Details In The Country

If you are in the country you should notice landmarks, that is, objects which will help you to find your way or prevent you getting lost, such as distant hills, church towers, and nearer objects such as peculiar buildings, trees, gates, rocks, etc.

And remember, in noticing such landmarks, that you may want to use your knowledge of them some day for telling someone else how to find his way, so you must notice them pretty closely to be able to describe them unmistakably and in their proper order. You must notice and remember every by-road and foot-path.

Then you must also notice smaller signs, such as birds getting up and flying hurriedly, which means somebody or some animal is there. Rising dust shows animals, men, or vehicles moving.

Of course, when in the country you should notice just as much as in town, all passers-by very carefully-how they are dressed, what their faces are like, their way of walking-and examine their footmarks and jot down sketches of them in your notebook, so that you would know the footmarks again if you found them somewhere else, as the shepherd boy did in the story at the beginning of this book.

Also notice tracks of animals, birds, wheels, etc., for from these you can read valuable information.

Track reading is of such importance that I shall give you a yarn on that subject by itself.

Author

Lord Baden-Powell of Gilwell (Chief Scout, London, UK)

Date of Creation

1908

Learn A Continuation:

to the next page: Using Your Eyes

Back in The Past:

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