Ferrules or broad bands are desirable on the ends of the ridgepole; but
if you cannot afford these you may perhaps be able to put a rivet or two
through the pole between the ends and the holes, or, if not rivets, then
screws, which are better than nothing to prevent the pin of the upright
from splitting the ridgepole.


TENT-PINS.

Tent-pins should be made of sound hard wood; old wheel-spokes are
excellent. Make them pointed at the bottom, so that they will drive
easily; and notch them about two inches from the top, so that they will
hold the rope. Cut away the wood from just above the notch towards the
back of the head; this will prevent the notch of the pin from splitting
off when it is driven. It is well to have pins differ in length and
size: those for the corners and the stays should be the largest, say
fifteen to eighteen inches long; and those for the wall and door may be
eight or ten inches. But pins of these sizes are apt to pull out in a
heavy storm; and so when you are to camp in one spot for some time, or
when you see a storm brewing, it is well to make pins very stout, and
two feet or more long, for the stays and four corner guy-lines, out of
such stuff as you find at hand.

[Illustration]

Loosen the pins by striking them on all four sides before you try to
pull them up. A spade is a fine thing to use to pry out a pin that is
deep in the ground, and a wooden mallet is better than an axe or hatchet
to drive them in with; but, unless you have a large number of pins to
drive, it will hardly pay you to get a mallet especially for this