150 yards north of the stump.
At the foot of the stump was a cake of hardened mud which showed the impression of a grass shoe. What would you make out from those signs? My solution of it was this:
A man had gone southward on a long journey along the path two days ago carrying a load and had rested at the rock while he ate walnuts. My deductions were these:
It was a man carrying a load, because carriers when they want to rest do not sit down, but rest their load against a sloping rock and lean back. Had he had no load, he would probably have sat down on the stump, but he preferred to go thirty yards farther to where the rock was. Women do not carry loads there, so it was a man. He broke the shells of his walnuts on the tree-stump with the stone, having brought them from the tree 150 yards north—so he was travelling south. He was on a long journey, as he was wearing shoes, and not going barefooted, as he would be if only strolling near his home. Three days ago there was rain, the cake of mud had been picked up while the ground was still wet—but it had not been since rained upon, and was now dry. The walnut rind was also dry, and confirmed the time that had elapsed.
There is no important story attached to this, but it is just an example of everyday practice which should be carried out by Scouts.
PATROL PRACTICES IN DEDUCTION
Read aloud a story in which a good amount of observation of details occurs, with consequent deductions, such as in either the Memoirs or the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Then question the boys as to which details suggested certain solutions, to see that they really have grasped the method.
Make tracks on soft ground of different incidents—such as a cyclist meeting a boy on foot, getting off his bicycle to talk to his friend, then setting out again. Let the boys study the tracks and deduce their meaning.
Place on a tray a collection of articles which might come from a man’s pockets. Ask the Scouts to deduce what kind of man he was, his interests, etc.
GAMES IN DEDUCT ION
Strangers
Get some people who are strangers to the boys to come along as passers-by in the street or road, and let the boys separately notice all about them. After an interval ask each boy for a full description of the passers-by as to appearance, peculiar recognizable points, and what he guesses their business to be.
Or let each boy have two minutes’ conversation with some stranger, and try to find out what he can about him in that time by questioning and observation.
“Crime” Deduction—Detective
Set a room or prepare a piece of ground with small signs, tracks, etc. Read aloud the story of a crime up to
the point when the signs are made and let each boy in turn examine the scene for a given time, and then privately give his solution of it.
The very simplest schemes should be given at first. They can gradually be elaborated.
For instance, have a number of footmarks and used matches by a tree, showing where a man had difficulty in lighting his pipe, etc.
For a more finished theme take a mystery like that in Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes called “The Resident Patient”. Set a room to represent the patient’s room where he was found hanging, with footprints of muddy boots on the carpet, cigar ends bitten or cut in the fireplace, cigar ashes, screw-driver and screws, etc. Put down a strip of newspapers for “stepping stones” on which competitors shall walk (so as not to confuse existing tracks). Let each Scout (or Patrol) come in separately and give him three minutes in which to investigate. Then give him half an hour to make up his solution, written or verbal.
“Track the Assassin”
The assassin escapes after having “stabbed his victim”, carrying in his hand the “dripping dagger”. The remainder, a minute later, start out to track him by the “drops of blood” (represented by confetti) which fall at every third step. His confederate (the umpire) tells him beforehand where to make for. If he gets there without being touched by his pursuers, over eight minutes ahead of them, he wins.
CHAPTER V
WOODCRAFT
CAMP FIRE YARN NO. 14
STALKING
How to Hide Yourself - How to Learn Stalking
Games in Stalking
WHEN YOU WANT TO OBSERVE wild animals, you have to stalk them, that is, to creep up to them without them seeing or smelling you.
A hunter keeps himself entirely hidden when he is stalking wild animals. So does the war scout when watching or looking for the enemy. A policeman does not catch pickpockets by standing about in uniform watching for them. He dresses like one of the crowd, and as often as not gazes into a shop window and sees all that goes on behind him reflected as if in a looking-glass.
If a guilty person finds himself watched, it puts him on his guard, while an innocent person becomes annoyed. So, when you are observing a person, don’t do so by openly staring at him, but notice the details you want to at one
