RANGER OR GYPSY TENTS AND TRAPPERS' BIVOUACS - Part 2

Articles In This Section:

· RANGER OR GYPSY TENTS AND TRAPPERS' BIVOUACS - Part 1

· RANGER OR GYPSY TENTS AND TRAPPERS' BIVOUACS - Part 2

· REED HUTS

· THE TRAPPER'S ROOF - Part 1

· THE TRAPPER'S ROOF - Part 2

Gypsies also use similar tents, but they make theirs somewhat larger because several persons usually share a single tent. For two people the rectangle is about 7 by 10 feet. In this case too, the size and the addition of eyelets and leather loops depend on the particular needs. With this sort of tent, set up more or less like the ranger's tent, the open sides are closed off with bushes. A long branch stuck in a loose stone wall or in a wood pile stands as a roof beam to give the tent a solid support.

A tent of this type needs a little ditch around it just as more modern tents do. This ditch catches the rain water as it runs off the sides and carries it away. Without the ditch the water would seep into the ground around the bottom of the tent, soak it, and then run inside the tent.

It is always important to stretch the sides of the tent tightly, so that there are no folds. Even tightly woven cloth that has not been waterproofed will shed the rain if it is stretched taut. An umbrella is an example of this. However, the minute you bump against the side of such a tent during a heavy rain, it will start to drip at the spot you hit. If this happens, just press your finger against the spot and draw it straight down along the side of the tent to the ground—the water will flow off without bothering you any more.

Lay dry grass, reeds or branches on the floor of the tent, or perhaps you can get an armful of hay or straw somewhere. Even a layer of newspapers is useful. This will protect you from the coolness of the ground (unless you have decided to camp in the middle of a swamp—which is not recommended).

The choice of a camping site is important. The earth should not have too much clay, or it will keep the water from being absorbed. And don't camp in the middle of a hollow where the rain water can collect. Loose, sandy ground is warm and comfortable. It is pleasant to have a wooded area or a rise in the ground to protect you from the storm side. In northern latitudes, the storm side is the west, northwest, or southwest.