but many of them died.
Learn to Look after Yourself
The truth is that men brought up in a civilized country have no training whatever in looking after themselves out on the veldt or plains, or in the backwoods. The consequence is that when they go into wild country they are for a long time perfectly helpless, and go through a lot of hardship and trouble which would not occur if they learned, while boys, to look after themselves in camp. They are just a lot of “tenderfoots”.
They have never had to light a fire or to cook their own food—that has always been done for them. At home when they wanted water, they merely had to turn on the tap—therefore they had no idea of how to set about finding water in a desert place by looking at the grass, or bush, or by scratching at the sand till they found signs of dampness. If they lost their way, or did not know the time, they merely had to ask somebody else. They had always had houses to shelter them, and beds to lie in. They had never had to make them for themselves, nor to make or repair their own boots or clothing.
That is why a “tenderfoot” often has a tough time in camp. But living in camp for a Scout who knows the game is a simple matter. He knows how to make himself comfortable in a thousand small ways, and then, when he does come back to civilization, he enjoys it all the more for
having seen the contrast.
The trained backwoodsman knows the ways of the woods.
He can make hi mself comfor table in a thousand small ways.
And even there, in the city, he can do very much more for himself than the ordinary mortal, who has never really learned to provide for his own wants. The man who has to turn his hand to many things, as the Scout does in camp, finds that when he comes into civilization he is more easily able to obtain employment, because he is ready for
whatever kind of work may turn up.
Exploration
A good form of Scout work can be done by Scouts going about either as Patrols on an exploring expedition, or in pairs like knight- errants of old on a pilgrimage through the country to find people who need help, and then to help them. This can be done equally well on bicycles as on foot.
Scouts in carrying out such a tramp should never, if possible, sleep under a roof. On fine nights they should sleep in the open wherever they may be. In bad weather, they would get permission to occupy a hay loft or barn.
You should on all occasions take a map with you, and find your way by it without having to ask the way of passers-by.
Reading a Map
Topographic maps and one-inch ordnance survey maps are good maps for exploring. “One-inch” means that one inch on the map represents one mile in the terrain.
On these maps, woods, rivers, lakes, roads, buildings, and so on, are indicated with conventional signs. Hills are usually shown by contour lines. A contour line is a line that connects all the points that have the same height. A line marked “200”, for example, goes through the points that
are 200 feet above sea level. Sometimes a hill is indicated by “hachures”—fine lines that spread out from the top of the hill like rays from the sun.
To use a map, you must “set” it, that is, arrange it so that the directions on it fit the directions of the country where you are. The simplest way is to turn the map so that a road on it runs parallel with the actual road. You can also use a compass. The top of a map is usually north—you therefore turn the map so that the top of it is where the compass shows north. If there is a magnetic north line on your map, turn the map so that this line fits with north of your compass.
You should notice everything as you travel the roads and remember as much of your journey as possible, so that you could give directions to anybody else who wanted to follow that road afterwards.
A clever Scout made these sketches for his exploring log or journal
Map Sketching
Also make a sketch-map. This does not need to be elaborate, as long as someone else can find his way by it. Be certain to include the north line and a rough scale.
Explorers, of course, keep a log or journal, giving a short account of each day’s journey, with simple drawings or photos of interesting things they see.
The Object of Your Expedition
As a rule you should have some object in your expedition: That is to say, if you are a Patrol of town boys, you would go off with the idea of scouting some special spot, say a mountain, or a famous lake, or possibly some old castle or battlefield, or a seaside beach. Or you may be on
your way to join one of the larger camps.
If, on the other hand, you are a Patrol from the country, you can make your way up to a big town, with the idea of seeing its buildings, its zoological gardens, circuses, museums, etc.
You would, of course, have to do your daily good turn whenever opportunity presented itself, but besides that, you should do good turns to farmers and others who may allow you the use of their barns and land, as a return for their kindness.
Mountaineering
Mountaineering is grand sport in many parts of the world. Finding your way and making yourself comfortable in the mountains bring into practice all your Scoutcraft.
In mountain climbing you are continually changing your direction, because, moving up and down in the deep gullies of the mountainside, you lose sight of the landmarks which usually guide you. You have to watch your direction by the sun and by your compass, and keep on estimating in what direction your proper line of travel lies.
Then again you are very liable to be caught in fogs and mists, which upset the calculations even of men who know every inch of the country.
On steep hill sides the Scout staff will often come in handy for balancing yourself.
Lost in the Mountains
I had such an experience in Scotland one year, when, in company with a Highlander who knew the ground, I got lost in the mist. Supposing that
he knew the way, I committed myself entirely to his guidance. But after going some distance I felt bound
to remark to him that I noticed the wind had suddenly changed. It had been blowing from our left when we started, and was now blowing hard on our right cheek. However, he seemed in no way disturbed and led on. Presently I remarked that the wind was blowing behind us, so that either
the wind, or the mountain, or we ourselves were turning round.
Eventually it proved, as I expected, that it was not the wind that had turned, nor the mountain. It was ourselves who had wandered round in a complete circle. We were back almost at the point
we started from.
Using Climbing Ropes
Scouts working on a mountain ought to practise the art of roping themselves together, as mountaineers do on icy slopes.
When roped together each man has about fourteen feet between himself and the next man. The rope is fastened round his waist, by a loop, with the knot on his left side. A loop takes up about 4 ft. 6 in. of rope, and should be a bowline at the ends of the rope, and a manharness knot for
central men on the rope.
Each man has to keep well back of the man in front of him, so that the rope is tight all the time. Then if one falls or slips, the others lean away from him with all their weight, and hold him up till he regains his footing.
Patrolling
Scouts go about Scouting as a Patrol or in pairs, or sometimes singly.
When patrolling, the Scouts of a Patrol seldom move close together. They spread out to see more country. Also, in this way, they will not all get caught if cut off or ambushed by the “enemy”.
A Patrol of six Scouts best moves in the shape of a kite with the Patrol Leader in the centre. No. 2 Scout is in front, Nos. 5 and 4 to the right and left, No. 3 to the rear, and No. 6 with the leader (No. 1) in the centre.
If there are eight in the Patrol, the Patrol Leader takes the Tenderfoot with him, No. 2 takes No. 6, and No. 3 takes No. 7.
Patrols going over open country where they are likely to be seen by enemies or animals should get across it as quickly as possible, by mov
ing at Scout’s Pace, walking and running alternately for short spells of fifty paces from one point of cover to another. As soon as they are hidden in cover they can rest and look round before making the next move.
If you are the leading Scout and get out of sight ahead of your Patrol, you can bend branches of bushes or of reeds and grass every few yards, making the heads point forward to show your path. In this way the Patrol or anyone coming after you can easily follow and can judge from the freshness of the grass pretty well how long ago you passed. Besides, you can always find your way back again. Or you can make marks in the sand, or lay stones, or show which way you have gone by the signs which I have given you in Yarn No. 4.
Night Work
Scouts must be able to find their way equally well by night or by day. But unless they practise it frequently, they are very apt to lose themselves by night. Distances seem greater and landmarks are hard to see. Also you are apt to make more noise than by day, by accidentally treading on dry sticks or kicking stones.
If you are watching for an enemy at night, you have to trust much more to your ears than to your eyes. Your nose will also help you, for a Scout is well-practised at smelling out things. A man who has not damaged his sense of smell by smoking can often smell an enemy a good distance away. I have done it many times myself.
When patrolling at night, Scouts keep closer together than by day, and in very dark places, such as woods, they keep touch with each other in single file by each catching hold of the end of the next Scout’s staff.
When working singly in the dark, the Scout staff is most useful for feeling the way and pushing aside branches.
Scouts working apart from each other at night keep up communication by occasionally giving the call of their Patrol animal.
All Scouts should know how to guide themselves by the stars.
Finding the Way
Among the Red Indian scouts, the man who was good at finding his way in a strange country was termed a “pathfinder”. It was a great honour to be called by that name.
Many a “tenderfoot” has become lost in the veldt or forest, and has never been seen again, because he knew no scouting, nor had what is called “eye for the country”.
In one case a man got off a coach, which was driving through Matabeleland, while the mules were being changed, and walked off a few yards into the bush. When the coach was ready to start the drivers called for him in every direction, then searched for him. They followed the man’s
tracks as far as they could, in the very difficult soil of that country, but could not find him. At last, the coach, unable to wait any longer, continued its journey, after someone else had taken over the search.
Several weeks afterwards, the man was discovered, dead, nearly fifteen miles from where he had left the coach.
Don’t Get Lost
It often happens that when you are tramping alone through the bush, you become careless in noticing in what direction you are moving. You frequently change direction to get round a fallen tree, or over a rock or other obstacle and, having passed it, do not take up exactly the correct
direction again. A man’s inclination somehow is to keep edging to his right, and the consequence is that when you think you are going straight, you are really not doing so at all. Unless you watch the sun, or your compass, or your landmarks, you are very apt to find yourself going round in a big circle.
In such a case a “tenderfoot”, when he suddenly finds he has lost his bearings, at once loses his head and gets excited. He probably begins to run, when the right thing to do is to force yourself to keep cool and give yourself something useful to do—that is, to track your own footprints back again; or, if you fail in this, to collect firewood for making signal fires to direct those who will be looking for you.
The main point is not to get lost in the first instance.
Notice the Directions
When you start out for a walk or on patrolling, note the direction, by the compass. Also notice which direction the wind is blowing; this is a great help, especially if you have no compass, or if the sun is not shining.
Every old scout notices which way the wind is blowing when he turns out in the morning.
To find the way the wind is blowing when there is only very light air, throw up little bits of dry grass. Or hold up a handful of light dust and let it fall. Or wet your thumb and let the wind blow on it; the cold side of it will then tell you from which direction the wind comes.
Using Landmarks
Then you should notice all important landmarks for finding your way.
In the country the landmarks may be hills or prominent towers, steeples, curious trees, rocks, gates, mounds, bridges— any points, in fact, by which you could find your way back again, or by which you could instruct someone else to follow the same route. If you remember your landmarks going out you can always find your way back by them; but you should take care occasionally to look back at them after passing them, so that you can recognize them for your return journey.
The same holds good when you arrive in a strange town by train. The moment you step out from the station notice where the sun is, or which way the smoke is blowing. Also notice your landmarks—which is this case would be prominent buildings, churches, factory chimneys, names of streets and shops—so that when you have gone down several streets you can turn round an d find your way back to the station without difficulty. It is wonderfully easy when you have practised it a little, yet many people get lost when they have turned a few corners in a town they do not know.
Concentrate on Your Job
When you are acting as scout or guide for a party, move ahead of it and fix your whole attention and all your thoughts on what you are doing. You have to go by the very smallest signs, and if you talk and think of other things you are very apt to miss them. Old scouts generally are very silent people, from this habit of fixing their attention on the work in hand.
Very often a “tenderfoot” out for the first time will think that the leading scout looks lonely and will go up to walk or ride alongside of him and begin a conversation—until the scout shows by his manner or otherwise that he does not want the ‘‘tenderfoot” there.
On small steamers you may see a notice, “Don’t speak to the man at the wheel”. The same thing applies to a scout who is guiding a party.
Using a Compass
I am certain that you know that the needle of a compass has the habit of swinging round until it points in one definite direction.
If you followed the direction indicated by one end of the needle you would come out at a spot north of Canada, about 1400 miles from the North Pole. The reason for this is that at this spot there is a powerful magnetic force. It is this force which attracts the north point of the needle and
makes it point to “Magnetic North”.
North is only one of the compass points. Every sailor knows the other points of the compass by heart, and so should a Scout. I have talked a
good deal about north, but that is only because we usually figure north as a starting point. That is just for convenience—we could just as well use south.
Explorers seldom refer to compass points. They use compass degrees instead because they are more exact.
When you look at the compass chart you will notice that it is marked not only with the points, but also with figures running clockwise from 0
at the north point round to north again which also has the figure 360. So any point can be given either as a compass name or as a degree number. Thus, east is 90 degrees, south is 180, west is 270, and so on. Instead of saying S.E. we can say 135 degrees.
How a Compass Helped My Career
Knowing the right way to use a compass helped to give me a good start in my army career.
It was this way:
With a number of other young officers I was being tested in surveying. We had to take a reading with our compass to a certain spot, and from there to another point, and from there to a third point. If one did it correctly, this
last reading should land us exactly at the spot whence we started.
But it means extreme care to take an accurate reading. If you misread your compass’ by not much more than a hair’s breadth you would fail. Only one of our party had been exact enough to succeed, and who do think that was?
Little me!
As a result of this and a few good marks in other subjects, I got promoted with extra pay, with which I was able to buy the best horse I ever had.
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