them up and wring them out.stroud’s Tip
My friend and survival companion Allan “Bow”
Beauchamp has a couple of unique watercollection
methods that are very effective: Moss cups can collect large
amounts of rainwater. Here’s what to do. Cut a large square sheet of
green moss and lay this on the ground mossside up, or, bestcase
scenario, right on a flat rock. Then, using rocks and dirt, bank up
the sides of the moss sheet until you have what looks like a square
moss “cup.” Using one large piece is the best and will retain the
most water. You can also collect punky wood and leave it out on the
ground for the night. When you wake up in the morning you’ll find
that dew will have settled in these dry pieces of wood. Simply pickunderestimate the effectiveness of this procedure! It is surprising how much
you can get. If there’s no long grass in the area, the only source of dew you’ll
have is on leaves, which you can lick. Here you’ll run a significant risk, how
ever: some leaves contain oils or toxins that might aggravate your system or
cause diarrhea, resulting in you feeling worse than when you started.
Make a Vegetation Still: Vegetation stills can be used in many parts of
the world and require only a few simple components, though collecting
the water does demand patience. It can take as long as 24 hours to obtain
up to 1 quart (1 L) of water, and that’s under ideal conditions.
You will need some green, leafy vegetation—gathered from trees,
bushes, shrubs, or grasses—along with a clear plastic bag and a small rock.
Choose a sunny location with a slope on which to place the still, and fol
low these steps:
Fill the bag with air by turning the open end into the breeze or by “scooping”
air into it.
Remove from your gathered vegetation any sticks or spines that might
puncture the bag. Fill the bag half to threequarters full of the vegetation (or
tie the bag onto the end of a branch). Do not use poisonous plants; they will
produce poisonous liquid.(^78) | Survive!