Camping and woodcraft - Scoutmastercg.com

44 CAMl'ING AND WOODCRAFTpower of man to steer a straight course, or to keepup a uniform cadence of his steps.Unless the traveler knows his ground there is notelling when he may come to a "windfall" whereseveral acres of big timber have been overthrown bya hurricane and the great trees lie piled across eachother in an awkward snarl. Or maybe there is analder or spruce thicket or a cedar swamp in the way,or a canebrake or a cypress slough, or a laurel orrhododendron "slick," wherein a man will soon exhausthis strength to no purpose. If he be so unwiseas to try to force a passage.A brule or burnt-wood is a nasty place to passthrough. Every foot of ground that Is not coveredby charred snags, or fallen trunks and limbs, bristleswith a new growth of fireweed, blackberry and raspberrybriers, young red cherries, white birches, poplars,quaking aspens, scrub oaks, or gray pines.Where the fire has occurred on one of those barrenridges that was covered with dwarfish oaks (post,black, or blackjack), the sharp, fire-hardened stubsof limbs protrude, like bayonets, at the height ofone's face, menacing his eyes.An old "lumber works," where the trees havebeen chopped out, leaving nothing but stumps, treetops,and other debris, grows up with the same ranktenants as a burnt-wood, and is as mean to flounderthrough. As a general rule, a mile and a half anhour of actual progress is "making good time" inthe woods.Crossing Streams.—If you have to cross a deep,rocky ravine or dangerous mountain stream by passingover a high foot-log or fallen tree, then, If thelog Is tilted at an uncomfortable angle, or If its surfaceis wet, or icy, or treacherous with loose bark,or If,for any reason, you fear dizziness or falntness,don't be ashamed to get down and straddle the log,and "coon It," hunching j^ourself along with handsand thighs. Let your companions laugh, if theywill. It is not nice to break a limb when you are