ing, half-way between the
hour-hand and noon is due south. If afternoon, one must reckon
half-way backward.

Thus: at 8 A. M., point the hour-hand to the sun and reckon forward
half-way to noon; the south is at 10. If at 4 P. M., point the
hour-hand at the sun and reckon back half-way. The south is at two
o'clock.

The "half-way" is because the sun makes a course of twenty-four hours
and the clock of but twelve. If we had a rational timepiece of
twenty-four hours, it would fit in much better with all nature, and
with the hour-hand pointed to the sun would make 12 o'clock, noon,
always south.

If you cannot see the sun, get into a clear, open space, hold your
knife point upright on your watch dial, and it will cast a faint
shadow, showing where the sun really is, unless the clouds are very
heavy.

Finding Your Latitude by the Stars

The use of the stars to the scout is chiefly to guide him by showing
the north, but the white man has carried the use a step farther: he
makes the Pole-star tell him not only where the north is, but where he
himself is. From the Pole-star, he can learn his latitude.

It is reckoned an exploit to take one's latitude from the North Star
with a cart-wheel, or with two sticks and a bucket of water.

{58}

The first attempt I made was with two sticks and a bucket of water. I
arranged the bucket in the daytime, so that it could be filled from
rim to rim; that is, it was level, and that gave me the horizon line;
next, I fastened my two sticks together at an adjustable angle. Then,
laying one stick across the bucket as a base, I raised the other till
the two sight notches on its upper edge were in straight line for the
Pole-star. The sticks were now fastened at this angle and put away
till the morning. On a smooth board--the board is allowable because it
can be found either far on the plains when you have your wagon, or on
the ship at sea--I mapped out, first a right angle, by the old plan of
measuring off a triangle, whose sides were six, eight, and ten inches,
and applied the star angle to this. By a process of equal subdivision
I got 45 degrees, 22-1/2 degrees, finally 40 degrees, which seemed to
be the latitude of my camp; subsequent looking-up showed it to be 41
degrees 10 minutes.

[Illustration: Bucket and sticks. (tr)]

Of course, it is hard to imagine that the boys will ever be so placed
that it is important for them to take their latitude with home-made
implements; bu