A good form of Scout work can be done by Scouts going about either as Patrols on an exploring expedition, or in pairs like knight- errants of old on a pilgrimage through the country to find people who need help, and then to help them. This can be done equally well on bicycles as on foot.
Scouts in carrying out such a tramp should never, if possible, sleep under a roof. On fine nights they should sleep in the open wherever they may be. In bad weather, they would get permission to occupy a hay loft or barn.
You should on all occasions take a map with you, and find your way by it without having to ask the way of passers-by.
Reading a Map
Topographic maps and one-inch ordnance survey maps are good maps for exploring. “One-inch” means that one inch on the map represents one mile in the terrain.
On these maps, woods, rivers, lakes, roads, buildings, and so on, are indicated with conventional signs. Hills are usually shown by contour lines. A contour line is a line that connects all the points that have the same height. A line marked “200”, for example, goes through the points that
are 200 feet above sea level. Sometimes a hill is indicated by “hachures”—fine lines that spread out from the top of the hill like rays from the sun.
To use a map, you must “set” it, that is, arrange it so that the directions on it fit the directions of the country where you are. The simplest way is to turn the map so that a road on it runs parallel with the actual road. You can also use a compass. The top of a map is usually north—you therefore turn the map so that the top of it is where the compass shows north. If there is a magnetic north line on your map, turn the map so that this line fits with north of your compass.
You should notice everything as you travel the roads and remember as much of your journey as possible, so that you could give directions to anybody else who wanted to follow that road afterwards.
A clever Scout made these sketches for his exploring log or journal
Map Sketching
Also make a sketch-map. This does not need to be elaborate, as long as someone else can find his way by it. Be certain to include the north line and a rough scale.
Explorers, of course, keep a log or journal, giving a short account of each day’s journey, with simple drawings or photos of interesting things they see.
The Object of Your Expedition
As a rule you should have some object in your expedition: That is to say, if you are a Patrol of town boys, you would go off with the idea of scouting some special spot, say a mountain, or a famous lake, or possibly some old castle or battlefield, or a seaside beach. Or you may be on
your way to join one of the larger camps.
If, on the other hand, you are a Patrol from the country, you can make your way up to a big town, with the idea of seeing its buildings, its zoological gardens, circuses, museums, etc.
You would, of course, have to do your daily good turn whenever opportunity presented itself, but besides that, you should do good turns to farmers and others who may allow you the use of their barns and land, as a return for their kindness.
Mountaineering
Mountaineering is grand sport in many parts of the world. Finding your way and making yourself comfortable in the mountains bring into practice all your Scoutcraft.
In mountain climbing you are continually changing your direction, because, moving up and down in the deep gullies of the mountainside, you lose sight of the landmarks which usually guide you. You have to watch your direction by the sun and by your compass, and keep on estimating in what direction your proper line of travel lies.
Then again you are very liable to be caught in fogs and mists, which upset the calculations even of men who know every inch of the country.
On steep hill sides the Scout staff will often come in handy for balancing yourself.
Lost in the Mountains
I had such an experience in Scotland one year, when, in company with a Highlander who knew the ground, I got lost in the mist. Supposing that
he knew the way, I committed myself entirely to his guidance. But after going some distance I felt bound
to remark to him that I noticed the wind had suddenly changed. It had been blowing from our left when we started, and was now blowing hard on our right cheek. However, he seemed in no way disturbed and led on. Presently I remarked that the wind was blowing behind us, so that either
the wind, or the mountain, or we ourselves were turning round.
Eventually it proved, as I expected, that it was not the wind that had turned, nor the mountain. It was ourselves who had wandered round in a complete circle. We were back almost at the point
we started from.
Using Climbing Ropes
Scouts working on a mountain ought to practise the art of roping themselves together, as mountaineers do on icy slopes.
When roped together each man has about fourteen feet between himself and the next man. The rope is fastened
