Sherlock Holmes doesn't camp!
Watson camps. Or at least he had to while
in service to Queen and Country. Because he was wounded so near the front, his
quarters must have been as mobile as the rest of the ranks.
But even given that, most of us think of
Watson (after he mended a little) as robust and enjoying outdoor pursuits. So
we could see him camping, right?
Camping had, like recreational boating,
become somewhat in vogue during Victoria's reign.
But Sherlock Holmes camping?
Well that image doesn't actually spring into one’s mind does it?
Sure, he could 'rough it' on the mean
streets of London and in opium dens and such places most 'campers' wouldn't
think of going. Give me bears and bugs over thugs any day. But out in the wild, communing
with nature, nope, not Holmes.
Camping, for the most part, was quite different from what we
experience today. Gear was heavy and awkward, not like our modern gear with
light-weight materials and vacuumed packed food. It usually had to be done with
some sort of ready transportation nearby (very nearby).
And let’s face it, the Victorian’s were not known for traveling
light.
While extreme in its depiction, this example sort of shows how Victorians equipped themselves for camping and trips; Who but an Englishman, the legendary Sir John Franklin, could
have managed to die of starvation and scurvy along with all 129 of his men in a
region of the Canadian Arctic whose game had supported an Eskimo colony for
centuries? When the corpses of some of Franklin’s officers and crew were later
discovered, miles from their ships, the men were found to have left behind
their guns but to have lugged such essentials as monogrammed silver cutlery, a
backgammon board, a cigar case, a clothes brush, a tin of button polish, and a
copy of The Vicar of Wakefield.
These men may have been incompetent bunglers, but, by God, they were gentlemen.
Who of use haven't seen some movie or read some book showing how much gear was carried on trips in this era.
While not all Victorian
camping trips were as extreme as this example, most would hardly ventured out with only
what they could carry on their backs. These, after all, were not Mountain men
of the American West, or pioneers setting out across the open plains, but civilized
folk. Certain comforts were required after all. With rare exception, light
weight camping did not become possible until the advent of nylons and plastics.
Up until the late 1960’s modern camper’s tents were still made out of heavy
canvas.
Thomas Hiram Holding is often considered the father of modern camping,
gaining his love of adventure from crossing the American plains in a covered
wagon.
But Holmes, he was a man of
the city. London was his comfort zone. He thrived in London. He required London.
But camp he did, at least
once.
In Dartmoor, in Devon. In ‘Hound’.
At least for a few days (a while it seems), and
he seemed to do it rather well with a certain amount of comfort.
I am sure he wasn’t thinking
of it as camping. More of a ‘stake-out’ I’m sure. But camping it certainly was.
And it seems that little has
been discussed about this in Sherlockian writings.
We of course discover this
side of Holmes because of Watson’s tenacity and need to prove to Holmes that he
was up to the task assigned him.
As we know in ‘Hound’, Watson
sets out to find who is hiding on the Moor within view of Mr. Frankland’s
telescope.
Watson soon comes across the ‘campsite’
set amongst the stone circle, and describes it this way;
“This was certainly
where the man lived. Some blankets rolled in a waterproof lay upon that very
stone slab upon which Neolithic man had once slumbered. The ashes of a fire
were heaped in a rude grate. Beside it lay some cooking utensils and a bucket
half-full of water. A litter of empty tins showed that the place had been
occupied for some time, and I saw, as my eyes became accustomed to the
checkered light, a pannikin and a half-full bottle of spirits standing in the
corner. In the middle of the hut a flat stone served the purpose of a table,
and upon this stood a small cloth bundle -- the same, no doubt, which I had
seen through the telescope upon the shoulder of the boy. It contained a loaf of
bread, a tinned tongue, and two tins of preserved peaches.”
Sounds like a camping site to
me; blankets and a waterproof, ashes of a fire, cooking utensils, water.
And it sounds like the camp
site of either a very fastidious person, or someone with some camping
knowledge.
The blankets were rolled up in
a waterproof to protect them from the elements. The fire was out.
Had the empty tins been burned
in the fire to get rid of the food smells? Were the utensils cleaned to once
again get rid of the food smells? Probably left out to air dry. Was the bucket
of water covered and protected? Watson doesn’t cover these points, so it would
only be speculation on our part to assume any of that.
But camping it does sound
like. A form of Victorian light weight camping.
It is shortly after Watson
describes this scene we learn that it is Holmes who has been the ‘camper’ at
this site. He has been hiding out in his pursuit of information regarding the
goings on at Baskerville Hall.
And nothing more is said of
this camping trip after that.
Let’s look at some of the
other things Holmes had with him at his ‘camp-site’.
It is suggested that this part of the story took place around the middle of October. The nights could probably have gotten a little chilly by then, and probably a little damp.
We know he had blankets. And
that he wore a nice tweed suit. Between those and a fire he would probably been
warm enough inside, out of the wind.
His utensil requirements, by
the food present, would have been very minimum and would have probably been
used for eating also; a fork, knife and a spoon.
Watson does not tell us what
is in the discarded tins; we do however know that there is at least tinned
tongue and tinned preserved peaches. Neither would require more than a knife,
fork or spoon. The same could probably be said for whatever foods may have been
in the discarded tins.
It can be noted that there is
no mention of plates or pots and pans. Present however is a ‘pannikin’ and a
half-bottle of spirits. A pannikin is described as; Exactly what is a Pannikin? Almost every reference defines Pannikin as:
a noun \pa-ni-kən\ pan + -nikin (as in cannikin) "a small pan or cup
(usually made of tin). It is a British term dating back to 1823.
A
Victorian equivalent of a mess-kit? Perhaps.
This
image shows a Victorian food warmer. The very top portion is considered the
pannikin. Made of ceramic and has a lid.
Here
is another description of the device; The food warmer was commonly used to
prepare a warm mixture of flour or bread in diluted milk. This was called pap
and was fed to babies and invalids. The mixture would be put in the ceramic
container called a pannikin. The pannikin sat inside a container of hot water
known as the liner. Both the pannikin and liner sat on a pedestal. A night
light at the base heated the water and food, much like a modern steamer.
This seems a little elaborate
and more than Holmes may require. I would suggest something a little easier was
used that is sometimes also called a pannikin. Whatever Holmes used would
probably have been something that he could have cooked in and eaten out of at
the same time. And if it is only the top of the above elaborate set-up that is called the 'pannikin', why couldn't any pot used on a stove for cooking and eating, with a lid, be called a pannikin?
Something simpler like this
photo would seem more likely. He could have heated up his food from the tins with it, and he could have used it for a warm drink. The one above right could probably all be stored inside the large pot.
Or this, an alcohol stove.
Modern versions show a lidded pot like this one as pannikins.
However, the more elaborate set
up could heat water separate from his food dish.
I am, however, still leaning more towards
the simpler arrangement.
Watson mentions a grate in the
hut. That could be taken as a ring of stone, something to contain the fire or
it could be a grill above the fire for cooking on. He could have then just placed the
tins on top of a grate/grill for warming food. But I don't think so.
Having no desire to know how to
cook tongue, I am not going to suggest a method here.
Watson states that the ashes from
the fire were heaped in a grate, so I would suggest a circle to contain the
fire is what he meant.
Either way, Holmes would have
had to cook his food some way.
Watson does however state that
in the corner with the pannikin was half a bottle of spirits.
Now, that could either be a
half bottle of Jameson’s spirits (whiskey) or half a bottle of spirits used for
a stove. A food warmer as mentioned above would require spirits as fuel.
I am however still of the mind
that this set up would be a little more than Holmes would need and suggest that
some other sort of spirit stove was used.
And here is an example of one.
However, when playing the game
and Watson actually describes something as such we should take him at his word.
And since a Victorian pannikin could be used for cooking and light, up to ten
hours, perhaps we should just leave it at that.
My only other argument against
the complete pannikin setup would be that Holmes probably had some sort of
bulls-eye lantern with him and would not need two sources of light for his
adventure. Just a thought.
One thing, actually two, that
is not mentioned his the presense of tea or coffee. Now I know, I could not go
camping without my tea. I do love the smell of coffee when camping but do not
drink it. Tea is however required.
Where did Holmes come up with this 'camping' gear? Was it Watsons? Watson didn't say so.
Was it his? Was it arranged for?
We know that Holmes looked a little thinner, and worn, but bronzed and cat-like clean.
Watson also describes him as looking like any other tourist on the moor.
Exercise and the environment would contribute to the healthy way Holmes looked. A look that could be attributed to, well, camping.
And he was a prepared camper. From what Watson describes as his gear in the hut, he had just about everything he needed. Off handedly Holmes states his only other needs were a loaf of bread and a clean collar. And young Cartwright took care of those.
So it does seem Holmes was a camper. "Needs most" perhaps, but none the less.
He stayed dry, he stayed warm. He met his food requirments.
Signs of a good camper.
A couple other questions
remain. Not about Holmes’ ability as a camper (merit badge material is he) but
about his security while camping and that of Cartwright with Seldon running
around?
And on that note I will leave you with just one more thought;
Some more pannikins and camping stuff.
