effective as boiling. A carbon filter is a tube
with a wad of compressed carbon inserted, through which the water is
sucked, but as a rule clay-coloured water is comparatively innocuous,
but beware of the bright, limpid water of long stagnant rock
water-holes.

TO MAKE AN EFFECTIVE FILTER

Take a nail-can, keg, cask, or any other vessel, or even an ordinary
wooden case (well tarred inside, if possible, to make it water-tight).
Make a hole or several holes in the bottom, and set it over a tank or
bucket. Into the bottom of the filter put (1) a few inches of washed
broken stone; (2) about four inches of charcoal; (3) say three inches
of clean coarse sand (if not to hand you can manufacture it by crushing
quartz with your pestle and mortar), and (4) alternate layers of
charcoal and sand until the vessel is half filled. Fill the top half
with water, and renew from time to time, and you have a filter which is
as effective as the best London made article. _But it is better to boil
your water whether you filter afterwards or not._

Clear the inside of the water-cask frequently, and occasionally add
to the water a little Condy's fluid, as it destroys organic matter. A
useful cement for stopping leaky places in casks is made as follows:
Tallow 25 parts, lard 40 parts, sifted wood ash 25 parts. Mix together
by heating, and apply with a knife blade which has just been heated.

CANVAS WATER BAGS

Are easily made, and are very handy for carrying small supplies
of drinking-water when prospecting in a dry country; they have the
advantage of keeping the water cool in the hottest weather, by reason on
the evaporation. The mouthpiece is made of the neck of a bottle securely
sewn in.

MEDICINE CASE

Medicine is also a matter well worthy of thought. The author's worst
enemy would not call him a mollycoddle, yet he has never travelled in
far wilds without carrying something in the way of medicine. First,
then, on this subject, it cannot be too often reiterated that if common
Epsom salts were a guinea an ounce instead of a penny the medicine
would be valued accordingly, but it is somewhat bulky. What I especially
recommend, however, is a small pocket-case of the more commonly known
homeopathic remedies, "Mother tinctures," which are small, light, and
portable, with a small simple book of instructions. Though generally
an allopath in practice, I once saved my own life, and have certainly
helped others by a little knowledge in diagno