Camping and woodcraft - Scoutmastercg.com

CHAPTER IXHOW TO WALK—A HUNTER'S PACK-GOING ALONEIn walking through a primitive forest,an Indianor a white woodsman can wear out a town-bredathlete, although the latter may be the stronger man.This is because a man who is used to the woods hasa knack of walking over uneven and slippery ground,edging through thickets, and worming his way amidfallen timber, with less fret and exertion than onewho is accustomed to smooth, unobstructed paths.How TO Walk.—^There is somewhat the samedifference between a townsman's and a woodsman^'^gait as there is between a soldier's and a sailor's.It it chiefly a difference of hip action, looseness ofjoints, and the manner of planting one's feet. Thetownsman's stride is an up-and-down knee action,with rather rigid hips, the toes pointing outward,and heels striking first. The carriage is erect, themovement springy and graceful, so long as one iswalking over firm, level footing—but beware thebanana-peel and the small boy's sliding-place ! Thisis an ill-poised gait, because one's weight falls firstupon the heel alone, and at that instant the walkerhas little command of his balance. It is an exhaustinggait as soon as its normally short pace islengthened by so much as an inch.A woodsman, on the contrary, walks with a rollingmotion, his hips swaying an inch or more to thestepping side, and his pace is correspondingly long.This hip action may be noticed to an exaggerateddegree in the stride of a professional pedestrian ; butthe latter walks with a heel-and-toe step, whereas