The best practice in camping is camping whenever possible—single nights , weekends, and longer camps.
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In going to camp with the Troop it is essential to have a few “Standing Orders”, which can be added to from time to time, if necessary. The Patrol Leaders are held fully responsible that their Scouts carry them out exactly.
Such orders will contain the camp routine and might point out that each Patrol will camp separately from the others, and that there will be a comparison between the respective cleanliness and good order of tents and surrounding ground.
Each Patrol usually has its tents grouped together, well away from the other Patrol, but within call of the Scoutmaster’s tent which generally is in the center.
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Bathing in camp is under strict supervision to prevent non-swimmers getting into dangerous water. The following rules should be strictly followed:
(1) No Scout shall be allowed to bathe except under the personal supervision of the Scouter in charge of the party or some responsible adult appointed by him for the purpose. The safety of the place must have been previously ascertained and all reasonable precautions must be taken, including the provision of a life line.
(2) A picket of two good swimmers , preferably trained swimmers and life savers, must be on duty, undressed, in a boat or on shore as the circumstances may demand, ready to help any boy in distress. The picket itself may not bathe until the others have left the water.
In the Boy Scouts of America, a so-called “buddy-system” is used. In this system, the Scouts are divided into pairs, or buddies. The two boys of the buddy team are of about equal swimming ability. When in the water, each buddy is responsible for the safety of the other, under the general supervision of the Scouter in charge of the whole party.
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Making a Camp Loom—Plant a row (No. 1 row) of five stakes, 2 ft. 6 in., firmly in the ground.
Opposite to them, at a distance of 6 to 7 ft., drive in a row (No. 2 row) of two stakes and a crossbar (or of five stakes). Fasten a cord or twine to the head of each stake in No. 1 row and stretch it to the corresponding stake in No. 2 row and make it fast here. Then carry the continuation of the cord back over No. 1 row for some 5 ft. extra, and fasten it to a loose crossbar or “beam”.
Fasten other cords from the other stakes in No. I row to the stakes of No. 2 row, and then to the beam, tying them here the same distance apart that the stakes are apart.
The beam is now moved up and down at slow intervals by one Scout, while another Scout lays bundles of fern or straw in layers alternately under and over the stretched strings. The bundles are thus bound in by the rising or lowering of the cords attached to the
beam.
On a camp loom it is easy to weave a comfor table mattress
out of bracken, fer ns, heather, straw or grass.
If you move the beam first slightly to the right and then to the left so that the strings fall first on one side and then on the other side of he stretched strings it will twist the cords and make the binding much more secure.
HINTS TO INSTRUCTORS
Camp Orders
In going into camp it is essential to have a few “Standing Orders” published, which can be added to from time to time, if necessary. These should be carefully explained to Patrol Leaders, who should then be held fully responsible that their Scouts carry them out exactly.
Such orders might point out that each Patrol will camp separately from the others, and there will be a comparison between the respective cleanliness and good order of tents and surrounding ground.
Each Patrol usually has a tent to itself, well away from any others, but within call of the Scoutmaster’s tent.
Patrol Leaders to report on the good work or otherwise of their Scouts, which will be recorded in the Scoutmaster’s book.
Rest time for one hour in middle of day.
Bathing under strict supervision to prevent non-swimmers getting into dangerous water.
“Life Guards will be on duty while swimming is going on, and ready to help any boy in distress. These guards will be on shore or in a boat (undressed). They may only swim when the general swimming is over, and the last of the swimmers has left the water. A life-line must be available.” The observance of this rule has saved the life of more than one Scout already.
Orders as to what is to be done in case of fire alarm.
Orders as to boundaries of grounds to be worked over, damages to fences, property, good drinking-water, etc.
CAMP FIRE YARN NO. 10
CAMP COOKING
Cooking- Hay-Box Cooking - Bread Making
- Cleanliness
HINTS TO INSTRUCTORS
Practise mixing dough and baking; it is useful. if possible, get a baker to give a lesson. But let each Scout mix his own dough with the amount of water be thinks right. Let him make his mistakes at first to get experience.
A visit to an abattoir and butcher’s shop to see the cutting up is useful for boys. Get Scouts to make their own linen ration bags.
Issue raw rations, and let each Scout make his own fire and cook his own meal.
EVERY SCOUT MUST, OF COURSE, know how to cook his own meat and vegetables, and to make bread for himself, without regular cooking utensils.
Cooking Meat
Meat may be cooked by sticking it on sharp sticks and hanging it close to the fire, so that it gets broiled. Or use the lid of an old cake tin as a kind of frying-pan. Put grease in it to prevent the meat from sticking.
Or make Kabobs: Cut your meat up into a slice about half or three-quarters of an inch thick. Cut this up into small pieces about one to one and a half inches across. String a lot of these chunks on to a stick or iron rod, and plant it in front of the fire, or suspend it over the hot embers for a few minutes till the meat is roasted.
Meat can also be wrapped in a few sheets of wet paper, or in a coating of clay, and put in the red-hot embers of the fire, where it will cook by itself.
Hunter’s Stew—Cut lean meat or game into small chunks about an inch or one and a half inch square. Mix some flour, salt, and pepper together, and rub your meat well in it. Brown it in a little fat in the pot, shuffling the pot so as to sear, but not burn the surfaces of the meat. Add clean water, and hang pot high over the fire. It is important that the water should not boil hard, but merely simmer. Later add cut up vegetables, such as potatoes, carrots and onions. The water should just cover the food—no more. Cook until tender.