Shelter First, Then A Home.

These are some images of the half-faced shelter I built in Fox Valley in Wychwood Forest. The ground here was very hard so there was no way of putting upright posts into the ground and I had to utilise standing trees.

This is the sort of shelter I imagine a settler would put up first before building a more permanent structure. This Half-Faced shelter was reasonable quick and easy for me to construct on my own just using the tomahawk that I always carry. If I wanted to I could close this shelter in a lot more and make it more weather proof to house a small family through winter.

This was a project that I have wanted to do for a long time now because I wanted to know if the average settler without many tools and no horse or cattle to carry a burden could infact make a decent shelter large enough to house a small family. For me this Half-Faced shelter proves that they could. I have slept in this shelter in winter and even with the front and one side open I stayed reasonably comfortable. But for really cold weather I would close it in a lot better than this.

I could have used bark on the roof but it would have meant killing several trees, so I compromised and used thin ply. If this had been in the Northern Hemisphere I could have used Birch bark. Alternatively I could have made a less permanent roof covering by using oilcloth and covering it with brush. When I make a simple lean-to for myself I use my oilcloth as is with no brush cover and it works very well.

Life of Mary Jemison-Indian Capture.

The party that took us consisted of six Indians and four Frenchmen, who immediately commenced plundering, as I just observed, and took what they considered most valuable; consisting principally of bread, meal and meat.

During this time, the Indians stripped the shoes and stockings from the little boy that belonged to the woman who was taken with us, and put moccasins on his feet, as they had done before on mine.

Having given the little boy and myself some bread and meat for breakfast, they led us on as fast as we could travel, and one of them went behind and with a long staff, picked up all the grass and weeds that we trailed down by going over them. By taking that precaution they avoided detection; for each weed was so nicely placed in its natural position that no one would have suspected that we had passed that way. It is the custom of Indians when scouting, or on private expeditions, to step carefully and where no impression of their feet can be left--shunning wet or muddy ground. They seldom take hold of a bush or limb, and never break one; and by observing those precautions and that of setting up the weeds and grass which they necessarily lop, they completely elude the sagacity of their pursuers, and escape that punishment which they are conscious they merit from the hand of justice. After a hard day's march we encamped in a thicket, where the Indians made a shelter of boughs, and then built a good fire to warm and dry our benumbed limbs and clothing; for it had rained some through the day.

A Bottle of Port & two canteens of water!

We have a half-faced shelter over in Fox Valley for group members to use when Historical Trekking & Camping. I keep the shelter stocked with a bottle of Tawny Port & two canteens of drinking water. Perhaps I should mention that on the advertising posters, it might attract new members!
Reminder to self; Put more port on the shopping list! Gee pioneer camping is great!