_... And when the airs is warming, it's then
yourself and me should be pacing ... in the dews
of night, the times sweet smells do be rising, and
you'd see a little shiny new moon, may be, sinking
on the hills._
--_J. M. Synge_
The overnight hike is more of a lark than the week-end hike. Its
principal features are sleeping in the open and cooking one's food in
the most primitive manner. The same requirements as for week-end hikes
should obtain as to the number of counsellors and the child's physical
condition. Also she should be properly clothed for the trip as to shoes,
stockings, underclothes, and so forth. The necessary equipment for an
overnight hike such as nightclothes, toilet articles, etc., can be
neatly laid in a blanket and the blanket rolled from end to end. It
should be tied in the center, about four inches from either end and
between the ends and the center with a stout string. Bring the ends
together side by side and tie tightly. Throw the blanket over the head,
the ends under one arm, the center of the blanket on the opposite
shoulder.
The hiker can take more food than is strictly necessary, for as a
general thing she walks only a short distance and can thus carry a quite
heavy pack. The trip should be so planned that the hikers reach their
destination by five o'clock in the afternoon. The following day can be
spent in exploring the surrounding country, finding as many points of
interest as possible, studying the trees, the flowers, the birds, and
following up any trails, paths or streams which look interesting. The
day should be so planned that the return to the main camp will be
accomplished in the late afternoon or early evening.
[Illustration: FIRST AIDES. Several Kinds of Bandages]