The kind of shelter which will be suitable and practicable for your camp
depends more or less upon the number of people to be accommodated, the
length of the camp season, and the camp site. For short time camps, for
small groups, or for older people, or when building is impossible, tents
only can be used. In such cases there would be need of a tent for a mess
and assembly room, a tent for the kitchen, a small waterproof tent in
which to store provisions, a small tent for covering a latrine and tents
for sleeping quarters.
The main tent for a mess hall and assembly room combined, should be
large, placed with some regard for a view of the surrounding country,
sun, air and general camp scheme. (p. 25.) It should be furnished with
tables, benches, and so forth, all of which can be moved out of the way
when the room is to be used for recreational purposes. The kitchen
should not be too far away, but back of the main tent and should be so
placed that all of the air possible may blow through it. There should be
a long cook table with a shelf over it, if possible, hung from the ridge
pole, or supported with uprights fastened to the table. Also a table
which can be used for dish washing. It would be well to have in
addition to the kitchen stove which is in this tent, cooking fire places
outside of the tent which could be used in pleasant weather. One of the
most practical of these is built of stone, with a back wall and two
sides, with two rods, the ends resting on the side walls and near enough
together to hold the average size pots and kettles. If stones are not
available two large logs can be placed V shape not quite meeting at the
narrow end, 1-1/2 feet apart at the other end, and the fire built in
between. Cross bars of iron or a grating can be put over the fire to
hold the pots and kettles. While it is convenient and practical to use
out of door fire places for cooking when the group is very small it is
most difficult to do so when the group is large. The work can be done,
however, with greater ease by the use of the iron bars already spoken
of.
[Illustration: BUSINESS END OF THE CAMP HALL]
The storage tent can have portable shelves and a low platform on which
to place barrels, boxes, and so forth. This tent should be pitched under
a large tree where it will be in the shade all of the time. A good store
closet can be made by digging into the side of a hill, boarding the
inside or facing it with stone and putting in shelves, and having a very
thick, well fitted door.
A more simple storage room, but not advisable except for a small camp,
is to dig a hole in the ground, line it with stone, place boards over
the top, leave a small opening for a lid or a hinged trap door and cover
the boards with earth, leaving the door free. If ice is available a
piece put into a pail can be set in this compartment.
In all of these out of door store places great care must be taken that
no animals, insects or flies get at the provisions. Covered tins, or
dishes and bags can be used for safety. When the camp is to be opened
only for a short period it is quite possible to put provisions into
pails tightly covered and set in running water in the shade.