y
requires that the party be linked together with a soft rope; the same
precaution should be taken when the trail is very rough, steep, and
rocky. The camper at the head of the line should tie the rope in a
bow-line around her waist, with knot on left side, and eight or ten feet
from her the next girl should link herself to the rope in the same
manner; then another girl, and another, until the entire party is on the
rope.

The leader starts on the trail and the others, holding fast to their
staffs, carefully follow, each one cautious to keep the rope stretching
out in front of her rather taut; then if one girl stumbles the others
brace themselves and keep her from falling.

When descending the mountain, be careful to get a firm footing. Instead
of facing the trail, it is safer to turn sideways, so that you can place
the entire foot down and not risk the toes only, or the heels. Often
coming down either a steep hill or a mountain is more difficult than
going up.

=Lost in the Woods=

It is not at all probable that you will lose your way while on the
trail, but if you should find yourself lost in the woods or in the open,
the first thing to do is to remember that a brave girl does not get into
a panic and so rob herself of judgment and the power to think clearly
and act quickly. Believe firmly that you are _safe_, then sit down
quietly and think out a plan of finding your way. Try to remember from
which direction you have come and to recall landmarks. If you cannot do
this, do not be frightened and do not allow any thought of possible harm
to get a foothold in your mind. If there is a hill near, from which you
can see any distance, climb that and get an outlook. You may be able to
see the smoke of your camp-fire, which, after all, cannot be so far
away. You may find a landmark that you do remember. If you see nothing
which you can recognize, make a signal flag of your handkerchief and put
it up high, as high as you can. Your friends will be looking for that.
Then give the lost signal, one long blast with your whistle, and after a
short pause follow with two more blasts in quick succession. If you have
no whistle shout, loud and long, then wait a while, keeping eyes and
ears open to see and hear answering signals. If there is none, again
shout the lost signal and continue the calls every little while for
quite a time. Another call for help is the ascending smoke of three
fires. This, of course, is for daylight. Buil