and carry that line on through two big stars till it comes to a third, that third star is the North or Pole Star.
A line through Orion will eventually
reach the Pole or North Star
In the Southern Hemisphere,
the Southern Cross tells the directions.
Southern Cross—On the south side of the world, in South Africa, South America, New Zealand and Australia, the Plough is not visible. Here the Southern Cross points toward south (see diagram). If you carry your eye along the same direction, A, as the long stem of the Cross for a distance of about three times its length, the point you hit will be about due south. Or if you imagine a line between the two Pointers and another imaginary line, B, standing upright on this first line and continued until it cuts the line A in continuation of the stem of the Cross, the point where A and B cut each other will be the south.
Weather Wisdom
Every Scout ought to be able to read signs of the weather, especially when going camping, and to read a barometer.
He should remember the following points:
Red at night, shepherd’s delight (i.e. fine day coming).
Red in morning, shepherd’s warning (i.e. rain).
Yellow sunset means wind.
Pale yellow sunset means rain.
Dew and fog in early morning mean fine weather.
Low dawn means fine weather.
High dawn means wind (high dawn is when the sun rises over a bank of clouds, high above the horizon).
Soft clouds, fine weather. Hard-edged clouds, wind.
Rolled or jagged clouds, strong wind.
“When the ‘wind’s before the rain,
Soon you may make sail again;
When the rain’s before the ‘wind
Then your sheets and halyards mind.”
PATROL PRACTICES IN FINDING WAY
Use compass directions whenever possible, such as “N.W. corner of room”, “E. side of camp site”, etc.
Practice moving in the direction of a compass point. Take a direction, say N.E. Pick out some landmark—tree, mound, rock—in line with the direction given; this mark should not be too far away. Walk to that point, and repeat the operation by picking out another mark on which to
move.
Then continue further practice using degrees instead of points. Practice finding compass directions with watch and by the stars.
Send out Patrols with compass directions to take them by separate routes to meeting place.
When possible, point out constellations in night sky. Learn to recognize the Big Dipper and the
Pole Star and Orion.
Night movements can be practiced in daylight by covering the eyes with a bandage made of several thicknesses of black crepe or similar material. The staff should be used.
Use local map for map reading and finding way by the map.
GAMES IN PATHFINDING
Follow the Map
A Patrol is taken in patrolling formation into a strange town or into an intricate piece of strange country, with a map. Here sealed instructions are opened, telling where the Patrol is, and where it is to go to. Each Scout now in turn leads the Patrol, say, for seven minutes if cycling, fifteen minutes if walking. Each Scout is to find the way entirely by the map, and points are given for ability in reading.
Mountain Scouting
At daybreak three Scouts are sent out as “hares” to hide themselves in the mountains. After breakfast, a party of “hounds” set out to find the “hares” before a certain hour, say 4 P.M. If the hounds find them, even with field-glasses, it counts, provided that each finder can say definitely what “hare” he spotted. Certain limits of ground must be given, beyond which anyone would be out of, bounds, and therefore disqualified.
Learn to pack your camp gear properly. In Africa and North America, they often use a tump-line on the head to help support the load.
On Trek
Make a “wilderness” trek, each Scout carrying his kit and food packed in a bundle on his head. Walk in single file, with a Scout 200 yards out in front to indicate the road to follow by Scout signs. Make bridge over stream or raft over lake; cross boggy ground on faggots.
To teach your Scouts individually, ideas of direction and distance, send each out in a different direction on some such order as this: “Go two miles to North-north-east. Write a report to show exactly where you are, with sketch map to explain it. Bring in your report as quickly as possible”. Then test by ordnance maps or otherwise to see how far he was out of the distance and direction ordered.
Send out Scouts in pairs, to compete each pair against the other. Each pair to be started by a different route to gain the same spot, finding the way by map, and to reach the goal without being seen by the others on the way. This develops map-reading, eye for country, concealment, look-out, etc.
For judging time: Send out Scouts in different directions, each with a slip of paper that tells him how long he is to be away—say seven minutes for one, ten for another, and so on. Note down exact time of starting, and take it again on the return of the Scouts. They must be put on their
honour not to consult watches or clocks.
Find the North
Scouts are posted thirty yards apart, and each lays his staff on the ground pointing to what he considers the exact north (or south), without using any instrument. He steps back three paces away from his staff. The umpire compares each stick with the compass. The one that is nearest,
wins. This is a useful game to play at night, or on sunless days as well as sunny days.
Night Patrolling
Scouts can practise hearing and seeing at night by acting as “sentries”, who stand or walk about, while other Scouts try to stalk up to them. If a sentry hears a sound he calls or whistles. The stalking Scouts must at once halt and lie still. The umpire comes to the sentry and asks which
direction the sound came from. If he is right, the sentry wins. If the stalker can creep up within fifteen yards of the sentry without being seen, he deposits some article, such as a handkerchief, on the ground at that point, and creeps away again. Then he makes a noise to cause the sentry to sound an alarm, and when the umpire comes up, he explains what he has done. This game can also be practiced by day, with the sentries blindfolded.
The Red Indians used to transport their teepees and equipment on a carrier made by lashing sticks together. It was called a “travois”.
Compass Points
Eight staffs are arranged in star fashion on the ground, all radiating from the centre. One staff should point due north.
One Scout takes up his position at the outer end of each staff, and represents one of the eight principal points of the compass.
The Scoutmaster now calls out any two points, such as S.E. and N., and the two Scouts concerned must immediately change places. To change, Scouts must not cross the staffs, but must go outside the circle of players. Anyone moving out of place without his point being named, or moving to a wrong place or even hesitating, should lose a mark. When three marks have been lost the Scout should fall out.