Very few fellows learn these things when they are living in civilized places, because they have comfortable houses, and soft beds to sleep in. Their food is prepared for them, and when they want to know the way, they just ask a policeman.
Well, when those fellows try to go scouting or exploring, they find themselves quite helpless.
Take even your sports “hero” and put him down in the wilderness, alongside a fellow trained in camping, and see which can look after himself. High batting averages are not much good to him there. He is only a “tenderfoot”.
Woodcraft
Woodcraft is the knowledge of animals and nature.
You learn about different kinds of animals by following their tracks and creeping up to them so that you can watch them in their natural state and study their habits.
The whole sport of hunting animals lies in the woodcraft of stalking them, not in killing them. No Scout willfully kills an animal for the mere sake of killing but only when in want of food—unless it is harmful. By continually watching animals in the open, one gets to like them too well to shoot them.
Woodcraft includes, besides being able to see the tracks and other small signs, the power to read their meaning, such as at what pace the animal was going, whether he was frightened or unsuspicious, and so on. It enables the hunter also to find his way in the jungle or desert. It teaches him which are the best wild fruits and roots for his own food, or which are favourite food for animals, and, therefore, likely to attract them.
In the same way in inhabited places you read the tracks of men, horses, bicycles, automobiles, and find out from these what has been going on. You learn to notice, by small signs, such as birds suddenly starting up, that someone is moving near, though you cannot see him.
By noticing the behaviour or dress of people, and putting this and that together, you can sometimes see that they are up to no good. Or you can tell when they are in distress and need help or sympathy—and you can then do what is one of the chief duties of a Scout, namely, help those in distress in any possible way you can.
Remember that it is a disgrace to a Scout, when he is with other people, if they see anything big or little, near or far, high or low, that he has not already seen for himself.
Chivalry
Just like Saint George of old, the Boy Scouts of today fight against everything evil and unclean
In the old days the Knights were the real Scouts and their rules were very much like the Scout Law which we have now.
The Knights considered their honour their most sacred possession.
They would not do a dishonourable thing, such as telling a lie or stealing. They would rather die than do it. They were always ready to fight and to be killed in upholding their king, or their religion, or their honour.
Each Knight had a small following of a squire and some men-at-arms, just as our Patrol Leader has his Second (or Assistant) and four or five Scouts.
The Code of the Knights
The Knight’s patrol used to stick to him through thick and thin, and all carried out the same idea as their leader—namely:
Their honour was sacred.
They were loyal to God, their king, and their country.
They were particularly courteous and polite to all women and children, and weak people.
They were helpful to everybody.
They gave money and food where it was needed, and saved up their money to do so.
They taught themselves the use of arms in order to protect their religion and their country against enemies.
They kept themselves strong and healthy and active to be able to do these things well.
You Scouts cannot do better than follow the example of the Knights.
One great point about them was that every day they had to do a Good Turn to somebody, and that is one of our rules.
When you get up in the morning, remember that you have to do a Good Turn for someone during the day. Tie a knot in your handkerchief or neckerchief to remind yourself of it.
If you should ever find that you had forgotten to do your daily Good Turn, you must do two the next day. Remember that by your Scout Promise you are on your honour to do it. But do not think that Scouts need do only one Good Turn a day. They must do one, but if they can do fifty, so much the better.
As a Scout, you are obliged to do at least one Good Turn ever y day.
A Good Turn need only be a very small one. It is a Good Turn even if it is only putting a coin into a poor-box, or helping an old woman to cross the street, or making room on a seat for someone, or giving water to a thirsty horse, or removing a bit of banana skin off the pavement. But one must be done every day, and it only counts when you do not accept any reward in return.
Saving Life
The man who saves the life of a fellow-being, as he may do in the sudden appalling accidents which occur in big cities, mines, and factories, in everyday life, is no less a hero than the soldier who rushes into the thick of the fight to rescue a comrade amid all the excitement of battle.
Thousands of Boy Scouts have won medals for life-saving, and I hope that many more will do the same.
It is certain that many of you will, at one time or another, get a chance to save a life. But you must BE PREPARED for it. You should know what to do the moment an accident occurs— and do it then and there.
It is not enough to read about it in a book and think that you know what to do. You must actually practice, and practice often, the things to be done, such as how to cover your mouth and nose with a wet handkerchief to enable you to breathe in smoke; how to tear a sheet into strips and
make a rope for escaping from a fire; how to open a manhole to let air into a gassy sewer; how to lift and carry an insensible person; how to save, and revive apparently drowned people, and so on.
When you have learned all these things you will have confidence in yourself, so that when an accident happens and everybody is in a state of fluster, not knowing what to do, you can quietly step out and do the right thing.
Endurance
To carry out all the duties and work of a scout, a fellow has to be strong, healthy, and active. He can make himself so if he takes a little care about it.
It means a lot of exercise, like playing games, running, walking, cycling, and so on.
A Scout should sleep much in the open. A boy who is accustomed to sleep with his window shut may catch cold when he first tries sleeping out. The thing is always to sleep with your windows open, summer and winter, and you will not catch cold. Personally I cannot sleep with my
window shut or with blinds down, and when I stay in the country I like to sleep outside the house.
A short go of exercises every morning and evening is a grand thing for keeping you fit—not so much for making showy muscle as to work all your internal organs, and to work up the circulation of the blood in every part of you.