Read Ebook: Outdoor Life and Indian Stories Making open air life attractive to young Americans by telling them all about woodcraft signs and signaling the stars fishing camping camp cooking how to tie knots and how to make fire without matches and many other fascinat by Ellis Edward Sylvester

Font size: 10 px 15 px 20 px 25 px 30 px 35 px

Background color: BlackWhiteGrayLight GrayDark GrayDim Gray

Text color: BlackWhiteGrayLight GrayDark GrayDim Gray

Apply/Save settings

Ebook has 774 lines and 67470 words, and 16 pages

+Adventures of Weatherford+ 192

Chief of the Creek Confederacy

+Fighting Against Fate+ 202

Black Hawk and His War

+The Hero of the Everglades+ 219

Osceola and the Seminole War

+Sitting Bull, the Medicine Man+ 233

The Last Great Indian Uprising

OUTDOOR LIFE FOR YOUNG AMERICANS

What boy can resist the call of the woods, the desire to know the forest and its furred and feathered inhabitants, the fish, the insects, the plants? But to gather this knowledge in safety the boy must first learn the ways of the woods, the life of the camper, how to cook and find his way by the stars, how to tie knots and what to do in case of accident, the language of signs and the secrets of the trail.

There is no better way to do this than to study the methods of the Indians, the most expert woodsmen the world has known. At their call the forest produced food, drink, clothes, ornaments and all the necessities of life. Let us see how they managed this.

Making a Camp

The first thing to be considered on going into the forest is the camp where the night is to be spent. In choosing a place for this see that there is fresh water, wood for the fire and brush-wood for building a "lean-to," or hut, at hand. It is well to build on a dry, level place, with just enough slope to the ground to insure the water running away in case of rain. The Indians used to live in huts thatched with brush-wood, and these are best made by building what is known as a "lean-to."

How to Make Fire Without Matches

In olden times, before the Indians had matches, and even before they had the flint and steel that our grandfathers used for making fire, they used rubbing-sticks. Many people have tried to make fire in this manner, but few have succeeded. As a matter of fact, it is not a very difficult thing to do if you know how, as the Indians did. In fact, they grew so expert that they could make fire almost as quickly as we can strike a match. The easiest and surest method of doing this is to use the bow-drill. The tools necessary consist of a bow, or bent stick, about two feet long, with a stout leather cord attached to each end. The drill consists of a straight piece of wood pointed at each end. One end of this rests in a drill-socket, which is simply a piece of wood with a small notch in it for the top of the fire-drill. This piece of wood is held in the hand, while the other end of the fire-drill is placed in the fire-board. This consists of a thin piece of wood with small pits cut about half an inch from the edge, and with a notch extending from the edge into the middle of the pit. The leather thong is given a single turn about the fire-drill and then by drawing the bow backward and forward the drill is caused to rotate very rapidly in the fire-board. After a short while the dust which comes out of the notch grows hot and becomes a glowing coal, which can be easily ignited into a blazing fire.

There are many ways of building a camp fire, but the Indian's way is the best. The Indians always used to laugh at the white men because they said that they built such a big fire they could not get near it, while the Indian built a little fire and could get close to it. The fire must be built systematically. First, get dry, small dead branches, twigs, fir branches and other inflammable material and place these loosely on the ground, being sure that the air can draw under and upward through the mass. Next place some heavier sticks in the form of a pyramid with the tops of the sticks close together, and so on, until you have built the camp fire to the required size. Take every care to prevent the spreading of the fire, and do not build it too close to the tent or to inflammable pine trees. There is always danger of starting a disastrous forest fire by carelessness with a small camp fire. Remember that it is criminal to leave a burning fire, and always to put the fire out with water or earth. If the fire is to be used for cooking, it is well to confine the heat between two large logs, or, if baking is to be done on it, it is best to build an oven with large stones. But the Indians were usually content with open fire.

How to Get Pure Water

A very necessary item for the camp is pure water. If this cannot be obtained from a nearby spring which has good, clear water, or from a clean stream, it is possible to filter it in the same way that the Indians did. They had a way of purifying water from a pond or swamp by digging a hole about one foot across and down about six inches below the water level, a few feet from the pond. After it was filled with water they baled it out quickly, repeating the baling process about three times. After the third baling the hole would fill with filtered water.

If there is a stream at hand large enough to swim in, it is well to remember that if you work your hands and kick your feet you can stay above water for some time, even with your clothes on. Do not make the mistake of going into the water too soon after eating, for cramps are apt to result, causing a serious accident. The Indians have a method of protecting themselves from cramps. Coming to a bathing pool, the Indian swimmer, before entering the water, vigorously rubs the pit of his stomach with the dry palm of his hand. This rubbing probably takes a minute; then he dashes cold water all over his stomach, and continues the rubbing for another minute; and after that he is ready for his plunge.

How to Cook in Camp

The problems of the camp cook are not nearly so great as they seem at first glance. The essential thing is to select your cooking equipment and supplies wisely and learn a few simple recipes in advance. An excellent cooking kit for a long outing is composed of the following utensils: One 12-inch frying pan, one coffee pot, one 6-quart pail, one can opener, six air-tight canisters for coffee, tea, sugar, salt, etc., a knife, fork, teaspoon, tablespoon, plate, bowl and cup for each person in the party. All of these may be nested in a 12-quart pail, which will be found useful in many ways about the camp. If only a short hike is to be taken, however, a much smaller kit may be taken. An ideal kit for this purpose is used by the United States Army and may be obtained from outfitters or army stores anywhere. This consists of a frying pan and plate which can be locked together by the handle of the frying pan to form a baker. In this a knife, fork and spoon can be carried. With the addition of a canteen and large tin cup, this kit can be made to perform wonders in the cooking line on a trip of several days' duration. For a longer trip the larger kit is recommended.

The supplies to be taken along depend upon the tastes of the campers, the length of the trip and the convenience of transportation. Of course, if the trip is to be made by water it is easier to manage a greater weight than would be the case if it must be carried, a point to be kept in mind in selecting the supplies.

For a trip of about one week the following supplies are advised in quantities to suit the number of people in the party: Coffee, tea, sugar, salt, pepper, condensed milk , lard, bacon, flour, baking soda, bread and potatoes. This list can be enlarged to advantage by the addition of a ham, butter , pickles, jam and additional vegetables, but it is well to keep the outfit down to the lowest point consistent with comfort. Eggs should be taken if it is possible to carry them safely. They are now sold in packages which will stand moderately rough handling. Remember that a bed of hot coals is best for cooking, and use dry wood if possible to avoid the smoke. The following recipes will be found easy and practical. Others may be added as the cook grows more expert.

COFFEE

Use 1 tablespoonful of ground coffee for each cup to be made. For five people put 5 tablespoonfuls in pot, add 1/2 cup cold water and mix with the coffee. Add 4 cups of boiling water and bring to a boil, letting it boil one minute, then add 1/2 cup of cold water and set near fire where it will keep hot but not boil.

TEA

Use 2 teaspoonfuls of tea to 4 cups of boiling water. Put tea in pot and pour boiling water over it. Never boil tea, but stand in a warm place for five minutes to draw before serving.

BACON

Very useful on account of its fat which can be used to fry fish, potatoes, etc. Slice the bacon thin and put in frying pan. Fry over hot fire until crisp, turning the slices over with a fork from time to time.

POTATOES

Fill pail with water, wash and peel potatoes, boil until tender, take out of water and keep warm until served.

POTATOES

Put 1 teaspoonful of lard in hot frying pan or use fat left over from frying bacon. Peel and slice potatoes. Fry over hot fire.

FRIED FISH

Split the fish down the belly, clean, scale and cut off head and tail. Spread open and fry with lard or bacon fat in hot frying pan.

All of the above can be cooked easily and quickly in camp. It is recommended that bread be taken along, but if it is desired to cook this and other more complicated dishes, one of the many handy cook books on the market should be carried.

How to Make a Bow and Arrow

In early days the Indian did not have the modern hunting rifle, and was compelled to use bow and arrow in the chase. It is well for the modern boy to understand this weapon, for it can be made with ease and much good fun can be had with it. The Indian bow was short, because, though less efficient, it was easier to carry than a long one, yet it did not lack power. We hear that many times Indians shot so hard that their arrows appeared on the far side of the animal, but the long bow, such as was used by the old English archers or bowmen, was much the more powerful. To make the bow take a perfectly sound, straight, well-seasoned stick of about your own height and mark off a space as wide as your hand in the middle for a handle. This space should be left round and about an inch thick. The balance of the stick should be shaved down flat on one side for the front and rounded on the other for the back until it is about one inch wide and three-fourths of an inch thick near the handle, tapering to about half that at the ends, which are then notched for the cord. Next put on the cord and bend it until it is about five inches from the bow at the center. If one end bends more than the other shave the other end until it becomes even. After it is trimmed down to your strength finish it with sand-paper. The best woods to use are apple, black walnut, slippery elm, mountain ash or hickory.

More difficult to make than the bow is the arrow. The Indians made arrows of reeds and of straight shoots of arrow-wood or of elder, but we make better arrows out of hickory or ash. The arrow should be twenty-five inches long, round, and three-eighths of an inch thick. It should be notched at one end to take the bow-string, and just below this notch it should have three feathers set around at equal intervals. These feathers are best made from either turkey or goose wings. With a sharp knife cut a strip of the midrib on which is the vein of the feather; make three pieces, each two to three inches long. The Indians used to leave the midrib projecting at each end, and by these lash the feathers to the arrow without gluing, but it is easier to glue them and the arrows fly better. Indian arrow-heads were made of sharp flints or pieces of stone lashed to the arrow-heads, but the best way to make them now is like the ferrule of an umbrella, as this keeps the shaft from splitting. After this the arrow should be painted, both to keep it from warping and to make it easier to find in the forest by its bright color.

After the bow and arrows are made one must learn to shoot with them. It is well to begin with the target close at hand, and gradually increase the distance as the archer becomes more expert. The Indians generally used their bows at short range so that it was easy to hit the mark, and considered rapid firing more important. In their competitions the prize was given to him who should have the most arrows in the air at once, and it has been said that their record was eight.

How to Read Signs and Signals

THE WIG-WAG CODE

ALPHABET

A 22 B 2112 C 121 D 222 E 12 F 2221 G 2211 H 122 I 1 J 1122 K 2121 L 221 M 1221 N 11 O 21 P 1212 Q 1211 R 211 S 212 T 2 U 112 V 1222 W 1121 X 2122 Y 111 Z 2222 tion 1112

NUMERALS

CONVENTIONAL SIGNALS

End of word 3 End of sentence 33 End of message 333 XX3 beginning or end of numerals. I understand 22, 22, 3 Cease signalling, 22, 22, 22, 333 Signal faster 2212, 3 Repeat after , 121, 121, 3, 22, 3 Repeat last word, 121, 121, 33 Repeat last message, 121, 121, 121, 333 Move to right 211, 211, 3 Move to left 221, 221, 3

ABBREVIATIONS

a after b before c can h have n not r are t the u you ur your w word wi with y yes

How to Tie Knots

Every boy is familiar with rope and its uses, but not every one is able to handle it to the best advantage. In camping and fishing, and particularly in any sport that has to do with the water, a knowledge of how to tie knots is of the greatest value and interest. Often one's very life depends on a knot holding.

Share on: WhatsApp @Hash Facebook Tweet