The Chief Scout Talks

Taranaki Daily News, 28 September 1929, Page 25 (Supplement)

The Chief Scout Talks

THE CHIEF SCOUT TALKS

HINTS ON STALKING HOW TO HIDE YOURSELF. LESSONS FROM THE ANIMALS. (By Lt.-Gen. Lord Baden-Powell.) In this, the first of my weekly “powwows,” I am going to tell you how to hide yourself. When you want to observe wild animals you have to sta k them, that is, to creep up to them without their seeing or smelling you. A hunter, when he is stalking wild animals, keeps himself entirely hidden, so does the war scout when watching or looking for the enemy. A policeman docs not catch P ICK " pockets by standing about in uniform watching for them; he dresses like one of the crowd, and as often as not gazes into a ship window and sees all that goes on behind him reflected as if in a look-ing-glass. , . . . If a "uilty person finds himself being watched it puts him on his guard, while an innocent person becomes annoyed. So, when you are observing a person, don’t do so by openly staring at him, hut notice the details you want to at one Mance or two, and if you wish to study them more walk behind them; you can loam just as much from a back view —in fact more than you can from a front view—and, unless they are scouts and look round frequently, they do not know that you are observing them. ■War scouts, and hunters stalking game, always carry out two important things when they don’t want to be seen, one is, they take care that the back-

ground behind them—of trees, buildings, or so on—is of the same colour as their clothes. The other thing to remember is that if the enemy or deer is seen looking for them, to remain perfectly still without moving so long as he is there. In that way a scout —even though he is out in the open—will often escape being noticed. CHOOSING YOUR BACKGROUND. In choosing your back-ground consider the colour of your clothes. Thus, if your are dressed in khaki, don’t go and stand in front of a whitewashed wall or in front of a dark, shaded bush, but go where there is khaki-coloured sand, or grass, or rocks, behind you, and remain perfectly still. It will be very difficult for anyone to distinguish you, even at a short distance. If you are in dark clothes get among dark bushes, or in the shadow of trees or rocks, Ijut be careful that the ground beyond you is also dark. If there is a light-coloured ground beyond the trees under which your are standing, for instance, you will be clearly defined against it. In making use of hills as look-out places, bo careful not to show yourself on the top or sky-line. That is the fault which a tenderfoot generally makes. HOW THE ZULU DOES IT. It is quite a lesson to watch a Zulu scout making use of a hilltop or rising ground as a look-out place. He will crawl upon all fours, lying flat in the grass; on reaching the top he will very slowly raise his head, inch by inch, till he can see the view’. If he sees the enemy on beyond he will have a good look, and if he thinks they are watching him he will keep his head perfectly steady for an immense time, hoping to be mistaken for a stump or a stone. If ho is not detected he will begin very gradually to lower his head, inch by inch, into the grass again, and crawl quietly away. Any quick or sudden movement of the head on the sky-line would be very liable to attract attention, even at a considerable distance. WALK WARILY. At night keep as much as possible in low ground, in ditches, etc., so that you are down in the dark, while anybody who comes near will be visible to you outlined against the stars on higher ground. By squatting low in the shadow of the bush at night and keeping quite still I have let an enemy’s scout come and stand within tliree feet of me, so that when ho turned his back towards me I was able to stand up where I was and fling my arms around him. A point also to remember in keeping hidden while moving is to walk quietly. The thump of an ordinary man’s heel on the ground can be heard a good distance off, but a scout or hunter always walks lightly, on the ball of his foot, not on his heels; and. this you .should

day or by. yjght, indoors as well as put, so that it becomes a habit with you to walk as lightly and as silently as po* sible. . 1 You wil) find that as you grow into,fl your power of walking long -distance! will be ’ increased; you will soon as you would, if clumping'alonglM the heavy-footed manner of most people .' Ono last tip: when. Jiiding behind a ’ big stone or mound, don’t-dook overtjaM

SCOUTS COMING OF AGE

EFIC OF MODERN HISTORY NEW ZEALANDER’S IMPRESSIONS STIRRING SCENES WITNESSED. (Written for The News,) One of the most stirring events in the modern history of England—that is the impression a New Zealander gamed of the gathering of 50,000 boy scouts /from all parts of the world in honour of the coming of age of Lord Baden Powell’s dream of 21 years ago. As one entered their grounds at Birkenhead, one fairly gasped at the magnitude of the scene. As far as the eye could see were thousands of tents, from each of which rose a thin column of smoke, telling of the .evening, meal bein» cooked by the boys. It was most interesting to watcl) the lack race cookina their own 'special dishes. The boys did all their own work, besides preparing their. : meafa. The New Zealanders, had put ..up a wooden carved god at the entrance to their camp. The march past the Duke of; Connaught and Lord Baden Powell Of the 50,000 scouts from 42 countries was an inspiring sight, when black, yellow, brown and white boys walked along with that spirit of camaraderie. The sone of' men who fought against each other 14 years ago marched : a.s comrades. in a brotherhood of youth. Sir Philip Gibbs says it was the salute of youth to a new world. 4s each nation filed past, there were I cheers and clapping. The Danish boys

were particularly admired for their fine physique, especially when about 1000 of them, dressed in white shorts, tennis shoes and white caps with a scarlet cross on the crown, gave a beautiful , display of drill in the big arena. ? United States America also gave a fine picturesque display- as Red Indian* in beautiful costumes and headdresses. . Among other events, they danced, a war dance round their camp fire. - ... y i It was very amusing to hear and see the different nations of lads bartering-: with each other for keepsakes. £Onerenterprising Scotch scout in kilties'picked up .the match with which the prince of Wales had lit his pipe and sold:it t'O a “Yank” for a fairly large sum of money! money! ; ' ’’ A stirring scene was witnessed Avnen Lord Baden 3 Powell was presented- with his Rolls Royce car and caravan trailer for holidays, a large oil painting of (himself, and a cheque for £2BOO. The-hero of the 50,000 scouts present made a. beautiful speech in reply. There i.was renewed enthusiasm when Lord Baden Powell presented- each nation with a new flag. It. was an oc-.. casion not to be forgotten and on receipt of theirs the New Zealand Scouts, we're accorded a hearty ovation. Fourteen years ago these countries were divided by frontiers of hatred; now French and Germans, Hiingarians and Poles, Belgians and Austrians, the boyhood of the British Empire from many 1 Dominions and of many races, Indians, Africans, Arabs, Greeks, Russians, * Latavians, Danes and Dutch, Japanese and Chinese, all as boys, belonging to. the big family, the world’s youth. ' Such a gathering should do much to stimulate the good work and principles of the Boy Scout movement in New Zealand, while the same applies to the Girl Guide work. < One German Scout said: “The Boy Scout, movement is beyond politics and we are loyal to its spirit .of peace and goodwill.” In speaking of the Chief Scout, the Duke of Connaught said: “Future historians will rank the Scout movement as one of the great land marks of our time and will add the name of Robert' Baden Powell to the roll of the world’* reformers. Few men have rendered areater service to the cause of humanity B than this Chief Scout and none deserves! a higher place in the temple of fame andl in the esteem of his fellow men.” There were only seven Russians p r ®*B sent, sons of exiles. The Soviet Re-B public did not send any Scouts. Onjl other country, Italy, stood outside thlsj movement of international ’■ 41