Girl Guides' Inter-State Rally

Ladies' Mirror, Volume 4, Issue 11, 1 May 1926, Page 25

Girl Guides' Inter-State Rally

experiences of a Zealand Qirl Cjnide Officer, "toko accompanied the ■'Dominion s representatives to the first Inter- Gamp recently held at Gamden, zN^j§.W.

Inter-State Camp Camden, N.S.W. i SIX bright New Zealand girls Oin the care of Lady Marjorie Dalrymple, arrived by the Niagara on Sunday morning," etc. So was our radiance shed upon the Guardianreading populace of Sydney. Sunday morning was a glorious morning, and we were all up on deck quite early to catch the first glimpse of the famous Sydney Harbour, and it certainly is very beautiful. Getting into a serge uniform wasn't very pleasant, especially as we had to bare our elbow for the Doctor, but all thought of ourselves was forgotten on the sight of two familiar blue uniforms on the wharf. We all waved energetically, but they simply couldn't see us until Lady Marjorie hit upon the brilliant idea of blowing her whistle. Instantly a

transformation scene took place upon the faces of the two Guiders. Their eyes immediately were fixed upon the spot from whence the whistle signal had sounded, and they promptly waved as enthusiastically as we did. JT might be stated here, that when •*■ we arrived up on deck in uniform an almost audible " Ah " was heard from the passengers, and the look on their faces clearly said: " This explains the blood-curdling cries issuing from the music room yesterday and the miles of string they appeared to be making into something or other. They are Girl Guides! " We proceeded at once to the InterState camp at Camden, not far out of Sydney, and arrived in time for mid-day dinner. After dinner I was taken for a tour of inspection and found the camp site a delightful spot, abounding in trees and in every way ideal. In addition to the usual camp arrangements, there was a Post Office tent, a doctor's tent, a canteen, and a Guide shop. Also, reposing peacefully near the store tent was an

iron tank-like contraption on wheels and with handles, rejoicing, so I subsequently learned, in the name of " Bertha." " Bertha " had a bodyguard of five or six girls whose duty it was to escort her up the river every morning and evening, fill her with water, and lead her safely back again. As they had to rise at 4.30 every morning I wasn't exactly hankering to be one of the bodyguard. ¥ HAD a most disconcerting wel- -"■ come to my tent. I was sitting on the ground during rest hour, surrounded by an appalling medley of goods and chattels, being in the process of unpacking, when' one of those sudden gusts of wind common to the district, chose to make its appearance and —swish! over went the tent, disclosing to public view a terrifying vision of arms and legs floundering amongst a very varied and extensive

collection of articles. Our Group Commandant rushed to the scene of the tragedy, and the tent was soon back in its normal vertical position. Guides' Own that afternoon was addressed by Scouter Wynn Jones. " Our sex," he said," had an immense influence over the other sex. It had been so all through the ages." He, therefore, urged us to keep above the ordinary, realising our responsibility, and that although our equality with men was recognised, to ape the man and become mannish was neither natural nor desirable. A T seven o'clock we all gathered round the huge camp fire in the centre of an almost complete circle of tall trees that seemed to turn in- • wards at the top to make a roof for us, and to a loud accompaniment of locust music we sang our songs and had our bed-time story. At eight o'clock we finished up with prayers and " Taps," then an appreciable silence and finally " Good night, Guides," and " Good night, Miss

Shanks," and away we all strolled back, had our cocoa and a wash and by nine o'clock were ready (more or less) for " Lights out." So ended our first day in camp. Monday morning made its appearance perfectly, but as the morning grew, oh! how the heat grew, too, and by eleven o'clock we were quite ready for our bathe in a perfectly delightful spot in the Nepean River. After the bathe came dinner, then rest hour, free hour, afternoon tea, nature hike, tea, beds prepared for night and camp fire and talk by Lady Marjorie on our camp godfathers, the Indian Guides. INURING the morning a fire alarm took place, but was not an outstanding success. I, having previously heard • someone call out " Here's the mail," thought, being a greenhorn, the girls were all running to get their letters. So I went back to my tent, got my camera, took a snap of the group, and strolled along quietly knowing there would be no letters for me. Upon approaching the

group I observed grins upon several faces, and failing to see any signs of mail, began to feel a little uneasy, and at last the awful truth flashed upon me that instead of meandering along in an entirely calm and composed fashion, I should have been " doubling" as fast as I could " double," gathering snake sticks and damp sacks on the way. However, as I said before, even discounting my lapse, the alarm wasn't a huge success, and we were determined, after hearing the Commandant's criticism, that, should any more alarms take place we would not be caught napping. So, when, a couple of days later, frantic calls were heard from the other side of the hill where the washing cubicles were, we were not found wanting, but with one accord, sped up that hill in the most approved style, going up one step and slipping down two (it was sandy). Upon arriving in a cloud of sand the other side of the hill we observed a girl triumphantly holding out a stick, and on that stick was gracefully drooped—a snake. AN Wednesday I caused a mild sensation over a spider. From the inside of my tent, just by the head of my bed, I observed the outline of a huge black spider on the outside of the tent. Having visions of it promenading

en me in the night, I stepped outside to amend matters. Carefully removing it from the tent with a stick and not pausing to consider the possible wreckage of any Guide Laws, written or unwritten, was just about to dispatch it to the Happy Hunting Grounds, when suddenly it pulled itself up on its thread of web and made a dive for my neck. With one wild yell I dashed it to the ground. Several girls quickly appeared on the scene wanting to know whatever was wrong, but upon my recovering sufficiently to. explain, they were quite unimpressedin fact they actually laughed, and said: " Good gracious ! We thought it was at least a snake." VyEDNESDAY was one of the Y * hottest days one could imagine. It was 106 degrees in the shade, and there was a hot, terrible wind blowing, just as though it were blowing straight on to us from a furnace. There was simply no escaping from the heat. It was ghastly. That night there was a thunderstorm. It began just after "Lights

out," and was really rather a wonderful sight. The vivid flashes of lightning- showed up in sharp relief the white tents dotted all over the field against their dark background of tall trees. Dark figures could be seen with a bobbing light by their side, going around their tent, hammering in pegs; and mingled with the ghostly tapping sound was the buzz of a hundred and thirty tongues. The preparations for the rain had just been completed when down it came. But, strange to say, it lasted only for about three minutes, and we had no more rain that night. On Thursday afternoon Lady de Chair, wife of the Governor of New South Wales, inspected and afterwards addressed us. Official photographs were taken, and we felt quite important. "P RID AY was the day of days! A grand display was given in the afternoon, each group doing something special. Group 1 did lashing—garden seat, etc. Group 2 made different kinds of fires used in camping out. Group 3 made a model camp kitchen. Group 4 pitched a tent and fitted it up for a hospitala girl on a stretcher being carried in with the doctor in attendance.

Then the camp officials (they were many) entertained the assemblage. They appeared dressed in old English style: the girls with sprigged muslin frocks, high waisted and puff sleeved, and with poke bonnets and mittens; and the boys in smocks and leggings and their hats turned back in the front. They did country dances and sang and acted the various English folk songs we had sung at camp fire. They were excellent, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. That evening the Guiders met for a short discussion on Guiding difficulties, and then followed an extra special camp fire. Then followed the event of the day. In fact, I might say in all modesty—of the whole camp. (Confirmation of this statement may be obtained from any of the six bright New Zealand girls who were in Camp.) We all took our position, canoe-wise, on the ground and sang our Song of Farewell in Maori. Then with one accord we leapt to our feet, and with much vim caused the blood-thirsty preliminaries of the haka to issue from our throats—- " Whititarah!" was yelled with much gusto, and so warlike was our demonstration that Toff, the Camp dog (usually a very docile animal), became most agitated, and, raising his voice in energetic protest, made

a dash for the leader. Before he reached her, however, he was seized by his tail and hauled back to a safe distance. To complete our item, we sang " For They are Jolly Good Fellows " in Maori, and then retired blushingly to our places. " Lights out" was at ten o'clock that night. O ATURDAY morning we were up *~ with the lark, for there were a thousand things to do and not much time to do them in. Orderly work had to be done, packing had to be done, tents had to be struck, and, horrors! our best Sunday uniforms had to be donned. However, in due course, after much grunting and puffing, we and our multitudinous baggage were safely stowed on the motor lorries. Each girl was given a neat little package of lunch wrapped in lettuce leaves or bracken and enclosed in two rounded pieces of bark. Seeing that breakfast was at 7.30 and I, for one, didn't arrive at my destination until 3.30 p.m., the little packet of sandwiches and fruit was most acceptable. My initiation into the arts and mysteries of camping was a lucky one, for it was a perfectly organised and excellently carried out Camp, and we were all exceedingly grateful for the opportunity of forming a small part of the first InterState Camp to be held in Australia.