  Everyone should be able to tie knots. A knowledge of knots is useful in every trade or calling, and forms an important part of a Girl Scout's training. As it may happen some day that a life may depend on a knot being properly tied you ought to know the proper way. The Bowline is a loop that will not slip after the first grip. First make a loop, then pass the end up through it, round the back of the standing part, and down through the loop again. It is often used as a halter for horses. The Running Bowline. This is the nautical slip knot. First make the loop as in the ordinary bowline but allow a good length of end (A). Pass it round the standing part and up through the loop, and continue as in the ordinary bowline. The Reef Knot. It is used to join two dry ropes of the same thickness. It will not slip, and can be easily untied when wanted. Do not confuse it with the "Granny" knot. It is the only knot used in First Aid work. The Clove Hitch is made with two half-hitches. When fastened to a pole and pulled tight it can slip neither up nor down. Greatly used in pioneering work. The Half-Hitch. Pass the end round a pole, then round the standing part, then through below itself again. The Fisherman's Knot. Make this knot by tying a simple knot on rope B with the end of rope A, then tie a similar knot on rope A with the end of rope B. Pull the standing parts and the knots will remain fast. Round Turn and Two Half-Hitches. It is used for making fast a rope so that the strain will not jamb hitches. The Sheet Bend. Used for uniting two dry ropes of different thicknesses. First form a loop, then pass the end of the other rope up through the loop, round the back of the end and standing part of loop, and through below itself. The Sheep-Shank. A Scout should never cut rope unless absolutely necessary. To shorten a guy rope on tent or marquee, gather the rope in the form of two long loops and pass a half-hitch over each loop. It remains firm under a good strain and can be easily undone when required. Middleman's Knot. Somewhat similar to the fisherman's knot but in this case only one rope is used. Can safely be used as a halter. The Slip Knot. You sometimes want to release a knot quickly so this knot is used. It is simply the reef knot with one of the ends (A) pushed through one of the loops. To release, pull end A. Overhand Loop Knot. When pulling a rope you may wish to gain more purchase on it or you may wish to insert a short stick to pull with. Use the loop knot shown in our diagram. Important. Many of the knots shown on these pages are open so that you may more easily see their working, but when in use they should always be drawn taut. The Mariner's CompassBoxing the compass consists in enumerating the points beginning with north and working around the circle as follows: How to Read a MapConventional Signs & Lettering Used in Field SketchingConventional Signs enable you to give information on a sketch or map in a simple manner which is easily understood. In addition to the sign it is often necessary to give an additional description, e. g., whether a railway Whatever lettering is used should be legible and not interfere with the detail of the sketch. All lettering should be horizontal, except the names of roads, railways, rivers, and canals, which should be written along them. Remember to fill in the North point on your sketch, The Morse Code of Signals is not hard to learn but it requires much practice to "receive" even when the message is sent slowly. The old-fashioned instruments were fitted with a ribbon on which the dots and dashes were recorded, but all modern operators depend on the ear. The code is as follows: PunctuationComma, . ––. –– Semi-colon, Si Colon, Ko Period, .. –– ––.. Interrogation, ––.. ––. Quotation, Qn Paragraph, –– –– –– –– Exclamation, –– –– –– Parenthesis, Pn Brackets, Bn Dollar mark, Sx Dash, Dx Hyphen, Hx Underline, Ux Signals4. Start me. 5. Have you anything for me? 9. Train order (or important military message)—give away. 13. Do you understand? All sorts of changes may be made when the signals are committed to memory. Flags—up for a dot and side for a dash is one of the commonest and easiest for the beginner; or whistles—long and short blasts. Even the hand or a hat may be substituted; coughing, stamping, and scratching with the foot or a bit of stick. In fact endless changes may be invented for use with this Code. Commands and SignalsFor the use of the Girl Scouts the following list of words of command and whistle signals has been compiled. Commands"Fall in" (in line). "Alert" (stand up smartly). "Easy" (stand at ease). "Sit easy" (sit or lie in ranks). "Dismiss" (break off). "Right" or "Left" (turn accordingly). "Quick march" (step off with the left foot first). "Double" (run with arms down). "Scouts' pace" (walk fifty paces and run fifty paces alternately). Whistle Signals1. One long blast means "Silence," "Alert," "Listen for next signal." 2. A succession of long slow blasts means "Go out," "Get farther away," or "Advance," "Extend," "Scatter." 3. A succession of quick short blasts means "Rally," "Close in," "Come together," "Fall in." 4. Alternate short and long blasts mean "Alarm," "Look out," "Be ready," "Man your alarm posts." 5. Three short blasts followed by one long one from the Captain calls up the patrol leaders. Any whistle signal must be instantly obeyed at the double as fast as you can run, regardless of anything you may be doing. By previous agreement many other signals may be arranged. It all depends on the exigencies to be met or the special order or information to be conveyed. But these few important signals should be strictly adhered to in all drills and exercises of Scouts. The compiler of the present volume thinks it unwise to print the secret words so they are left for the patrol leaders and Captain to communicate verbally. Hand Signals"Advance"} Swing the arm from rear to front, below the shoulder. "Forward"} "Retire" Circle the arm above the head. "Halt" Raise the arm to full extension above head. "Double" The closed fist moved up and down between your shoulder and thigh. "Quick time" To change from the "Double" to the "Quick Time," raise the hand to the shoulder. "Reinforce" Swing the arm from the rear to the front above the shoulder. "Lie down" With the open hand make two or three slight movements towards the ground. "Wheel" Extend your arm in line with your shoulder and make a circular movement in the direction required. "Incline" Extend your arm in line with your shoulder and make a turn with your body in the direction required. Indian SignsBurnt sticks are placed at the last camp-fire to tell the direction the Indians have gone from this spot. Two of them always make a V point and if the third is laid at the point of the [V=] it means north. Across the open end of the [=V] it means south. At one side "V it means east and V" would mean west. Now the above mark as made to indicate south would really mean southwest, if the stick which indicates direction were a little way to the west side—V¯. Northwest would be V_. [V=] North Scout Signs.Shaking a blanket: I want to talk to you. Hold up a tree-branch: I want to make peace. Hold up a weapon (axe) means war: I am ready to fight. Hold up a pole horizontally, with hands on it: I have found something. Self-DefenseShootingAll Scouts should know how to shoot. By this we do not mean that you should go all day behind some big dog and try to kill the birds he finds for you, for that is the most useless form of shooting, all things considered, that can be devised. What we mean is that Scouts should know how to load and fire a gun or other firearm so as ArcheryThe bows and arrows of our ancestors are not to be despised as a means of training hand and eye. Archery is excellent practice for the eye, and good exercise for the muscles. It makes no noise, does not disturb game or warn the enemy. Scouts should know how to shoot with bows and arrows, and they can make them for themselves. The arrow, twenty-six inches long, must be as "straight as an arrow" and tipped with a heavy head, with wings to keep it level. Ash wood is the best. The bow should be unstrung when not in use, or it will get bent. It is usually made your own height. Old gloves should be worn. |
|
