Sword

Just about the middle of Orion's Sword is a fuzzy light spot. This might
do for blood, only it is the wrong color. It is the nebula of Orion. If
you can see it with the naked eye, you are to be congratulated.

On the Moon

When the moon is full, there is a large, dark, oval spot on it to the
left, as you face it, and close to the east rim, almost halfway up; this
is the Plain of Grimaldi; it is about twice the size of the whole State
of New Jersey; but it is proof of a pair of excellent eyes if you can
see it at all.

[Illustration: SIGNS AND BLAZES]

Blazes

First among the trail signs that are used by Woodcrafters, Indians, and
white hunters, and most likely to be of use to the traveler, are axe
blazes on tree trunks. Among these some may vary greatly with locality,
but there is one that I have found everywhere in use with scarcely any
variation. That is the simple white spot meaning, "_Here is the trail._"

The Indian in making it may nick off an infinitesimal speck of bark with
his knife, the trapper with his hatchet may make it as big as a dollar,
or the settler with his heavy axe may stab off half the tree-side; but
the sign is the same in principle and in meaning, on trunk, log, or
branch from Atlantic to Pacific and from Hudson Strait to Rio Grande.
"This is your trail," it clearly says in the universal language of the
woods.

There are two ways of employing it: one when it appears on back and
front of the trunk, so that the trail can be run both ways; the other
when it appears on but one side of each tree, making a _blind trail_,
which can be run one way only, the blind trail is often used by trappers
and prospectors, who do not wish anyone to follow their back track.

But there are treeless regions where the trail must be marked; regions
of sage brush and sand, regions of rock, stretches of stone, and level
wastes of grass or sedge. Here other methods must be employed.

A well-known Indian device, in the brush, is to break a twig and leave
it hanging. (_Second line._)

Among stones and rocks the recognized sign is one stone set on top of
another (_top line_) and in places where there is nothing but grass the
custom is to twist a tussock into a knot (_third line_).

These signs are also used in the whole country from Maine to
California.

In running a trail one naturally looks straight ahead for the next sign;
if the trail turned sharply without notice one might easily be set
wrong,