In previous travels we had used many kinds of tents, including Mr. Whymper’s very useful Alpine Tent. For this campaign we had a new one made, such as gipsies use. All experience inclined us to adopt this form of tent as the most comfortable.[6] It was made by gipsies, whom we had often befriended in our search after gipsy lore,--and who now no longer regarded us with distrust, as belonging to the kairengroes (house-dwellers). When it was completed, my people declared it was the best they had ever seen. A stout back pole, with strong pliable raniers or rods, fitted into it, and a cover made of two pairs of light gray blankets, of strong but fine texture, sewn together, with a broad edging of scarlet bocking, gave it an appearance which the gipsies declared to be perfection.
The interior fittings of our tent were not neglected. One of Edgington’s waterproofs costing twenty-five shillings, was laid on the ground as a substratum. A handsome carpet, of strong but light material and warm colouring, was cut to the size of the tent as usually pitched, and then neatly bound with scarlet braid by my housekeeper, who made nearly everything used for the expedition. When the carpet was placed on the waterproof rug, it formed an excellent floor to the tent. Our large railway-rug, which had been with us all round the world, was still serviceable. An extra rug for use if necessary, and two air pillows covered with scarlet flannel, completed the bed accommodation. A blue partition-curtain, with broad yellow braid artistically elaborated in zigzag pattern, to be suspended _à volonté_ from the tent raniers for privacy and seclusion, left nothing more to be desired. We had not yet sunk so low in effeminacy as to use beds, though there are instances of gipsies in England who have descended to that melancholy state.
It was necessary that our _batterie de cuisine_ should be as simple as possible. In the first place we had our kettle prop which had done duty in camp life in the previous year. A kettle prop is a stout bar of iron bent at one end so as to have a projecting portion for hanging the kettle upon to boil water. The other end of the prop is sharpened so as to make holes in the ground to fix the tent raniers or rods into. (The three stakes joined together at the top, with a large witch’s caldron suspended over the fire, as seen in many representations of gipsy life, have now passed away with the gipsies’ scarlet cloaks once so fashionable.) We had our large fish kettle for boiling anything; our tin can for boiling and making tea for four persons; two larger tin cans for boiling or fetching milk or water, all with lids; two large zinc bowls; four smaller soup bowls, fitting one within the other; a round tin with lid to hold three pounds of butter; a quart tin can with handle; two sets of tin pannikins, four each set, fitting one within the other;[7] eight pewter plates; seven knives and six forks; eight spoons; a tin salt box; a tin pepper box; a sardine box opener; a frying pan, with handle to remove; a tin box containing the exact measure of tea for four persons. This was very useful, not only for economy, but in wet weather,--the box, being filled in the tent, could be carried in the hand,--in readiness for the boiling water. A Russian lamp; a small axe; two tin boxes of wax lucifer matches, and eight small cloths for cleaning, completed our _service de ménage_. All the articles enumerated could be conveniently put into the fish-kettle, except the two large cans, the two large bowls, the pewter plates, the frying-pan, and one or two other articles. These were all placed at one end of a bag called the kettle-bag, tied in the middle; our bags of tea and sugar, &c., for present use, being placed at the other end, ready to be slung over the donkey for transit.[8]