My Finished Bottle Gourd Water Bottle.

The Half-Axe.

I purchased my first hand forged tomahawk many years ago from a Blacksmith in Victoria. I realised after a while that the head on this tomahawk was simply too large for my needs, so I made a longer helve & turned it into a half-axe. I do not want to have to carry a saw, I do all my journeying on foot these days & carrying a saw is simply not practical. But when I have heavier cutting to do the half-axe is just the thing I need.

This image shows the half-axe secured under the blanket roll ties.

Trail food bags & containers.

Trail Food Bags & Containers.

 "I have travelled with neere 200. of them at once, neere 100. miles through the woods, every man carrying a little Basket of this [Nokehick] at his back, and sometimes in a hollow Leather Girdle about his middle, sufficient for a man three or foure daies. With this readie provision, and their Bow and Arrowes, are they ready for War, and tra∣vell at an houres warning. With a spoonfull of this meale and a spoonfullof water from the Brooke, have I made many a good dinner and supper."

A KEY into the LANGUAGE OF AMERICA By Roger Williams  1643. 
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A66450.0001.001?rgn=main;view=fulltext

 If their imperious occasions cause them to travell, the best of their victuals for their journey is Nocake, (as they call it) which is nothing but Indian Corne parched in the hot ashes; the ashes being sifted from it, it is afterward beaten to powder, and put into a long leatherne bag, trussed at their backe like a knapsacke; out of which they take thrice three spoonefulls a day, dividing it into three meales. If it be in Winter, and Snow be on the ground, they can eate when they please, stopping Snow after their dusty victuals, which otherwise would feed them little better than a Tiburne halter. In Summer they must stay till they meete with a Spring or Brooke, where they may have water to prevent the imminent danger of choaking. With this strange viaticum they will travell foure or five daies together, with loads fitter for Elephants than men. But though they can fare so hardly abroad, at home their chaps must walke night and day as long as they have it. They keepe no set meales, their store being spent, they champe on the bit, till they meete with fresh supplies, either from their owne endeavours, or their wives industry, who trudge to the Clam-bankes when all other meanes faile. Though they be sometimes scanted, yet are they as free as Emperours, both to their Country-men and English, be he stranger, or neare acquaintance; counting it a great discourtesie, not to eate of their high-conceited delicates, and sup of their un-oat-meal'd broth, made thicke with Fishes, Fowles, and Beasts boyled all together; some remaining raw, the rest converted by over-much seething to a loathed mash, not halfe so good as Irish Boniclapper.

Chap. VI.

Of their dyet, cookery, meale-times, and hospitality at their Kettles.

The Project Gutenberg EBook of New Englands Prospect, by William Wood Wood's New England's Prospects 1634.

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/47082/47082-h/47082-h.htm

Customised Brass Trade Kettle.

I finally got round to cutting my Track Of The Wolf brass trade kettle down to a correct documented size! I also made & fitted the correct type of bail lugs for this type of kettle. It is much lighter now, & of course it will take up less room in my knapsack.

I am pleased with the way it turned out, but I know I could have done a better job if I had the right tools for the job.