Horace Kephart published (1916 & 1917) two volumes of "Camping and Woodcaft" a compendium of the state of the art at that time. I ran across a republished copy of both volumes, thinking it would be an interesting read. It is.

Some things have changed very little, some a lot. The book has an eastern woodlands bias, not surprising since that is where the author spent most of his time. Clearly Kephart was not a mountaineer, nor a back packer in the contemporary scene. You went into the woods to hunt and fish, and occasionally to smoke a pipe.

He says very little about knives, although he is a real fan of hatchets. On page 151, 1st volume - "Many hunters do not carry sheath knives, saying (and it is quite true) that a common jacknife will skin anything from a squirrel to a bear." His preferable sheath knife has a 4 1/2" blade. No mention of premium steels whatever.

There are a lot of changes in the first aid section. Strychnine is administered in several situations. You say, "But strychnine is poison!!" You are correct, but then it was considered a stimulant, a bit stronger than coffee, and it was available in pill form. Whiskey is given a snake bite victim "as a stimulant for the murderously attacked heart and lungs, and as a bracer for the victim's nerves....some pretty stiff drinks may be needed, if strychnine is not to be had."

A fascinating chapter on cave exploration shows that caving hasn't changed a whole lot, except for modern technical rope techniques. Caves are as dark and confusing as ever. He advocates carbide lamps (which remained in common use through the 1980s), although there is no mention of hard hats or any kind of head protection.

One thing hasn't changed in a century. Wild places are still fascinating and alluring.