In a moderately dry climate there is but little doubt that bivouacking is superior to tenting; fresher air is breathed, and a man is more imbued with a feeling of wild life when he sleeps habitually in the open air than when shut up in a tent. Besides, when in the vicinity of an enemy there can be no comparison between the hazard of a tent and that of a bivouac. In the former, the man sleeps heavy; he can see nothing, and he can hear but imperfectly. Moreover, his position being accurately known, he is at all times in danger of an attack. The first NAPOLEON was always in favor of the bivouac as being for more healthy than tenting.

One of the most simple methods of securing the protection of a wind-tight wall under the lee of which to sleep, is to take advantage of two or three small bushes standing near together, and intertwine their branches with boughs so as to form a thick hedge. Or, a few leafy boughs may be stuck in the ground so as to incline over the bed, and wattled-in with other boughs to make the screen secure against wind. A good arrangement is to have a cross-bar supported by two upright forks driven into the ground; against this cross-bar a number of poles are made to lean, on the back of which fir and pine branches are laid horizontally; and against the branches are to be placed another set of leaning poles to secure all of their weight.

Having provided the shelter, the preparation of the bed is next in order. It is a mistaken notion that the upper covering is all a person need concern himself about; there must be clothing between him and the earth as well as between him and the air. Warmth is as much required by the under portion of the body as by the upper. Let any one try the experiment of rolling himself in a single blanket and sleeping on the ground. The undermost side on a cold night will be found by far the colder of the two, and if the ground be wet, its dampness will penetrate through a very thick substance. To prevent this, the sleeping place should be covered with grass, leaves, rushes, flags, or anything that chance may afford for the purpose. Even small articles of clothing, or horse furniture that cannot be rendered available as covering, should be used in this way.

The texture of the upper cover should be such as to prevent the wind from blowing through, for if it does, no thickness will be of any avail in keeping out the cold. Hence the advantage of buffalo robes or other skins. It is, however, of importance that the outer covering should have such a weight as not to be easily displaced by the movement of the sleeper, or by the blowing of the wind.

When using the ground as a sleeping place, it is advisable to scrape a hollow therein to the depth of about six inches at the position the hips will occupy, and sloping in both directions to the surface at about the place to be occupied by the shoulders and feet. This will permit the body to assume the position it would naturally take if recumbent upon a soft bed or mattress, and will add greatly to the comfort of the individual. Let any one lie on a perfectly level surface for a few hours, and he will think he has attained the very acme of discomfort from the soreness felt by his sides, and hips. At any rate, if a shapely cavity cannot be made, a little hollow should be made in the ground, just where the hip-bone would otherwise press.

In a wet, unhealthy climate, the advantages of a bivouac must be dispensed with, and the tent must be resorted to for protection against rain, dew, and malaria. In the choice of a tent the most roomy and easily pitched should be selected. One that will stand in some shape with four pegs, or at least six, is desirable; it should peg close down to the ground without the intervention of any ropes; it is no objection that it should require more than one pole; and as regards weight, it must be borne in mind that a tent in use weighs heavier than it does in the maker’s dry show room.

A tent should never be pitched in a slovenly way, as it is far more roomy when properly pitched, besides presenting a better appearance. To drive tent pegs securely when the soil is loose, the surface sand should be scraped away before they are driven in. Pouring water upon loose mould renders it more tenacious; and when one peg is insufficient to hold, a second one should be drive[n] at its back. In fact, in order that proper proficiency should be attained in this particular, every command should be frequently drilled at tent pitching.