How to Camp Out

This is a rare, early copy of "HOW TO CAMP OUT - Hints for Camping and Walking" by Civil War veteran John M. Gould. 1880 early edition (following the 1877 1st edition); Charles Scribner's Sons; New York. Hardcover. This is considered to be the first book ever written about recreational camping and backpacking (referred to as "travelling afoot"). To write the book, Gould drew heavily upon his experiences as a Union soldier during the Civil War. Illustrated. There are 134 numbered pages. There is an Index and two pages of publisher's advertisements at the back. (NOTE - Though a bit difficult to make out in the photograph, the book title and author's name appear in black lettering on the front cover.)

The chapters are as follows: Getting Ready; Small Parties Travelling Afoot and Camping; Large Parties Afoot with Baggage-Wagon; Clothing; Stoves and Cooking-Utensils; Cooking; Marching; The Camp; Tents, Tent Poles and Pins; Miscellaneous - General Advice; Diary; "How to Do It," by Rev. Edward Everett Hale, &c.; Hygienic Notes, by Dr. Elliott Coues.

Here are some examples of the contents: Flies and Mosquitoes; Sleeping; Candles and Candlesticks; Catching Fish in Nets; Mattress; Cheap Living; Clothing for Mountain Climbing; Coffee Better than Alcohol; How to Keep a Diary; Diarrhea; Drinking Water; Etiquette of Camp; Fatigue; How to Skin Fish; Floor for Tent; Foot Soreness; Glycerine for Sunburn; How to Cut Hair; Hammock; Hand-Barrow; Horse and Wagon for Baggage; Hunter's Camp; Insect in Ear; Roll Better than Knapsack; Lamp and Lantern; Lost, Whereabouts, and Direction; Map Study before Travel; Medicines; Nails in Shoes; How to Prevent Mildew; Pantaloons; Poles for Tent; Treatment for Poisons; Pork and Beans Baked; Racing with Locomotives; Recipes for Cooking; Salve for Sunburn; Shelter Tent Not Good for Ladies; Undershirts; Socks; Swimming; When to Use Tobacco; Trench for Offal; Walking One Hundred Miles; How to Keep Warm; Woolen Blanket; Yankee Baker; Woodman's Camp; Ventilation; Thirst; Tools; Table Manners in Camp...and much more.

From the author's Preface: "In these few pages I have tried to prepare something about camping and walking, such as I should have enjoyed reading when I was a boy; and, with this thought in my mind, I some years ago began to collect the subject-matter for a book of this kind, by jotting down all questions about camping, &c., that my young friends asked me. I have also taken pains, when I have been off on a walk, or have been camping, to notice the parties of campers and trampers that I have chanced to meet, and have made a note of their failures or success. The experiences of the pleasant days when, in my teens, I climbed the mountains of Oxford County, or sailed through Casco Bay, have added largely to the stock of notes; and finally the diaries of 'the war,' and the recollections of 'the field,' have contributed generously; so that, with quotations, and some help from other sources, a sizable volume is ready."

Condition:
Small stain at the top-right corner of the front cover. There are some tiny stain specks on the back cover. Tiny cloth tears at 3 of the cover corners, and at the top and bottom edges of the spine. Tight binding with no cracks and no loose pages. Both covers are firmly attached. The text pages are in nice condition - lightly age-toned and clean. A full-page advertisement for "Wright & Ditson - Fine Athletic Goods" has been adhered to the blank page facing the 1st contents page (page 9) - the adhesive had stuck to the top edge of page 9, resulting in a bit of the top paper layer at the upper-inner corner to peel upwards (see photo). Page 65 has a tiny tear at the outer edge. Tiny bug stain at the outer edge of page 70. Overall the book is in Good condition.