How Girls Can Help Their Country Part 14

Whatever the birds will eat should be put aside for them. All other sc.r.a.ps and things that may become offensive _must_ be buried. Don't start to breed flies or fever. When near the water some part of this rule may be dispensed with in favor of the fish and crabs. They may be judiciously baited up, but if you are going to fish for them see that they are not overfed.

There are times and seasons when wild fruits and berries are a most welcome addition to the camp fare, but unless you are perfectly sure of the supply do not reckon on them too much in making up your provision list. Better let them be a sort of joyful surprise. So too of fish and game. "Don't count your chickens before they are hatched." Fresh smilax shoots can scarcely be told from asparagus. Palmetto cabbage well cooked is fine; poorly prepared it is vile. Let some one that knows about these things "do" them for you.

The "gipsy kettle" is picturesque and only picturesque. Drive a stout crotched stake on each side of the fire and put a stout stick across them. Use strong wire hooks--S-shaped on which to hang pots over the fire. If hung through the handle on the stick they are apt to boil over and put out the fire before you know it. They may be quickly lifted from the wire hooks as soon as they begin to look dangerous. Even the coffee-pot may be rigged with a wire handle by which to be hung. Wire and string are our special hobbies in camp. Fan a fire instead of blowing it. Your breath has lost most of its combustible gas. A tin or wooden plate makes a good fan. Put away dry kindling every night. You don't know what sort of weather it will be tomorrow.

Use all precaution against your fire spreading. This is particularly necessary where there are tents. A dry tent will almost "whisk" up in smoke if the fire catches it. Rake dry leaves well away from about the fire. It may be best sometimes to make "a burn" round the camp. Do this a little at a time beating out all traces of the fire in the part burnt over. Be in no hurry about this but be thorough. Leave no smouldering embers or chunks of rotten wood smoking behind you. Burn clean as you go.

Camp Oven

The camp kitchen or camp oven is made with two lines of soda bricks, stones, or thick logs flattened at the top, about six feet long, slightly splayed from each other, being four inches apart at one end and eight inches at the other. The big end should be towards the wind, so that a sort of tunnel is formed in the big end at windward. Start your fire and the draught will carry the heat along the tunnel.

Daily Routine in Camp

_Have a set of general orders posted every morning. There should be one officer of the day and one orderly. These will be appointed in turn. The general order should be read before breakfast and include all duties and so far as possible the excursions and games for the day. In appointing cooks and details for the various duties be sure not to work the "willing horse" too hard but let all share as much alike as possible.

Some will always want to volunteer too often and some will try to avoid certain duties distasteful to themselves or "swap" with others. This should not be allowed but helping must never be barred completely.

Inspect camp personally at least once a day and call attention to shortcomings kindly without chiding. You can help your girls to help themselves. A "driver" in camp is sure to breed hard feelings and cause discontent. The camp is a hard school for the instructor. One of the necessary laws in a camp is that after lights are out at night, no one must speak. Silence should reign._

In some places mosquitoes are very troublesome. Oil of citronella will drive them away for a time but a "smudge" may be necessary. They won't stay in smoke or wind, so hunt the breeze. There are some other flies just as bad to which the same treatment may be applied. "Black-flies" of the northern woods are about the worst insect pest in America, though the mosquitoes in some parts of the South, are nearly as bad. In some of the coast regions, too, there is a species of "sand-fly" or midge that is exceedingly annoying, but all of these are readily controlled by the "smudge." This is a steady smoke not necessarily of an ill-smelling nature. One of the very best materials for a "smudge" is green cedar branches. They need some pretty hot coals to keep them smouldering but are very effective.

Very few accidents need happen in camp. But still it may be a wise precaution to go over with each patrol, before the camping trip, some simple exercise in bandaging and other "First Aid" exercises. In a book of the scope of this one it is not possible to give a full course of instruction in such matters, so it seems best to make only casual mention and leave details to the judgment of the patrol leaders and captains.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

If any boating is to be a part of the program they should inform themselves carefully which of their patrol can swim and just how expert they are. Also instruct in methods of throwing things to a drowning person or one who has just met with some mishap in a boat--such for instance as losing an oar. A board or a plank should not be thrown toward a person in the water but launched toward them. When adrift in an unmanageable boat cast anchor and wait for a.s.sistance. _Never rock a boat for fun._ A Scout who so far forgets herself as to do such a foolhardy act should be forbidden to go into a boat again for some time as a punishment. Most drowning accidents are from some such _fun_. It is _sin_--not _fun_.

When bathing obey strictly all orders regarding distance to be ventured and other rules. You may think they are mere summary restrictions but you are probably not the best judge.

Last summer a party of boys were bathing. Contrary to orders they scattered apart instead of keeping close together. While the Captain's back was turned looking after the smaller boys, some of the big boys began to dare each other to go farther and farther out. When the Captain blew the whistle for them some still persisted in swimming away from the beach and one of them was drowned. And to make it still worse he drowned in shallow water where, if he had only known or had kept his wits about him, he could have waded ash.o.r.e.

Camp Orders

_In going into camp it is essential to have a few "Standing Orders"

published, which may be added to from time to time, if necessary. These should be carefully explained to patrol leaders, who should then be held fully responsible for their Scouts carrying them out exactly._

_Such orders might point out that each patrol will camp separately from the others, and that there will be a comparison between the respective camps as to cleanliness and good order of tents and surrounding ground._

_Patrol leaders to report on the good or indifferent work of their Scouts, which will be recorded in the Captain's book of marks._

_Bathing should be under strict supervision to prevent non-swimmers getting into dangerous water. No girl must bathe when not well._

_Bathing picket of two good swimmers will be on duty while bathing is going on, and ready to help any girl in distress. This picket will be in the boat with bathing costume and overcoat on. They may bathe only when the general bathing is over and the last of the bathers has left the water. If bathing in the surf, a stake should be driven into the sand on the beach and a rope securely fastened to the stake so that non-swimmers can hold on to the rope in the water._

_Orders as to what is to be done in case of fire alarm._

_Orders as to boundaries, grounds to be worked over, damages to fences, property, good drinking water, etc._

_No Scout allowed out of bounds without leave._

_No lads allowed inside bounds without leave._

Camping Equipment Necessary for One Week or Longer

1 Transport wagon.

2 Tents for girls.

1 Tent for officer.

3 Mallets and sufficient tent-pegs.

2 Blankets for each Scout.

2 Blankets for officer.

1 Kit bag each (2 ft. by 1 ft. or bigger).

8 Waterproof ground sheets.

3 Buckets.

3 Hurricane lamps.

2 b.a.l.l.s of twine (medium).

1 Spade.

1 Hatchet.

Kitchen Equipment

Bowls.

2 Saucepans.

1 Large frying pan.

Kettle.

Gridiron.

Butcher knife.

Kitchen fork.

Spoons, ladles, and tea strainer.

Six tea cloths.

Cleaning rags.

Chopping board and knife.

Kitchen soap and scouring powder.

1 Dish pan.

Clothing and Equipment for Each Scout

1 Set of underwear, cotton flannel nightgown, and lisle or cotton stockings for each week. Do not take silk stockings.

1 Dress besides Scout uniform.

1 Pair heavy shoes.

1 Pair rubbers.

3 Handkerchiefs.

1 Ap.r.o.n.

1 Sweater or coat.