored with an awl, are stitched through and
through with leather thongs, the quarters are then fitted on in the
same manner, and the only reason that the stitches do not wear out is
that the sole is so much wider than the foot, that no weight comes upon
the part in which the seam is made. A couple of holes in the front of
the quarters receive another thong which serves as a tie, and this,
being the only part that is in anyway tight, must considerably gall the
instep.
The hides of the giraffe, the eland, or the buffalo are used for soles,
and a piece large enough for a pair may generally be purchased for
eighteenpence. These are simply dried, and a native must be hired to
beat and soften them, working grease into them as he does so till they
become so soft and supple that, though they are not waterproof in the
sense of absolutely repelling the liquid, they may be wetted through
and dried again without becoming hard. Sometimes a native will do this
for a knife (value ninepence or a shilling) and the grease; but a sharp
look-out must be kept upon the latter, or he will rub it into his own
skin instead of that which he is employed to soften. An African can no
more be trusted with fat than many of our own countrymen with ardent
spirits.
For the upper leather the hide of many of the larger antelopes will
do, but that of the "koodoo" is most universally esteemed, being
somewhat thicker than stout calf, and very soft and durable; that of
the wildebeeste is too hard and stout, and those of the springbok and
smaller antelopes too thin. This skin is also subjected to a long
preliminary rubbing and working in the hands of the natives, grease
being occasionally smeared on.
The preparation of a good-sized skin--such as that of a koodoo, or
of an ox, if it is to be softened so as to be fit for purposes where
lightness and pliability are required--is performed as follows. If the
hair is to be removed, the skin is wrapped up with the hair inward,
fresh cattle dung having been previously spread over it to keep it
moist, and if the party be not on a journey, it is buried for a day or
two, to "sweat" the hair off; but if the hair is to be retained, this
preliminary process is dispensed with. If the thickness of the hide is
to be reduced, it is then pegged out tightly upon the ground, with the
hair side downward, and the flesh, and as much of the inner side of the
skin as requisite, removed by scraping with the small, broad-edged,
soft iron blades set like adzes, across the handle, and used very much
in the manner of the scrapers, which so much disgust passengers on long
voyages when used upon the deck above their berths. The hide having
been still kept damp and soft by being covered with cattle dung, or
moist clay, is next taken in hand by half a dozen or more natives,
who, sitting around it and grasping each their handful of the edge,
compress and rub it in every possible direction, ever and anon driving
all their hands together towards the centre, and then simultaneously
falling back, stretching the skin to the utmost. Grease has to be
applied occasionally, and the skin, when put away for the night, must
be carefully rolled up and kept under moist earth till morning.
Most of the native tribes also have some species of mimosa, generally a
small variety, the bark and young roots of which they pound as fine as
possible in their wooden mortars, and, by rubbing in the powder during
the dressing of the skin, they partially tan it, and impart to it a
reddish brown colour.
{Shoemakers' wax.}
Before proceeding to make or repair boots or shoes, shoemakers' wax
will be required. It is a good plan to take a hornfull out from
England. The wax horn may be made from the horn of a common cow; fill
it with softened wax until nearly full, put in a wooden bottom, secure
it in its place by driving in three or four wire pins, and all is made
secure. When the wax is required for use, saw off the small end of the
horn far enough down to reach the contents. Apply heat to the exterior
until the wax runs out in sufficient quantity on a greased stone; take
up as much as is needed for use, work it into a ball, and put it to
swim in a little water. If you have to make your own wax proceed as
follows: Take 4oz. of resin, grind it to a fine powder between two
stones, 1/4oz. of beeswax chopped up small, and 2oz. of common pitch;
mix these substances with the resin, and place the whole in a small
native chatty pot. Then put the pot in a bed of hot wood ashes, and
with a long flat-pointed stick work and stir the mass about until
thoroughly melted; then add 3/4oz. of good clean fat, and keep the
whole in a state of solution for about a quarter of an hour or twenty
minutes. Grease the bottom of a calabash or bowl, half fill it with
cold water; take your pot off the fire with a twisted stick, and pour
the molten materials into the water. When cold enough to handle, grease
your hands, and work the wax about; pull it out into long strips,
double these back on themselves, and so proceed until all the materials
are well amalgamated; then work it out into a long stick or rod, take
a greased knife, and divide it up into pieces large enough to make
convenient-sized balls for use. These are best kept floating in water
until wanted.
{Lasts.}
In making a pair of shoes the mode usually adopted is that previously
described, and, by dint of patience and careful fitting, some persons
will make them very neatly and effectively in this manner; but, after
all, there is always an uncertainty as to their fitting properly, and
we found it much better to take the trouble in the first instance of
making a pair of lasts. For this purpose it is best to take the length
of the foot, its extreme breadth and height at the instep, and cut
two logs of tolerably hard even-grained wood (we used the sweet gum),
rather larger, and square them up to these dimensions--say, length
10in., breadth 3in., and height 4in., more or less. Then, placing the
foot upon a piece of soft ground, trace its outline, and then, holding
a board vertically against the inner side, trace off on this the
profile, and removing the foot trace also the outline of the print it
has made upon the ground. The inner side and the bottom of each block
ought to be nicely and truly squared up, even though, from scantiness
of wood or other causes, the other sides should not be so. Take all the
measurements for breadth from the straight line made by the edge of the
board upon the ground, and measure them from the inside edge, right
and left, upon the bottom of the blocks; draw the outline, and inside
it draw also the actual tread of the foot, measured in the same manner
from the impression on the ground. Then, measuring from the bottom of
the board, transfer the profile of the foot to the inside surface of
each block, and with axe or saw cut them to the outline of the heel and
instep, taking care not to attempt to round them till you have also cut
them to the outline of the breadth; then, having ascertained that all
your measurements are true, and that both lasts are of similar size
and form, begin to round them as nearly as possible to the natural
form of the foot, lowering them more on the outer side toward the small
toes than on the inner, where the line of the instep extends from the
ankle to the great toe; then, having ascertained the arch of the foot,
commence rounding away the edges of the sole from the inner line,
observing that in the waist of the foot the tread runs very nearly
along the outer edge, leaving nearly all the hollow to be cut away on
the inner side. Let the sole rise from the ground a little also under
the toes, as their pressure downward will make the shoe fit better, and
it will be less liable to catch small impediments in walking.
[Illustration: 1-3]
Bear in mind that in the natural foot the great toe is as nearly as
possible parallel to the straight line drawn along the inside of the
foot, and if it is forced from this position by ill-cut shoes, such
as some years ago were inappropriately called "straights," or by the
wearing of high heels, not only is the beauty of the foot sacrificed,
but its elasticity, its strength, and usefulness are materially
diminished. In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 we have represented the natural form
of the foot, distinguishing by the flat shadow the part that actually
touches the ground, and by a lighter outline along the hollow, that
which may be considered as the average limit of the sole. These are
one-fourth the natural size, and, by using inches for the quarter
inches in our drawings, the enlarged outlines will be a sufficient
guide in cutting the lasts, the average proportions of feet being very
nearly the same, though of course dimensions will vary. In Fig. 1 of
the next illustration we give the forms of sole that may be used. If
the ground is bad, and it is necessary to defend the foot against
thorns, sharp stones, &c., the outer lines may be adopted; but on
tolerably fair ground, it is only the actual tread that requires
protection from the sole. However, as the foot is constant in its size,
the smaller the sole is the larger must be the upper leather. Of this
last we have represented two forms. They are both shown, folded and
stitched, so as to be ready for lasting; but the smaller figures within
show the form of each part before it is folded.
[Illustration: 1-3]
In Fig. 2 the whole upper is cut out from one piece, folded in the
centre of the front, and stitched at the heel. The edges should not be
cut off too close to the seam (otherwise neatness will be gained at the
expense of strength), and they should always be outside; for, if they
be turned in, it would be very difficult to flatten them so perfectly
as not to gall the heel. Tho front is split 2-1/2in. or 3in. down the
instep, and a piece of stout leather, with its edges thinned down, is
stitched on and pierced with holes to receive the lacing. It is split
not quite through, but about 1/2in. is left to strengthen the front
of the shoe, and prevent the thinner leather tearing. The edges in
which the holes are pierced are, of course, left the full thickness.
A tongue of soft leather ought to be stitched in, that the lacing may
not gall the instep, but the edges of this must be carefully thinned
down, and no knots or ends of thread should be left inside. The ends
may be fastened off very neatly without knots by merely taking one or
two stitches backward along the already finished seam, and even if the
fastening should show outside, it will still be better than that after
a long march the instep should be found chafed and bleeding, and a
sore established which will be very difficult to heal.
In Fig. 3 the front is in one piece and the quarter in another, and
this is a convenient arrangement when, though you may have plenty of
leather, it is not of sufficient size to cut the upper in a single
piece. Generally, the edge of the quarter is laid over that of the
front, and stitched, leaving the upper part loose as a flap or ear to
receive the tie or lacing. In this case, the centre of the front is
left long enough to come up as a tongue to defend the instep, but this
method has the disadvantage of leaving a space on either side the foot,
opening forward as in the case of bluchers, and liable to receive in
walking broken sticks, reeds, or grass stems, which are often forced
in with considerable violence. We, therefore, prefer to stitch the
front edge over that of the quarter, inserting a tongue as neatly as
possible, and stitching on, as before, edgings of stiff leather to
receive the lacing, taking care, also, that all edges inside the shoe
are trimmed off to nothing, and that no fastenings off are made inside.
All these should be sewn with "saddlers' seams"--that is, the two
parts should be laid together, and holes being pierced with a fine
straight awl, the two threads should be passed through from right and
left simultaneously, and drawn tight with an equally firm pull on
either hand. The seam will thus show no difference on either of the
sides; but, if a section were made, it would present the appearance of
a chain, as in Fig. 5 of the engraving on p. 421, each link inclosing
the thickness of leather left between the holes. Although the threads
should be tightened with a firm hand, they should not be hauled upon so
as unduly to contract the leather, and so make the seam grip the foot
like a cord when the shoe is finished.
The dorsal sinews of the springbok, or the domestic goat, separated
into fibre of the proper size, will answer very well for this purpose,
the points being cut sharp, wetted, and twisted a little, will be quite
rigid enough to pass through the holes previously bored; but while we
have a stock of good whity-grey thread, we prefer to use it doubled and
well waxed, in a couple of stout tailor's needles, always, however,
boring the holes with a fine awl to insure regularity.
{Clamps.}
A pair of clamps are necessary to hold the work, as both hands are
employed in sewing. They may be made of two staves of a powder barrel,
or an American flour cask, or any other light elastic boards that can
be made to curve inward, and grip with a fair edge with tolerable
firmness. These are held between the knees, so that the work may be in
a convenient position for eye and hand. If barrel staves cannot be had,
two small bits of plank, with fair edges, may be fitted in the smith's
vice. A young sapling, 2in. or 3in. thick, may be cut off about 30in.
from its root, and the stump slit down with a sharp axe, the edges
being trimmed off thin and fair; or the boat nippers described at p.
129 may be pressed into service.
[Illustration]
{Thread.}
The orthodox material for sewing on the sole is, of course, the waxed
thread, made by taking from three to six or eight thicknesses of the
flax sold in balls for that purpose, twisting them loosely together,
and waxing them with the mixture before described. The ends of the
threads are thinned to a fine point, and, a bristle being split part
of its length, the fine end of the thread is laid between the parts,
and then rolled several times round both of them; and the fastening
is made by opening the strands of the thread, and passing the perfect
end of the bristle through them. It is much more easy to do this than
to describe it, and in five minutes' practice almost anyone ought to
be able to learn it. We prefer, however, fine "reimpjies," or thongs,
rather less than 1/8in. broad, cut from the skin of a steinbok, and
nicely rubbed up, stretched, and smoothed. The points of these cut
sharp, wetted a little, twisted, and allowed to dry, will be quite fine
and hard enough to be passed through the awl holes; but we have upon
occasion taken a bit of fine brass rabbit wire, and passing it through
a hole in the end of the thong, as far as the middle have doubled the
two ends together, and twisted them into one, to obtain a more rigid
point.
[Illustration: 1-5]
[Illustration: A-C]
{Stitching.}
Of the several methods of stitching, the simplest, as has been
mentioned, is to lay the edges of the sole and upper leather together,
and stitch them through and through (Fig. 1). In this case, however,
either the thread appears outside, and is exposed to be chafed upon
the ground, or the sole itself must be cut so as to let the stitches
in, and sometimes a cut is made in the edge of the sole, as in Fig. 2,
but this has by no means a neat and finished appearance. Some of the
Dutch farmers use what is called the "binnen naaid," or inside seam.
This is made by turning the edge of the upper leather (Fig. 4) in upon
the sole (Fig. 3), and sewing it with a kind of backstitch, which will
be better understood by reference to the figure than by description.
It must be begun in the waist of the foot and worked round the front
to the other side. The heel is finished last of all, as, when the shoe
is once closed, the fore parts of it could not be reached. This seam
is very neat, but a last cannot be used in making it. The plan we
adopted is that used by shoemakers for pumps or single soled shoes,
and we believe this to be the easiest, the neatest, and, at the same
time, the most durable. The sole (Fig. 1) is cut with the heel toward
the thickest part (if there be any difference) of the leather, and if
greater thickness is required, another piece (Fig. 2) should be cut to
the shape of the heel and thinned away to nothing in front, as it must
be placed on the inside of the true sole, and a thick edge would of
course give pain to the foot. A small groove or channel (Fig. 3), just
deep enough to bury the stitches, should be cut about 1/2in. from the
edge upon the upper surface, and a similar one (Fig. 3_a_) in the edge
of the true sole; then, the holes being pierced with a curved awl, the
two parts should be firmly sewn together. Fig. 4 represents the channel
cut all round the sole and heel for stitching on the upper leather, and
Fig. 5 the bevelled edge against which the upper leather is laid. B
is a sectional view, with all the parts similarly numbered, the upper
leather being stitched on; and C another with the upper stitched and
turned into its proper position when the shoe is finished. The sole,
with its inside uppermost, must then be laid upon its proper last,
and tacked to it with nails or pegs that will easily draw out when no
longer required, and care must be taken that the waist fits well down
into the hollow of the last. The edge must then be bevelled off, at
an angle of 45° all round, reducing its apparent thickness by about
one-half. In very fine work the edge is thinned down almost to nothing
in the waist, but is left nearly of its full thickness in the heel.
The object of this, however, is to present an inclined surface for the
upper leather to rest against and be stitched to.
The upper is then turned inside out, and placed upon the last; its
height at the heel, at the sides, and on the instep, is measured, and
these points are first secured by small tacks, driven about half in, so
that they can be withdrawn when no longer wanted. The edges are then
drawn tightly over the edges of the sole, and tacked to it, beginning
at the toe and proceeding equally along the sides as far as the
beginning of the heel. The last is then taken, with the sole upward,
between the knees, where it may be confined by a strap long enough to
pass round the feet; holes are pierced with a sharp curved awl, through
the upper leather, and the bevelled edge of the sole, to the channel
previously cut. The thread or thong of steinbok hide, being pointed
at both ends, is drawn as far as its middle through the first hole,
the two ends are passed simultaneously from right and left through
each successive one, and the seam, commencing from the fore part of
the heel on one side, goes forward round the toe, until it comes as
far back on the other side. In commencing the sewing of the heel, if
an inner thickening piece has been put on, care must be taken that in
front, where it is yet thin, the stitches take up also a portion of
the thickness of the true sole, and do not depend only on the inner
heel, until they have passed the end of the seam that connects the two
thicknesses together. If the stitches of the connecting seam have been
set far enough into the substance of the leather, there will be no
danger of cutting them in boring the holes for sewing on the upper.
[Illustration]
In fastening off, take two stitches back upon the seam, and a hole may
be bored through one part of the thong to pass the end of the other
through, but no knots must be made; inside they would gall the feet,
and outside they would look clumsy and unworkmanlike. Our sketch will
sufficiently illustrate the foregoing description. Fig. 1A is
the sole; Fig. 4, the channel and stitching; Fig. 4_a_, the stitching
seen through the upper leather, and D the last; B shows the relative
position of the parts when the shoe is taken off the last, and turned
ready for use. No inner sole or lining is needed, for the leather
itself is softened sufficiently in the native processes. We generally
preferred to turn the outer side, or that from which the hair had been
stripped, inward, as it was smoother to the foot; and besides this, if
left outside, would soon have looked shabby from contact with grass
or thorns, whereas the inner or fleshy side would suffer no change of
appearance by casual abrasion.
The shoe first finished should be kept in a cool moist place, and not
suffered to dry till both are done, when they should be taken off the
lasts, turned right side outward, and each put upon the last on which
the other was made, and allowed to dry, a very little fat being rubbed
upon them, that it may be absorbed as the water dries out, to prevent
their becoming hard.
In one pair of shoes thus made, with soles of buffalo hide and koodoo
uppers, we have performed three journeys of eighty miles each, with
quite enough intermediate walking to make up the 300.
It may be thought that we have insisted too much on the lightness and
pliability of foot gear, but it must be remembered that we now speak of
what, under particular conditions, we have found useful. A change of
circumstances might render large and heavy boots an absolute necessity.
The American Indian wears the lightest possible mocassin; the South
African, when he comes near his game, takes off his sandals, that he
may step as noiselessly as a cat. The European hunter will do well to
follow their example as closely as he can, and whatever the form of
the foot gear he adopts may be, let it be light and flexible enough to
walk, jump, climb, or run with facility.
[Illustration]
{Mocassins.}
The principle of the mocassin appears to be that in almost universal
use among all the Esquimaux and North American Indians, the leading
difference in form of construction being that the former usually carry
the upper leather up over the leg to form a species of boot, whilst the
latter covers the foot only with the mocassin. Unlike the shoes we have
described, the Indian mocassin has far more sole than upper leather, as
the so-called sole extends up over the sides, front, and heel, to be
united with the border leather and front flap by a gathering seam. When
about to undertake a journey over very hard or rough ground, a sort of
supplementary sole of green hide, with the hair left on the outside,
is not unfrequently put on. The leather used in the manufacture of the
best and softest description of mocassins requires an immense deal of
rubbing, dressing, and manipulation; that used by the Esquimaux tribes
is chewed by the women until beautifully supple and pliant. Different
tribes of Indians adopt different styles or fashions in the cut and
finish of their foot gear, as shown in the illustration on p. 424,
which represents the mocassins of distinct tribes; thus it is by no
means difficult to detect attempted imposition by closely investigating
the foot coverings of a spy or secret enemy.
[Illustration]
{Makeshift foot coverings.}
Various makeshift foot coverings are used by different nations. Some
of the bushmen and half-civilised Hottentots, when they have killed
an animal of suitable size, such as a buffalo, quagga, or any of the
larger antelopes, will cut the skin all round above and below the
hough, and, having stripped it off, will draw it upon their own foot,
so that the heel comes where the hough of the animal used to be; the
toe is then closed with a few stitches, a slit for a small tie or
lacing is made on the instep, and, by walking in it before it dries or
hardens, it is trodden into the shape of the foot. We have chosen the
quagga skin for our illustration because the stripes help to identify
the parts used for the hough-skin shoe; but it is, perhaps, the least
eligible for the purpose, as it dries so hard and rigid that it must be
very unpleasant wear. The North American Indians use the hough-skin of
the moose in the same manner.
The peasantry and brigands of Calabria and many other portions of the
South of Europe, wear a very simple and useful kind of makeshift shoe.
A piece of soft hide is cut to several sizes larger than the foot, a
number of points or corners are allowed to remain along the edges, the
foot, after being well swathed in bandages, is placed on the piece of
hide, which is then gathered up round the foot by looping and knotting
a long strip of cotton cloth or tape forward and back to the corners of
the hide until all is secure and compact, as shown in the illustration
on next page (Fig. 2).
The old Highland caterans shod themselves in much the same manner. We
have seen the Crim-Tartars make excellent winter foot coverings from
sheepskin, with the wool inwards (Fig. 1). This was cut much after
the Calabrian plan, but the corners, after having slits made in them,
were looped to short flat leather straps, which, when crossed forward
and back over the front, were laced together with a long narrow thong
of sheepskin, which served to hold a wider piece of wool-covered skin
in place, as a sort of gaiter. They also make a summer shoe from soft
tanned hide, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.
[Illustration: 1-4]
Most of the African tribes find the skin of their sole sufficiently
hard for their ordinary and daily walks, but when they expect to make
long marches they invariably use some sort of artificial protection;
and there is no surer sign on the frontier of the Cape Colony that the
Kafirs intend to make war than to see among them a general preparation
of velschoens or sandals; and often the cattle farmers on the frontier
have been thus forewarned, while the Government authorities, deceived
by plausible excuses, have imagined there was every prospect of a
continued peace.
Various forms of sandal are in use among different tribes, but those
used by the Bechuana (Fig. 1, next page) may be taken as a sufficiently
useful type. The leather is sometimes rendered slightly pliable by
being pounded and beaten, but very often not. The foot is planted on
it, and the outline drawn, the sole being cut somewhat larger than this.
Two slits are made, one on each side the hollow of the foot, and the
two ends of a piece of hide are passed up through them, as shown in
Fig. 2; and in each end of this are cut two slits, as seen in Figs. 1,
2, 3, for the two parts of a thong of dressed hide to pass through.
[Illustration]
The ends of this are passed through another piece which goes down
between the great toe and the next, then passes through the sole, and
is fastened sometimes by being returned through two other holes, and
the divided ends passed through a hole bored "in their own parts," as
in Fig. 4, and sometimes by being simply returned only once in the
manner shown in Fig. 3, which represents the very simple arrangement
for tightening the side straps; in fact, a thong of hide, with several
holes bored in it for its own end to pass through, may be lengthened or
shortened up as conveniently as a strap and buckle, the sandal being
put on or off simply by drawing the loop of the thong over the heel in
the same manner as a low shoe.
[Illustration]
The Damaras wear sandals with the toe and heel pointed, and elongated
2in. or 3in. beyond the foot, like a small snow shoe; this saves the
toes from contact with small thorns, and they often strap on greaves of
stiff hide to protect the shins.
[Illustration]
In Timor, we purchased two or three pairs of palm-leaf sandals, very
nicely woven; these last very well for a few hours' walking, and, being
very cheap, may be renewed as often as requisite. On some of the
pilgrim roads in India, the poorer travellers seldom provide sandals
for themselves, but pick up those that are thrown away half worn by the
more luxurious.
[Illustration]
Small rope, not more than 1/2in. in diameter, makes a good sole, and by
thinning one end, and beginning by bending this just before the hollow
of the foot, then coiling it six or seven times round, and finishing
off on the inside of the foot, so as to leave the front two turns wider
than the heel, a very fairly shaped sole may be made; this may be
fitted either with thongs as a sandal, or as a slipper with a canvas
upper. The Malays wear a wooden sole, the heel and tread of which are
about 2in. thick; it is held to the foot simply by a peg, with a knob
or button on the top, which is taken between the great toe and the
next, and thus held on or dropped off at pleasure; this is, in fact,
much the same that is worn by the Turks, Japanese, and Persians, only
that they use a leather strap instead of a button.
{Sabots and socks.}
Sabots are, at times, extremely useful; they can be made from any light
soft wood, such as withy, willow, poplar, or cotton wood (_Populus
tremuloides_). Cut two blocks from a log with the axe, fashion them
roughly into the form of a high shoe, and then, with a mallet and
sharp gouge, proceed to hollow them out to the requisite capacity and
thinness, when the outsides may be finished off with the spokeshave.
Socks formed of sheepskin, with the wool on, add much to the comfort
of the wearer. The Russian soldiers, before Sebastopol, made excellent
socks or false soles from plaited straw; these were worn inside their
long boots, and served to preserve the feet from damp; no stockings
were worn with them. An excellent description of sabot was forwarded to
us during the Crimean war for use in camp; the sole was of light wood,
the upper leather was like that of a high shoe, and the lining of thick
felt. The leather and wood were connected round the edges by the use of
a row of small flat headed tacks, much like those used in making a pair
of bellows. No description of foot gear we have ever seen equals these
felt-lined sabots for use during tent life. In Chinese Tartary a sort
of boot composed of thick felt is worn over both stocking and shoe.
When camping in or travelling through tropical countries, never omit
turning your boots or shoes upside down, and rapping the soles sharply
before venturing to put them on, as scorpions, centipedes, and other
unwelcome intruders, are particularly fond of taking shelter in such
convenient retreats. We have found it an excellent plan, when boots
or shoes of native leather get thoroughly water soaked, to fill them
tightly with any kind of grain; the moisture is absorbed rapidly by it,
and the leather is prevented from shrinking by the expansion of the
seed.
{Dubbin, to make.}
It is well to keep a good-sized pot or canister of dubbin for your
English boots and shoes. This is best made as follows:--Take of oil,
obtained by boiling ox feet, half a pint; beeswax, 1oz.; spirits of
turpentine, 1oz.; Burgundy pitch, 1/2oz.; resin, 1/2oz. Mix all the
ingredients, except the spirits of turpentine, together in a chatty,
and melt them over the embers of the camp fire until thoroughly
dissolved; then remove the pot from the fire, pour in the spirits of
turpentine, and stir the whole with a piece of lath until cold. To
apply the dubbin properly, the boot or shoe must be held to the fire
until warm, when every part of it, sole, heel, and upper, may receive a
thorough dressing over, and subsequent rubbing. This not only preserves
the leather from the effects of hot sun and wet ground, but prevents
the white ants, cockroaches, and other devouring insects from eating it.
One of our naval friends, who was an ardent naturalist, had a pair of
French wooden shoes, which he found a great protection while wading
among sharp rocks in search of specimens, where india-rubber boots
would have been cut and become leaky. A perfectly waterproof boot or
garment of any kind is an excellent thing, but an imperfect one is
worse than useless; and for wading after specimens or working in the
water, if it is not convenient to be naked, a pair of wooden clogs,
with a flannel shirt and drawers, and a straw hat or Tam o' Shanter
bonnet, is as good an equipment as any.
{India-rubber boots, to mend.}
We have before spoken of india-rubber wading boots, which, to be of
value, should be of first-class quality and finish. It will sometimes
happen that, notwithstanding all the precautions you may take to guard
them from injury, that sharp-pointed sticks, thorns, &c., will make
holes in them large enough to admit water. In order to enable you to
repair these injuries when they occur, it will be well to purchase
from the maker of the boots a good supply of sheet india-rubber. Get
also from a chemist a bottle of coal-tar naphtha fitted with a glass
stopper. When about to mend your boots, take a sharp knife or pair of
scissors, and snip or cut up about 2oz. of the india-rubber sheet.
The cut pieces should not be larger than good-sized buck-shot. Put
these into a wide-mouthed bottle, such as is used for gum; now pour
in enough naphtha to cover the rubber; put in the cork, and let the
mixture stand for a few hours to soak; then shake the bottle, turn it
upside down, and rattle it from side to side; repeat this process from
time to time until the rubber is thoroughly dissolved in the naphtha,
which it will be in about three days. Should it become sticky and
thick, pour in a little more naphtha and shake it about until of a
convenient consistency for use. Now cut a patch from the sheet rubber,
large enough to extend well beyond the margin of the hole; give both
the patch and the surface to which it is to be applied a good coating
of the rubber varnish; lay on the patch; press it well home; place
a flat board in the boot under the patch, and another board on the
outside over it, so as to nip both patch and boot between them; lay a
heavy stone or other weight on the outside board, and let the whole
arrangement remain until the varnish is dry and the union between the
parts complete. If the hole is in the leg of your boot, turn it inside
out until the injured spot is reached and the patch is seen through the
hole. Proceed now with the inside exactly as you did with the outside,
when the mend will be complete. If the hole is in the foot of the boot,
use only the single patch attached to the outside.
{Sore feet.}
When the sole of a shoe has once been soaked with salt water, it
always retains dampness, and cannot again be worn with comfort or
pleasure. India-rubber shoes cannot be worn in warm countries either
alone or over the ordinary shoes, unless they are cut low and open,
and even then the lengthened use of them is inconvenient and painful.
It not unfrequently happens that the feet of those not thoroughly
accustomed to hard tramping will become blistered. When the eggs of
either poultry or wild birds are to be obtained, it is a good plan
to break one or two, according to their size, into each shoe before
starting in the morning; or, if you have any spirit, put a little in
a cup or dish, place a lump of tallow on a flat stick, and hold a
hot brand over it until the fat melts and runs into the spirit. The
ointment thus prepared may now be taken from the spirit and applied
thickly to the sore surfaces and bottoms of the stockings. When large
bladders form, take one of your needles and draw a piece of soft
worsted or woollen thread, obtained by unravelling a bit of old shirt,
directly through the bladders. This acts as a seton, and causes the
fluid to freely discharge itself.