OVER-NIGHT TRIPS

AN OLD TRAMPER'S ADVICE
MAP READING
SHOE WISDOM
THE PACK
THE "LEAN-TO" OR SHACK
BED MAKING
A HOT STONE WRINKLE
NIGHT WATCHERS
OBSERVATION PRACTICE
CAMERA SNAP SHOTS
CAMP LAMP
HANDY THINGS TO MAKE.

Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road
Healthy, free, the world before me,
The long brown path before me leading wherever I choose.
-Whitman.

An Old Tramper's Advice

It is an excellent thing for the boys to get away from the camp routine
for a few days, and walk "the long brown path," stopping overnight, doing
their own cooking, building their "lean-to" or shelter, and roughing it.
Walking is probably one of the best all-round cures for the ills of
civilization. Several things should be remembered when one goes on a hike.
First, avoid long distances. A foot-weary, muscle-tired, and temper-tried,
hungry group of boys surely is not desirable. There are a lot of false
notions about courage, and bravery, and grit, that read well in print but
fail miserably in practice, and long hikes for boys is one of the most
glaring of these notions. Second, have a leader who will set a good, easy
pace, say about three miles an hour, prevent the boys from excessive water
drinking, and assign the duties of pitching camp, etc. Third, observe
these two rules given by an old woodsman: (1) Never walk over anything you
can walk around; (2) Never step on anything that you can step over. Every
time you step on anything you lift the weight of your body. Why lift extra
weight when tramping? Fourth, carry with you only the things absolutely
needed, and roll in blanket and poncho, army style.

Map Reading

Before starting on a hike, study carefully the road maps. The best maps
are those of the United States Geological Survey, made on a scale of two
inches to the mile, and costing five cents each. The map is published in
atlas sheets, each sheet representing a small quadrangular district. Send
to the Superintendent of Documents, at Washington, D. C., for a list.

[Illustration: Universal Map Measure]

A mountaineer in Tennessee said: "We measure miles with a coonskin, and
throw in the tail for good measure." A better way is to purchase the
Universal Map Measure, costing $1.50 (imported and sold by Dame, Stoddard
Co., 374 Washington Street, Boston, Mass.), which accurately measures the
distance upon the Government Survey Maps.

Shoe Wisdom

For tramping the boy needs the right kind of a shoe, or the trip w