Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-02-15

was a little too big for them, so I
wrote another which they now use. In
planning my methods I have received
hints from great many famous men
who had varied theories regarding boy
life, such as Ernest Thompson Seton
and Daniel Carter Beard.
"The actual British precursors Of
the scouts were the Irish Boys of a
thousand years ago who were known
in a body as the knights Of the Red
Branch. They lived as much as pos
sible like knights, acted like them
except that they did not fight, and
instead of carrying swords and spears
they carried an ashen staff.
by scouting l do not mean the
military work as carried on during
active service. The scouting we are
considering has nothing to do with
this. There is another form, which
one might term peace scouting,
such as-beginning with the knights
Of old, continued through the Eliza
bethan adventures and the latter-day
explorers-is now usual with from.
tiersmen of our empire in every cor.
ner of the world. The pioneer OF
civilization in Central Africa; the
ranchmen, cowboys, and trappers OF
the west, the drovers and bushmen
of Australia; the explorers of the Arc
tic and Antarctic regions; the hunters
and prospectors of South Africa; mis-
sionaries In all parts of the uncivil
| lied world; and the constabularies
of northwest Canada, South Africa
etc., are all peace scouts men accus
toned to live on their own resourc
es, taking their lives in their hands
brave and loyal to their employers
chivalrous and helpful to each other
unselfish and reliable. Men, in fact
of the best type. These are the
peace-scouts of the Empire, anC
there Is no reason why we should no
train large number of our boys Il
follow in their footsteps as regard.
character and manliness."
Sir Robert has a clear picture o
an ideal scout. He says he can tel
one at a glance. "The scout" h
said, docs not stink by me on tn,
road, pretending not to see me lik,
the ordinary shy boy, but he look
at me like man and gives salut
or a good morning. and walks pas
like grenadier. And if I speak t
him, he doesn't hang his head, an
murmur something l can't hear; b
holds his head up and speaks out
and says what he means. That i
what like about scout. So do l.
and so do many other people, 70
very many have said the same to me
and I am glad to hear it.
I'VE English have the talent @
woodcraft and the spirit of adventur
and independence already Unborn i
our blood to an extent TO which n
! other nationality can lay claim, an
therefore among our soldiers W
ought to find the best material in tn
. world for scouts. Were we to TAX
) this material and rightly train it /
that art whose value has been d
noted in the term half the battle
: we ought to make up in useful me
. much of deficiency in numbers"
Sir Robert believes in strenuot
1 discipline and hard training. H
stoical indifference is shown by
story told of him. Zone day." sa
a friend Of him. "as a brigade-mai,
he appeared on the field carrying b
right arm in sling, and his hand
a loose, black CASHMERE binding. +
had been bitten by dog, and WI
undergoing treatment TO prevent DC
sible hydrophobia. Part of the Gu
was that so many times a day Il
hand should be held in boiling wate
= Baden-Powell procured a spirit-lan
and a small white-enameled saul