CHAPTER FOUR
TRIBULATIONS OF THE CAMPERS
The girls followed the trail, leading to the Bluff, picking up drytwigs, bark, and grass on the way. Elena, with customary desire forartistic effects, had stopped at the house in passing and taken aNavajo blanket from the settle. This she proposed using for a coveringon the rock where Miss Miller would sit during the first Council.
She ran gaily after the others, calling to them to wait. As theystopped so many times for handsful of fire-material, Elena soon caughtup with them. The blanket was heavy, so Miss Miller said she would beexempt that day from duty of gathering fire-wood. Just before theyreached the Bluff, however, Elena spied a hollow old tree. Instantlydivining what might be found therein, she threw down the blanket andran over to investigate. Sure enough! From the hiding-place Elena drewforth an old squirrel's nest.
"Oh, ho! just see what I found, Miss Miller!" cried the delighted girl.
The others crowded about and envied the joy of being the first one inthe Band to find such a trophy.
"Girls, wouldn't it be fun to begin at once and try for an honour incampercraft? When we finish our organising let us experiment withfire-making until we succeed according to the book."
The girls eagerly agreed to the teacher's suggestion and were soonseated in a circle about the upthrust of rock where the teacher sat aswas her right. The Navajo colours made a bright dash in contrast to thesombre grey of rock and green of forest.
"If there are any preliminary questions to ask, girls, let us attendto them, as we will want to conduct our first meeting in an orderlymanner," Miss Miller waited, but no one had anything to ask, so shecontinued.
"Of course, you all know that I took the degree of Camp Doctor, asI passed more than twenty of the tests. Being trained as a physicalculture teacher, I naturally understood most of the tests given. Dr.Baker and Mrs. Alvord stood as sponsors on the application and Hildarepresented the third witness necessary. She intends taking part of thetests soon, and qualifying for the degree. As Camp Doctor I feel that Ihave a right to act as director of this camp until one of you qualifiesin degrees, or otherwise, to take rank as Guide or Chief. How long thatmay be in the future only Time will show. Now, your parents all agreedto choose me as Guide, and I have their signed agreement so to do. Thisshould go in our Tally Book as part of our first procedure in meeting."
Miss Miller took a paper from the bag that bulged with papers andbooks, and showed it to the girls. They recognised the signatures asbeing those of their parents, so Miss Miller proceeded with the nextitem in order.
"We must have a Tally Book for the general use of the Band, and eachgirl ought to have one of her own. I saw one that belonged to a memberof the Council and it was a work of beauty. As Elena is artistic bynatural talent, I suggest that she take charge of our Band's TallyBook. Each one ought to take such a pride in her individual book thatit shall merit an honour at Headquarters when it is displayed--but thisis a matter for personal ambition. The Keeper of the Tally Book fillsthe place of secretary in other organisations, so I would advise Elenato make a memo of the minutes of this meeting. I have a book made upfor general use, but a piece of paper will do now, to make notes upon.From that you can copy the minutes correctly and decorate the real bookas elaborately as you like."
The girls approved the choice of Tally Keeper and Elena was delightedat the opportunity to display her talent freely. Miss Miller referredto the Manual to assure herself that she was acting according to order.She gasped and looked up suddenly.
"My! I started off this meeting without the usual ceremony of openingcouncil with the Omaha Tribal Prayer. I was told that this was animportant function, so, girls, let us sing it now."
Miss Miller arose, motioning the five girls to stand also; then startedsinging the words and music of the prayer while the girls tried tofollow as they watched her. This done, she seated herself again, andturned to Elena.
"Make a note that each girl must learn the words of the song by heartbefore our next meeting. I have the printed music in my tent."
Elena scribbled a memorandum and the Guide placed a large book, made ofbrown paper pages, covered with natural tanned leather, on her knees,saying, "We'll enter the names of our members now, and then we can callthe roll properly."
This was the next step accomplished, so that all felt they wereproceeding in a business-like manner when the Guide gasped a secondtime.
"Dear, dear! Girls, we should have started a fire the _very firstthing!_ Elena, _please_ do not enter all these errors in our TallyBook--it is unpardonable! But this is all a new idea for me and we mustall seek together for the result. We will patiently retrace our stepsnow, and begin with the council fire. Do any of you understand how touse rubbing-sticks?"
Each girl looked at the other but no one knew the use of the sticks, soMiss Miller sought in the bulky bag until she pulled forth a bow andsticks, then she sought again until the section of wood and a hemlockknot was brought out. The girls gazed curiously at her as she began.
"You must each start a set of fire-sticks of your own, using modelsgiven in a book I have in my trunk. Now, let me start the firstcouncil-fire and you watch carefully so each can do it when the turncomes."
Miss Miller prepared the dry wood material all had gathered on the walkto the Bluff, but chose Elena's dry squirrel nest as tinder. She placedthe eight-sided (almost round) drill so that the thong of the bow wentabout it _once_, to prevent slipping. Then the point of the drill wasplaced in a notch of the fire-board and the board accurately placedover the fire-pan. This in position, the Guide began sawing back andforth with the bow just as if she was scraping strenuously on a violin.After some minutes of this, a faint suggestion of smoke came from theblock; then it was easily seen that the wood was charring and the smokegrew heavier. Several more firm strokes brought a lively curl of smokefrom the board and fire-pan, and Miss Miller stopped to blow softly onthe small heap of dark dust that was piled up in the tiny wooden notch.This suddenly emitted a spark, then died down as suddenly. Still theGuide blew softly and swayed back and forth to keep a gentle current ofair stirring on the powder. Then, she quickly took a handful of the drynest and placed it over the powder just as a second red spark gleamedfrom the small heap. The smoke grew thicker, and before the girls couldexclaim with surprise, a bright flame shot up before their eyes.
"There now, let us build our first council fire in the centre of ourcircle," said Miss Miller, as pleased with the result of her efforts asany one could be.
The fire was carefully fed with dry moss, leaves and twigs, untilthe blaze warranted some wood to be piled on to sustain it. The newmembers stood around admiring the feat, and all wanted to try therubbing-sticks to see if they could make a fire.
"No, indeed! Each must make her own set to use and never borrow mine!"laughed the Guide, placing the set behind her as she sat on the councilseat again.
Hilda was elected fire-keeper for the occasion and the others all satdown on the grass again.
"This time, girls, I believe we have followed first rules, so that wecan go on with our other business affairs," said Miss Miller.
Zan had been looking over the Manual and suggested, "We haven't chosena Wampum Keeper yet! I know a good one!"
Miss Miller smiled. "I guess she is the one I had in mind."
"Girls, have you any choice--a Wampum Keeper acts as treasurer youknow, as well as sees that our beads and other details for ceremonialcouncils are in order," explained Zan.
The girls looked at each other for a moment only, then Elena said,"Hilda is the best house-keeper of us all, and she is exact in keepingaccounts, too, so I think she ought to be Wampum Keeper."
"I think so too!" added Jane.
"Just what I thought," agreed Zan, looking at Miss Miller. The latternodded smilingly, but Nita said nothing.
"Hilda is chosen by all but you--have you any other one in mind?" askedZan, turning to Nita.
"Oh, no, I s'pose one's as good as another, but I don't see why
Hildashould be given charge of the money belonging to our Band. She neverhandles much and is not accustomed to it," retorted Nita, showingjealousy in every tone.
"Ha, ha!" laughed Jane, angrily. "I guess Hilda has charge of more_real_ money than you ever saw! She runs the house for her mother, youmust remember, and _she_ pays _cash_ for everything and enters it inher book, too!"
Zan felt like adding something disagreeable but remembered herpromise to her father, so Jane's answer delighted her. Nita flushedunpleasantly as most of her friends knew that her household wasconducted on "charge accounts" and merchants had great difficulty incollecting bills. She hastily agreed to Hilda as treasurer after Jane'sremark, and the Guide continued.
"Now, as Zan has had more real experience in rural life than any ofyou, I suggest her for Big Chief of this Band."
This was unanimously voted upon and it became Zan's privilege to selecta Little Chief to act in her absence. Zan, without hesitation, choseNita.
There was a second's pause as if the choice was a surprise. Zan glancedtoward Miss Miller and found her eyes beaming, for both recognised thesilent vow of the other to do all they could to wean Nita from herpast temptations and open before her desires, a wider and higher planeupon which to grow.
Nita was so delighted at being elected Little Chief that she forthwithbegan "preening her plumes." The other girls seemed not to like thechoice but Miss Miller hastily changed the subject by introducing oneof great interest.
"Girls, I have so many things to say that it is hard work to keep toone subject, but I will try. Now, we ought to try for all the honoursand _coups_ we have opportunity to win. I know of no spot where so manyadvantages combine to offer us these opportunities as this section ofNew Jersey. Flowers, birds, trees, insects, trails, reeds,--in facteverything, we find at hand to study. We are given the farm to useduring our ten weeks' vacation, and sleeping in tents all summer meanswe win a _coup_ for fulfilling the sixty nights sleep out of doors!Then, there are _coups_ and grand _coups_ staring us right in the eyes,for the simple act of taking hold of them! Just think of it! We can win_coups_ for dancing, for weaving, for star gazing, cooking, building,rug making, and lots of other things. I shouldn't wonder, what with thetalent of each one used to teach all the others, that we might aspireto becoming an honour Tribe before the year is out!"
"Oh, Miss Miller! You should have had a _coup_ this very day for makingthat fire, shouldn't you?" asked Zan.
"No, I'm afraid I can't claim that, as Elena found the nest, and theothers gathered the fire material; but I am glad I know how to do it,as the next attempt will be easy. For every claim for an honour or_coup_ you must be sure to have three witnesses so that our claims willgo to Headquarters properly made out and signed. I should hate to havethem send us back our papers for lack of attention on our part," saidthe Guide.
Zan had been glancing through the lists of _coups_ and honours, and nowexclaimed, "Why, I can win a _coup_ for swimming and one for walking,as easily as rolling over on this grass."
"Yes, all these things count when done rightly, and I am mostenthusiastic over the promising future for us," said Miss Miller.
"Well, let's get going on something to win our first _coup_," criedJane impatiently.
"If all are agreed, I will read the Law from the Girl's Manual aloud,and then adjourn the meeting with the Zuni Sunset Song," ventured theGuide.
"Ho, Miss Miller! Wait a moment! Jane wants to get busy too soon! I seea very important thing here in the Manual that we ought to hear beforeadjourning," cried Zan, holding the book open for the Guide to readfrom.
"This is very important, girls, so I will read it," admitted MissMiller, as she glanced over the page. "For our first summer we willbe styled 'Wayseekers' (Tiopa) and we must qualify as such. Also,we must begin to perfect ourselves in fifteen of the twenty-threequalifications needed to promote us to 'Pathfinders,' (Mikana) as shownhere."
The Guide then proceeded to read the different articles set forthin the Manual, and some time was given to the discussion over eachitem. The girls began to realise that there was much more in being aWoodcrafter than mere fun-making, and the deep meaning of the workbegan to be understood.
"From present appearances, it looks as if it would take us a life-timeto accomplish all of those tests," said Jane impatiently.
"It's only one at a time, dear! If you were country-bred and wereaccustomed to wild life, you would exclaim at the simplicity of thework," said Miss Miller kindly.
"I guess that's so! It is merely our ignorance of ways of rural life.Just as soon as we really get down to business we will be astonished atour progress. I remember how it was with our classes in school. Fromthe books it seemed too hard to master, but whenever we took a trip tothe woods to study botany, and other things, it just became so easy!"added Elena.
"All right, let's go to it now!" cried Zan.
"Zan, if I was a member of the National Council I would surely exileany one who used slang as much as Hilda and you do!" remonstrated MissMiller.
"I just bet more than half the girls would be exiled then!" retortedZan.
"I find on page 20 of the Manual that one must abstain from a besettingsin for one moon! I reckon that covers the difficulty with yougirls--slang is your besetting sin, so you will surely have to abstainif you are to qualify."
As Miss Miller said this, the girls laughed at her clever manner inreaching the delinquents through the Manual.
"Well, Tribal friends, I'm growing stiff in the 'jints' as Mrs.Sherwood would say, from sitting in one position so long! Is thereanything more to do?" said impatient Zan.
"Why, of course! we haven't been baptised yet!" laughed the Guide.
"Oh, that's settled long ago, as most children's names are. We will becalled Wickeecheokee Band," replied Zan.
"Such a mouthful! Do you really yearn for that name, Zan?" asked Janeplaintively.
"Not if there's a better one!" returned Zan.
"We might use a short name for our Band and later when we are a Tribeuse Wickeecheokee for the Tribal name," suggested Hilda.
This was declared a good idea so silence reigned for a long timewhile all sorts of names were considered. After many suggestions andmuch debate the name of Wahko Nia, meaning springs of water, was cutto Wahko for everyday use. The long Indian name could be used forimpressive occasions if needed. So the name of Wahko Band was enteredin the Tally Book.
With a song the meeting adjourned, the girls jumping up stretchedthemselves with sighs of relief. The next words from the Guide changedtheir contentment to consternation.
"Girls, some of our food is still at the house!"
"Mercy! Why didn't we bring it over when Nancy was working?" asked Jane.
"I simply won't trail back there to-day!" whined Nita.
"If some of us are willing, it seems that all of us should help, or gowithout supper," said Miss Miller gently.
The other girls started off without another word, and the Guide waiteda few moments to see if Nita would join her. Instead, Nita wanderedtoward her tent saying, "I am going to lie down and rest!"
Miss Miller felt discouraged at the failure, so soon, in the attempt tohelp Nita, but she trudged after the others without further coaxing ofthe stubborn member. At the house, the food was soon packed in baskets,and every article that might be found necessary was tucked in at thesides. Just as they were ready to return, Nita was seen sitting on theedge of the porch with a huge basket of things she had voluntarilygathered in the garden without a word from the others.
Of course it was entirely unnecessary for that day, but the Guide feltthat it was Nita's peculiar way of showing how sorry she was for herrecent behaviour, so the basket of vegetables and fruit was acceptedwith delight.
On the trail back to camp the fruit was devoured by the hungry girls,then Zan began nibbling at some crackers she found in her basket.The others wanted to sample the crackers too, so Miss Miller had tointerfere.
"If you eat sweets now you won't want to have any supper w
hen it isready."
"Oh, won't we though! It is very evident, Miss Miller that you nevercamped with hungry growing girls before!" laughed Hilda.
As the Bluff was sighted the girls felt eager to end their journey, soput on an extra spurt of speed.
The baskets were placed upon a high flat rock to be out of the way ofinsects, and Miss Miller looked at her watch.
"If you are not tired, girls, there is just time for a swim beforestarting on a hike--or would you prefer a walk first and then the swim?"
"Oh, goody!" cried Zan, running toward her tent.
"But, Miss Miller, we haven't any suits yet! They have not come fromthe city!" said Elena disappointedly.
"It wouldn't injure the fabric in your union suits to wear them--notthis once! And each one of you brought a heavy suit with you in case ofneed!" ventured the Guide.
Nita and Jane laughed hysterically at the idea, but the other girlsclapped their hands and agreed that the suggestion was great! Withoutfurther objection, the two former girls also started to find theirunion suits in the baggage that was packed in their trunks inside thetents.
While they were dressing Miss Miller called out, "How many of you canswim the required hundred yards and win a _coup_?"
"I can--or at least I could last summer," replied Zan.
"I can swim some, I don't know how far!" said Jane.
"I can swim a stroke!" exclaimed Hilda, and the other two girlsadmitted the same lack.
"Dear me, girls! don't tell me that you three can't swim at all!" criedMiss Miller, amazed.
"What opportunity has a city girl to swim?" asked Hilda wonderingly.
"Why, child! In winter there are a number of good Municipal Bathinghouses open for girls, and everything is kept in splendid order too.Then, in summer there are plenty of summer resorts near the city whereone can bathe and learn to swim!"
"But a girl can't visit them alone, and parents haven't much time toescort one to such resorts--so there you are!" replied Hilda.
"Yes, that's true! Well, with fine camps started, girls, as well asboys, will be able to enjoy the woods as well as the waters of thecountry, without cost of time or money for parents," said Miss Miller,as she came from her tent dressed in a neat one-piece bathing suit.
The others were waiting for her, looking self-conscious in their unionsuits. The Guide saw this and decided that they must be made to forgetthemselves at once. So she proposed a race from the tents to the willowtree that stood by the pool. The winner to have an extra cookie forsupper.
The scramble that followed proved just the thing to distract theirthoughts from their appearances, and by the time all reached the tree,they were laughing, and gasping for breath.
The pool, in summer-time, was nowhere more than four to five feet indepth. Possibly, just under the Falls the water might measure six feet,but no one ever went there. From the Falls the water spread out in acircle-like basin until its centre measured about thirty feet across.It gradually narrowed again toward the willow where the stream formedthe outlet of the pool. The entire floor of the pool was of rock,worn smooth by the water. This smooth surface and the Falls creatingan ever-flowing current, kept the pool clean and the water as clearas glass. It was partly due to the bed-rock that made the water sotransparent, that the Indian name for Crystal Waters was given theplace.
Miss Miller urged the girls to jump in but Nita dipped her toe in atthe edge and screamed, "Boo! but it's cold!"
"That's not the way--do this!" laughed Zan, plunging in and immediatelysubmerging her whole body.
"My, what a wet mess your hair will be!" called Hilda.
"The sun'll soon dry it again. Don't bother about your hair! Half thefun in swimming is ducking your head!" sputtered Zan.
Miss Miller plunged in next and took a few strong strokes that carriedher halfway across the pool.
The girls on the bank watched her admiringly.
"My! Miss Miller, you sure can go it!" cried Elena.
The Guide's example encouraged the three girls who hesitated on theverge of the pool. Jane had been swinging on a pliable branch of thewillow, enjoying herself immensely. Zan now called to her to come inwith them and show how far she could swim. Jane in her eagerness torace with Zan, let go the willow before her footing was quite firmon the bank, with the result that she stumbled and fell against thethree girls huddled on the wet grass. Before any one knew how it allhappened, Jane, and the three girls, went pell-mell into the water,creating a mighty shower of water everywhere.
"O-ooh! Help! Murder! S-swish--sc-cswash!" and other queer soundscame from the struggling group of girls. Miss Miller had just gainedthe opposite bank and had seated herself on the grass when the funnyaccident took place. Zan had been treading water and had missed theslide, but jumped up at the shouts.
"Oh, what a funny motion picture that would have made!" gasped theGuide as soon as she could speak.
Jane was swimming over to join Zan, and the three soakingnon-combatants, tried to force their fists into their eyes vainlyhoping to expel the water. Ears were singing, and noses snuffling andthey looked like anything but joyous pleasure-seeking maidens.
After a few minutes, however, the fear of drowning faded with the senseof feeling their feet on the rock which was only a depth of a foot orso, where they had scrambled up. The wild laughter of Zan, Jane and theGuide did much to reassure them that life still held on with a firmgrip for them.
"As long as you're all soaked, why not come in gracefully?" called Zan,taking a dive and swimming under water to the spot where Jane rose torest. In a few seconds Jane gave a frenzied scream and went head down,heels up, in the water.
"Oh, look! Jane's sinking!" cried Elena.
But Zan's head appeared alongside Jane's heels, and in another moment,the victim of Zan's mischief bobbed up.
As her head appeared again, Miss Miller called, amid spasms oflaughter, "Right position! Front! Mark time!"
Zan was the only one who thoroughly enjoyed the command so often obeyedat school, while Jane snuffed angrily, "Just wait!" The three delugedgirls were too busy trying to lower their bodies gradually, and stillkeep their feet flat on the rock.
"Oh, here! Nita, hold on to my hand while you let yourself down flat onyour stomach! Then try and kick out as Zan does," advised Hilda.
Nita obeyed and held clutchingly on Hilda's hand. Just as she feltherself touching rock-bottom and experienced the delightful sensationof being buoyed up by the water, Elena, who had been experimentingalone, splashing out arms and legs, suddenly came in contact with thetimid beginner and shoved her under water. Nita excitedly caught holdof Hilda's foot and a second unexpected dive took place, with Hilda,the heavy, on top of Elena, the light.
More cries and shouts from the tobogganed beginners, and yells andlaughs from their audience. Then, the Guide started across to show thethree girls how to begin.
After fifteen minutes more of practice, Miss Miller said, "Time to comeout, girls. We've been in over half an hour, and that is quite enoughfor the first dip."
"Dear me, at this snail's pace, we will be Wayseekers all summer!"grumbled Hilda.
"Oh, no you won't! In a week's time you'll be swimming a few strokesand in another week probably you can do fifty yards. Your power ofendurance will determine how soon you can swim the hundred yards," saidMiss Miller, as they reached the camp, and went in to dress.
"Not one of us remembered to count our hundred yards, although I'm sureI did fully five hundred all told," said Zan.
"Counting that under-water trick--yes, maybe you did!" replied Jane,giving Zan a look that boded no peace for the future.
"How does every one feel! Weary--or right for a short tramp up theravine?" came from the Guide who dressed first and was waiting on theBluff for the girls.
"Weary--I should say not!" cried Hilda enthusiastically.
"I'm as fresh as a daisy! Could climb a dozen ravines," added Elena.
"I'm not tired, but why do any more now?" sighed Nita.
"Be
cause we want to drive that lazy spirit out of you!" retorted Zan,dragging the girl up to her feet.
"I thought we might take a hatchet and whittling knife with us on thehike and put them to use for our third test," suggested Miss Miller.
"We'll have to get a hatchet, or small axe at the house," answered Zan,with a frown at the idea of walking to the house again.
"No, I placed one of the hatchets in my tent after we had finisheddriving the stakes. Bill took his home I see, and Zan carried the onefrom the house back to the tool-house, for I watched her and mentallygave her an honour mark for placing things where she found them,"commended Miss Miller, as she went to her tent and brought out a smallhatchet and displayed the knife called for by the rule.
THE INTERESTING STUDY OF INSECT LIFE.
_The Woodcraft Girls at Camp._ _Page 114._]
"Aren't they dear! Where did you get them, Miss Miller?" questionedZan, as the girls crowded around the Guide and admired the new tools.
"I wrote to Headquarters and found out where I could purchaseoutfittings," replied the Guide, leading the way toward the hill. Allof the girls wore khaki bloomers and soft shirts, with heavy stockingsand rubber-soled sneakers protecting legs and feet, so that thehill-climb presented only a Nature test to be thoroughly enjoyed bythem after their invigorating bath.
The Woodcraft Girls at Camp Page 4