Boy Scouts Handbook Part 20

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fisherman's bend knot.]

_The Fisherman's Bend_. Used aboard yachts for bending on the gaff topsail halliards. It consists of two turns around a spar or ring, then a half hitch around the standing part and through the turns on the spar, and another half hitch above it around the standing part.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Timber hitch knot.]

_Timber Hitch_. Used in hauling timber. Pa.s.s the end of the rope around the timber. Then lead it around its standing part and bring it back to make two or more turns on its own part. The strain will hold it securely.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Two half hitches knot.]

_Two Half Hitches_. Useful because they are easily made and will not slip under any strain. Their formation is sufficiently indicated by the diagram.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Blackwall hitch knot.]

_Blackwall Hitch_. Used to secure a rope to a hook. The standing part when hauled tight holds the end firmly.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Becket hitch knot.]

_Becket Hitch_. For joining a cord to a rope. May be easily made from diagram.

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[Ill.u.s.tration: Fisherman's knot.]

_The Fisherman's Knot_. Used for tying silk-worm gut for fishing purposes. It never slips; is easily unloosed by pulling the two short ends.

The two ropes are laid alongside one another, then with each end an overhand knot is made around the standing part of the other. Pull the standing parts to tighten.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Carrick bend knot.]

_Carrick Bend_. Used in uniting hawsers for towing. Is easily untied by pushing the loops inwards.

Turn the end of one rope A over its standing part B to form a loop.

Pa.s.s the end of the other rope across the bight thus formed, back of the standing part B over the end A, then under the bight at C, pa.s.sing it over its own standing part and under the bight again at D.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Mariner's compa.s.s.]

The Mariner's Compa.s.s

Boxing the Compa.s.s consists in enumerating the points, beginning with north and working around the circle as follows: North North by East North, North-east North-east by North North-east North-east by East East, North-east East by North East East by South East, South-east South-east by East South-east South-east by South

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South, South-east South by East South South by West South, South-west South-west by South South-west South-west by West West, South-west West by South West West by North West, North-west North-west by West North-west North-west by North North, North-west North by West North

NOTES

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CHAPTER II

WOODCRAFT

Woodlore

_By Ernest Thompson Seton, Chief Scout_

The Watch for a Compa.s.s (From "Boy Scouts of America," by Ernest Thompson Seton. Copyright, 1910, by Doubleday, Page & Company )

The watch is often used to give the compa.s.s point exactly. Thus: Point the hour-hand to the sun; then, in the morning, half-way between the hour-hand and noon is due south. If afternoon, one must reckon half-way backward.

Thus: at 8 A. M., point the hour-hand to the sun and reckon forward half-way to noon; the south is at 10. If at 4 P. M., point the hour-hand at the sun and reckon back half-way. The south is at two o'clock.

The "half-way" is because the sun makes a course of twenty-four hours and the clock of but twelve. If we had a rational timepiece of twenty-four hours, it would fit in much better with all nature, and with the hour-hand pointed to the sun would make 12 o'clock, noon, always south.

If you cannot see the sun, get into a clear, open s.p.a.ce, hold your knife point upright on your watch dial, and it will cast a faint shadow, showing where the sun really is, unless the clouds are very heavy.

Finding Your Lat.i.tude by the Stars

The use of the stars to the scout is chiefly to guide him by showing the north, but the white man has carried the use a step farther: he makes the Pole-star tell him not only where the north is, but where he himself is. From the Pole-star, he can learn his lat.i.tude.

It is reckoned an exploit to take one's lat.i.tude from the North Star with a cart-wheel, or with two sticks and a bucket of water.