Camping and woodcraft - Scoutmastercg.com

72 CAMPING AND WOODCRAFT;ous feature of the landscape in direct line with youiobjective and as far off as you can see. Check thevibration of the needle by quickly tipping the compassuntil the end of the needle touches the glass,and repeat until needle stops quivering. Now levelthe box and take the bearing of your landmark.Walk to it, and take a sight on something else inthe same line.Where you cannot see out to take bearings in thisway, consult the compass every two or three minutes;for it is the easiest thing in the world to get©ff a true course at such times, and a few degrees'swerve, if not soon detected, will carry you farastray.When some obstacle obliges you to make a detour,sight some landmark ahead, if you can, beforeyou go around. If there be none visible, then estimateyour winding with great care, and get backin line again as soon as you can. It is rarely thecase that one can travel any distance in the wildernesswithout swerving very often from a true courseso the art of averaging windings should be practiceduntil one becomes adept.When following a stream,note how many tributariesyou cross. When following a divide, notehow many abutting ridges you pass on each side.You will need that knowledge when you return, andit must be exact.Magnetic Variation.—The north end of acompass needle does not point tothe true north, exceptin certain places as noted below. It points tothe mannetic pole, which lies far south of the northpole and about seven degrees west of the meridianof 90°W.The places where a compass does point to thegeoe^raphic north are those situated alons; what iscalled the "agonic line," or "zero curve," or "lineof no variation." This is not a straight line fromnorth to south like a meridian on the map, but hasmany waves and loops, and runs in the main easterly