The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1905-01-06
SKILL IN WOODCRAFT
HOW THE BusHMAN FINDS HIS WAY
BY MEANS OF LANDMARKS,


Every Detail of a Route Over Which
He Has Once Passed Is Photograph
ed ON the Brain of the Alert and
Observant Trapper.
What appears marvellous and posi-
lively uncanny to town person is
simple, to a bushman.
Years of continuous observation de-
velop the bump of locality; every object
has place 2nd meaning to trapper;
his eye is ever on the alert, and what
his eye sees is photographed on the
brain and remains there for future
reference at any time he may require
it.
This bump of locality is highly de-
veloped in all Indians and whites who
have passed many years in the bush.
Without the faculty of remembering
objects bushman could not find his
way through the forests.
Provided the trapper has once passed
from one place to another he is pretty
sure to find his way through the Sec
ond time even if years should have
elapsed between the trips. Every OBJ
ject from start to finish is an index
finger pointing out the right path. A
sloping path, leaning tree, moss
covered rock, slight elevation in land,
a cut in the hills, the water in the
creek, an odd looking stone, blasted
tree-all help as guides as the observ-
ant trapper makes his way through a
painless forest
OF course this tax on the memory is
not required of trappers about set
tied part Of the country, but am tell
ing of what is absolutely necessary for
the safety of ones life in the faraway
wilds Of the north, where to lose ones
self might mean death.
Followed an Indian guide once over
a trail of $50 miles, wherein we snow
shoed over mountains, through dense
bush, down rivers and over lakes. To
test my powers of a retentive memory
the following winter, when dispatches
again had to be taken to headquarters,
/ asked the Indian to allow me to act
as guide, he following.
On that long journey of ten or twelve
days, always walking and continually
thinking out the road, l was in doubt
only once. We were standing on the
ice. A tongue Of land stood out to-
ward us, bay on either side. The
portage leaving the lake was at the
bottom of one of these bays, but
which? The Indian had halted almost
on the tails of my snowshoes and en-
joyed my hesitation, but said moth
ing. To be assured Of no mistake !
had to pass over the whole of last
winters trip in my minds eye to the
point on which we stood. Once the
retrospect caught up with us, there
was not further trouble. Our route
was down the left hand bay.
When the Indian saw me start in
that direction he said, "A-a-ke-pu-ka-
tan" eyes, yes, you are able'o.
The most difficult proposition to tao
kle is a black spruce swamp. The
trees are mostly of uniform size and
height, the surface of the snow is per-
fectly level. and at times our route
lies miles through such a country, and
should there be dull leaden sky or a
gentle snow falling there is nothing
for the guide to depend on but his abil-
ity to walk straight.
1t has been written time and again
that the tendency, when there are nc
landmarks, is to walk in circle.
By constant practice those who are
brought up in the wilds acquire the
ability to walk in straight line. They
begin by beating a trail from point to
point on some long stretch of ice, and
in the bush where any tree or obstruc-
ton bars the way they make up for
any deviation from the straight course
by give and take process so that the
general line of march is straight.
During forty years in the country
never knew an Indian or white bush
2an to carry compass. Apart from a
black spruce swamp it would be nc
use whatever.
In going from one place to another
the contour of the country has to be
considered, and very frequently the
longest way round is he,shortest way
home" A ridge Of mountains might
lie between the place of starting and
the objective point, and by making q
detour round the spur one would easier
reach his destination rather than to
climb up one side and down the other.
If I were to tell you as fact that
when a busxman sees the track Of
some wild animal in the snow he car
tell you not only the name Of the ami
NAL, but If it was male or female. with
in en- hour of the time the tracks were
made. if it was calm or blowing and
the direction of the wind at that time
and many other minor things. you
would think this wonderful. Yet, as
wonderful as this may appear and
hardly to be credited. an Indian boy
of ten or twelve can read this page
from nature as easily as one of us car
read a page of print.-Forest and
Stream.
Trademarks.
The practice of employing mark tt
l. - - 49, H..