Robert Robert - Scouting for Boys

North by the Stars

Various groups of stars have been given names because they seemed to make some kind of picture outline of men and animals.

Two stars of the Plough or Big Dipper point towards the Pole Star

The Big Dipper or Plough is an easy one to find. It is shaped something like a dipper or a plough. It is the most useful star group for a Scout to know, because in the northern part of the world it shows him where north is. The Plough is part of the Great Bear. The stars in the curve make its tail. It is the only bear I know that wears a long tail.

Pole Star—The two stars in the Plough called the Pointers tell you where the North or Pole Star is. It is the last star in the tail of the Little Bear. All stars and constellations move round the sky during the night, but the Pole Star remains fixed in the north.

Orion—Another group of stars, or constellations, represents a man wearing a sword and belt, and is named Orion. It is easily recognized by three stars in a line, the “belt”, and three smaller stars in another line, close by, the “sword”. Two stars to right and left below the sword are Orion’s feet, two more above the belt are his shoulders, and a group of three small stars between them make his head.

The Zulus call Orion’s belt and sword the “Ingolubu”, or three pigs pursued by three dogs. The Masai tribe in East Africa say that the three stars in Orion’s belt are three bachelors being followed by three old maids. You see, scouts all know Orion, though under different names.

The great point about Orion is that by him you can always tell which way the North or Pole Star lies, and you can see him whether you are in the south or the north part of the world.

If you draw a line, by holding up your staff against the sky, from the centre star of Orion’s belt through the centre of his head,

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.