Games for the Camp
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312)XL Games for the Camp Interesting Pursuits HAVE always taken the ground that interest is as essential to exercise as relish is to digestion. And for this reason have no use for the Indian clubs or dumb- bells. An ideal exercise is in the open air, employing not only every member vigorously — not violently — but also the faculties including the great coordinating power that is the crowning gift of the athlete — the power to make all parts play the game in the measure needed to secure the best total result. How needful is it then to have interesting pursuits that inspire the Scout to do and be his very best. The appeal to the imagination that is assumed by such games as Spear-throwing and Dispatch-runner is the great- est and most elevating of all. Without some such magical power, no fellow really does the best that is in him. It makes a live wire of every fibre in his make-up. TILTING SPEARS A simple and useful part of the patrol outfit that should be made ready before going into camp is a supply of tilting- spears. I have seen a good many campers try tilting in the water or on the land, and make an utter failure of it, by reason of the absurdly clumsy, heavy spears used. A green313)Games for the Camp
V/ooc(frv cLii K Ho 7 sapling was cut for handle, and the end tied up in a bundle of rags that was 18 inches through. This was hard enough to lift, when dry, and as it usually soon fell into the water, and got sopping wet, its weight became trebled, and one could not use it as a spear at all. The correct spears always used in our camps are made thus: Take 8 feet of the butt-end of an ordinary bamboo fishing-rod — or, if anything, a little heavier than ordinary. Get a 2-inch plank of any Ught wood, and from this cut a disk 3 inches across, bevel off and round the edges. Bore a hole (about f inch) in the middle, and put this on the top of the bamboo, so that it sets against a shoulder or knot. Drive a circular plug in the hollow of the bamboo for a wedge, and make all secure with one or two very thin nails driven in (No. 7). Now pad the head an inch thick with the ordinary horsehair stuffing that is used in furniture, and bind all with strong burlap, sewing it at the seams, and lashing it around the bamboo with string (No. 8). This completes the dry land spear. If for use in the water, make a final cover out of rubber cloth. This keeps the spear dry. A completed spear weighs about i§ lbs. Each band should have a half-dozen of these spears. They serve a number of purposes, some of them quite dif- ferent from that originally intended. TILTING IN THE WATER When used in the water, the ordinary rules of canoe- tilting are followed. Each spearman stands in the bow of his boat, on the bow-seat. His crew bring him within 8314)282 The Book of Woodcraft feet of his rival, and now he endeavors to put him over- board. Points are reckoned thus: Forcing your enemy to put one foot down off the seat 5 Forcing your enemy to put two feet down off the seat 10 Forcing your enemy on one knee ... 5 Forcing your enemy dov/n on two knees 10 Forcing your enemy to lose his spear . 10 Forcing your enemy overboard . -. . 25 It is a foul to strike below the knee, or to use the spear as a club. The umpire may dock up to 25 points for fouls. "When canoes are used, the spearman stands on the bot- tom, so all points are by loss of spear, or by going over- board. TUB-TILTING ON LAND But by far the most of the tilting is done on land, around the campfire. For this we use two barrels, about flour barrel size. These are set level, exactly a spear length apart, centre to centre. Each fighter takes his place on a barrel, and his game is to put the other off the other barrel. To prevent acci- dents, we have usually a catcher behind each man. The umpire stands alongside, near the middle. It is a foul to use the spear as a club, or to push below the knees, or to push the barrel, or to seize the other man's spear in your hand. A foul gives the round to the other man. The round is over when one man is off. It is a draw when both go off together. They change barrels and spears after each round.315)Games for the Camp
If one drops his spear, and recovers it without going off, it is all right. The battle is usually for 5, 7, or 11 rounds. I do not know of any good thrusts having been invented, but several good parries are well known. One is to use your spear-handle as a single stick. The best players psLvry much by wriggling the body. Often, when over- balanced, one can regain by spinning completely around. So much for the game. It is immensely popular at night by the blazing campfire, and is especially used in initiations. STILL-HUNTING THE BUCK, OR THE DEER-HUNT The deer is a dummy, best made with a wire frame, on which soft hay is wrapped till it is of proper size and shape, then all is covered with open burlap. A few touches of white and black make it very realistic. ijt.tujK If time does not admit of a well-finished deer, one can be made of a sack stuffed with hay, decorated at one end with a smaller sack for head and neck, and set on four thin sticks.316)284 The Book of Woodcraft The side of the deer is marked with a large oval, and over the heart is a smaller one. Bows and arrows only are used to shoot this deer. A pocketful of corn, peas, or other large grain is now needed for scent. The boy who is the deer for the first hunt takes the dimimy under his arm and runs o&, getting ten minutes' start, or until he comes back and shouts "ready!" He leaves a trail of corn, dropping two or three grains for every yard and making the trail as crooked as he likes, playing such tricks as a deer would do to baffle his pursuers. Then he hides the deer in any place he fancies, but not among rocks or on the top of a ridge, because in one case many arrows would be broken, and in the other, lost. The hunters now hunt for this deer just as for a real deer, either following the trail or watching the woods ahead; the best hunters combine the two. If at any time the trail is quite lost the one in charge shouts ' ' Lost Trail! ' ' After that the one who finds the trail scores two. Any one giving a false alarm by shouting "Deer" is fined five. Thus they go till some one finds the deer. He shouts "Deer!" and scores ten for finding it. The others shout "Second" " Third" etc., in order of seeing it, but they do not score. The finder must shoot at the deer with his bow and arrow from the very spot whence he saw it. If he misses, the second hunter may step up five paces, and have his shot. If he misses, the third one goes five, and so on till some one hits the deer, or until the ten-yard limit is reached. If the finder is within ten yards on sighting the deer, and misses317)Games for the Camp s his shot, the other hunters go back to the ten-yard limit. Once the deer is hit, all the shooting must be from the exact spot whence the successful shot was fired. A shot in the big oval is a body wound; that scores fim. A shot outside that is a scratch; that scores two. A shot in the small oval or heart is a heart wound; it scores ten, and ends the hunt. Arrows which do not stick do not count, unless it can be proved that they passed right through, in which case they take the highest score that they pierced. If all the arrows are used, and none in the heart, the deer escapes, and the boy who was deer scores twenty-five. The one who found the dummy is deer for the next hunt. A clever deer can add greatly to the excitement of the game. Originally we used paper for scent, but found it bad. It Uttered the woods, yesterday's trail was confused with that of to-day, etc. Corn proved better, because the birds318)286 The Book of Woodcraft and the squirrels kept it cleaned up from day to day, and thus the ground was always ready for a fresh start. But the best of all is the hoof mark for the shoe. These iron hoof marks are fast to a pair of shoes, and leave a trail much Hke a real deer. This has several advantages. It gives the hunter a chance to tell where the trail doubled, and wliich way the deer was going. It is more reaHstic, and a boy who can follow this skilfully can follow a living deer. In actual practice it is found well to use a little corn with this on the hard places, a plan quite consistent with realism, as every hunter will recall. It is strictly forbidden to any hunter to stand in front of the firing line; all must be back of the line on which the shooter stands. There is no limit to the situations and curious combina- tions in this hunt. The deer may be left standing or lying. There is no law why it should not be hidden behind a solid tree trunk. The game develops as one follows it. After it has been played for some time with the iron hoof mark as above, the boys grow so skilful on the trail that we can dis- pense with even the corn. The iron mark Uke a deer hoof leaves a very realistic "slot" or track, which the more skil- ful boys readily follow through the woods. A hunt is usually for three, five, or more deer, according to agreement, and the result is reckoned by points on the whole chase. THE BEAR HUNT This is played by half a dozen or more boys. Each has a club about the size and shape of a baseball club, but made of straw tied around two or three switches and tightly sewn up in burlap.319)Games for the Camp
One big fellow is selected for the bear. He has a school- bag tightly strapped on his back, and in that a toy balloon fully blown up. This is his heart. On his neck is a bear- claw necklace of wooden beads and claws. (See Cut.) He has three dens about one hundred yards apart in a triangle. While in his den the bear is safe. If the den is a tree or rock, he is safe while touching it. He is obliged to come out when the chief hunter counts 100, and must go the rounds of the three till the hunt is settled. The object of the hunters is to break the balloon or heart; that is, kill the bear. He must drop dead when the heart bursts. The hunter who kills him claims the necklace. But the bear also has a club for defence. Each hunter must wear a hat, and once the bear knocks a hunter's hat off, that one is dead and out of this hunt. He must drop where his hat falls. Tackling of any kind is forbidden. The bear wins by killing or putting to flight all the hunters. In this case he keeps the necklace. The savageness of these big bears is indescribable. Many lives are lost in each hunt, and it has several times happened that the whole party of hunters has been exter- minated by some monster of unusual ferocity. This game has also been developed into a play.320)288 Ths Boo-: of Woodcraft SPEARING THE GREAT STURGEON This water game is exceedingly popular and is especially good for public exhibition, being spectacular and full of amusement and excitement. The outfit needed is: (i) A sturgeon roughly formed of soft wood; it should be about three feet long and nearly a foot thick at the head. It may be made realistic, or a small log pointed at both ends will serve. The^ Wooden jtur<^6Q7f-. (2) Two spears with six-inch steel heads and wooden handles (about three feet long). The points should be sharp, but not the barbs. Sometim.es the barbs are omit- ted altogether. Each head should have an eye to which is The SbtvrhicL attached twenty feet of one-quarter-inch rope. On each rope, six feet from the spearhead, is a fathom mark made by tying on a rag or cord. (3) Two boats with crews. Each crew consists of a spearman, who is captain, and one or two oarsmen or pad- dlers, of which the after one is the pilot. All should be expert swimmers or else wear life belts during the game. The game. Each boat has a base or harbor; this is321)Games for the Camp 289 usually part of the shore opposite that of the enemy; or it obviates all danger of collision if the boats start from the same side. The sturgeon is left by the referee's canoe at a point midway between the bases. At the word *'Go!" each boat leaves its base and, making for the sturgeon, tries to spear it, then drag it by the line to the base. When both get their spears into it the contest becomes a tug of war until one of the spears pulls out. The sturgeon is landed when the prow of the boat that has it in tow touches its proper base, even though the spear of the enemy is then in the fish: or it is landed when the fish itself touches base if it is also in tow at the time. The boats change bases after each heat. Matches are usually for one, three, or five sturgeon. Points are counted only for the landing of the fish, but the referee may give the decision on a foul or a succession of fouls, or the delinquent may be set back one or more boat- lengths. Sometimes the game is played in canoes or boats, with one man as spearman and crew. Rules: It is not allowed to push the sturgeon into a new position with the spear or paddle before striking. It is allowed to pull the sturgeon under the boat or pass it around by using the line after spearing. It is allowed to lay hands on the other boat to prevent a collision, but otherwise it is forbidden to touch the other boat or crew or paddle or spear or line, or to lay hands on the fish or to touch it with the paddle or oar, or touch your own spear while it is in the fish, or to tie the line around the fish except so far as this may be accidentally done in spearing. It is allowed to dislodge the enemy's spear by throwing your own over it. The purpose of the barbs is to assist in this. It is allowed to run on to the sturgeon with the boat.322)290 The Book of Woodcraft It is absolutely forbidden to throw the spear over the other boat or over the heads of your crew. In towing the sturgeon the fathom-mark must be over the gunwale — at least six feet of line should be out when the fish is in tow. It is not a foul to have less, but the spear- man must at once let it out if the umpire or the other crew cries Fathom!" The spearman is allowed to drop the spear and use the paddle or oar at will, but not to resign his spear to another of the crew. The spearman must be in his boat when the spear is thrown. If the boat is upset the judge's canoe helps them to right. Each crew must accept the backset of its accidents. CANOE TAG Any number of canoes or boats may engage in this. A rubber cushion, a hot- water bag full of air, any rubber football, or a cotton bag with a lot of corks in it is needed. The game is to tag the other canoe by throwing this into it. The rules are as in ordinary cross-tag. SCOUTING Scouts are sent out in pairs or singly. A number of points are marked on the map at equal distances from camp, and the scouts draw straws to see where each goes. If one place is obviously hard, the scout is allowed a fair number of points as handicap. All set out at same time, go direct, and return as soon as possible. Points are thus allowed: Last back, zero for traveling. The others count one for each minute they are ahead of the last. Points up to 100 are allowed for their story on return.323)Games for the Camp
Sometimes we allow 10 points for each Turtle they have seen; 10 for each Owl seen and properly named; 5 for each Hawk, and i each for other wild birds; also 2 for a Cat; i for a Dog. No information is given the Scout; he is told to go to such a point and do so and so, but is fined points if he hesitates or asks how or why, etc. THE GAME OF QUICKSIGHT Take two boards about a foot square, divide each into twenty-five squares; get ten nuts and ten pebbles. Give to one player one board, five nuts, and five pebbles. He places these on the squares in any pattern he fancies, and when ready, the other player is allowed to see it for five • @ • • ^mimm Mdi^K -— ■ ■ > ■' ■ ■ I I Qvicksi^hi G&ia6 couTitirs
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seconds. Then it is covered up, and from the memory of what he saw the second player must reproduce the pattern on his own board. He counts one for each that was right, and takes ofif one for each that was wrong. They take turn and turn about. This game is a wonderful developer of the power to see and memorize quickly.324)292 The Book of Woodcraft FAR-SIGHT, OR SPOT-THE-RABBIT Take two six-inch squares of stiff white pasteboard or whitened wood. On each of these draw an outline Rabbit, one an exact duplicate of the other. Make twenty round black wafers or spots, each half an inch across. Let one player stick a few of these on one Rabbit-board and set it up in full light. The other, beginning at 100 yards, draws near till he can see the spots well enough to reproduce the pattern on the other which he carries. If he can do it at 75 yards he has wonderful eyes. Down even to 70 (done 3 times out of 5) he counts high honor; from 70 to 60 counts honor. Below that does not count at all. HOME STAR OR POLE STAR Each competitor is given a long, straight stick, in day- time, and told to lay it due north and south. In doing this he may guide himself by sun, moss, or anything he can find in nature — anything, indeed, except a compass. The direction is checked by a good compass corrected for the locality. The one who comes nearest wins.325)Games for the Camp 293 It is optional with the judges whether the use of a time- piece is to be allowed. RABBIT HUNT The game of Rabbit-hunting is suited for two hunters in limited grounds. Three little sacks of brown burlap, each about eight inches by twelve, are stuffed with hay. At any given place in the woods the two hunters stand in a lo-foot circle with their bows and arrows. One boy is blindfolded; the other, without leaving the circle, throws the Rabbits into good hiding places on the ground. Then the second hunter has to find the Rabbits and shoot them without leaving the circle. The lowest number of points wins, as in golf. If the hunter has to leave the circle he gets one point for every step he takes outside. After he sees the Rabbit he must keep to that spot and shoot till it is hit once. One shot kills it, no matter where struck. For every shot he misses he gets five points. After his first shot at each Rabbit the hider takes alter- nate shots with him. If it is the hider who kills the Rabbit, the hunter adds ten points to his score. If the hunter hits it, he takes ten off his score. If the hunter fails to find all the Rabbits, he scores twenty- five for each one he gives up. The hider cannot score at all. He can only help his friend into trouble. Next time the two change places. A match is usually for two brace of Rabbits. ARROW FIGHT This is a good one for challenges between two bands of equal numbers, say six on a side.326)294 The Book of Woodcraft Each brave is armed with a bow and arrows (blunt preferred). Let the two bands stand in a row opposite a given bank, lo to 20 yards away. Against this bank should be a row of 12-inch wooden or card disks (wooden dishes do well) set on edge lightly in stakes. Each brave is represented by a disk, which is opposite his enemy or corresponding number. Thus six disks, number one to six, represent the Wolf Band; they are opposite the Eagles, and vice-versa. At the word go each shoots at the disks that represent his enemies. As soon as the disk that represents himself is shot, he must fall; he is out of the fight. The battle continues until all of one side are down. A truce may be arranged to recover the arrows. HOSTILE SPY Hanging from the Totem-pole is a red or yellow horsetail. This is the Grand Medicine Scalp of the band. The Hos- tile Spy has to capture it. The leader goes around on the morning of the day and whispers to the various braves, "Look out — there's a spy in camp." At length he goes secretly near the one he has selected for spy and whispers, "Look out, there's a spy in camp, and you are it." He gives him at the same time some bright-colored badge, that he must wear as soon as he has secured the Medicine Scalp. He must not hide the scalp on his person, but keep it in view. He has all day till sunset to get away with it. If he gets across the river or other limit, with wairriors in close pursuit, they give him ten arrowheads (two and one half cents each), or other ransom agreed on. If he gets away safely and hides it, he can come back and claim fifteen arrowheads from the Council as ransom for the scalp. If he is caught, he pays his captor ten arrowheads, ransom for his life.327)Games for the Camp 295 THE SCOUT AIESSENGER This is played with a Scout and ten or more Hostiles, or Hounds, according to the country; more when it is rough or wooded. The Scout is given a letter addressed to the "Military Commandant"* of any given place a mile or two away. He is told to take the letter to any one of three given houses, and get it endorsed, with the hour when he arrived, then return to the starting-point within a certain time. The Hostiles are sent to a point halfway, and let go by a starter at the same time as the Scout leaves the camp. They are to intercept him. If they catch him before he delivers the letter he must ransom his life by paying each two arrowheads (or other forfeit) and his captor keeps the letter as a trophy. If he gets through, but is caught on the road back, he pays half as much for his life. If he gets through, but is over time, it is a draw. If he gets through successfully on time he claims three arrowheads from each Hostile and keeps the letter as a trophy. They may not follow him into the house (that is, the Fort), but may surround it at one hundred yards distance. They do not know which three houses he is free to enter, but they do know that these are within certain narrow limits. The Scout should wear a conspicuous badge (hat, shirt, coat, or feather), and may ride a wheel or go in a wagon, etc., as long as his badge is clearly visible. He must not go in female dress. A CHALLENGE FOR SCOUT MESSENGER On day, 19 13, the Sinawa Tribe of Cos Cob, Conn., will send a letter by one man into the town of •The " Military Commandment " is usually the lady of the house that he gets to.328)296 The Book of Woodcraft Jellypot (two miles off) and will have him bring again an answer within the space of three hours; and hereby challenge any twenty picked warriors of the Flying Eagles of New Jersey to capture or hinder the dehvery of said letter. On this the messenger will stake his scalp or any other agreed forfeit according to the rules of the game of Scout Messenger. TREE THE COON This is an indoor game, founded on the familiar "Hunt the Thimble." We use a little dummy coon; either make it or turn a ready-made toy rabbit into one, by adding tail and black mask, and cropping the ears. Sometimes even a little rag ball with a face painted on it. All the players but one go out of the room. That one places the coon anywhere in sight, high or low, but in plain view; all come in and seek. The first to find it sits down silently, and scores i. Each sits down, on seeing it, giving no clue to the others. The first to score 3 coons is winner, usually. Sometimes we play till every one but one has a coon; that one is the booby. The others are first, second, etc. Sometimes each is given his number in order of finding it. Then, after 7 or 8 coons, these numbers are added up, and the lowest is winner. NAVAJO FEATHER DANCE An eagle feather hung on a horsehair, so as to stand up- right, is worked by a hidden operator, so as to dance and caper. The dancer has to imitate all its motions. A marionette may be used. It is a great fun maker.329)Games for the Camp 297 FEATHER FOOTBALL OR FEATHER-BLOW This is an indoor, wet-weather game. The players hold a blanket on the knees or on the table. A soft feather is put in the middle. As many may play as can get near. They may be in sides, 2 or 4, or each for himself. At the signal " Go! " each tries to blow the feather off the blanket at the enemy's side, and so count one for himself. A game is usually best out of 7, 11, or 13. COCK-FIGHTING Make 2 stout sticks, each 2 feet long (broomsticks will do). Pad each of these on the end with a ball of rag. These are the spurs. Make an 8-foot ring. The two rivals are on their hunkers, each with a stick through be- hind his knees, his hands clasped in front of the knees, and the arms under the ends of the spurs. Now they close; each aiming to upset the other, to make him lose his spurs or to put him out of the ring, any of which ends that round, and scores i for the victor. If both fall, or lose a spur, or go out together, it is a draw. Battle is for 3, 5, 7, II, or 13 rounds. ONE-LEGGED CHICKEN FIGHT In this the two contestants stand upon one leg, holding up the ankle grasped in one hand behind. Points are scored as above, but it is a defeat also to drop the up leg. STRONG HAND The two contestants stand right toe by right toe, right hands clasped together; left feet braced; left hands free.330)298 The Book of Woodcraft At the word "Go!" each tries to unbalance the other; that is, make him lift or move one of his feet. A lift of a shift ends the round. Battles are for best out of 3, 5, 7, or ii rounds. BADGER-PULLING The two contestants, on hands and knees, face each other. A strong belt or strap is buckled into one great loop that passes round the head of each ; that is, crosses his nape. Halfway between them is a dead line. The one who pulls the other over this line is winner. The contestant can at any time end the bout by lowering his head so the strap sHps off; but this counts i against him. Game is best out of 5, 7, 11, or 13 points. STUNG, OR STEP ON THE RATTLER — SOMETIMES CALLED POISON This is an ancient game. A circle about three feet across is drawn on the ground. The players, holding hands, make a ring around this, and try to make one of the number step into the poison circle. He can evade it by side-stepping, by jumping over, or by dragging another fellow into it. First to make the misstep is "it" for the time or for next game. Sometimes we use a newspaper with a switch lying across it. Each when stung sits down. When one only is left he is the Rattler, and may sting each of the others with the switch across their hand. BUFFALO CHIPS When I was among the Chipewyan Indians of Great Slave Lake, in 1907, 1 made myself popular with the young men, as well as boys, by teaching them the old game of hat-ball or Buffalo Chips.331)Games for the Camp 299 The players (about a dozen) put their hats in a row near a house, fence, or log (hollows up) A dead-line is drawn 10 feet from the hats; all must stand outside of that. The one who is "it" begins by throwing a soft ball into one of the hats. If he misses the hat, a chip is put into his own, and he tries over. As soon as he drops the ball into a hat, the owner runs to get the ball; all the rest run away. The owner must not follow beyond the dead-Hne, but must throw the ball at some one. If he hits him, a chip goes into that person's hat; if not, a chip goes into his own. As soon as some one has 5 chips he is the Buffalo ; he wins the booby prize: that is, he must hold his hand out steady against the wall, and each player has 5 shots at it with the ball, as he stands on the dead-line. RAT-ON-HIS-LODGE Each player has a large, smooth, roundish stone, about 4 or 5 inches through. This is his rat. He keeps it per- manently. The lodge is any low boulder, block, stump, bump, or hillock on level ground. A dead-Une is drawn through the lodge and another parallel, 15 feet away, for a firing line. The fellow who is *'it,"or "keeper," perches his rat on the lodge. The others stand at the firing-line and throw their rats at his. They must not pick them up or touch them with their hands when they are beyond the dead- Une. If one does, then the keeper can tag him (unless he reaches the firing-line) , and send him to do duty as keeper at the rock. But they can coax their rats with their feet, up to the dead-line, not beyond, then watch for a chance to dodge back to the firing-line, where they are safe at all times.332)300 The Book of Woodcraft If the rat is knocked off by any one in fair firing, the keeper is powerless till he has replaced it. Meantime, most of the players have secured their rats and got back safe to the firing-line. By using bean bags or sandbags instead of stones this may be made an indoor game. WATCHING BY THE TRAIL This is a game we often play in the train, to pass the time pleasantly. Sometimes one party takes the right side of the road with the windows there, and the other the left. Sometimes all players sit on the same side. The game is, whoever is first to see certain things agreed on scores so many points. Thus: A crow or a cow counts i A horse 2 A sheep 3 A goat 4 A cat 5 A hawk 6 An owl 7 The winner is the one who first gets 25 or 50 points, as agreed. When aioot, one naturally takes other things for points, as certain trees, flowers, etc. TRAILING A good trailing stunt to develop alertness and obser- vation is managed thus: One fellow wearing the tracking irons is deer. He is given 100 beans, 30 slices of potato and 10 minutes start. He has to lay a track, as crooked as he pleases, dropping a bean every 3 or 4 yards and a slice333)Games for the Camp 301 of potato every 20. After ten minutes' run the deer has to hide. The trailers follow him, picking up the beans and potato slices. Each bean counts i point, each slice of potato 2. The one who fmds the deer scores 10 for it. APACHE RELAY RACE One band is pitted against another, to see who can carry a message and bring a reply in shortest time, by means of relays of runners. One mile is far enough for an ordinary race. This divides up even 220 yards to each of eight runners. The band is taken out by the Chief, who drops scouts at convenient distances, where they await the arrival of the other runner, and at once take the letter on to the next, and there await the return letter. A good band of 8 can carry a letter a mile and bring the answer in about 9 minutes. THE WEASEL IN THE WOOD The old French Song game much like our game of "But- ton, Button," orthe Indian Moccasin game, is given in the Section on Songs, etc. THROWING THE SPEAR This was popular among Indians until the rifle made the spear of little use. The spear is of a straight, slender staiif of ash or hickory, about 7 feet long. It should have a steel point, the weight should be chiefly in the head end; that is, the balancing point should be 2 feet from the head. A tuft of colored feathers or hair near the light end helps the spear to fly straight, and is a distinctive ornament.334)302 The Book of Woodcraft The target should be a burlap sack stuffed tight with straw and ranged as for archery. Make it big, 6 feet square, if possible, and always begin so close to it that you at least hit the sack nearly every time. Afterward • you can work off to the correct range of 30 feet. WATER-BOILING CONTEST Given a hatchet and knife, i match, a 2-quart pail, 7 inches or less in diameter, one quart of water and a block of soft wood about 2 feet long and 5 or 6 inches through. Any one should have the water boiling in 10 minutes. The record is said to be 7.59 First cut plenty of wood. Spend three minutes on it. Support your pail on four pegs driven in the ground. If water is handy dip the pegs in it before placing. The water must be jumping and bubbling all over the surface or it is not boiling. If the first match goes out, contestants are usually al- lowed a second, but are penalized by having 2 minutes added to their time. MEDLEY SCOUTING The following competition in Medley Scouting took place at one of my camps. A prize was offered for the highest points in the following: At the word, "Go." Bring a leaf of sugar-maple; and tell how it differs from other maples. Tell a short story. Bring a leaf of poison ivy (wrapped in a thick paper, to avoid touching it), and describe the poison, and mode of counteracting it.335)Games for the Camp 303 Mark off on a stick your idea of a yard. Bring a leaf of witch hazel, and tell what it is good for. Show a bed made by yourself in camp of woods material. Bring a leaf of beech, and tell how it differs from those most like it. Show a dancer's war club made by yourself in camp, and tell what they are used for. Dance a step; any — English, Irish, Scotch, or Indian. Strike a match and light a lamp; both of them im- aginary. Show a birch-bark utensil or article made by yourself. Make a map of North America from memory in 10 minutes. Boil a quart of water in a 2-quart pail, given i match, a hatchet, and a stick of wood. You should do it inside of 12 minutes. Give an imitation of some animal, actions or sounds. Play the part of an Indian woman finding her warrior dead. For each of the first 20 competitors, points were given; the prize adjudged by the total. Some of these stunts may seem trivial, but there was a purpose in each, and that purpose was served. In the Indian widow, for example, we wished to select the best actor for play. Most of the fellows failed. Two were good, but one, nearly the smallest in camp, was so fine that he brought tears into the eyes of many. The selection of the various leaves impressed these kinds on all, especially those who failed to bring the right ones. The song and dance was introduced to cultivate the spirit of going fearlessly in and doing one's best, however poor it might be; and the elements of handicraft were recognized in birch-bark vessel and war club.336)304 The Book of Woodcraft By the bed competition, all were taught how easy it is * to make one's self comfortable in the woods. The water-boiling was particularly instructive and was I tried twice. The first time the winner took 14 minutes, ' and the second best 20. The last time, the winner's time was 8 minutes, and the second one's 10. Even the imitations of monkey, lynx, cat, panther, moose, etc., developed a keen observation, and a lot of good natural history that was intensely interesting as well as amusing.
