The Washington times., 1914-07-05
DISTRICT BOYS PUT
FINISH ON THE TRAIL
Washington Scouts Clear Tract
in Rear, While Others Grub
on Mountain Road.

WILD RIVER CAMP. Gilead. Me,
SShy 5.-Tha cold drizzlins rain of the
past week has interfered somewhat with
work on the trail In spite of this, how
ever. all members of the Washington
Scouts party arc in good spirits and
making the best of everything. All tent
age and supplies. delayed for several
days, has now arrived, and the camp
l. in good working condition. The big
cook tent, established on the grade of
an old logging railroad, is the scene of
actiTe operations Fresh air and plenty
IF exercise gives healthy appetites
Thee has nc. been a severe case Of
sickness since the boys arrived here.
Tho third wcci. bios fair to produce a
record for good work. Minor bruises
and the usual number Of cuts and burns
are all that are occurring among the
boys. These things provide opportunity
for display of first-aid knowledge. One
boy lets his knife slip and cuts his fin
ger. Immediately out comes his first
aid kit, and the wound is washed and
haruaged in approved fashion. Nearly
every boy has some scratch to display,
and yards and yards of antiseptic gauge
and roller bandlCe are used daily. Bis
tiers are promptly doctored, adhesive
plaster applied, and work is resumed.
Swimming Popular Pastime.
among the boys. The Wild River. dash
ing madly along over 4 rocky bed:
leaves here and there deep pools of cold,
clear water. Every day, after hard work
in the woods. there is rush to these
pools. Ceremony is dispensed with,
clothes are discarded, splash follows
splash. and the places are filed with
active white forms.
1t has become necessary to dispense
with the rigid discipline which was
put into effect during the first week.
The schedule established, two days on
the trail and one in camp, has also
been changed. All are now at work on
the trail Scoutmaster c. H. Mason. of
Boston. with eight boys of the Hub.
has the job of ''grubbing" the trail.
Most of the boys are big husky fellows.
so that this part of the work is in their
hands. Scoutmaster F. A. Greenhawk.
of Baltimore, has charge of cutting
at the head of the crew. Washington
boys. under direct supervision of
Scoutmaster c. D. Flagle, of Baltimore,
are clearing the tract in the rear.
The country is rough, and as work
progresses the roughness increases.
One hard days work, covering more
than a mile of ground along the sides
Of Shelburne and Middle Moriali noun
tains, cleared only one-eighth of a mile
Of the actual trail. The work here was
over a series of switch-backs on the
side of mountain so steep that 1t was
ulIIiCult IOr d man 10 clamDer up I'M
aided. This sort of work requires
pluck and endurance. This quality,
however, is being displayed by all.
Camp Fire Delightful.
The evening camp fire is always a
feature of the day, and tends to tighten
the boys spirits after the hard days
work. Songs, stories. and '1arks" of
the good-natured variety provide oppor-
tunity for relaxation from labor. Every
one in the vicinity has heard of the
Boy Scouts, apparently. Wherever one.
appears he is welcomed and made
much of. Visitors to camp are common,
especially at night, when the camp fire
is lighted. Members of parties staying
at the few camps in the vicinity, for
Csters, and even people from Gilead, the
little town ten miles away, and Hast
ings. a numbering settlement, six miles
away. are among the interested spec
tators at the scouts merTymakings.
fairly good road for automobiles.
made along an old railroad embank-
ment, reaches as far as the site Of the