Sunlight and Shadow
Categories: Ii WoodcraftBearing in mind that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, it
will be comparatively easy to keep your right course by consulting the
sun. A fair idea may also be gained of the time of day by the length of
shadows, if you remember that shadows are long in the morning and
continue to grow shorter until midday, when they again begin to
lengthen, growing longer and longer until night.
To find the direction of the sun on a cloudy day, hold a flat splinter
or your knife blade vertically, so that it is absolutely straight up and
down. Place the point of the blade on your thumb-nail, watch-case, or
other glossy surface; then turn the knife or splinter around until the
full shadow of the flat of blade or splinter falls on the bright
surface, telling the location of the sun.
An open spot where the sun can cast a clear shadow, and an hour when the
sun is not immediately overhead, will give best results.
More
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Sheep-Shank Knot
It is sometimes necessary to shorten a rope temporarily and not desirable to cut it, and the sheep-shank knot solves the problem. It is used by the sailors, who do not believe in cutting ropes. It will stand a tremendous strain without slipping, but... Shellbark. Shagbark
The _shellbark_ or shagbark hickory-nut is one of the best. The flavor, as every one knows, is sweet and pleasant. It is the bark of the tree that gives it the name of shagbark, for it separates into long, ragged strips several inches wide which gen... Shelters and Tents. Lean-To
For a fixed camp of longer or shorter duration your home will be under the shelter of boughs, logs, or canvas. The home of green boughs is considered by many the ideal of camp shelters. This you can make for yourself. It is a simple little two-sided... Shoes
Wear low-heeled, high-laced shoes of stout leather and easy fit. Make them water-proof by giving the leather a good coat of hot, melted mutton tallow, completely covering the shoes and working the tallow into all crevices. Be sure to do this, as it ... Shutter Speed
To photograph objects in rapid motion such as flying birds, the speed of your shutter must be at least one three-hundredths of a second and you must have a fast lens; but with a shutter speed of one one-hundredth I have taken very good pictures of t... Slippery-Elm
The inner bark and the root of the _slippery-elm_ are not only pleasant to the taste but are said to be nutritious. They have a glutinous quality that gives the tree its name, and the flavor is nutty and substantial. This variety of elm is common... Smudges
Smudges are said to afford relief in camp, but my own experience has been that the insects can stand them better than I. A smudge is made by burning things that make little flame and much smoke. Dead leaves, not too dry, will make a fairly good smud... Snakes
The bite of a poisonous snake is by all means to be avoided, and the point is: you almost always can avoid it. With all the snakes in the United States, Doctor William T. Hornaday, director of the Zoological Park of New York City, tells us that out ... Song Sparrow
The little song sparrow loves the open and the hot summer sunshine. Trailing along a country road at midday, when most of the other birds are still, you will find the song sparrow sitting on a rail fence singing with undiminished enthusiasm. To m... Songs
Then come the songs. If there is some one in the party who can lead in singing, she can use a familiar air with a rousing chorus as a frame upon which to hang impromptu verses, made up of personalities and local hits. This is always fun and you are ... Spermophile
In the Middle West, especially in Indiana, the little spermophile, sometimes called the ground-squirrel, is common and not afraid to venture into the outskirts of a village. One variety wears spotted brown and yellow stripes down its back, another i... Sprains and Bruises
The best immediate treatment for ordinary sprains and bruises is the application of _cloths dipped in very hot water_. This takes out the soreness and prevents inflammation. As soon as one application cools a little, a hot one should take its place,... Sprains. Bruises. Burns. Cuts. Sunstroke. Drowning
One learns quickly how to take care of oneself while on the trail, and serious accidents seldom occur. In fact, every member of the party takes pride in keeping herself free from accident; it is so like a tenderfoot to get hurt. However, it is wel... Spruce
The spruce, red, black, and white, differs in many respects from the balsam-fir: the needles are sharp-pointed, not blunt, and instead of being flat like the balsam-fir, they are four-sided and cover the branchlet on all sides, causing it to appear ... Square Knot
This is probably what you would at first call a hard knot, and so it is a hard knot to come untied of itself or to slip, but it is easy to untie when necessary. The hard knot most people tie is not quite the same as the square knot, though it does r... Square Knots. Hitching Knots. Other Knots
Every outdoor girl should know what knots to use for various purposes and how to tie them, but only those which will be found useful on the trail are given here. ... Stalking
You may stalk an animal by remaining quiet as well as by following its trail. To even see some of the inhabitants of woods, fields, and shore you must be willing to exercise great patience and conform to their method of hiding by remaining absolutel... Stalking the Ruffed Grouse
If you want to see the birds, stalk them when you hear their call. Wait until you locate the direction of the sound, then walk silently and follow it. As soon as the birds are sighted slip from one tree to another, stopping instantly when you think ... Stepping in and out of a Boat
To step on the gunwale (the edge of the boat) will naturally tip it and most likely turn it over. One should always step directly into the _middle_ in order to keep the boat evenly balanced, and in getting out, step _from_ the middle. Stepping on th... Stockings
Select your stockings with care. Let them be of wool, strong, soft, and absolutely satisfactory when the shoe is on. The aim of the entire camp dress is to have it so comfortable and well adapted to outdoor life that you will forget it; think no mor... Sunlight and Shadow
Bearing in mind that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, it will be comparatively easy to keep your right course by consulting the sun. A fair idea may also be gained of the time of day by the length of shadows, if you remember that shad... Sweet Viburnum. Nanny-Berry. Sheepberry
The fruit of the sweet viburnum, nanny-berry or sheepberry, is said to be edible. It grows on a small tree, of the honeysuckle family, in the woods and by the streams from Canada to Georgia and west as far as Missouri. The tree has a rusty, scaly ba... Swimming
If you will realize that your body is buoyant, not a dead weight in the water, and that swimming should come as naturally to you as to the wild creatures, it may help you to gain the confidence so essential in learning to swim. If you are not afraid... Taking the Picture
As the animal approaches the camera grasp your cord firmly and steady your nerves to act quickly, and when it is in focus, not before, give a quick, firm pull to the cord, releasing it immediately, and the thing is done. Don't become excited at the ... Tents
Tents in almost endless variety of shapes and sizes are manufactured and sold by camp-outfitters and sporting-goods shops. The tents range from small canoe-tents, accommodating one person only, to the large wall-tents for four or more people. When u... Terms Used in Knot-Tying
There are three different kinds of bends that are given a rope in the process of tying a knot, and each bend has its own name. You must learn these in order to understand the directions for knot-tying; they are: the _bight_, the _loop_, and the _rou... The Camp-Fire
The outdoor fire in camp bespeaks cheer, comfort, and possibilities for a hot dinner, all of which the camper appreciates. ... The Clean-Up
While resting after dinner is the time for story-telling; then, before taking part in sports of any kind, every particle of debris, even small bits of egg-shell and paper, should be gathered up and burned until not a vestige remains. To be "good spo... The One-Day Camp
Even a one-day camp fills the hours with more genuine lasting enjoyment than girls can find in other ways; there is a charm about it which clings in your memory, making a joy, later, of the mere thought and telling of the event. That every moment... The Parcel Slip-Knot
This is the simplest of all knots to start with in tying up a parcel. Begin by making a knot about one inch from the end of your twine, using the single tie like _F_ (Fig. 65). If this does not make the knot large enough use the figure-eight knot. T... The Plough
It is more difficult to produce fire by the plough method than with the bow, but it can be done. The appliances are simple enough. All you need is a fireboard in which a groove or gutter has been cut, and a rubbing-stick to push up and down the gutt... The Start
The day before you leave for your camping-ground, have everything in readiness that there may be no delay when it is time to go. Be prompt, for you want to play fair and not keep the other girls waiting, causing them to lose valuable time. The st... The Tourniquet
To stop the bleeding press the artery _above_ the wound firmly with your fingers while some one prepares a tourniquet. Use a handkerchief, a necktie, or anything of the kind for a tourniquet; tie it loosely around the limb and in the bandage place a... Thornless Blackberry
The sweetest of all varieties is said to be the thornless blackberry. It ripens later than the others and has no thorns. The leaves are long and narrow. ... Timber-Hitch
When you want a temporary fastening, secure yet easily undone, make a _timber-hitch_ (Fig. 70). Pass the rope around an object, take a half-hitch around the rope, and pass the short end once more between the rope and the object. ... Timing Without a Watch
You can time it without a watch by counting in this way: one-and-two-and-three-and-up to the number of seconds required. One-and is one second. When the seconds have been counted, press the bulb again and if the camera has not moved you should ... Tinder
All is now ready for creating a spark, but that spark cannot live alone, it must have something it can ignite before there will be a flame. What is wanted is tinder, and tinder can be made of various materials, all of which must be _absolutely dry_.... To Find Your Way by the North Star
At night you will have the same reliable guide that has ever been the mariner's friend, and if you do not know this star guide, lose no time in finding it. Polaris or pole-star is known generally as North Star, and this star is most important to ... To Know an Animal Trail
To know an animal trail from one made by men is quite important. It is easy to be led astray by animal trails, for they are often well defined and, in some cases, well beaten. To the uninitiated the trails will appear the same, but there is a differ... Toadstools
Unless you are an expert in distinguishing non-poisonous mushrooms from the poison toadstool, _leave them all alone_. Many deaths occur yearly from eating toadstools which have been mistaken for the edible mushrooms. ...