Camping and woodcraft - Scoutmastercg.com

350 CAMPING AND WOODCRAFTaway where they will not flopnor stick out to im«pede one's progress in climbing or in squeezingthrough narrows. Wear the flaps closed at alltimes.The hat should be soft and with narrow brim.Gloves are useful to keep the hands from being lacerated.Shoes should be studded with cone-headedHungarian nails {not calks nor broad hobnails)around the edges of heels and soles, including thearch of the foot. This makes them cling betterto the rocks. Too many nails defeat the purpose,for they will not "bite" well. Hard steel calks areslippery on rocks.Waterproofs are an utter nuisance in cave hunting.The wetting you may get will do you no harmat all in the cave air, which is always of uniformtemperature. Do not wear a lot of bunchy clothingfrom dread of cold. You will be exercising allthe time in the most exhilarating air you everbreathed. Go slow in entering and emerging fromthe cave ; then there will be no risk of a chill.Take for granted that the cave will prove to bea labyrinth of three dimensions, far more puzzlingthan anything you have ever encountered on earth.It may not be so ; but most caverns are. Thereis only one absolutely safe way to explore an unknowncave, so far as not getting lost is concerned,and that is for each member of the party to carryplenty of common white twine, and take his turn asfile closer in paying out this twine as he advances.In some places you can buy cord put up in tubesthat unreels itself without danger of tangling.Where the going is good there may be no need forthe twine; but don't neglect this simple precautionin allleast doubt of the route back again.Someone should carry a strong cord for loweringparts of the cave where there may be thea lantern into pits or gulfs.In the game pocket of your coat stow a lunch andan emergency ration, along with the small canteen