WHAT TO DO IF LOST IN THE WOODS
Every man who goes camping in the woods, at a distance of more than
five miles from civilization, and does what nearly every man does do,
i. e., “take a walk to see the country,” is liable to miss his way and
if he is not lost, the camp is. I have talked about this with a few
people who have been in that unenviable position and the answer to the
question is difficult and varied. “You just can’t tell what you would
do.” You may theorize all you choose beforehand, but when the time
comes and your brain is bewildered, you would take the most solemn oath
that your compass is wrong. It is a most horrible sensation to find
that you do not know how to get out of the woods, with perhaps miles
of almost trackless forest before you; the one safe place, perhaps, is
only a short distance away, but you do not know where that way is.
I have roamed the woods for thirty years, sometimes being in camp from
May 1st to December 1st. I have hunted summer and winter in strange
localities, as naturalist, sportsman and surveyor, and while I do not
know as much woodcraft as I wish I did, I have had some experience in
getting lost--and finding myself again; in fact, I have a faculty for
getting lost. When I am following a rare or unknown bird I endeavor
to keep my eye on it, irrespective of the direction in which it may
take me, sometimes across country and often in circles, and when I get
ready to resume my quiet path I know not where I am. So I have adopted
a positive maxim: “Whatever you do, do not get rattled and lose your
head.”
I often have had to caution a “_novo_” who looked to me for instruction
in the woods, to remember the above every minute, and to add to it
“Always carry a compass and _never_ think that it lies.” Most people
have heard of local attraction in the compass, and they always think
they have found it. There is only about one per cent. of the country
that will show anything of the kind and even then it would not deflect
the needle enough to carry the traveler far astray. If it were
deflected, the needle would keep you from wandering in circles in
which lies the greatest danger of being lost.
Now supposing that you are camping on the shore of a lake in the woods,
and you want to look over the neighborhood. Your first duty is to look
at a map of the locality, if you have not already done so, so that
you may have a general idea of the characteristics of the surrounding
country; especially of the trend of the hills, the locations of streams
or roads or the direction of the coast or lake shore, as compared with
your camp. If you cannot do this do not go.
When you find that you do not know where you are, and you are positive
that the sun is setting in the east or in some other impossible
quarter, endeavor to make up your mind as to where you are within a
radius of five miles, and think in which general direction lies some
river, road or other landmark, and then set up a stick or blaze a tree
in that direction. If it is not too late in the day, make up your mind
in which direction you ought to go, set your compass, take a bearing
on some prominent tree or other mark in that course, and go to it.
If the woods are so thick that you cannot pick out a mark, set up a
peeled stick or blaze a tree once in a while so you can look back and
see your trail. When you have gone as far in any direction as you are
certain of your course, lay it out again, always by compass, and you
will come out somewhere at a place that you will recognize as leading
to some known point.
If it is late in the day, do not wander around in the dark, but pick
out a comfortable place, cut some boughs to lie upon and to build
a lean-to; gather fire-wood enough to last through the night or as
long as you want it to, and make yourself as comfortable as possible
until morning. If you are fortunate enough to have some lunch with
you, you will probably get a fair night’s sleep. You will not starve
in one night, and you can usually find something to eat, even if
it is not so nice. In very few places would there be the slightest
danger of molestation from any source. Next morning you may follow the
instructions for getting out, as shown in the preceding paragraphs.
Methinks I hear someone say, suppose you have no map, compass, matches,
etc. I reason that you are a rational being and if you have not these
things you will not be foolish enough to go out. If you do not know how
to provide yourself with the necessary comforts, you have not read
this book understandingly.
In the case of a hunting party in the deep woods, it is the custom
among the parties with which I have been associated, to have a “lost
call.” We generally separate in the morning to hunt in different
sections, which are duly allotted beforehand, so that each member knows
just where the other men ought to be. In case any one of them becomes
so overcome with the ardor of the chase, or in the following of wounded
game, that he does not know how to get back to camp, he gives the call,
three shots of the rifle in succession. If not replied to, the lost
one starts in the direction that he believes the camp to be situated,
repeating the signal occasionally. Usually he is heard before much time
has elapsed and is answered. If he does not show up by dark, a search
party is formed, and he is trailed by the light of birch bark torches,
or the lanterns. Seldom is a man compelled to stay out all night.
CAMP COOKING
The following receipts for cooking are the result of many years’ actual
experience, and have all been tried in actual camp-life. They are
all comparatively simple, and may be prepared by aid of the utensils
mentioned in these pages. The materials may generally be easily
obtained at the stores, when fitting out, or of the farmers in the
neighborhood.
It is assumed that a certain judgment will be exercised in the
selection of rations, to govern the personal tastes of the various
members of the party, and the resources of the surrounding country. One
would not expect to have a variety of fresh vegetables in the Maine
Woods; nor would it be reasonable to neglect such opportunities when
offered. Hence a selection is presented, which may be presumed to fit
all conditions.
“_We can live without Love--what is passion but pining?_
“_But where is the man who can live without dining?_”
“_As we journey through life, let us LIVE by the way._”