The Frontiersman's Pocketbook

The Countess Mountbatten's own Legion of Frontiersmen was conceived and organized in 1905 as a body of frontier sentinels, and they first published The Frontiersman's Pocket-Book in 1909 as their training and survival manual. Long out-of-print, copies command steep prices in the antiquarian book market.

Leatherbound. Good+, 463 pages, The cover professionally re-bound about 40 years ago with a new leather spine to match the original leather covers that have been retained. The body of the book was stitched into this restored binding. About 100 b&w illustrations. 6 pages of colour signal diagrams. Burgundy leather with gold impressing. All paper edges gilt.

A survival guide for settlers in all parts of the Empire. Sections on pathfinding, filtration of water, hunting food, making fire, managing in severe heat and cold, various forms of travel, and collective training. Special chapter for "Women on the Frontier" as well as interesting chapters on self-defence, railway seizures, marriage and probate, and ways to amuse yourself. Section on game preservation is years ahead of its time. Part V is a medical guide for treatment of such problems as malaria, dengue, madness, venereal disease, ticks, and veldt sores. Indexed. Blank pages for notes at rear, plus some interesting advertising, mainly for books, but also for field glasses, tents and camp equipment, etc.

After the 463 pages of body text there is a section of lined paper for notes and that is followed by further pages of adverts. There are also there adverts in the front of the book. In the inner front cover is a signature 'Graham Hopes 18/2/9' - the original owner of the book?

This copy was given to the current owner by the poet Bill Butler as an ironic momento of our collaboration on 'Survival Scrapbooks, Shelter, Food and Energy' 1972 - 74 Unicorn Bookshop, Brighton UK.

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