The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-02-03
WHAT TO DO IF LOST IN THE
 WOODS.


 Ut is remarkable how easily man., who in the city or ordinary semi-coun- try suburbs seems to have well de- fined sense of direction, will get com pletely lost or turned around when he gets out in the real woods, where the straight timber extends for miles," re- marked a well-known Rochester busi- ness man who always makes a point of spending his vacation far away from any city. Perhaps it is because the circumstances are so completely changed that the brain is a little con fused to start with. Whatever the reason, is a fact that not only the green city man, but often the man wilo is more or less used to the woods will often get absolutely turner around, so that he will either go round and round in a circle, or perhaps even turn back on the path where he has come and all the time thinking he is walking straight ahead.
 Perhaps there Is a sort of instinct in a man like that law Of physics governing the pahth of moving bodies which tends to impel him to go in a circle, unless he knowingly directs his course in somem other line. For it is a fact that not only the man who is new to the woods tends to walk in a circle when he has lost his way, but I have known cases where even guides mad men familiar with woodland life have done thesame thing. And while I never personally knew of such cases, I have heard of occasions where even Indians did tthesamething, though such instances are excessively rare, as the Indian seems to have an instinct which is almost as reliable as that of the homing pigeon for distances and direc- tion,
 However, it isn't getting lost in tfle woods that is the difficult problem, but the finding your way again ,whe once you have got mixed up. And this problem is made all the more difficult by the number of methods given by which man may get his directions strengthened out, ths same methods of ten failingmiserably when put to a real test. For instance, some people say with an air of wisdom that there are more branches on the south side of trees, while others teel us that there is moremoss on the north side of trees and rocks. Trees .brancn most toward thte open spaces, where there is room to spread their branches, whether it is north or south. Firs and spruces branch very near symmetrically, no matter what the situation.
 "As to moss, sometimes trees moss more on one side and sometimes on the otther I have carefully tested the matter with a compass in various To- cations mad find that tflere is no pos sible way to get any help as to direc- ton by looking at either limbs or moss; though it is favorite idea of wriers to tell of people finding their way by look nig at branches and moss. I have never known of any woodsman being guided in that way.
 ittuaa ftafdoutt nsonceyutotegnmed ,te
 "Other would-be guides say that the tips of hemloek and cedar point north, Now the actual fact is that no one in the woods can see the tops of trees even in bright days, unless he is upon a hill above them orin some road or open space. In most cases when men are lost it is on dark rainy or snowy, or cloudy days, when there would be nc chance to see the tree tops; but ii