The way to dry clothes is to make a fire of hot embers, and then build a small beehive-shaped cage of sticks over it. Hang your clothes all over this cage, and they will very quickly dry.
In hot weather it is dangerous to sit in your clothes when they have become wet from your perspiration. On the West Coast of Africa I always carried a spare shirt hanging down my back, with the sleeves tied round my neck. As soon as I halted I would take off the wet shirt I was wearing, and put on the dry, which had been hanging out in the sun on my back. By this means I never got sick when almost everyone else did.
Tidiness
The camp ground should at all times be kept clean and tidy, not only (as I have pointed out) to keep flies away, but also because Scouts are always tidy, whether in camp or not, as a matter of habit. If you are not tidy at home, you won’t be tidy in camp; and if you’re not tidy in camp, you will be only a tenderfoot and no Scout.’
A broom is useful for keeping the camp clean, and can easily be made with a few sprigs of birch bound tightly round a stake.
A Scout is tidy also in his tent, bunk, or room, because he may be suddenly called upon to go off on an alarm, or something unexpected. If he does not know exactly where to lay his hand on his things, he will be a long time in turning out, especially if called up in the middle of the night.
So on going to bed, even when at home, practise the habit of folding up your clothes and putting them where you can find them at once in the dark and get into them quickly.
Camp Fires
Songs, recitations and small plays can be performed round the camp fire, and every Scout should be made to contribute something to the programme, whether he thinks he is a performer or not.
A different Patrol may be responsible for each night of the week to provide for the performance. The Patrols can then prepare beforehand for the camp fire.
Camp fire is one of the happiest hours of camp. Songs, recitations and small plays follow each other on the programme.
Cleaning Camp Ground
Never forget that the state of an old camp ground, after the camp has finished, tells exactly whether the Patrol or Troop which has used it was a smart one or not. No Scouts who are any good ever leave a camp ground dirty.
They sweep up and bury or burn every scrap of rubbish. Farmers then don’t have the trouble of having to clean their ground after you leave, and they are, therefore, all the more willing to let you use it again.
It is a big disgrace for any Troop or Patrol or lone camper to leave the camp ground dirty and untidy.
Remember the only two things you leave behind you on breaking up camp:
1. Nothing.
2. Your thanks to the owner of the ground.
Payment
Another point to remember is that when you use a farmer’s ground you ought to repay him for the use of it. If you do not do this with money you can do it in other ways. You can—and ought to—do jobs that are useful for him. You can mend his fences or gates, or dig up weeds, and so on.
You should always be doing good turns both to the farmer and to the people living near your camp, so that they will be glad to have you there.
PATROL PRACTICES IN CAMPING
The best practice in camping is camping whenever possible—single nights , weekends, and longer camps.
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In going to camp with the Troop it is essential to have a few “Standing Orders”, which can be added to from time to time, if necessary. The Patrol Leaders are held fully responsible that their Scouts carry them out exactly.
Such orders will contain the camp routine and might point out that each Patrol will camp separately from the others, and that there will be a comparison between the respective cleanliness and good order of tents and surrounding ground.
Each Patrol usually has its tents grouped together, well away from the other Patrol, but within call of the Scoutmaster’s tent which generally is in the center.
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Bathing in camp is under strict supervision to prevent non-swimmers getting into dangerous water. The following rules should be strictly followed:
(1) No Scout shall be allowed to bathe except under the personal supervision of the Scouter in charge of the party or some responsible adult appointed by him for the purpose. The safety of the place must have been previously ascertained and all reasonable precautions must be taken, including the provision of a life line.
(2) A picket of two good swimmers , preferably trained swimmers and life savers, must be on duty, undressed, in a boat or on shore as the circumstances may demand, ready to help any boy in distress. The picket itself may not bathe until the others have left the water.
In the Boy Scouts of America, a so-called “buddy-system” is used. In this system, the Scouts are divided into pairs, or buddies. The two boys of the buddy team are of about equal swimming ability. When in the water, each buddy is responsible for the safety of the other, under the general supervision of the Scouter in charge of the whole party.
