Stránka:book 1912.djvu/240

2o8 The Book of Woodcraft through the mysterious southward-pointing passage of the Pyramid." Out of Orion's left foot runs the River Eridanus, to wander over the sky; and, crouching- for protection at the right foot of the Great Hunter, is Lepus the Hare. Now, how many constellations have you learned? In the Indian Scouts you need ten. Ten sounds hard, but here you have already got seventeen, and I think will have little trouble in remembering them. And why should you do so? There are many reasons, and here is one that alone would, I think, make it worth while : An artist friend said to me once: "I am glad I learned the principal star groups when I was young. For my Hfe has been one of wandering in far countries, yet, wherever I went, I could always look up and see something famihar and friendly, something that I knew in the dear bygone days of my boyhood's home, and something to guide me still." PLEIADES AS A TEST OF EYESIGHT This star group has always been considered a good test of eyesight. I once asked a group of boys in camp how many of the Pleiades they could count with the naked eye. A noisy, forward boy, who was nicknamed "Bluejay," because he was so fond of chattering and showing off, said, "Oh, I see hundreds." "Well, you can sit down," I said, "for you can do nothing of the kind." Another steadier boy said, "I believe I see six," and he proved that he did see them, for he mapped them out properly on a board with six pebbles. That boy had good eyes, because poor eyes see merely a haze, but another boy present had better eyes, for he saw.