AN ILLUSTRIOUS EXAMPLE
That night the Scout Master was much gratified at the interest
manifested by the boys as they assembled around the council fire.
It was plain that they had all found "food for thought" in what he
had told them on the previous evening. Their questions showed that
they were anxious to understand how to make the most of the promised
course, and that they realized it was bound to prove intensely
interesting.
"Some of the boys asked me to remind you of the book you had last
night," said Don Miller, coming up to Lieutenant Denmead as the
latter had a moment's freedom.
"Surely! I must not forget my promise," responded the Scout Master.
"See that the troop is assembled and ready, Miller, and I will secure
the volume."
A few moments later the erect, impressive figure of the lieutenant
faced the waiting assembly of silent scouts.
"Scouts of Pioneer Camp," he said, "among the heroes of our nation
is one whose name is particularly familiar to you and to whom
public honor is frequently given. His character has borne the
searchlight of investigation for more than a century, and as a
man of fine moral fiber and a military leader of superior judgment,
he still stands preeminent. I refer, boys, to General George
Washington!"
So impressive and so compelling were these words that instinctively
the patrol leaders rose to their feet and stood at salute. In an
instant every scout had joined them, and the Scout Master gravely
returned the proffered courtesy.
At a gesture the boys sat down again, and the lieutenant, sitting so
that the fire light fell steadily on the open book in his hand, began
to read:
"'George Washington was not more than thirteen or fourteen years
of age when he was encouraged to put his skill in mathematics
into definite use by learning surveying. He applied himself so
thoroughly that before long he surveyed the land about the schoolhouse
which he attended. As he was the first pupil who had performed
such a practical piece of work, his schoolmates were deeply interested
in his exploit.'"
"'A little later, when he had advanced so far in his study as
to give him some idea of the proper use and handling of the chain
and compass, he began to put his knowledge into practice by taking
surveys of the farms lying in the immediate neighborhood of his
schoolhouse.'"
"'Assisted by his schoolmates, he would follow up and measure off
the boundary lines between the farms, such as fences, roads, and
water courses; then those dividing the different parts of the same
farm; determining at the same time, with the help of his compass,
their various courses, their crooks and windings, and the angles
formed at their points of meeting or intersection. This done, he
would make a map or drawing on paper of the land surveyed, whereon
would be clearly traced the lines dividing the different parts with
the name and number of acres of each attached, while on the opposite
page he would write down the long and difficult tables of figures
by which these results had been reached. All this he would execute
with as much neatness and accuracy as if it had been left with him
to decide thereby some gravely disputed land claim.'"
Lieutenant Denmead paused and glanced at the group of faces steadily
turned toward him. Then he resumed:
"'The habit of mind thus cultivated continued through life; so that,
however complicated his tasks and overwhelming his cares, he found
time to do everything, and to do it well. He had acquired
the magic of method, which of itself works wonders.'"
"'When about sixteen years old, George Washington was asked by his
friend, Lord Fairfax, to make a survey of the latter's extensive
lands, a vast territory lying between the Potomac and Rappahannock
Rivers. He undertook the commission in the early spring, when the
mountains were still white with snow and the streams had swollen
into torrents. He was clad in a buckskin hunting shirt, with
leggings and moccasins of the same material, the simple garb of
a backwoodsman, in perfect keeping with the wildness of the scenes
he had to encounter. In his broad leathern belt were stuck a
long hunting-knife and an Indian tomahawk. As he rode his horse,
he frequently carried in his left hand his useful compassstaff.'"
"'The enterprise upon which Washington had entered was one of
romance, toil, and peril. It required the exercise of constant
vigilance and sagacity. Here and there in the wilds ran narrow
trails through dense thickets, over craggy hills, and along the
banks of streams; but when they might lead the young surveyor
into the camps of squatters or Indians, no one could tell.'"
As the Scout Master stopped again, he found the boys listening
with breathless interest, and he guessed that many of them were
following the explorations of Washington in imagination.
"This next paragraph," he said, "reminds me of some of our own
experiences on a hike. Listen: 'My companions and I,' wrote
Washington in his journal on April eighth of that year, 'camped
in the woods; and after we had pitched our tent and made a large
fire we pulled out our knapsacks to recruit ourselves. Every
one was his own cook. Our spits were forked sticks, our plates
were large chips. As for dishes, we had none.'"
"I shall read only two more brief paragraphs:"
"'Washington's success as a surveyor for Lord Fairfax called the
attention of the Virginia authorities to him and to the unusual
accuracy of his surveys. As a consequence, he was appointed public
surveyor, deriving a discipline therefrom which was of great service
to him in his later career. By making him an able civil engineer,
it laid the foundation of his future eminence in a military capacity.
And by making him known to the principal landholders of the State,
it led to his appointment, at the age of nineteen, to the office
of adjutant-general, with the rank of major. This gave him the
charge of a district, with the duty of exercising the militia,
inspecting their arms, and superintending their discipline.'"
"That is all, boys," concluded the Scout Master, rising and closing
the volume. "But as we take up our course in surveying, with the
additional interest of its geological significance, we may like to
remember that we are following in the footsteps of no less a man
than George Washington!"