               WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!

THE FOLLOWING FILE IS NOT TERMINATED BUT SOON WILL BE DONE ASAP IN
HYPERTEXT AND WITH PIX WHEN NEED BE SO PLEASE BARE WITH ME TILL 
THEN,  MUCH  INFORMATION CAN BE  USED  MEANWHILE  FOR  YOUR
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THEM UP BY E-MAIL TO:richard@io.org


RIVER CROSSING:

One of the principal hazard in cross-country travel is river
crossing. If the walker is a swimmer the pack can be wrapped in a
ground-sheet which has its corners and loose-folds tied together.
This will support the traveller who holds the pack in his hands and
by kicking with his legs he can cross safely with his pack.

It is advisable to tie a short length of rope to the wrist so that
if the pack slips from the hands it can be recovered. It is
inadvisable to try swimming a river with your walking boots. Take
them off and place them in the pack in the ground-sheet.

If a party of 4 or more are crossing, tie 2 or 3 packs together
after each has been put in its ground-sheet. One party stands by on
the bank while the other party crosses. ALWAYS place a layer of
fern or grass or small brush beneath your pack before folding the
ground sheet on it.

If your ground sheet leaks slightly, this precaution will give your
pack an inch or two clearance and keep it dry. With a frame
rucksack, lay your frame uppermost, with a swag, place your swag
roll and dilly bag side by side before folding the ground-sheet.

BOLSTER RAFTING:

Small bolsters made of ground sheets can be rolled up and lashed
together if there is a party travelling together. This makes an
excellent raft, stable and buoyant for ferrying the party along the
river or to crossing the river.

TESTING FLOATABILITY ALWAYS:*

BEFORE ANYTHING ONE MUST TEST THE FLOATABILITY OF THE TRUNK OR OF
RAFT.

It is Very important point to check, especially under the Tropics*
since many trees don't float specially the Palm tree** which does
not float even when dry.

RAFTING:*

Raft stays one of the oldest way to travel on water and is the
safest and most rapid way to cross a river or to travel in most
places. However it is a long tiring job even with the proper
equipment to do so in survival conditions, but if raft becomes
indispensable go for it, this may be your most salutary decision &
wisest move.

The Spruce wood of polar and sub-polar regions makes the Best Raft
although any dry wood will do as well as the bamboo from the
Tropics. Each trunk going to built the raft MUST be first roll into
the water to assure its floatability. 

One can construct a raft without nail nor ropes when one has an axe
and a knife. 3 men are quite comfortable on a 12 by 6 feet raft
with some equipment.

NOTCHES CONSTRUCTION RAFT: 

1)   Construct the raft on 2 sleigh-logs which are bevelled so that
you can slide them on the beach. One log is easy to handle but a
full raft is a lot harder to move. Level the 2 main logs with the
axe so that the other logs forming the plat- form will adjust
themselves uniformly.

2)   Near the ends of each log, cut a notch on the superior and
inferior face, while MAKING SURE that those notches are NOT facing
one another, the bottom of those notches MUST be wider than its
opening.

3)   To join together all raft logs, trust in every notch a 3 faces
piece of wood which length will exceed by 30cm the width of the
raft. Start on one side then end by the other.

4)   To each end of the raft attach each one of the 2 three faces
piece of wood so as to consolidate the whole thing.

     When the raft is put to float, those pieces will swell and
will tighten the entire construction.

5)   If those pieces don't tighten strongly enough, jam them with
small thin piece of wood which will swell when wetting.

PRESSURE BAR RAFT:*

Easier to built than above; and faster as well. Take 4 main logs
align them over and under the platform logs (7 of them).  Make
notches into the 4 main supporting logs so that the platform ones
will fit snugly with them, you can also to make it tighter fit, axe
notches to the platform log. (Not a necessity).

Once both sides are well fitted just rope together the pressure
bars logs which extend about 1 to 1/2 feet past the platform dig a
notch in each opposite face which will be used to anchor your rope
& act as pressure bar.

OTHER RAFT:*

Using a tarp or 1/2 a tent or any other waterproof material, one
can make an excellent raft which carpentry will be made of brushes
insuring its floatability.

ICE RAFT:

During winter in northern regions when the middle of a river
doesn't ice up because of the strength of the current, one can
cross this river by improvising a raft with an ice block using an
axe.

If there is a split in the ice, one can detach a great surface
using a pole. This improvised raft MUST measured 2 by 3 meters and
at least 30cm in thickness. The pole is also used to push the ice
raft in the wanted direction 

FORDING WITH A RAFT:

One can cross in a raft over a river which is deep,  cold and fast
raging while using the perpendicularly movement which animates the
surface waters in the river curbs. This method is useful when there
are many persons to cross over but you MUST fill those following
requirements.

1)   The raft MUST be maintained to a certain angle in report to
     current direction .

2)   The cable length starting from its attaching point MUST be
     equal to 7 to 8 times the width of the river.

3)   The attach to raft cable MUST be adjustable so that it MUST be
possible to change the angle of the raft in report to the current
direction, so that it can return back to the starting point shore.

RAFTS:

3 long logs, STANDING dead wood (test float BEFORE!) (Bundled
plants, limbs ok!) Notch to fit or lash. Square raft will spin.
Listen ahead for rapids.

RAFT AUTO PILOT:

Rock or pail trailing on short rope from front centre, keeps raft
in main channel.

ROUND BOAT:

Stretch waterproof material over domed frame of Willow sticks.

INDIAN RAFTING:

With trappers it has been seen an astonishing one. An Indian having
killed a beaver at 300 feet from the shore, had to go and get it
while it still floated. It was fall and the water was too icy for
him.

He then cut 3 dry logs about 15 feet long and 9 inches in diameter
and place them in a fan shape in the water, upon which he just
threw about 15 big spruce branches across his 3 logs as a platform.

At about 1/3 of the way at back to 1/2 half depending of weight and
amount or type of branches at times. He then took a 12 foot pole
and pushes his raft toward the open water to get his beaver safely
and back while he threw a fishing net for added work. He came back
some 15 minutes later with its beaver.

It may surprise you how while using no rope or tie whatsoever it
could still remain together the branches and logs. But why any
ties, since there is no need. 

The Indian own weight on the floor mat of branches and the opposite
pressure coming from underneath, (the one making the logs to float)
is more than enough to retain all the raft together without any
other support. But try it only on calm water lake or slow river
unless you really have to.

The reason 3 long logs can be used so satisfactorily for such a job
is that it can be readily paddled or pole depending of the water.

DRIFTING:

It can be steered with a long oar, sweep or some other rudder
arrangement.

A shore square raft on the other hand has too much tendency to
spin. You can decide to lash it with rope, vine, roots, spikes or
even by burning out the necessary openings.

NOTCHING LOG RAFT #2:*

Lay the 3 logs in position near the water, assure their
floatability before of course. You will then need 2 substantial
crosspieces across the top, one near each end. A couple of tough
rugged poles will do. Set these in places and mark on the logs
beneath where each pole is to go.

Then cut 6 notches so that each is narrow at the top widening as it
goes deeper into the log. When the 2 crossing pieces are finally
driven through each series of 3 notches the fit should be snug.
Once the raft has been allowed to soak, it will then be more firmly
interlocked.

SOME RULES OF RAFTING:

You will be only prudent if you take every possible precaution when
using such a raft particularly under the stress and uncertainty of
emergency condition. Keep listening and watching as far ahead as
possible for some notable patches of bad water which often give NO
Warning until one rapid is almost on you.

For this reason it is good to scout ahead whenever this is at all
feasible. If you have a rope you may be able to line the raft
through rapids while walking safely along or near the shore.
Otherwise you will probably do better to let the raft go with the
idea of retrieving it later if that is possible.  

You will have to provide as well as you can for the safety of any
outfit you may have along in 2 ways: Either by tying it to the raft
or, packing it in as waterproof a bundle as you can manage with
some provision, such as the inclusion of a chunk of light dry wood
under so that it floats.

MAKE YOUR OWN AUTOMATIC PILOT?:

One day you may find yourself on Brion, floating alone on such a
raft or down a broad sluggish river like many in the North. A rock
or pail or any old container plastic or metal which is hung beneath
the conveyance by a short line affixed to the front centre of the
latter will automatically tend to keep your carrier in a main
channel.

Besides thus acting as a guide, this arrangement can also conserve
a lot of energy spent needlessly in boooooring dreary hours of
steering.

FINDING AN OUTLET?:

Old sourdoughs stunt need to locate the outlet of a quiet bayou
body of water is to float bannocks crumbs or bits of some other
light substances and to observe which way they drift, to the BAR? 

WAVES:

In connection with water there is one special precaution that any
one venturing along a rocky open sea coast MUST HEED. That is to
hold fast at the first feasible spot upon the approach of a BIG
wave.

Deliberately choosing to get wet rather than taking the chance of
running across uncertain footing and thus risking in many exposed
area the Very Real PERIL of being INJURED and even to be swept away
and drowned.

VISIBILITY:*

Visibility is sometimes so deceptively restricted in dangerous
terrain, that it is foolhardy to keep going. Seek shelter & Wait.

RAFTING PART 2 OR 3:

Construction wood MUST ALWAYS be dry & able to float.

And that the density of wood being average 0.8%. In other word
100kg of wood well dry gathered as raft could only carry 20kg.

You MUST then add floaters such as wood barrel or metal or
boosters* (grass or fern and bush wrapped up in waterproof
ground-sheet tent material and tied together with or without wood
underneath, and some wood or fern or grass inside in case of some
leakage).

PLASTIC FLOATERS:

Rubber mattress or tire tubes, or javel plastic bottle container
type with CAP on, of course will act well as floaters and easy to
lash to a log in single or double file all along will act as new
space age survival 2001.

Also 4 to 6 to 8 put in pairs and under each underarm even in the
crotch could be well used as life jacket of sea survivors. Lot of
deserted beaches, now have a lot of pollution ropes, & plastic
containers of all kind for many purposes.

PLASTIC ROPE & SUPER HOT FIRE:

Found on beaches gives a strong and quick fire, throw it in a fire
going already and see the temperature rise fast.

RUBBER RAFTING:

Made of 5 car or trucks air tube linked by a light frame stick of
wood or aluminium or plastic tubes (5) and cover over by a light
floor, (brush or water proof material in bundles). Use the floor
mats as sails.

REED BAMBOO RAFTS: 

The reeds have about 1.5cm diameter at the big end and 2 meter
long. Cut them at the closest of its root and make tight "boot"
rolls of about 50 to 60 to 80cm in circumference with strings or
rope or root or fibrous bark etc. linking them at each end.

Make 2 frames with your walking stick or a pole of 20cm less than
one of your tight "boot" roll in size and put it together.

UBAS?: Qu'es-aco? Mah Radash? Is it fattening?

Here are the plans of the military SECRET of these primitive
Karajas Indians of South America,  oh well we learn from all. If
you camp near a river or near the sea, you will certainly find an
old tree trunk yet big enough to carry your weight.

To each end of the trunk attach a lattice across. To each of the
ends of lattice fix a small log piece & or tie a series of plastic
containers. This will make 4 floaters which will prevent the trunk
to overturn and insure your stability. Safety caution comes, first.


At the centre and on each side of the trunk attach a small log
which will be used as foot rest. For the shape of this raft and
speed bevelled the ends of the logs. Shape wise it looks like a
fine square or rectangle crossed by a heavy log dead centre
underneath.

