Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1912-08-30
GETTING cost IN THE WOODS

: pericnccd young WOOdsman Is tina
4 0f getting lost. Such an adventure
is often very trying and unpleasant
but as a rule The consequences are
v mol really serious. There is only
I. one sure way Of avoiding the dan
II ger carry compass when travel
II ing through the unknown wilder
ness. BY consulting The instrument
lot frequent intervals one can with
fybsOluie surety reirace ones course
or reach any desired destination.
N But there are many young cam
Ipers and old ones too. who do not
know how 10 use a compass. First
remember that the point OF The
lDee0le always points north. Next
turn lie box Of the compass aroun
until the letter n is in its proper
position al the point OF the needle.
ieu Then have the compass pro-
paFly set and can accurately mark
on your journey.
If sou are DESTROYS of reaching
q spot beyond your range Of vision
consult a reliable map of the re-
gIon. Next lay a ruler across The
distance and direction Of the place
chart and ascertain the air line"
distance and direction Of the place.
you desire to reach. Then place
the compass beside the ruler and !
you ccan tell the degree and di-
rection you must travel TO reach |
your goal. You may be slightly |
confused when, after starting, you
take the compass from your poe
ket and see the needle pointing s
or W or anywhere on the dial but
n.
Remember that il is pointing N
and turn the box
around TO make the letters agree.
Then you can resume the proper
with out the slightest hes
Itancy. Never follow your compass
when the needle points anywhere
but n. In other words always set
he letter n at the noint of the
needle before attempting to take
your bearings.
OF course if you wish 10 reach
ome place within sight from home
I will only be necessary TO train I
our compass on it and then travel
II the proper direction. To train l
our compass on an objective point /
lace the instrument on the ground 1
work the box around until O
on have every one of the letters y
D their correct positions and then I
ote the exact direction of the land h
mark you wish to reach. The
'oodsman should buy the best com r.
ass he can afford. II need not be n
rovided with a sun dial and other {;
incy and usless ornaments but p
should be plainly marked and d
Uttered and should contain the $50 r,
egreeS of circle. bI
Provided with a good compass the m
Dung camper may roam the woods tr
it'll no fear Of getting lost. Until r
+ is familiar with the lay of the fl
iuntry he should travel only on IN
raight lines as he can and then en-
turn to camp by simply following yc
Ie opposite direction. In other
ords if he has journeyed south
will return by travelling north, in
if he departs from camp in us
easterly direction he must re- am
I'm toward the west. ily
While compass is indispensable ha
unfamiliar country, still a real ed
,odsman should be able to find in,
: way through the forest by
her means as we'll. Much has been
'itten about various "infalible"
,hls which are supposed to show ~
the points of the compass. The ler
ung woodsman should place lit in
faith in such guides True, tic
'st trees especially those on high sw
ices, lean toward the east and Joy
itheast; they have been slanted ulc
that direction by the fierce win pin
gales from the west and north err
ST.
Agan the willows usually grow
ar water and by following a o
cam the traveller probably will ma
ne upon road, bridge or
airing. Following a stream is an,
,ut the safest way for the cam the
: TO learn the topography of The na'
lntry about him. II the stream - :.
a narrow one he should drop NO,
mall tree across it at the spot wh,
ere he starts his journey; or he Wa
y build mound Of stones il
stream is too wide to span.
aving done either he can wander g
lg the brookside with no worry wh'
ut loosing himself, for to return mai
has only to follow the stream "h,
X to his land mark Another "