SCOUT NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 3, 5 January 1938, Page 16

SCOUT NOTES

(By "Chingachgook.")

Tristan Da Cunlia. The Boy Scouts and Wolf Cubs of Tristan Da Cunha will look spick and span in their new uniforms which have been presented to them by Hie Boy Scouts Imperial Headquarters, London. The group on the Island of Tristan Da Cunha is the loneliest in the world. The membership is 10 Scouts and 11 Wolf Cubs. The Rev. H. Wilde, Scoutmaster, took the uniforms back with him after spending eight months' leave in London. The population' of Tristan Da Cunha is only about ISO, but Mr. Wilde seems tremendously happy about it all, for, as he wrote in the visitors' book at the Boy Scouts Headquarters, "Where God is there is no loneliness." -That is the motto of the island. A Treasured Gift. Very few people know that Dr. Edward Wilson, famous for his Antarctic expeditions with Captain "Scott, and who died with Scott, carried with him a'copy of "Scouting for Boys." it was in his possession right up to that fateful time. Mrs. Edward Wilson has now presented it to the museum on board the Discovery. The Discovery, now the property of the Boy Scouts Association, is proving to be one of London's most popular sights, and the association has had to extend the times open to the general pubhe. During the evenings and weekends the ship is used as a training centre for. Sea Scouts.

"Prospectors." Although there is no gold rush on at the moment, or seeking for buried treasure, there is nothing like being prepared; at least, that is what the Boy Scouts of Quebec and Ontario, Canada, are apparently thinking, as last year's annual reports show that tu Quebec Scouts and 33 in Ontario passed examinations qualifying them as "Prospectors."

Rope-making for Funds. The ' Ist Stoneywood troop of Boy Scouts, Glasgow, have discovered an ingenious way of getting funds. They constructed a rope-making machine and sell the rope.' The Stoneywood troop is not Stoneybroke!

Scouting in Austria.

The Boy Scouts of Austria have two associations. The badge of one is a cloth emblem in three stripes,, two red and one white—the national Austrian colours—surmounted with an arrowy head. The-badge of the other consists^ of a Maltese Cross with an arrowhead set in the centre. The Scouts, who wear khaki shirts and blue shorts, are ardent, campers, and make good use of their glorious country.

Sydney Jamboree. Rapid progress is'being made in the organisation of the Australasian Jamboree, which is to be held in Sydney from December 29, 1938, to January 9 1939. The fact that the World Chief Scout (Lord Baden-Powell) and Lady Baden-Powell will attend . the Jarnboree will be welcomed by all Scouts and will influence many overseas countries in sending contingents. It is expected that at least 10,000 Scouts, exclusive of contingents from overseas, will attend the Jamboree, which will be held at Bradfield, about nine miles from Sydney. The Gamp will be in Australian bush country preserved in almost its natural state, and splendid swimming facilities wil be available in the Lane Cove River. The site is 700 feet above sea level. The camp will be divided into sub-camps of 2000 each and each subcamp will be subdivided into sections suitable for troops of 32, four patrols of seven, with Scoutmaster, Assistant Scoutmaster, Quartermaster, 'and Assistant Quartermaster. , There will be a shopping centre, with stores, photographic •material, and "same-day" services, post offices, and banks. Although the rations issued will:be on a liberal scale and suited to boys', appetites, it will be possible for the Scouts to obtain from the stores any extras they may require. Recreation tents or huts, provided with writing material, will also be available. The charge will be £2, which will cover costs after arrival at the camp. It will' include uncooked rations, water, fuel, light, washing places, and medical and other services for the period of the Jamboree. '. Transport charges will be additional. .

Mr. H. J. Stoddart, General Secretary of the New South Wales Boy Scouts' Association, has been appointed Jamboree organising secretary.

Costa Rica Scouts,

Some of us may never get to Costa Rica, but we can learn by reading about the Scouts there. Here is what a Costa Rica Scout tells of the boys over there: —"We Costa Rican Scouts are among the latest to be recognised by the Boy Scouts International Bureau. Our country is situated north of Panama, • wedged in between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Besides coffee the products of our mountainous land are bananas, cocoa, sugar cane, pineapples, manioc, corn coconuts, precious woods, rubber, gold, and citrus fruits. Our Promise and Law is printed here. We learn the semaphore and morse codes, and do good turns every day, just as other Scouts.' But we also receive detailed instructions on how to treat snake bites, and we learn how and where to watch out for poisonousl snakes, of which there is a great variety and abundance in our country. When camping we substitute the machete for the axe. The machete in' general use throughout tropical America is a long knife, from 24 to 35 inches in length, and about 3 inches wide. It comes in very handy for peeling sugar cane, felling timber, chopping wood, clearing away through the brush, cutting grass, digging- holes, etc. We go in for bird study, and in our records appear such specimens as the red and blue macaw; humming birds, scarletfaced king vultures,' and white and grey herons. We have very few long-term camps but many overnight and gipsy camps, which fit into our picture much more easily. We have many adventures with the red mocaws, red spider, monkeys, giant beetles, giant tapirs, white-faced monkqys, white-faced peccaries, and 'the black jaguar from the lulls." ' .