100 Item Living: Voyage of the Ant

[Amaranth]

Jim Dina honed his Neolithic living skills, created his own stone, bone, wood, and clay tools and built a birch bark canoe. He journeyed up a New England river and back. In his book Voyage of the Ant he detailed his experiences.
Voyage of the Ant by James Dina, Stackpole Books, 1989, ISBN 08117-2302-X.

100 Item Living for his journey:

1 Birchbark Canoe with an Ant (symbol of perseverance) etched on the headboard
2-3 Paddles of cedarwood (2)
4 Deer hide to cushion back in canoe

5 Slate plaque to mark journey

6 Pack basket made of ash splints
7 Birch foraging basket
8 Water container
9 Birchbark canteen for hiking
10-12 Mocucks-birchbark containers with lids (3) (1 water, 2 food)
13 Bark mesh bag
14 Gourd with wild onion leaves for insect repellant
15 Gourd for collecting earthworms and wet leaves for fish bait
16 Gourd of jewelweed medicine
17 Gourd of soap made from lye and tallow
18-20? Gourds with reinforced necks of basswood cord, loop for hanging & threaded on softwood plugs for closing
21 Cane for salt storage
22 Birch bailing cup
23-25? Shallow birchbark buckets/trays
26 Hidebag to store fire making kit
27 Hide bag to store flintknapping tools, stone, and bone implements

28 Clay cooking dish 7”
29 Clay cooking dish, a bit smaller than 7”
30 Large clay pot to use in boat rib bending process-- do not believe this was carried on the trip

31 Bark rope

32 Sleeping bag
33-35? Ground cloths

36 River guidebook
37 Wallet with Money for phone calls and occasional nonwilderness campsite fees
38 Camera
39 Pen
40 Notebook


41 Hickory bow
42 Bow case
43 Set of Stone tipped arrows
44 Stone axe with hickory handle
45 Antler hammer from head area of deer
46 Antler hammer from tip of deer antlers
47 Hammerstone
48 White crystal stone for tool making
49 Stone knife, flint paring knife (can’t tell if one or two items)
50 Stone knife on thong on center thwart for cutting boat free in emergency
51 Flint razor
52 Bark fishing line
53 Bone fishing hook(s)
54 Fire making kit of Spindle and fireboard
55 Bone awl used for building the boat—not sure if carried on trip
56 Pump drill for building—not sure if carried on trip
57 Palm drill—not sure if carried on trip
58 Stone hoe for three sisters garden for growing food the previous year to take on trip—do not believe this was carried on the trip
59 Rock used as tar run for boat building— do not believe this was carried on the trip

60 Moccasins
61-65 Clothing to wear
66-69 At least one extra set of clothing also used as a pillow
70 Shorts
71 Slate amulet on rawhide thong
72 Comb—couldn’t tell what it was made of from photo

[Amaranth]

Here is info on food taken from home, foraged enroute, and medicinal plants foraged. I think I have accounted for all the containers used for these items above:

Food prepared at home and taken on the journey:
Corn, dried—grown in the 3 sisters garden the year before
Beans, dried—grown in the 3 sisters garden the year before
Dried meat
Sassafras
Salt
Maple sugar

Food foraged on the trip:
Edible tubers
Ground nuts
Cattail roots
Solomon’s seal tuber
False solomon’s seal tuber
Wild greens
Cattail stems
Cattail shoots
Lamb’s quarters
Wood sorrel
Milkweed
Cattail pollen
Staghorn sumac berries
Blueberries

Medical plants foraged on the trip:
Willow –inner bark of the twigs for asprin
Jewelweed for poison ivy rash prevention
Plantain for skin healing

[earthshepherd]

I love survival stories. We get so disconnected with the awesome world we live in when we are inside all the time.

I remember hearing that jewel weed, or touch-me-not, healed itchy skin ailments. I wonder if it is the flower or the leaf? Do you know?

[Amaranth]

On the jewelweed, it's the crushed leaf or juice from the stem for rashes. I haven't heard of an herbal use for the flower though. Anyone else come across anything for that?

[Fawn]

Thanks, Amaranth--I have added this book to my "to read" list.

[Mrs-M]

Fascinating! Ultimate survival lists!