SCOUT NOTES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 128, 1 May 1941, Page 8

SCOUT NOTES

(By “Rangi. ") Tracking.—The following is an extract from Scouting for Boys by the late Lord Baden Rowell describing an instance of deduction done by a native in Africa who carried out practically what we learn in scouting:—“l was one day, during the Matabelc War, with a native out scouting near to the Mutoppo Jlills over a wide, grassy plain. Suddenly we crossed a track lrcshly made in the grass, where the blades were still green and damp, though pressed down; all were bending one way, which showed the direction in which the people had been travelling. Following up the track for a bit it got on to a patch of sand and we then saw that it was the spoor of several women' (small feet with straight edge, and short step) and boys (small feet, curved edge, and longer strides), walking, not running towards the hills, about "live miles a\ty, _ where we believed tho enemy to be hiding, 'then we saw a leaf lying about ten yards oft tho track. There were not trees for miles, hut we knew that trees having this kind of leaf grew at a village fifteen miles away, in the direction from which the footmarks were coining. It seemed likely therefore that the women had come from that village, bringing the leaf with them, and had gone to the hills. On picking up the leaf wo found it was dump, and smelled of native beer. Tho short steps showed that, the women were carrying loads. So we guessed that according to the custom they had been carrying pots of native beer on their heads, the mouths of the pots being slopitcd with bunches of leaves. One of these leaves had fallen out; hut we found it ten yards off tho track, which showed that at the time it fell a wind was blowing. 'I here was no wind now, i.e., seven o’clock, hut there had been some about five o’clock. So we guessed from all these little signs that a party of women and boys had brought beer during the night from the village 16 miles away, and had taken it 10 the enemy on the hills, arriving there some time after six o’clock The men would probably start to drink the beer at once (us it goes sour in a tew hours) and would, by the time we could get there, he getting sleepy and keeping a bad look out, so we should have a favourable chance of looking at the position. We accordingly followed the women’s truck, found the enemy, made our observations, and got away with our information without, any difficulty. 3rd Palmerston North (West End). —Tho troop, has been quite active this week. At the parade a good bit of work was done. | Scooter Manna took one scout from each | patrol and sent them out in different dij rections to act as patients. Then Manila and Scooter R. Tawharu sent in morse to cadi patrol the whereabouts of their respective chaps. 'I he hoys had to render first aid to (lie injured with such things as they carried. They had no bandages or splints or stretchers, but when they returned all first aid had been done and ail improvised stretcher made for each patient. Following this tho tenderfoots had some signalling while the second class and first class scouts had compass revision. To finish up a new game was played. On Friday night another parade was held. For a start we had knot tying, then Mr .f. Lamerton took five scouts for study for the ambulance badge. The remainder had lashing, signalling, and a game. At 8.15 we changed over; those who were doing ambulance work did signalling, while .those who were doing signalling look second class ambulance with Mr Lamerton. j We finished with a talk on (lie laws.. N\ o were pleased to have hack with us 'J. L. (Tom) Fletcher. 3rd Palmerston North (West: Paid Cubs). —There-.was a good parade of tho pack | when Max Rough and Bill Shannon were j invested. First stars were presented to J Brian Honour anil Melvin 1 Jollier. Ar- | rangements were made for boys to pass I various badges and Sconlcr Tawharu has I had several boys at his'home to tost their proficiency. We have been presented with coloured triangles to represent the six (o which wc belong. An interesting talk was given on the necessity for cleanliness and neatness. Marching is becoming quite 1 a feature of the parades.