Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-11-30
LOST IN THE WOODS
Curious and Useful Remarks by an
 Expert.

Let the man who is lost in the woods be careful not to overexert himself. His chief dangers lie Tn panic and overexertion, and though he may be in a great hurry to find shelter, must warn him to go slow ly. Two miles an hour, on an aver age. through the snow in the woods Is all that a man in his condition will be able to stand without over fatigue and it's attendant dangers, overheating and precipitation. By exercising caution, man may live through a week of what he is under going. To make this article brief, however, we shall suppose that he regains the road by the afternoon or < the first day, He doesn't yet know, X of course, just where he is. He should examine the tracks Of the person who last passed that way. It beins afternoon, he must follow in the direction taken by the last pas sing vehicle or team, as shelter will be nearest in that direction. Had 1t been morning he would have taken the opposite direction, as whoever made the tracks must have come from the place where he obtained shelter the previous night.
 We must make our traveller who IS lost in the woods as comfortable as possible while waiting for the sky to clear. Let him first find place as well sheltered as possible. A fallen tree will serve him. But before deciding on his camping place he should look about to see that there is plenty of dead wood. Then, fro' an area of six feet square beside the fallen tree, he must clear away the snow using his feet if nothing else Is available. and in the space thus cleared kindle fire of birch bark and dry wood, piling on the wood until the fire entirely covers the cleared ground. While there is a good fire burning, he may gather large number of boughs of spruce, balsam or cedar. If these are not to be had, the best substitutes Tor bed-making is brush. When several armfuls have been gathered ana placed near the fire to extract the frost. let him begin gathering dry and dead wood, and not until he thinks he has enough for two nights can he be reasonably sure of nav ing a sufficient quantity for one night. After the fire has been burn ing about an hour all may be cleared away. The ground will be found dry and quite warm Then this space Is to be covered with the gathered houghs and on the leeward side Of inc bed thus prepared a fire should he built. This fire ought not to be large. as a draught would be created and moreover. the smoke would be annoying to the sleeper. He is now assured of warmth sufficient to pre- vent him from freezing.
 Let us now take the case of man ,ost in the woods in winter storm, ,wenty-five miles from the nearest railroad or travelled road of any kind Tn the first place how does he know that he is lost? Because, as soon as .s he misses his bearings. he will inva- iably begin travelling in circle and 'sA entually recross his tracks. All na,sle naturally step further with one foot than with the other. Some circle to the right, others to the left, or without direction all describe a circle.
 It is storming. so that the lost man cannot find his direction by the sun. Theoretically, there are great many ways of finding direction in the woods-moss grows thickest on the ntrth side of a tree. branches are heaviest on the south side, Norway hines lean toward the east, etc, but these things depend so much upon surrounding conditions such as light and shade. moisture and dryness or the slope of the ground, that, unless one Is versed in woodcraft, they will Nonly serve to confuse him. So let him stop right where he is and wait for the sun or the stars, the only positive means of determining di- rection without a compass.-outing