On the Trail: An Outdoor Book for Girls

oeing. Rowing. Poling. Raf

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my younger days we owned such a boat, and no one felt in the least anxious when I would put off for hours alone on the lake at our camp in Pike County, Pa.; especially as the creaking turn of the oar-locks could easily be heard at camp loudly proclaim

e enough in the hands of those accustomed to their management. The best of oarsmen, however, cannot prevent

a safer craft

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nly balanced, and in getting out, step from the middle. Stepping on the side or the gunwale of a boat shows the ignorance of a tenderfoot. There are rowboats that are neither

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ruising, as it is light, easy to manage, will stand rough usage, and will also carry greater loads. The best make has a frame of hardwood with cedar ribs and planking; spruce gunwales and brass bang-plates to protect the ends. This canoe is covered with strong canvas, treated with some kind of filler, and then painted and varnished

rail, which are called sponsons. It is claimed that these air-chambers make it next to impossible to upset the canoe, and that even wh

ur body

learning to paddle easier. Then there are the guide canoes made especially for hunting and fishing. They are strong, flat-bottomed,

ollars. One may go higher, of course, but the essentials of the canoe

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maple, ash, spruce, and cherry. Some authorities prefer spruce for ordinary usage, but in rough water and in shooting rapids a harder wood is best. The weak part of a paddle is where the blade joins the handle, and this part should

on plac

ess

s than a boy, but a back rest is not always to be despised. It is

one being the neck-yoke carrier, another the pneumatic canoe-yoke. The pneumatic yoke, when not inflated with air, can be rolled into a bundle three by six inches, and whe

of th

ge and loss. A sudden storm will batter it against shore, send it adrift, or fill and sink it. A canoe should always be lifted, not dragged, as

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uickly, but with care to keep your balance. If there is no one to hold the canoe for you, use your paddle to steady yourself by pushing it down to the bottom on the side away from shore. This will keep the canoe from slipping away from under you while you are stepping in. One of the first things to learn in

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to it without trying to climb upon it you can keep your head above water until help arrives or until you can tread water to

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addle and a flat

the seats provided at bow and stern, or sit on the bottom. The kneeling paddler has her canoe in better control, and becomes more one with it than one who

to the canoe. You face the bow in a canoe, remember, and reach forward for your stroke. At the finish of a stroke turn the paddle edgewise and slide it out of the water. For the next stroke bring the blade forward, swinging it horizontally with the blade parallel to the water, and sli

watch for obstructions such as hidden rocks and submerged logs or snags, while

tful and sometimes a quick change will prevent an accident. Like many other things, the knack of paddling will c

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he heaviest things at the bottom, but use common sense and do not put things that should be kept dry underneath where any water that is shipped will settle and soak them. Think again and put cooking utensils a

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the rowing of a heavy flat-bottomed boat and rowing a light skiff or round-bottomed rowboat. In rowing properly

s, lift the blades above the water. Then drop them in edgewise and pull, straightening your body, bending your elbows, and bringing your hands together one above the other. As you finish the stroke bear down on your oars to lift the blades out of the water again, turn your wrists to bring the flat of the blades almost parallel with the water but with the back edge lifted a little; then bend forward and, sweeping the oars

ficient hold, which will cause them, when pulled forward, to fly up and send the rower sprawling on her back. In dipping too

arrow, flat bottom is safer and is both light and easy to row. A cedar rowboat is the most desirable. The oars

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tely necessary. When such an emergency does come it is not likely that you will have anything besides the roughest of building material and no tools besides your small axe or hatchet. But with your axe you can chop off limbs of sufficient size for the raft from fallen trees, and with ropes made of the inner bark of trees you can bind your small logs together in such a way as to hold them firmly. Do not use green wo

a branch while you twist the other. When two are twisting one person takes one end, the other takes the other end, and, standing as far apart as possible, each twists the fibre between her fingers, turning it in opposite directions until when held slack it will double on itself and make a double twist. The ends are then brought together and the rope kept from snarling until it is bent at t

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ne end of each rope lying on the ground, the other end turned back over the log. Now roll another log over the lower ropes up close to the first log (Fig. 40). Bring down the upper ropes over the second log (Fig. 41), cross the lower ropes over the upper ones and turn them back (Fig. 42). Draw the ropes tight and push the logs as closely together as possible; unless your logs are straight there will be wide spaces between. Roll the third log over the lower r

extend a little beyond each side of the raft. Fasten a rope with a strong slip knot to one end of the cross log and wrap it over the log and under the first lengthwise log, then over and under again to form a cross on top. When the rope is under the second ti

en the time comes for you to build a full-sized one you will be quite famil

pe of fibre if you can get it, of string if you cannot, and weave it around the sticks just as y

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raight pole of strong, green wood eight feet or more in length. The length of the pole will depend upon the depth of th

real purpose is to push from the bottom. In poling you must necessarily stand near the edge of the raft

e alert to take advantage of every element in your favor. Where there is a current you pole for it and then allow your raft to float with it, provided it goes in the direction you wish to take and is not too swift. In this case you use your p

le your raft up-stream when the water is deep enough to float it and is not obstructed by rocks, logs, or s

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at home in

the water you will not struggle while in it, and the air in your lungs will keep you afloat while you learn to make the movements that will carry you along. You will not sink if you are quite calm and move only your hands under water with a slight paddl

n experience the best method is to have a friend place a hand under your chin while her feet are touching bottom and to walk with you while you learn to make the swimming movements. This will keep your head above water and give you a sense of security, and you will the

nvince yourself that you need no support you won't need it. It is best to start by swimming toward land instead of away

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sition for swimming by throwing your body forward with arms extended and palms of hands together, at the same time lifting your feet from th

end your elbows and bring them down with palms of hands together under your chin, and at the same time draw your legs up under your body with knees and feet still held close together. The third movement i

nce, each end springing away from the middle. When you push the spring together, that is, when in taking the second movement you draw in your hands and feet, do it slowly; then take the third movement-letti

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is, they think they are not and do not seem willing to try, but it is quite necessary e

tion of your hands under water. After a time all movement may be given up and you will lie easily and quietly as on a bed. It is said that it is easier for women and girls to float than for men, because their bones are lighter, and some learn to float the first time they enter the water; all of which is very encouraging to girls. Breathe deeply but n

the water. If your nose and mouth are out that is all t

arms in front and pull on the water with scoop

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d diving may mean the saving of your own or some one else's life, and no matter how suddenly or unexpectedly you are

above the water, stand on the edge with your toes reaching over it. Extend your arms, raise them, and duck your head between with your arms, forming an arch above, your ears covered by your arms. Lock your thumbs together to keep your hands from separating when they strike the w

ath

th while swimming is usually to swallow a pint or two of water. Exhale your breath as yo

ding

While the water is up to your neck, bend your elbows and bring your hands to the surface, then keep the palms pressing down the water. The principle is the same as in swimming. When you swim

ur shoulders and keep your head well back. You may go below the surface once or twice until you learn, but you will come up again and the feat is well worth whi

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ish-line on the small end, tie a fish-hook to the end of the line, bait it with an angleworm, stand on the bank, drop the hook and bait into the water, and await results. Another way is to put together a delicate, quivering fishing-rod,

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a fly." But the boy, placidly fishing, returned: "I'd rather know how to catch fish." It was true the boy had caught the fish and the skilful angler had not. All of which goes to prove that if it is fish you want, just any kind of fish and not the excitement of the sport, a pole like the boy's will probably be equal to all requirements. But there ar

ts. Take a fisherman's luck cheerfully and carry the thing through like a true sportsman. There is one thing to remember which sportsmen sometimes forget in the excitement of the game and that is not to catch more fish than you have use for. One need not be cruel even to cold-blooded fish, nor need one selfishly grab all one can get merely fo