The suburban citizen., 1902-08-02
WHEN LOST IN A FOREST
sREcAUTloN FOR THOSE RscREAT.
ING IN THE WILDERNESS.

| the Trai1-First, Establish Base
Then Begin Short Trips in Different
Directions.
Some excellent advice is given by
George KEENAN,, the famous explorer
and writer, in The Outlook, concerning
The precautions which a man should
take who goes out into the wilderness
! COR recreation at this time Of year He
introduces his recommendation by tell
ing how visitor to a forest camp in
West Virginia strayed from a path and
learly perished in consequence. The
suggestions offered by Mr.. KEENAN,
may be valueless to persons who have
lived in the woods much, They are in
tended only for the Inexperienced. The
latter class is a large one, however.
When a man first recognizes the fact
rhat he strayed from the trail, ow-
ing TO its indlstinctness or his own alb
sentmindedness, Mr. KEENAN, says, he
Is apt to get excited and rush around
wildly, first in one direction and then
in another, thus making it more diff
cult for him to find the trail once
more. and also increasing the trouble
which his rcscuers must take to dis.
cover him. 1t will often happen that
4 man will not be more than a short
distance from the trail when he per-
ceives that he has lost 1t. He may find
it again, under these circumstances, If
he proceeds cautiously. But If he does
not succeed, at least he should so act
that the task Of hunting him up by
others will be comparatively easy.
The first recommendation is to stop
instantly, on realizing that the track
Is not visible, and to establish base"
as a military man would put it. A
more simple expression Is, create a
! good landmark" This is to be accom-
plished by cutting or breaking q
tree branch so that it will hang up
side down and have its leaves invert.
ed. The difference between the tint Of
the upper and lower surfaces will make
this object perceptible at a considera-
BILE distance, but its distinctness should
be increased by tying a white handker-
chief to it in as conspicuous place as
possible. This should be visible on all
sides. If the landmark be located in a
slight opening, where the trees are not
too close together, so much the better,
and it should be high enough to be seen
over intervening bushes.
The next step is to begin series of
short trips in different directions from
the base, returning after each one to
that central point If the sought for trail
is not picked up in the meantime. If
the man has compass so much the
better. Even if he has not, though, he
can explore in four Tor eight nearly
equidistant lines from the base by
marking his path along each one.
Breaking branches or blazing a patch
on tree trunk with a pocket knife,
VIII enable him to find his way back,
IL he once gets out of sight Of the hand
kerchief, These clews will also be
useful to search parties If the lost man
does not quickly recover the trail. In
that case he should return to the land
mark and stay as near it as possible.
trail is a route in the forest that
has been followed so few times rs tc
be worn very slightly. Only Ike and
practiced eyes can detect it. bat IL
should be remembered that it is much
more distinct when looked at length
wise than crosswise. A man who has
lost it may actually walk right over IT
from one side to the other while hunt
ing for it. Hence, when exploring IN
the manner just described one should
so cautiously, and glance both to the
right and left as well as ahead.
A compass, an emergency army ra
tlon, a pint cup with folding handle
and few matches should always bt
carried on such trips. One should also
secure before going into the woods c
map of the region, showing the road:
and streams within a few miles. ant
studying it in advance, so as to be ia
miliar with the country even wlthou
having the map at hand
The method pursued by Mr.. Kenna1
and a companion in seeking the mar
who was lost is worth noting. TIL,
trail led from a small camp IL
the forest to farmhouse anC
store more than twenty mile
away. From this farmhouse one coul,
get back to civilization easily. Th,
stranger, after a short visit in camp
was escorted to within two or thre,
miles of the farmhouse, and then, a,
the trail seemed distinct, he insisted OF
sending his escort back. A day or tw,
later Mr.. KEENAN, left the camp 70
the farm to get some butter, and thel
learned that the stranger had not re
appeared. He and Mr.. Mckinney, tn
farmer, Immediately started out to
ward camp each planning to keel
nearly a mile away from the other OF
opposite sides of the trail They wer
to fire their rifles at fifteen-mlnute in
tervals, as signals TO each other S,
that they might not get too far apart
and also to attract the attention of tn
stranger. A final discharge of fou
guns, when the search seemed to hav
proved useless, elected faint human
cries which drew the searchers to tn
spot where the wanderer was. Relic
4 ItuV WgF !