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 ENJOYEMENT OR PLEASURE. MEANWHILE IF
YOU HAVE ANY TIPS FOR ME SEND THEM UP BY E-MAIL TO:
richard@io.org

DR. E. A. ADOLPH TABLE

This  table  shows  how  long a man can  live  with  various
amounts  of water in various temperatures IN the  SHADE  and
assuming that he is not physically active.

Its  conclusion after much researches are that it is: Better
to renew the water provision of your body every hour.

WATER RATIONING OR NOT?:

STEAD  USA Ranger instructions are the same as many Survival
books:

Drink  whenever you are thirsty. NO matter the  quantity  of
water you may have, small or big.  RATIONING WILL NOT HELP.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED:

HERE ARE THE ESSENTIALS WHICH YOU NEED IN THE DESERT!:

A  few  litres of water and a mirror or any other reflecting
object.  A  compass, a flash light and water. Material  that
will  project  shadow,  adequate clothing  and  more  water.
Additional Signalization equipment (flares, etc.) More water once
more and finally food. IN OTHER WORD 4 TIMES MORE WATER.

DESERT TRAVELLING:

If you decide to get on your way do the followings:

1)   TRAVEL ONLY AT DUSK, NIGHT AND DAWN.

2)   March in direction of the littoral of the sea  cost
or  toward  a  known road, a water stream  or habitated region.

Along  the  sea  you can find soft water  (see  water)   and
dampen  your  clothes  which will help  preserve  your  body
moisture.

3)   Choose  the  EASIEST road,  avoid  soft sand  and
accidented landscape & follow the trails.

3B)  Walk in the hollow of the sand dunes or on their  peak
where the terrain is most solid.

4)   In most deserts, the river beds end in closed basin or
temporary lakes, don't follow them if you want to reach  the
sea.

5)   If  possible check your road with a map,  but  realize
that  desert maps are relative, not ALWAYS exact because  of
the sand shifting the landscape all the time.

6)   Do NOT travel when the visibility is bad. Take shelter
during  a  sand  storm. Mark your directions using  a  stick
deeply  stuck  in sand, a row of stones or any other  means:
use your image-in-nation.

DURING  A  STORM LAY ON YOUR SIDE, your back  to  the  storm
wind. Cover your face with a cloth and try to sleep.

Don't worry  about being covered with sand, it takes  years for
sand  to  cover the rest of camels.  If  possible  seek refuge
near a hill on the opposite side of the wind.

7)      Multiply by three your distance estimations. A distance
     under evaluation is ALWAYS possible in the desert.

8)   Mirages can come up in summer when facing the sun,  it
is  very difficult to affirm under what conditions and  form
they appear.

DESERTS:

One  fifth of the earth's land surface is desert. Dry barren
land where survival is Very difficult.

There  are  all kind of deserts. Their soil can be  made  of
salt as well as sand.

Some are completely sterile where no plants nor animals  can
live, others can feed sheep & camels with a bit of grass and
thorn bushes.

Very  hot in the day and very cold at night. These  are  the
basics  of  the  desert which represent  1/5  of  our  Earth
surface. There are about 50 deserts in the world.

Deserts  occur where air currents which rose at the  Equator
and  have  already  shed  their  moisture  descend  and  are
rewarmed  as  they near the earth, taking with little  local
moisture is present.

There are rarely any clouds to give protection from the  sun
or  to  retain  heat  at  night so that  great  extremes  of
temperature   occur  form  the  highest  shade  temperatures
(58C/136F in the Sahara)  to below freezing point at night.

Only  small  parts of the world's deserts are  sand.  (About
1/10 of the Sahara) . The greater part is flat gravel cut  by
dried up water courses wadis.

The wind has blown the sand away, piling it up in low laying
areas. Elsewhere there may be wind carving mountains,  dried
mud-flats & larva flows.

ARID REGIONS:

Most  deserts  lands  were  once fertile  and  some  of  the
creatures that lived there then adapted to the new conditions.

Like  them the survivor MUST learn to make the most  of  any
available  shade to create protection from the  sun,  reduce
moisture loss and restrict activity to the ends of  the  day
and  the  night.  Learn from the people who live  or  travel
through the deserts.

In  some deserts especially the Sahara, the deserts  of  the
Middle East, of Peru & northern Chile and parts of the  Goby
deserts  in Mongolia there are great temperature differences
between day and night.

At  night  condensation of any moisture in the air can  make
some  water  available-and in the Nami desert  of  Southern
Africa fog coming in from the sea often provides for life.

Elsewhere,  in  such deserts as those of Western  Australia,
Northern Mexico & the Mojave of the South-western USA, where
the  temperature  changes are comparatively slight,  there's
very  little condensation and consequently both  plants  and
games are very rare.

Sometimes  as in the Kalahari there will be sparse  grass  &
thorny  bushes and even in the most barren conditions,  some
kind of life seems to survive, though often invisible if you
don't know where to look

Dust  &  sand  storms  may occur at certain  times  of  year
reducing visibility to zero and demanding maximum protection
to  prevent  sand entering every orifice. Dust devils-desert
whirlwinds like tornadoes are quite common.

When  rain  does come & in some territories years  may  pass
with  none at all- it may be in torrential down pours  which
create flash floods, before being quickly absorbed into  the
parched ground.

This  provides  for a brief blossoming of vegetation  &  the
emergencies  of  species  such as  the  Spadefoot  Toad  of
Arizona for rapid reproduction.

DESERT RAINFALL & TEMPERATURE:

Typical  of  desert extremes are conditions in  the  Rub'al
Khali the Empty Quarter, of southern Arabia. For most of the
year there is only a trace of rain but over 30mm may fall on
a single day in the winter.

July temperatures may reach over 48C (120F) dropping to  15C
(60F) at night & December extremes range from 26C to  -6.6C
(79-20F)

WATER, FINDING IT IS VITAL:

Water needs are paramount. If you are stranded by mechanical
failure  during  a planned desert crossing,  you  will  have
plotted  your  route with an awareness of oases,  wells  and
water-holes.

Wells  can  be  very  deep and the water  level  requires  a
container lowered on a line to reach it.

Small  water-holes in wadi bottoms are often seasonal.  They
are usually covered with a stone or brushwood.

Away  from  unknown water-holes, try digging at  the  lowest
point  of  the outside bend of a dry stream bed  or  at  the
lowest point between dunes.

DO  NOT DIG IN THE HEAT OF THE DAY, THE EXERTION WILL USE UP
TO MUCH FLUID LOSS AGAINST POSSIBLE GAIN.

Exploit  cactus  and roots as water sources and  in  deserts
where  the  day/night temperatures range is  great,  exploit
this to produce water by condensation.

LIFE EXPECTANCY:

It  depends  upon  the water available and your  ability  to
protect  the  body  from exposure to  the  sun  to  minimise
perspiration. Allow a slight negative balance.

Drink1.5 litre for every 2 litres lost (3-4pt) & then drink
at the rate the body is sweating.

NOTE:  THAT  THE RATIONING IS USELESS, IT WILL  NOT  PROLONG
YOUR LIFE EXPECTANCY BY MUCH.

Efficiency  is then impaired little and no water is  wasted.
Less fluid will not result in less sweating.

Sweating  is  a  cooling mechanism  not  a  way  of  loosing
moisture.  If  more fluid is drunk than needed  it  will  be
excreted & used to no purpose.

Without  water you will last about 2 1/2 days at 48C  (120F)
if  you  spend the whole time resting in the shade,   though
you  could last as long as 12 days if the temperature  stays
below 21C (70F).

If  you are forced to walk to safety the distance you  cover
will relate directly to water available.

With  none,  a  temperature of 48C (120F) walking  only  at
night, resting all day, you could cover 40km (25miles).

Attempting to walk by day you would be lucky to complete 8km
(5miles)   before collapse. At  the same temperature with
about 2 litres (4pt)      of  water you might cover 56km (35
miles)     and last 3 days.

Your  chances  aren't appreciably increased until  available
water  reaches  about 4.5 litres (8pt) per  person,  though
training   &   determination  to  survive  could  contradict
prediction. Miracle still occur

ORAL RE-HYDRATION SALTS:

New  technical food survival gadget called oral re-hydration
salts which are widely used in starvation country lately, it
seems  that  it  has  recently come out  and  already  saved
thousands of life. Where to get it and what is it???

SHELTER & FIRE:

Make  a  shelter from the sun and rest in its shade.  You'll
also need protection from winds and low night temperatures.
DO NOT stay in a metal vehicle or airplane which may rapidly
become  overheated. Use it support a shelter or make use  of
the shadow beneath an aircraft's wing.

Make  use  of rock outcrops and the shadow provided  by  the
sides  of  a  wadi. Use the double layer techniques  to  aid
cooling.

In  a  sand  desert you may even be able to use wreckage  to
make a shelter beneath the sand. Many  desert  creatures
spend the day beneath  the  surface, where  the  day
temperature is much lower  and  night  much warmer than outside.

Sand  will  not  permit tunnelling and you have  to  make  a
support structure. Having  provided immediate shade, build
your shelter in  the cool of the evening to conserve energy
and fluids.

Pile  rocks  to make a windbreak and make use of wadi  walls
(except when rain and consequent flash floods seem likely).

If using fabrics, leave the bottom edges lifted and loose by
day to increase air circulation. Weight them down with rocks
at night.

Avoid  lying  directly on hot ground. If  you  can;  make  a
raised bed air can circulate beneath you.

You  will  need  fire for warmth at night  and  for  boiling
water.  Smoke  will also be very noticeable and  useful  for
signalling. Desert scrub is dry and burns easily.

If the land is totally barren, vehicle fuel & oil mixed with
sand  in  a  container will burn well (& is an easy  way  to
light  other  fires) or use a string wick Camel donkey & other
animal dropping burn well.

DESERT STOVE:

It  is not hard to make fire by using this method; take  any
metallic container, fill it with sand, imbibe it with oil or
gas & light it with caution.

You MUST make holes in the container to let the air pass  in
thus insuring the combustion NEVER  add  any gas or oil on a
lighted fire.  (You'll  blow your mind!!!)

DESERT SHELTERS #2:

To  survive  in the desert, you MUST take shelter  from  the
sun,  the  heat  and  at  times  sand  storm.  Here're  some
suggestions

1)       Cover yourself with sand to protect yourself from  the
sun  rays  and  to  reduce  the perspiration  effects.  Some
survivors  affirm  that this sand pressure  relax and rest them.

2)       If you dispose of a parachute or any other adequate
piece  of  material, dig a hole, cover it up with the tarp.

2b)      MAKE  SURE it is well fixed in the ground then  crawl
underneath. In proper place put the tarp over rocks or small
mounts.

3)      Take advantage of anything that can give you shadow and
shelter. A cave, a tree, a rock or piled up stones  done  by
others  in the past. Along old river beds, valleys,  gullies
and ravine one can often find grottos and caves.

4) Whenever possible, use all existing shelters that you find.

5) Don't  forget  to leave some  opening  to let air circulate.

6)   Beside water,  and signal, shelter is next in line,  so if
you have crashed, stay close to the  plane once assured that
there is no fire hazard.

Don't  stay in it during the day, it is as hot as  an  oven,
yet at night it can be used to protect from the cold. During
the day, make a pent-roof with a parachute which  you install
over a wing, leaving at least 2 feet of free  space under the
pent-roof to permit the air to circulate.

MAKE SURE that the plane is well attached and that there  is
no  risk that it will crush or cave in, if there is  a  sand
storm or big wind.

CLOTHING:

It helps reduce fluid loss and gives protection from sunburn
as  well  as  warmth at night and a barrier  against  insect
bites and thorns.

In  the desert it should be light and loose fitting with air
space   between  the  garments  and  the  body  to   provide
insulation. Copy the flowing, layered garments of  the  Arab
world.

Trousers  give more protection from insects than shorts  and
guard against serious burns on the legs if forced in daytime
exposure. Cover the head and feet.

KEEP COVERED:

Do not strip off your clothes. Apart from the risk of severe
sunburn,   an  uncovered  body  will  loose  sweat   through
evaporation requiring even more to cool it.

But keep the covering as loose as possible so that there  is
a  layer of insulating air. Sweating will then cool you more
efficiently.

HEADGEAR:

Any hat with a piece of cloth attached to the back will give
some  protection to the head and back of the neck but it  is
better to copy the headgear of desert peoples.

You  need  a piece of material about 120cm (4ft) square,  a
smaller piece such as a handkerchief and a piece of cord  or
cloth (a tie is ideal) to keep them in position.

Make  the  handkerchief into a wad on top of the head.  Fold
the  large cloth diagonally, place it over the handkerchief,
the long edge forward. Tie cord or cloth around the head  to
secure them.

Allowed to fall freely this will protect from the sun,  trap
pockets  of air, take advantage of breezes and protect  from
sandstorms. At night wrap it around the face for warmth.

DESERT CLOTHING #2:

In  order  to  protect oneself from the sun rays,  excessive
perspiration  and numerous bugs and harmful insects  in  the
desert we give you these tips;

1)   During the day, cover your body and head, wear long
sleeves and long pants the desert is no beach party.

2)   Protect the back of the neck with a piece of cloth.

3)    If you have no sunglasses improvise by making a  slit
in  a  piece of cloth just big  enough to pass a coin, which
you will  wear over the eyes..

4)    If you have to abandon some clothing because of the
weight, do not exaggerate, think of the chilly night.

5)   Wear clothes that are baggy, nothing tight fitting.

6)   Don't expose your skin except in shadowy places, even
reflected the sun rays can burn you.

DESERT & FOOTWEAR:

TO PROTECT WELL YOUR FEET MEANS, IT CAN SAVE YOUR LIFE!

1)   KEEP YOUR SHOES FREE OF ALL SAND and insects even if it
means  very frequent stops. Better to stop then being grounded.

2)    If you don't have boots, make puttee bandages by doing
so; in a piece of cloth, cut 2 bands of 8 to 10cm wide by  1
meter long. Roll these ones in spirals starting at the upper
part of your shoes, this way the sand wont filter in them.

3)   Take your shoes off when you rest in the shadow. But be
prudent by so doing, for if your feet swell, it will be
more difficult to put them back in your shoes.

4)   Don't  walk  barefoot, the hot sands can wound  your
feet,  and  the  salted surface or a salted crust can burn them.

5)   If you find and abandoned vehicle you can make a  pair
of  sandals  using some piece of old tires, but protect
the upper part of your feet against sun rays.

If the soles of your shoes are worn out, better to
reinforce them  with  a  solid  piece of cloth  or
anything  you  can improvise with.

6)   Rest your feet often, let your sock dry up, turn  them
upside  down and MAKE SURE no sands nor crease gets  in
the socks of Spock.

EYE PROTECTION:

Sunglasses or goggles will help- though many made for use
in temperate climes may offer insufficient protection.

Soot  from the fire smeared below the eyes will reduce
glare reflected from the skin. Shield the eyes from glare
and windborne sand with a strip of material. Cut narrow
slits to see through.

FOOTWEAR: DON'T WALK BAREFOOT ON HOT SAND!

Until  your feet have become harden. It will burn and
cause blisters.  Do not wear sandals which leave the  top
of  the foot exposed.

Improvise coverings if you have none. Puttees will help
keep the  sand  out of boots or could be extended to wrap
around the foot over open sandals.

HEALTH:

Most  desert  illnesses are caused by excessive exposure
to sun  and heat. They can be avoided by keeping head and
body covered and remaining in shade until sundown kid.

1)   Constipation and pain in passing urine  are common and
salt deficiency can lead to cramps.

2)   Continued  heavy  sweating on the body,  coupled  with
rubbing clothing can produce blockages in the sweat gland
& an uncomfortable skin irritation known as prickly heat.

3)   Heat  cramps  leading to  heat  exhaustion, heat stroke
and serious sunburn are all dangerous.

DANGERS:

A  gradual increase in activity & daily exposure to the
sun will  build up a defence. Provided that plenty of
water  is available.

4)   Various micro-organisms attack the moist areas of  the
body-the armpits, the groin & between the toes. Prevention
& treatment are to keep those areas clean & dry.

WARNINGS  WARNINGS!

DESERT SORES:

In  the  desert  even the most trivial wound  is  likely
to become infected if not dealt with STRAIGHT AWAY. Thorns
are easily  picked  up  and  should be pulled  out  as
soon  as possible.

Where  the  skin  is  broken a large and  painful  sore
may develop  which could prevent walking. Bandage all cuts
with clean dressings and use what medical aids are
available.

STEAD EXPERT NOTES ON DESERT:

STEAD  USA Ranger instructions are the same as many
Survival books.  So  for anyone who wants to survive the
Desert,  the heat of the day and lack of water are  Number
-1- DANGER.

DRINK  WHENEVER YOU ARE THIRSTY. NO MATTER THE  QUANTITY
OF WATER YOU MAY HAVE, SMALL OR BIG.  RATIONING WILL NOT
HELP.

Many  war  pilots have thus saved their life by drinking
as much  water  as  they  could before any operation  over
the desert.  It was the water in their body not in their
bottle that kept them alive.

THE  GREAT  DANGER IS THAT THE AVERAGE MAN  DOES  NOT
DRINK ENOUGH  WATER. His thirst is often slaked before
the  water budget is balanced again.

This  observation was made by American doctors in  the
last few  years at various bases in the Arctic and
Antarctic.  to put in cold file too

The  soldiers stationed there had no thirst because  of
the cold  climate and therefore drank little, as a result
their bodies suffered from progressive dehydration.

The  fact  was  discovered because  men  often  complain
of CONTINUAL TIREDNESS.

Since then they have been URGED to drink a certain amount
of water every meal, and they soon felt much better.

Clearly this also applies in the desert, and a man need
for water  will  rise in leaps & bounds and his
expectation  of life  will  drop  as rapidly if he is
physically  active  in great heat.

Yet this is often the mistake the people make while
stranded in the desert.

So  drink  as soon as you are thirsty no matter  your
water reserve, you are not on a movie set to ration water.

DEHYDRATION ADD ON:

In  the desert heat, the Thirst itself CAN NOT indicate
you the required quantity of water that your body needs.

In  other  terms you can drink enough water to  quench
your thirst and still suffer from dehydration. If
possible, Drink frequently and in small amount.

If you only drink at meal time, you risk dehydration and
you will tire more easily. To drink only 1 or 2 litre a
day  can be disastrous, especially when the temperature is
high.

THE  ABSORPTION  OF  SUCH  SMALL QUANTITY  CAN  NOT
PREVENT DEHYDRATION.

When  dehydration  tires you out, drink and  you  will
fast recover  your  strength. A dehydration up  to  10%
of  your weight can not be fatal, for ex:

If  you weigh 70 kilos and loose 7 kilos by sweating it
will be  OK,  as  long  as soon after you drink enough
water  to regain the weight lost.

Cold  water  drunk too fast can give you stomach  cramps
so beware.  With  29 Centigrade or less you still  can
survive even after having lost 25% of your weight.

Yet if it is 32 Centigrade or more, a dehydration making
you loose  15%  of  your  weight can be very  unlucky  for
your health.

DEHYDRATION SYMPTOMS:

First  the  thirst  followed  by  general  discomfort
then followed  by  a  slowing down of the movements  as
well  as loosing appetite.

Once you have lost 5% of your weight you can also on top
of the general discomfort above, suffer from nausea.
Loosing  from  6 to 10% of your weight you can  suffer
from dizziness, headache, breathing difficulties, pricking
in the arms  and  legs,  the  dry mouth, livid complexion,
slurred speech & unable to walk.

REMEDY:

Only water can prevent dehydration and maintain your body
in good  function. Alcohol,  urine, salted water  &  blood
can only increase the dehydration process. Yet  salt water
at sea is a bit different if you check  with water chapter.

EXHAUSTION SIGNS:

Paleness,  abundant  perspiration, skin becoming  moist
and cold, deliriums or fainting are the signs.

Lay  the  person on its back in a shadowy place &  give
him water mixed with salt pills 2 of them per water
canteen.

HEAT STROKE:

This  can happen suddenly, the face becomes purple, skin
is hot  and dry and the victim does not sweat. They suffer
from violent headache and his pulse is fast. Fainting can
result.

You  MUST  refresh the victim, relax his clothing,  lay
him down  in  a shadowy place but not on the ground,
dampen  his cloth but; Don't give any stimulants.

SUN BLINDNESS:

Even  if  the sand is not as white as the snow,  the
danger remains the same to get blind.

So  don't look at the sun, protect you eyes, cover your
head to  shadow your eyes, use good sunglasses, soot your
cheeks, wrap  up  your  face and head with piece  of
cloth  as  the Bedouins do.

SUN RAYS DANGERS:

It  is  very  dangerous to expose yourself under the
desert sun. You risk collapsing caused by:

CRAMPS:

They  are the first signs of heat stroke, you feel  them
in the  legs muscles & abdominal muscles. In such case you
MUST take rest and absorb water with a bit of salt.

SUN BLINDNESS:

The  intense  blinding sunlight can lead to a sort  of
snow blindness produced by the sandy ground reflecting the
short wave ultraviolet rays.

Slitted disks of cardboard have often served as an effective
substitute  for  sunglasses. Also smearing  the cheeks  and lower
eyebrow with black soot from your campfire will help a lot. (Like
football player type of mask.)

SAND DANGERS:

Even  the sand itself can be dangerous. Often it "gives"
so much that walking in it becomes an immense labour.

PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE COLOUR OF THE SAND.

IN SYRIA FOR EX. IT IS THE RED SAND WHICH IS SOFT. IN
LIBYA, THE BLACK.

It  is this soft fine sand which the desert wind blows
into the noses, ears, mouth and eyes. One rescued pilot
said that anyone already suffering from dehydration each
single  grain will feel as big as a stone.

SANDSTORM & PROTECTION:

In   sandstorm  which  may  last  several  days,   this
is particularly  troublesome, and the tongue and jaws
will  be completely parched with the hot air.

THE  BEST PROTECTION AGAINST IT, rescued pilots have
found, is  to dig a hole into the ground, cover it with a
tarpaulin firmly fastened down at the sides & crawl underneath.

A  sandstorm  of  course  will often  completely  alter
the outlines of the landscape, leaving valleys where there
were dunes and vice versa.

WARNING! BEARING:

So  if before the storm you have given yourself an
objective to  make for, you may be lost without a compass,
unless  you have  marked  your direction with an arrow of
stones  which will give you your bearing again.

DESERT MOSQUITOES REMEDY:

In many deserts swarms of mosquitoes are driven far into
the waterless interior.

The  sand-flies are even worse, tiny but vicious,  they
get through  the  finest  mosquito nets and give  their
victims painful bites, which cause itching and even fever.

A party of survivors discovered that rubbing themselves
with chewed tobacco drove off the flies.

DESERT WALKING = TOUGH:

In  view  of  all  these hazards, it is not surprising
that people stranded in the desert have found that merely
to keep going  on  foot  was the hardest part of  their
efforts  to survive  next to the water problem and this
even  when  they only walked at night.

SALT LAKES:

After  a crash landing during the war, some airmen made
the mistake of walking across crusted over salt lakes.

After the first hour their boots fell off, cut to shreds
by the  ground,  corroded  by the salts  crystals.  Their
feet became sore & burnt like fire.

In  the ends they wrapped their shirts around them &
hobbled on  over the sandy ground. Going through this salt
crust was like  thin  ice in this apparently dried up salt
lake  thus giving  them  great difficulty saving
themselves  from  this caustic mud.

DRIED UP RIVER BEDS DANGER!:

Walking  in dried up river beds has proven equally
dangerous for desert travellers.

These  beds  are usually stony and during sudden showers
at the  edge  of the desert, the rain water instead of
sinking in,  fast  becomes a raging torrent, washing away
everything it meets.

Even if the rainstorm was miles away, the current will
reach you later on, and without warning. (OOPS's!)

BOOTS OFF = GRAVEST ERROR:

Many  survivors  have made the mistake of taking  off
their boots  when  walking, then they couldn't put them
on  again after a rest because their feet were so swollen.

Others  have cut holes in the uppers to relieve their
aching feet which allowed sand and stones to get between
soles  and leather tops, causing them agonies of pain.

Sweat  sores  shredded the skin down to the raw  flesh,
and complete rest was the only thing which would help.

GONE WITHOUT NOTES & NO COMPASS:

Another  way  to do wrong is to abandon a wrecked  plane
or vehicle without leaving a note of the date and the
direction they are taking or signs en route to show their
direction.

Often they did not even have a compass but simply walked
of at random. If they did not know how to get their
bearings by the  stars,  this  rash procedure usually
proved  downright suicidal.

The  desert as a rule looks monotonous in colour  and
shape with  no  landmarks to keep the eye on. In the
great  sandflats  of North Africa survivors have fought on
through  the sand  for 5 days only to find that they had
been going round in a large circle.

UNDERRATING DISTANCE:

Others  again,  in the CLEAR desert air have  underrated
by many  miles  the  distance  to an  objective  they  had
set themselves,  such  as  the  top  of  a  hill,
although   it constantly  looked within an easy reach, it
was really  more than a day's walk away.

So  they  would  keep  on walking to  a  point  of
complete exhaustion,  ALWAYS hoping to be there  in  a
few  minutes, INSTEAD OF TAKING REGULAR REST EVERY HOUR.

NEVER EVER LEAVE UNLESS:

For  all those reasons above the survival experts repeat
all the time that in the desert:

You  MUST  NEVER set off on foot from the scene of  a
crash while any hope remains of a search party coming to
look  for you.

If  there is such a hope, it is ALWAYS better to stay by
the wrecked vehicle or make an emergency landing with your
plane rather than bale out by parachute.

TO BALE OR NOT TO BALE:

This  advice  is confirmed by both logic and experience.
In the  war  some pilots landed in the Sahara behind the
enemy lines as often as 7 times during one flight to
repair damage to their planes and leapfrogged back to
their units. Others who have fought in Africa say that
Only the wreck  of their plane or vehicle saved them from
certain death.

During  the day its shade gave them protection from the
sun and  at night, the body-work gave protection against
the raw cold.

As  a rule it contained more supplies of food and water than the
crews could have carried along into the desert on foot.

Again  a  search party can more easily spot the wreck  of
a vehicle including an aircraft than it can spot a single
man or  even  a  group, especially if the group is already
some distance from the presumed scene of the crash.

There have been cases where people spotted by search
parties were  so  revived by supplies from the air  that
they  left their wreck to walk out of the desert, they
were never  seen alive again.

SIGNAL IMPORTANCE:

Above  all distress signals can be given better and  at
the crucial moment if this is done from a permanent camp
and:

DISTRESS SIGNALS ARE AS IMPORTANT AS WATER SUPPLIES.

If  you can not attract the attention of search parties,
you are just as much done as if you have not any drinking
water.

Very  few servicemen stranded in the desert during  the
war were  fortunate enough to be able to call for help by
radio in  planes which had to make a crash landing, the
radios had usually been shot to pieces.

Many  pilots  successfully used the landing searchlights
or flares  to send out signals at night. In dark desert
nights these flashes could be seen more than 80 miles away.

So  anyone stranded with his car can dismount his
headlights and  try  to send out distress signals with
them during  the night.

After  emergency landings pilots have soaked  rubber
tires, rubber  boots  and flying suits in engine oil so
that  they could  light  smouldering fires which would
give  off  smoke visible from a long distance away.

Those  who  had  bailed out however or left  their
aircraft after landing had to be content with less
effective aids.

A  German  pilot arranged stones in the shape  of  an
arrow taking  care  that they would cast the maximum
shadow  that would  thus  be  seen  from the air. Others
used  parachute panels to lay out big SOS signs.

FOOD:

In  the desert one can go without food for many days, it
is less important than water, so ration food at the start.

Do  not  eat in the first 24 hours and in principle  do
not eat,  unless you have water since food takes a lot  of
body water to be digested..

FOOD NOTE 2:

Heat  usually produces a loss of appetite- so do  not
force yourself  to  eat. Protein foods increase metabolic
heat  & increase water loos and liquids are needed for
digestion.

If  water is scarce keep eating to a minimum and then try
to eat  only  moisture  containing foods  such  as  fruits
and vegetables.

Food spoils very quickly and any cans, once opened should
be eaten straight away or kept covered and shaded. Flies
appear from nowhere and settle upon uncovered food.

PLANTS:

Vegetation away from oases and water-holes is likely  to
be little  more than scrub and grasses-even in the semi-
desertbut  grasses are Edible and sometimes plentiful. The
Acacia tree in the scrub provides EDIBLE BEANS.

BEWARE  of  the  Acacia thorns but try all its  soft
parts: flowers, fruits, seeds, bark and young shoots.

ACACIA:

Has  a  double  utility, its beans are comestibles  and
its roots retain water. These trees look like #Mesquites
and the #Catclaws#  of USA South West.

GRASSES = EDIBLE:

The  grasses  of Sahara and Gobi are neither nutritious
nor palatable  but in the Sahara and the Asian deserts
you  may find the Desert GOURD  a member of the Squash
family.

Its  vine  can run over the ground for 4-5m (15ft). Chew
its water  filled  shoots and eat its flowers and  orange
sized fruits, the seed of which are edible roasted or
boiled.

The  Mescal plant (an Agave from which Tequila is made)
of the  Mexican  desert, grows with a rosette  of  thick
tough sharp-tipped leaves.

Its  central stalk which rises like a candle to a
flowering head  can  be eaten. Cut the ends of the leaves
to suck  out water.

ANIMALS:

Desert  often supports a variety of animal life that
burrows into  the  sand or hides in any available shade
during  the day.

Insects   reptiles,  small  rodents  and  specially
adapted mammals  such  as  the  Fennec Fox  of  North
Africa  the Australian Bandicoot, a hedgehog in the Gobi
and the  Jack Rabbit of north America all of which have
big ears to act as cooling aids.

There  are  geckoes,  lizards  and  snakes.  Tortoiseand
amphibians  survive from when these were once  well watered
lands.

LIZARDS:

They  are  edible, except for Gila monsters  and  the
Pearl lizard  from South West USA. Mexico and central
America  but because  of  their  anchylose  walk  they
are  not   really dangerous & only found in the above
desert.

OTHER ANIMALS FOR FOOD:

The  Sahara  has  gerbils  and gerboas  The  Middle  East
Caracals & Hyenas. The New World, Kangaroo, rats & coyotes. In
the Kalahari there is a squirrel that uses its tails for shade.

There  are even gazelles that manage to get all the
moisture they  need from the sap of leaves, though most
large mammals are  an  indication that there is water
supply within  daily reach of their grazing areas.

Birds  feathers give them good insulation against  heat
and many  live and breed long distances from their water
supplysuch as the Road Runner of Arizona (Bee-Peep!)

DESERT EDIBLE PLANTS #2:

In  the desert all the tender parts of plants growing
above the  ground such as the flowers, fruits seeds &
young shoots and barks can be eaten.

ALL THE GRASS (HERB) ARE EDIBLE EXCEPT THOSE OF THE
SAHARA AND GOBI DESERT.

BEWARE OF ANY PLANTS CONTAINING A MILKY SAP WHICH IS POISON.

DATE:

This  tree  grows in the African desert, in the  South
west Asia, India, & China desert.

MESCAL:  (Peyote, STONE?!?)

This  plant  grows  in  Europe,  Asia,  Africa,  Mexico
and Antilles. Although growing especially in the desert,
it also grows in damp regions and the Tropics. In full
maturity, the Mescal dresses itself of thick & tough
leaves which ends are solid and sharp.

Its  centre, the stem looks like a candle is Edible.
Choose the  plants  which flowers are not opened yet,
their  fibber stems  contain a syrupy & delicious
substance.  The  Mexican used it as medicinal and
hallucinogenic properties.

#LA GOURDE SAVAGE DU DESERT#:

This  climbing plant abounds in the Sahara desert, in
Arabia as well as the coast of S.E. India. Its  vine
measuring  2.5 to 3 meters long  crawls  on  soil surface
and its fruit gets about the size of an orange.

Its  seeds  are either roasted or boiled & its  flowers
are also  Edible.  The watery roots of the young shoots
can  be chewed to relieve the thirst.

#FIGUIER DE BARBARIE#:

This  plant  from America now grows in numerous  deserts
as well  as  the  sea costs of the world except  Arctic
coast. Found  in South East of USA, in Mexico, South
America, along Mediterranean coast.

This  plant carries pretty yellow or red flowers and
covers itself of grapes with slicing thorns.

Looks  strangely like some African cactus which  have
milky sap  thus  poison,  but  the  #Figuier  de
Barbarie#  NEVER produces this milky sap.

The  comestibles fruits look like an egg growing at the
top of the tree.

To eat it you MUST cut the upper part, remove the outer
skin and  eat  the interior. The #raquettes# are also
comestible Cut  the thorns and slice the fleshy cushion in
long strings eaten raw or boiled.

WILD PISTACHIO TREE:

There are 7 species of the wild pistachios. Growing in
arid &  semi-arid  regions of the Mediterranean Basin,  in
Minor Asia & Afghanistan.

Some of them NEVER loose their leaves, others loose them
in dry  season.  The stems produce 3 grand leaves and
numerous smaller ones. Once ripe, the nuts are hard and
dry, eat them after having them roasted on hot embers.

ALMONDS:

Wild  almonds grown in semi-arid regions of Europe,
Western, Mediterranean,   Iran,  Arabia.  China,  Madeira,
Acores, Canaries Islands. The Almond tree looks like the
Pear  tree, grows up to 12 metres high.

The  Almonds  grow in grapes and are covered of a
cotonnous skin  thick and dry. To extract the almond, open
the  fruit and  break  the centre core. Gather a great
quantity,  shell them  and  keep  them in reserve. (High
energy  booster  as peanuts!)

DESERT PLANTS WARNING!:

We  repeat again, beware of any plant giving milky sap, they burn
the skin, will cause blindness if the sap gets in your eyes and
is poisonous if you eat them, it could be lethal.

FIRE:

In  the  desert one has rarely to make fire except to
purify water, make signals and boil tea. (Preferably
English  at  5 o'clock!)

Usually the combustible is extremely rare in the desert, so the
oil and gas if any left from the plane will be precious.

VEHICLES:

For  desert  travel,  fit long-range  fuel  tanks  and
make provision for storing drinking water. Carry  further
supplies of both in jerry cans. A jack is no use  in soft sand
and an air bag should be carried which  is inflated by the
exhaust.

Extra  filters  will  be needed in the  fuel  line  and
air intake.  Sand tires MUST be fitted and sand channels
carried to get you moving again when bugged down in loose
sand.

(Sand  channels are steel tracks filled with holes  about
7 feet  long which are put under tires when you get stuck
they act as ramp.)

PROTECTION WHEN LEAVING CAR:

Upon  leaving your car in the sun for a while MAKE SURE
you cover  the  tires with some kind of white cloth or
cardboard to  protect tires from overheating, it would be
good to  put one over the windshield too if possible.

SPECIAL TUNING:

For  higher altitudes the carburettor needs adjustments.
In scrub country, thorn gaiters will reduce the puncture
risks. Antifreeze  and  suitable wheels and chains are
needed  for snow and ice.

As well as sow tire grip when you get stuck. The engine
will need special tuning to match climatic conditions and
its own spares. A spare wheel and a good tool kit are
obvious equipment.

IN HOT CLIMATES:

Even  when  you have had modifications made to prepare
your vehicle  for hot climate conditions you may still
find  that you have problems.

In crossing some deserts the considerable temperature
change from day to night can put a strain on any metal and
increase the risk of leaks.

WARNINGS:

NEVER leave a sleeping or injured person or any animal in
a closed  car  in a hot climate - or even on a  sunny  day
in temperate regions.

ALWAYS  leave  windows  open  to  ensure  ventilation
(heat exhaustion  can be lethal) even if parked in the
shade,  as the sun will move.

OVERHEATING:

Stop and allow the engine to cool off. If you are driving
a particularly  tricky  stretch and stopping  is  out  of
the question switch on the heater.

This  will  give  greater  volume to  the  cooling  water
& although  the  inside of the car will get even  hotter,
the engine will cool. When convenient stop and open up the
hood.

DO NOT UNDO THE RADIATOR CAP UNTIL THE TEMPERATURE DROPS.

Check  the radiator and all hoses for leaks. If the
radiator is leaking, adding the white of an egg will seal
small holes also chewing gum does the trick.

If  there is a large hole squeeze that section of the
copper piping  flat to seal it off. It will reduce the
size of  the cooling area but if you drive very steadily
you will be able to keep going.

METAL GETS HOT:

Be  careful! All metal parts of a car can become hot
enough to cause blister, even fry an egg.

CARE IN SANDY CONDITIONS:

When adding fuel, sand and dust can get into the tank. Rig
a filter over or just inside the inlet to the tank.

DESERT TROUBLES:

CAR STRANDED:  "RATTTSS!"

If while driving in the desert, suddenly your car gets
stuck in  sand as it would in snow, STOP IMMEDIATELY, pick
up  the jack  and lift your car, put stones under the
tires and  get ready to back up.

If you try giving more gas, you will get deeper in sand
down to  the axles and then you can't do nothing or at the
least you  are in for a lot of work, much more than having
stopped immediately.

2nd ERROR:

Sure that the second truck or car is soon coming you did
not fill  your  water containers, this error could be
fatal,  if the 2nd truck don't come around for any
accidents can happen to him as well.

3rd ERROR:

In the Mojave desert, 2 men went to cross it without
telling anyone, after getting stuck in the sand they
accelerate thus got stuck for good. This was their 2nd
mistakes.

Then  instead  of setting of foot as soon as  the  sun
went down,  they waited the next morning to leave this was
their 3rd,  now  instead of turning back they went ahead
in  their first  direction  this was their last one, they
were  found dead a few weeks later.

SO  FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO SURVIVE THE DESERT, THE HEAT
OF THE DAY AND LACK OF WATER ARE  NUMBER -1- DANGER.