Camping and woodcraft - Scoutmastercg.com

BIVOUACS 31seconds, and then two shots In quick succession.The first attracts attention, the others give the direction.If the men of your party hear you they willreply instantly. But if you hear no answer, do nottry again for half an hour. Save aTninunition. Youwill need it worse to-morrow, for signalling as youtravel, and to get meat with.If your camp-fire smokes badly. It Is because It liestoo flat on the ground for air to get under It. Buildit on thick chunks, or on rocks if there are flat onesto be found.So long as It does not rain, the problem of keepingwarm without a blanket Is not serious. If morecovering is demanded, and there are enough smallbalsams in the neighborhood, one can make a deepbed of the browse, lay two or three poles over It,pile a lot of boughs on top, and then, by manipulatingthe poles, insinuate himself between the twclayers. This will help very much to prevent toorapid radiation of the bodily heat. Another goodkink is to get a number of stones, six to eight Inchesin diameter, heat them before the fire, and placethem around j^ou wherever the cold is felt. Haveothers heating in the meantime, and change fromtime to time. To lift and carry them, cut a smallforked limb close to the joint, leaving two feet ofeach fork for handles, put the crotch over the rock,and press inward with the handles.Perhaps, instead of a fallen tree, you may havethe good luck to find a big uptilted rock with flatface, long enough to serve as windbreak, or a ledge,with enough level ground in front of it for yourpurpose. Rock holds heat a long time, yet generouslyradiates It.The warm air from the camp-firewill eddy around it.A man without a blanket can bivouac In the wayhere described, and get a pretty good night's rest,even In freezing weather. If It snows, a browsebed-covering will help. But a chill fall rain Is somethingelse. Ugh ! Maybeyou can twist up enough