THE BOY SCOUTS.

Colonist, Volume LVI, Issue 13391, 12 February 1914, Page 3

THE BOY SCOUTS.

1 During the Christinas holidays the Rev. T. F. Taylor, scoutmaster, took his scout troops into camp, and at the conclusion instituted a competition for the best account of the week's experiences. We have been asked to publish the following description," which was written by Leo. Fowler, of Happy Valley:— . . . The Rev. T. F. Taylor is training some of the town and country boys to be scouts. He took us out camping for a week. I arrived at camp on December 29th. I carried my swag there on a bicycle. Ten tents were put up, six to sleep in, one for a hospital, one for the food, one for the guards, and one for the officers. The camp was on the side of the nver jby the Pah gate. It was a very nice place to camp; plenty of wood and water. Thirty-sis boys and on© man were there, and only two boys went horne —one tired of camp, and the other was sick. Six of the boys slept in each tent. The amusements were fishing, football, swimming, and reading. On Wednesday our scoutmaster went to a wedding, and the senior boy was put in charge of us. We went to the" Peninsula, and had fine fun. We waded in the tide, walked round the beach, sat on the rocks, and sat on the »rass. We went back to camp about, four o'clock. On New Year's Eve we had a big bonfire. The wood was stacked up ten feet high, and when it was lit the flames reached twenty feet in the air. We all sat round the fire, and then our scoutmaster told us yarns. On New Year's Day a photographer came down to the camp, and took three photographs of all the boys, one of the camp, and one of the patrol leaders. Thursday was sports day. There Avere a hundred yards race, fifty yards race, sack race, rope climbing, three-legged race, crawling race, swimming, wheelbarrow race, and one or two other races. On Friday we went to Cable Bay. Some of the boys took their bicycles, and carried the boys who were sick. When we got there some of the boys went for a swim, and the rest went for a totv in. a boat. We "wer© very hungry when we cot back to camp. On Saturday, at ten o'clock, six boys began to take down the tents, another six boys carried the swags over the river, and another six picked up the waste paper. etc We had afternoon tea, and then went across the river. At four o clock a waggonette came for the town boys and a van for the country boys. Some" of the boys rode home on their bicycles. I rode home, and got there about five o'clock.