Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-16
PLAYING INDIAN.
"BALD- EAGLE" TELLS ABOUT ERNEST
THOMPSON SETON'S "wOODCRAFTERS''-
MAKING THE CAMP.
Copyright, 1904, by K. N. Bfrdsall.)

BALD EAGLE" TELLS ABOUT ERNEST
THOMPSON SETON'S "wOODCRAFTERS''--
MAKING THE CAMP.
Copyright, 1904, by &. N. Bfrdsali.)
Thousands of boys all over the United
States have become enthusiastic Indians
or woodcrafters under the leadership of
Mr.. Ernest Thompson Seton. These weekly
articles tell how the games are played. and
give much informa ton about woodcraft and
camping besides. To know how to build
and set up and manage a real Indian teepee
is an achievement in itself, and these talks
tell how it Is done.
Hurrah for the woods, wild and free
Now breathe deep of the pure air and
shout your loudest, with fears of disturb
ing one. =
Choose the dryest spot you can find for
the teepee. where no water will run under
them If IT rains. Make the ground clear
and smooth. Drive small peg in the mid
die and with string and stick mark
circle as wide as the teepee will be. That
is, If you have a ten-foot teepee a string
five feet long will give you a ten-foot
circle.
While two braves are doing this let all the
others go for poles. You need at least
twelve OF them, and they must be two feet
longer than the size of your teepee. a
ten-foot teepee needs twelve-foot poles,
siXteen-foot teepee needs eighteen foot
poles. The more poles you have the better
you car stretch the cover over them But
ten, with two others for the smoke flaps
will do Let them be straight and smooth
When the poles are ready the two braves
who are most skillful should put up the
tent, assisted by a third to cut strong pegs,
an inch and half thick and a foot and a
half long, to pin down the tent cover. You
need many of these as there are loops
along the edge The rest of the tribe may
cut small balsam or hemlock twigs, or
gather dry grass or leaves. while two go
for timbers six inches thick and six feet
long All this is for the beds.
To put up the tent take three of the
poles and tie them together two feet from
their ends, using one end of a thirty-foot
rope Set these poles up like a tripod, the
feet equally apart. and touching the circle
that was marked on the camp site.
Now take all the remaining poles but
three and set them up. their feet on the
circle, their tops resting where the first
three poles cross Leave room for one
more pole on the side opposite to where
the door will come Take the loose end Of
the thirty-foOt rope. carry 1t outside the
circle and walk several times around the
tent, drawing the rope tight at every turn
This will tie the poles securely together
at the angle or neck where they cross. Drive
a stout pin with hook to 1t just inside
the circle. draw the rope tightly down and
secure 1t to the pin. This makes good
strong anchor.
Take the middle point of the straight side
of the tent cover and tie 1t firmly near the
top of one Of the three remaining poles
Set the pole up In the vacant space oppo-
site the door Draw the wings OF the
cover around the poles. put In some lacins
pins about the size of a lead pencil, drive
pins through loops at the bottom, set the
two poles against the sides of the tent.
their ends in the pockets of the smoke
flaps to hold them out-and the teepee Is
up If well pegged down 1t will Withstand
a great deal of wind and rain.
For the fireplace dig a hole eighteen
inches wide and five inches deep. A row
of small stones around the edge or TINS
opening will keep things from rolling into
the FIRE To manage the draft 50 that the
smoke will pass readily out of the teepee
must be learned by Experience. That Is
a fine part of Indian woodcraft TWO points
to know are be sure of dry wood ana Keep
the smoke flaps pointed well away from
the wind. Sometimes you Will need the
door open sometimes closed. But remem-
Der that tbs teepee Is the only KIND or a
tent IN which an open fire can be manasea.
When the six-foot timbers for the beds
are ready stake them down in pairs. Tour
feet apart, the outer one of each pair being
close to the edge Of the teepee Ihe tlmoers
are held in place by stakes driven at the
sides. and the boughs, leaves or grass are
heaped between. An eighteen-foot tent VIII
hold five such beds; twelve-foot tent VIII
hold three.
door campfire 1t requires no preparation
but the gathering of wood One other very
important feature Is the cooking fire This
| better be at one side, and close TO the pace
| where the provisions will be kept. Build
| two walls of stone. four feet long. one root
! high and one foot apart. Close one end with
| stones and place large fiat stones over the
top leaving smoke hole at the back. and
| a spaca at the front end over which green
sticks may be laid. These Will support pots
| or pans long enough to cook meal. Food
| will keep warm a long time on the hot flat
| stones.
Boxes in which the provisions come pack
| ed may be nailed up between two saphngs
| or against a large tree, making convenient
| cupboards to keep the food clean and dry
In front Of the camp and facing II put up
! the totem pole on which is fastened a board
| or other fat surface with the totem painted
| on It. And now we have comfortapie
| camp. ready for any kind of weather. and
| especially ready for good time. Don't for-
| get to keep enough dry wood on hand for
| a three-days rain.
Here are some more Of the exploits as
| proposed by Mr. Seton. 1t will be noticed
| that the standard is high as the one set
| by the best athletic associations. 1t Is a
real achievement to accomplish any OF
| these stunts and the honor Is open to any
weodcrafter who will try. Where tribe Is
| composed of smaller boys who cannot be
expected to reach these standards. a lower
] schedule may be set by the council. But
keep 1t as high as possible.
Walk three and one-haf miles In one hour