THE SCOUT SPIRIT

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 10, 12 January 1929, Page 6

THE SCOUT SPIRIT

A SUCCESSFUL" CAMP

The recent Sea Scout camp-at' Mahanga Bay 1 was a great success:' In-"spite "of the bad weather conditions nearly' 'forty' Sea Scouts from the.. Petone'," Eastbourne,: "and Coliingwood . troops .arrived" in" camp' by noon on Boxing, Day.\ Thanks, to: the D.R.A. an empty shed was lent .for the. use of the boys in. emergency, and it was not necessary to go under /canvas, which would have been very unpleasant and risky with the wet ground and,heavy rain., ,"' ■;. . By 6.30 p.m. camp fires were .going and a hotnieal in course ■of preparation, and after disposing of this and clearing up the shed, sentries werp posted rand the remainder lay down,- but not -to-■■•'sleep. The first night in camp ?is' generally:, a noisy one,- and this was- 1 no exception. Every quarter of. anvhpur a raid would start between opposing troops. {■ A hasty snatching: of blankets and?palliasse to'-ihe accompaniment; of-yells, ..and; shrieks •"! a stern remonstrance from the senior Se.aniaster (which eventually bedame so habitual that he repeated it in' his'-brief slmnber), and then* ;paace, "'punctuated ' 'by giggles till the . next -raid.; ■ 'The '■. longest night has an ending,. however,-, and dawn showed promise "of better.-,-weather. "All hands went to bathe ;at.:,6.30; and breakfast, was. on hand at .8 ■ a.m-. ■-. - '.. r ■;- *,

By noon the Port Nicholson,"and Evaus Bay Troops arrived in camp,-; bringing .the total number up'tp. 70. Tents:were erected' as t the grounddried" and' a'"'flagstaff 'was planted' on a dominant, 'point. ' '['"■ ■. ' Dinner at;' -12.30 was ' followed' ; by ' a compulsory rest.of-an Thour',- and the remainder of the-afternoon'was devoted'to fishing, ■ bathing, and instruction, in semaphore. The Collingwpods,< as orderly, troop, followed the Petone.Troop^whp■ officiated the first day arid, had: plenty v to. d0,,,,in cooking and clearing: up the .camp, arranging, the stores,,',and,..ol;bjer duties.^ ■ ._ Tea at 5.30, and then/a, general" exodus in the boats'to pick "up driftwood .for the camp fire—one-. of' the 'daily tMrills^-tt> get-in the wash of the Maori: or'.Wahine as she passed the'camp-^about 8 ; p.m>';/ ' . Camp fire at 8.30 was very successful. Sea chanties and popular choruses formed the .mainl part; o£ the: ■ and cocoa and bread, and cheese were-passed round .at 9.30, and after- -"God; Save \ the King" had been siing. sentries, wore" .posted and all retired to their tents to-.,spend— judging by the absence'of noise—a better night. ' ■ '. ".■ '■ ■: ;' .-'■.' ;

So the camp wcht on. Although the weather conditions ■ Were''anything ; but ideal, a' better spirit-seemed to:'come among all. the. boys, not that' there' had been a bad:spirit I.at! first;.-.but. instead::of being five, individual..troops: of- Sea Scouts they gradually became-a brotherhood of Welhngton Sea Scouts. This gradual process was most interesting, to watch,. and also most gratifying; foi\-it- proved conclusively that .tiie.'real spirit...of Scouting was dominant in all the lads. '/First gamp is always an experiment',:'more especially a combined camp, and the result! of this experiment has been to -shoW that where the true spirit 'of Scoutiiig'enduresj' bad and > other, .trials' 'are: treated "as obstacles -to be cheerfully faced ■ and' over» come and the iwelfare,-of the-.-camp ,-'as a whole is-of infinitely'more importance than auy personal discomfort.7 -' : •'.- :