d sticks it in the ground
by the outside of the right heel.

[Illustration: Plate VI.]

Equipments are unslung, packs opened, shelter half and pins removed:
each man then spreads his shelter half, small triangle to the
rear, flat upon the ground the tent is to occupy, the rear rank
man's half on the right. The halves are then buttoned together;
the guy loops at both ends of the lower half are passed through
the buttonholes provided in the lower and upper halves; the whipped
end of the guy rope is then passed through both guy loops and
secured, this at both ends of the tent. Each front rank man inserts
the muzzle of his rifle under the front end of the ridge and
holds the rifle upright, sling to the front, heel of butt on
the ground beside the bayonet. His rear rank man pins down the
front corners of the tent on the line of bayonets, stretching
the tent taut; he then inserts a pin in the eye of the front
guy rope and drives the pin at such a distance in front of the
rifle as to hold the rope taut; both men go to the rear of the
tent, each pins down a corner, stretching the sides and rear
of the tent before securing; the rear rank man then inserts an
intrenching tool, or a bayonet in its scabbard, under the rear
end of the ridge inside the tent, the front rank man pegging
down the end of the rear guy ropes; the rest of the pins are
then driven by both men, the rear rank man working on the right.

NOTE.--The use of the hand ax and the pick mattock in organizations
equipped with the intrenching tool is authorized for the purpose
of driving shelter tent pins. The use of the bayonet for this
purpose is prohibited.

The front flaps of the tent are not fastened down, but thrown
back on the tent.

As soon as the tent is pitched each man arranges his equipment
and the contents of his pack in the tent and stands at attention
in front of his own half on line with the front guy-rope pin.

To have a uniform slope when the tents are pitched, the guy ropes
should all be of the same length.

In shelter-tent camps, in localities where suitable material
is procurable, tent poles may be improvised and used in lieu of
the rifle and bayonet or intrenching tool as supports for the
shelter tent.

794. When the pack is not carried the company is formed for shelter
tents, intervals are taken, arms are laid aside or on the ground,
the men are dismissed and proceed to the wagon, secure their
packs, return to their places, and pitch te