Around the bottom of any tent you should dig a small trench to catch and
convey away the water when it rains; and I caution you against the
error which even old campers sometimes make,--do not try to have the
water run up hill.


HOW TO PITCH A WALL-TENT QUICKLY.

After you have once pitched the tent, and have put the poles and pins in
their exact places, note the distance from one of the upright poles to
the pin holding one of the nearest corner guy-lines, and then mark one
of the poles in such a way that you can tell by it what that distance
is. When you next wish to pitch the tent, drive two small pins in the
ground where the two upright poles are to rest,--the ridgepole will tell
you how far apart they must be,--then, by measuring with your marked
pole, you can drive the four pins for the corner guys in their proper
places.

Next spread the tent on the ground, and put the ridgepole in its place
in the top of the tent, and the two upright poles in their places. Then
raise the tent. It will take two persons, or, if the tent is large, four
or more, having first moved it bodily, to bring the feet of the upright
poles to touch the two small pins that you drove at the beginning. You
can now catch and tighten the corner guy-lines on the four pins
previously driven. In driving the other pins, it looks well to have them
on a line, if possible; also try to have the wall of the tent set
square: to do this you must tie the door just right before you tighten a
guy-line.

You will find this way of pitching a tent convenient when a wind is