To Fortify a Camp.--Forts at opposite Corners.--Explorers have frequent
occasion to form a depot: either a few men are left in charge of the
heavy luggage, while the rest of the party ride on a distant
reconnoitring expedition; or else the whole party may encamp for weeks,
until the state of the season, or other cause, permits further travel. In
either case, a little forethought and labour will vastly increase the
security of the depot against hostile attempts. For instance, it should
be placed at least 200 yards from any cover, or commanding heights; if
the ground on which it stands have any features of strength about it, as
being near the side of a stream, or being on a hill, so much the better;
the neighbourhood of shingle prevents persons from stealing across
unheard; and, finally, the camp should be fortified. Now the principle of
fortification best suited to a small party, is to form the camp into a
square, and to have two projecting enclosures at opposite corners, where
all the men who have guns may place themselves to fire on the assailants.
It will be seen by the sketch, how completely the guns in each enclosure
can sweep the edges as well as the whole of the environs of the camp.
[Sketch of camp with fortifications].
A square is better than a round for the projecting enclosures, as it
allows more men to use their guns at the same time on the same point; but
it is so convenient to make the walls of the enclosure serve as sidings
for the tents, that it is perhaps best to allow the size and shape of the
tent to determine those of the enclosures. A square of nine or ten feet,
inside measurement, is amply sufficient for three guns or archers. The
parapets can be built of large stones. A travelling party rarely carries
spades, but when they have them, the parapet may be formed of the earth
thrown up by digging a trench outside it; the common calculation is,
that, with good tools, a labourer can dig one cubic yard of earth an
hour, and can continue working for eight hours in the day. The parapet
should be raised four feet above the ground, as that is the most
convenient height to fire from when standing; and it is high enough to
shield a person kneeling down to load. Upon this parapet, large stones
should be laid, having loop-holes between them, and above the stones the
tent may be pitched; its pole being lengthened by lashing apiece of wood
to it, or by cutting a fresh pole altogether. It will make a high roof to
the enclosure, and will complete a comfortable abode. We have thus a
square enclosed camp for the cattle, the wagons, and the natives of the
party; and, at opposite corners of it, two fortified houses: one of which
would naturally be inhabited by the leaders of the party; and the other,
either by the storekeeper, or by the white servants generally
Trous de Loup are holes, with sharp stake driven in the bottom of each of
them (see "Pitfalls," p. 264) with the pointed end upwards. The South Sea
Islanders use them in multitudes to prevent the possibility of an enemy's
approach at night, otherwise than along the narrow paths that lead to
their villages: if a man deviates from a path, he is sure to stumble into
one of these contrivances, and to be lamed. The holes need not exceed one
foot in diameter; and the stake may be a stick no thicker than the little
finger, and yet it will suffice to maim an ill-shod man, if its point be
baked hard. A traveller could only use these pitfalls where, from the
circumstances of the case, there was no risk of his own men, cattle, or
dogs falling into them.
Weapons, to resist an Attack.--Unless your ammunition is so kept as to be
accessible in the confusion of an attack, the fortifications I have just
described would be of little service. If the guns are all, or nearly all,
of the same bore, it is simple enough to have small bags filled with
cartridges, and also papers with a dozen caps in each. Buck-shot and
slugs are better than bullets, for the purposes of which we are speaking.
Bows and arrows might render good service. The Chinese, in their junks,
when they expect a piratical attack, bring up baskets filled with stones
from the ballast of the ship, and put them on deck ready at hand. They
throw them with great force and precision: the idea is not a bad one.
Boiling water and hot sand, if circumstances happened to permit their
use, are worth bearing in mind, as they tell well on the bodies of naked
assailants. In close quarters, thrust, do not strike; and recollect that
it is not the slightest use to hit a negro on the head with a stick, as
it is a fact that his skull endures a blow better than any other part of
his person. In picking out the chiefs, do not select the men that are the
most showily ornamented, for they are not the chiefs; but the biggest and
the busiest. A good horseman will find a powerful weapon at hand by
unhitching his stirrup leather and attached stirrup from the saddle. I
know of a case where this idea saved the rider.
Rockets.--Of all European inventions, nothing so impresses and terrifies
savages as fireworks, especially rockets. I cannot account for the
remarkable effect they produce, but in every land, it appears to be the
same. A rocket, judiciously sent up, is very likely to frighten off an
intended attack and save bloodshed. If a traveller is supplied with any
of these, he should never make playthings of them, but keep them for
great emergencies.
Natives forbidden to throng the Camp.--Have a standing rule that many
natives should never be allowed to go inside your camp at the same time:
for it is everywhere a common practice among them, to collect quietly in
a friendly way, and at a signal to rise en masse and overpower their
hosts. Even when they profess to have left their arms behind, do not be
too confident: they are often deposited close at hand. Captain Sturt
says, that he has known Australian savages to trail their spears between
their toes, as they lounged towards him through the grass, professedly
unarmed.
Keeping Watch.--Head near the ground.--When you think you hear anything
astir, lie down and lay your ear on the ground. To see to the best
advantage, take the same position; you thus bring low objects in bold
relief against the sky. Besides this, in a wooded country, it is often
easy to see far between the bare stems of the trees, while their
spreading tops shut out all objects more than a few yards off. Thus, a
dog or other small animal usually sees a man's legs long before he sees
his face.
Opera-glass.--An opera-glass is an excellent night glass, and at least
doubles the clearness of vision in the dark (0p. 284).
Ear-trunpet.--I should be glad to hear that a fair trial had been also
given by a traveller to an ear-trumpet.
Watchfulness of Cattle.--Cattle keep guard very well: a stranger can
hardly approach a herd of oxen, without their finding him out; for
several of them are always sure to be awake and watchful. The habits of
bush life make a traveller, though otherwise sound asleep, start up
directly at a very slight rustle of alarm among his cattle.
Of Wild Birds and Beasts.--Scared birds and beasts often give
useful warning.
Smell of Negro.--A skulking negro may sometimes be smelt out like a fox.
Dahoman Night-watch.--The Dahomans, the famous military nation of N.W.
Africa, have an odd method of dividing their watches by night, but "which
is generally managed very correctly. At each gate of a stockaded town, is
posted a sentry, who is provided with a pile of stones, the exact number
of which has been previously ascertained. The night is divided into four
watches; during each watch the sentry removes the pile of stones, one by
one, at a measured pace, from one gate to another, calling out at each
tenth removal: when all are removed, the watch is relieved."--Forbes.
Setting a common Gun as an Alarm-gun.--The gun may be loaded with bullet,
or simply with powder, or only with a cap: even the click of the hammer
may suffice to awaken attention. For the ways of setting it, see p. 257.
Prairie set on Fire.--This is often done as a means of offence. But when
the grass is short (lower than the knee), the strip of it on fire, at the
same moment, does not exceed 12 feet in width; therefore if a belt of
grass of 12 feet in width be destroyed in advance of the line of fire,
the conflagration will be arrested as soon as it reaches that belt. The
fire will be incapable of traversing the interval narrow though it be,
where there is a total absence of fuel to feed it. Travellers avail
themselves of this fact in a very happy manner, when a fire in the
prairie is advancing towards them, by burning a strip of grass, to the
windward of their camp, of 12 feet in breadth; beating down the blaze
with their blankets wherever it would otherwise extend too widely. Behind
this easily constructed line of defence, the camp rests in security, and
the adjacent grass remains uninjured for the use of the cattle. If,
however, the wind is high and sparks are drifted for some distance beyond
the belt of fire, this method is insufficient: two lines of defence
should then be constructed.
Tricks upon Robbers.--It is perhaps just worth while to mention a trick
that has been practised in most countries, from England to Peru. A
traveller is threatened by a robber with a gun, and ordered to throw
himself on the ground, or he will be fired at. The traveller taking a
pistol from his belt, shouts out, "If this were loaded you should not
treat me thus!" and throws himself on the ground as the robber bids him.
There he lies till the robber, in his triumph, comes up for his booty;
when the intended victim takes a quick aim and shoots him dead--the
pistol being really loaded all the time. I have also heard of an incident
in the days of Shooter's Hill, in England, where a ruffian waylaid and
sprang upon a traveller, and holding a pistol to his breast, summoned him
for the contents of his pocket. The traveller dived his hand into one of
them, and, silently cocking a small pistol that lay in it, shot the
robber dead, firing out through the side of the pocket.
Passing through a Hostile Country.--How to encamp.--A small party has
often occasion to try to steal through a belt of hostile country without
being observed. At such times, it is a rule never to encamp until long
after sun-down, in order that people on your track may be unable to
pursue it with ease. If you are pursuing a beaten path, turn sharp out of
it, when you intend to encamp, selecting a place for doing so where the
ground is too hard to show footprints; then travel away for a quarter of
an hour, at least. Lastly, look out for a hollow place, in the midst of
an open flat. Never allow hammering of any kind in your camp, nor loud
talking; but there is no danger in lighting a small fire, if reasonable
precautions be taken, as a flame cannot be seen far through bushes. Keep
a strict watch all night: the watchers should be 100 yards out from camp,
and should relieve one another, every two hours at least. Enough animals
for riding, one for each man, should always be tied up, in readiness for
instant use.
When riding alone.--A person who is riding a journey for his life, sleeps
most safely with his horse's head tied short up to his wrist. The horse,
if he hears anything, tosses his head and jerks the rider's arm. The
horse is a careful animal, and there appears to be little danger of his
treading on his sleeping master.
[Sketch of horse tethered as above].
The Indians of South America habitually adopt this plan, when
circumstances require extreme caution (see fig.)
To prevent your Horse from neighing.--If a troop of horsemen pass near
your hiding-place, it may be necessary to clutch your steed's muzzle with
both hands, to prevent his neighing.
Hurried retreat of a Party.--When a party, partly of horsemen and partly
of footmen, are running away from danger as hard as they can, the footmen
lay hold of the stirrup-leathers of the riders, to assist them. (See
"Litters for the Wounded," p. 23.)
Securing Prisoners.--To take a strong man Prisoner singlehanded, threaten
him with your gun, and compel him to throw all his arms away; then,
marching him before you some little distance, make him lie flat on his
face and put his hands behind him. Of course he will be in a dreadful
fright, and require reassuring. Next take your knife, put it between your
teeth, and, standing over him, take the caps off your gun, and lay it
down by your side. Then handcuff him, in whatever way you best can. The
reason of setting to work in this way is, that a quick supple savage,
while you are fumbling with your strings, and bothered with a loaded gun,
might easily spring round, seize hold of it, and quite turn the tables
against you. But if the gun had no caps on, it would be of little use in
his hands, except as a club; and also, if you had a knife between your
teeth, it would be impossible for him to free himself by struggling,
without exposing himself to a thrust from it.
Cord to be well stretched.--It is an imperfect security to tie an
ingenious active man, whose hands and feet are small, unless the cord or
whatever else you may use, had been thoroughly well stretched. Many
people have exhibited themselves for money, who allowed themselves to be
tied hand and foot and then to be put into a sack, whence they emerged
after a few minutes, with the cords in a neat coil in their hands. The
brothers Davenport were notorious for possessing this skill. They did not
show themselves for half-pence at country fairs; but, by implying that
they were set free by supranatural agencies, they held fashionable
seances in London and created an immense sensation a few years ago. Two
of these exhibitors were tied, face to face in a cupboard, respectively
by two persons selected by the audience. The latter inspected one
another's knots as well as they could, and on their expressing themselves
satisfied, the doors of the cupboard were closed, the lights of the room
were kept low for 5 or 10 minutes, until a signal was made by the
exhibitors from within the cupboard; then in a blaze of gas light the
doors were opened from within and out walked the two men, leaving the
ropes behind them. After this, they tied themselves in their own knots;
and under those easy conditions a number of so-called spiritual
manifestations took place, which I need not here describe; the real
curiosity of the exhibition being that which I have just explained. These
exhibitions continued for months; but at length two nautical gentlemen
insisted on using their own cord, which they had previously well
stretched, and this proceeding utterly baffled the Davenports.
Thenceforward wherever the Davenports showed themselves, the nautical
gentlemen appeared also, appealing to the audience to elect them to tie
the hands of the exhibitors. In this way, they fairly exposed the
pretensions of the Davenports, and drove them from England. Once I was
proposed by an audience to tie the hands. I did my best, and I also
scrutinised my colleague's knot, as well as the confined place in which
the exhibitors were tied, permitted. The cord we had to use was perhaps a
little too thick, but it was supple and strong, and I was greatly
surprised at the ease with which the Davenports disembarrassed
themselves. They were not more than 10 minutes in getting free. Of course
if either of the exhibitors could struggle loose, he would assist his
colleague. It therefore struck me as an exceedingly ingenious idea of the
Davenports, to have two persons, and not one person, to tie them. I
considered it was very improbable that a person taken at hap-hazard
should be capable of tying his man securely; and it was evident that the
improbability would be increased in a duplicate ratio, that both persons
should be capable. Thus if it be 20 to 1 against any one person's having
sufficient skill, it is (20 by 20 or) 400 to 1 against both the persons,
who might be selected to tie the Davenports, being able to do so
effectively. As I have already said, the opportunity that was afforded to
each of scrutinising the work of the other, was worth very little,
because of the dark and confined space in which the exhibitors sat.
Tying the Hands.--To tie a man's hands behind his back, take a
handkerchief, it is the best thing; failing that, a thin cord. It is
necessary that its length should not be less than 2 feet, but 2 feet 6
inches is the right length; for a double tie, it should be 3 feet 6
inches. Compel him to lay his hands as in the sketch, and, wrapping the
cord once (or twice if it be long enough) round the arms, pretty tightly,
pass the longest end in between the arms as shown in the figure, and tie
quite tightly. If you are quick in tying the common "tom-fool's knot,"
well known to every sailor, it is still better for the purpose. Put the
prisoner's hands one within each loop, then draw tightly the running
ends, and knot them together.
[Sketch of hands tied as above].
Tying the Thumbs.--To secure a prisoner with the least amount of string,
place his hands back to back, behind him, then tie the thumbs together,
and also the little fingers. Two bits of thin string, each a foot long,
will thoroughly do this. But if you have not any string at hand, cut a
thong from his leathern apron, or tear a strip from you own linen.
[Sketch of person with bound hands].
Strait-Waistcoats.--A strait-waistcoat is the least inconvenient mode of
confinement, as the joints of the prisoner are not cut by cords. A
makeshift for one is soon stitched together, by stitching a piece of
canvas into the shape of a sleeve, and sewing one end of this to one cuff
of a strong jacket, and the other end to the other cuff; so that, instead
of the jacket having two sleeves, it has but one long one. The jacket is
then put on in the usual way, and buttoned and sewn in front. In a proper
strait-waistcoat, the opening is behind and the sleeves in front; it
laces up behind.
[Sketch of man in waistcoat].
Tying up a Prisoner for the night.--If a man has to be kept prisoner all
night, it is not sufficient to tie his hands, as he will be sure to watch
his time and run away. It is therefore necessary to tie them round a
standing tree, or a heavy log of wood. A convenient plan is to fell a
large forked bough, and to make the man's arms fast round one of the
branches. It is thus impossible for him to slip away, as the fork on one
side, and the bushy top of the branch on the other, prevent his doing so;
and, notwithstanding his cramped position, it is quite possible for him
to get sleep.
Files of Prisoners.--When several men have to be made fast and marched
away, the usual method of securing them is to tie them, one behind
another, to a long pole or rope.
In marching off a Culprit, make him walk between two of your men, while a
third carrying a gun, walks behind him. If riding alone, tie the
prisoner's hands together, and, taking your off-stirrup leather (for want
of a cord), pass it round his left arm, and round your horse's girth, and
buckle it. The off-stirrup leather is the least inconvenient one to part
with, on account of mounting, and the prisoner is under your right hand.
Tying on Horseback.--In cases where a prisoner has to be secured and
galloped off, there are but two ways: either putting him in the saddle
and strapping his ankles together under the horse's belly--in which
case, if he be mad with rage, and attempts to throw himself off, the
saddle must turn with him; or else securing him Mazeppa-fashion--when
four loops are passed, one round each leg of the horse, and to each of
these is tied one limb of the prisoner, as he lies with his back against
that of the horse; a surcingle is also passed round both horse and man.
It is, of course, a barbarous method, but circumstances might arise when
it would be of use.
Proceedings in case of Death.--If a man of the party dies, write down a
detailed account of the matter, and have it attested by the others,
especially if accident be the cause of his death. If a man be lost,
before you turn away and abandon him to his fate, call the party formally
together, and ask them if they are satisfied that you have done all that
was possible to save him, and record their answers. After death, it is
well to follow the custom at sea--i.e. to sell by auction all the dead
man's effects among his comrades, deducting the money they fetch from the
pay of the buyers, to be handed over to his relatives on the return of
the expedition. The things will probably be sold at a much higher price
than they would elsewhere fetch, and the carriage of useless lumber is
saved. Any trinkets he may have had, should of course be sealed up and
put aside, and not included in the sale: they should be collected in
presence of the whole party, a list made of them, and the articles at
once packed up. In committing the body to the earth, choose a well-marked
situation, dig a deep grave, bush it with thorns, and weight it well over
with heavy stones, as a defence against animals of prey.