The Book Of Woodcraft | by Ernest Thompson Seton

While I set out only to justify the Indian as a model for our boys in camp, I am not without hope that this may lead to a measure of long-delayed justice being accorded him. He asks only the same rights as are allowed without question to all other men in America - the protection of the courts, the right to select his own religion, dress, amusements, and the equal right to the pursuit of happiness so long as his methods do not conflict with the greater law of the land.

Title	The Book Of Woodcraft
Author	Ernest Thompson Seton
Publisher	Doubleday Page & Company
Year	1912
Copyright	1912, Ernest Thompson Seton
Amazon	The Book of Woodcraft

By Ernest Thompson Seton, Author of Wild Animals I Have Known, "Two Little Savages", "Biography of a Grizzly", "Life Histories of Northern Animals." "Rolf in the Woods", "The Foresters' Manual". Head Chief of the Indian Scouts and of the Seton Indians.

With 500 Drawings By the Author.

Preface: For over twenty-five years I have been giving the talks and demonstrations that are gathered together in this book. Many of them have appeared in magazines or in the Birch-Bark Roll that has come ou...

I. Principles Of Scouting: Nine Important Principles Of Scouting THIS is a time when the whole nation is turning toward the Outdoor Life, seeking in it the physical regeneration so needful for continued national existence - ...

II. The Spartans Of The West: NO WORLD-MOVEMENT ever yet grew as a mere doctrine. It must have some noble example; a living, appealing personality; some man to whom we can point and say, This is what we mean. All the great faith...

The Indian's Creed: These are the main thoughts in the Redman's creed: (1) While he believed in many gods, he accepted the idea of one Supreme Spirit, who was everywhere all the time; whose help was needed continually...

The Dark Side: These are the chief charges against the Indian: First He was cruel to his enemies, even torturing them at the stake in extreme cases. He knew nothing about forgiving and loving them. In the m...

The Dark Side. Continued: There is no Indian massacre of whites to compare with this shocking barbarity, for at least the Indian always had the excuse that war had been declared, and he was acting on the defensive. Of a simila...

Reverence: In 1832 George Catlin, the painter, went West and spent eight years with the unchanged Indians of the Plains. He lived with them and became conversant with their lives. He has left one of the fullest ...

Cleanliness: Nothing will convince some persons but that Yankees have tails, because, in their nursery days, these persons always heard it was so. That is exactly the attitude of the world on the subject of dirt...

Chastity: About one hundred years ago the notorious whiskey-trader, Alexander Henry, already mentioned, went into the Missouri region. He was a man of strange character, of heroic frame and mind, but unscrupulo...

Bravery: Old-time travelers and modern Indian fighters agree that there was no braver man on earth, alive or in history, than the Redman. Courage was the virtue he chiefly honored. His whole life and training ...

Thrift And Providence: Every Indian village in the old days had its granaries of corn, its stores of dried beans, berries, and pumpkin-strips, as well as its dried buffalo tongues, pemmican and deer's meat. To this day all ...

Cheerfulness Or The Merry Indian: Nothing seems to anger the educated Indian, to-day, more than the oft-repeated absurdity that his race was of a gloomy, silent nature. Any one that has ever been in an Indian village knows what a scen...

Obedience. Reverence For Their Parents And For The Aged: We cannot, short of the Jews or the Chinese, perhaps, find more complete respect for their parents than among the Indians. Catlin says: To each other I have found these people kind and honorable, ...

Kindness: At every first meeting of red men and whites, the whites were inferior in numbers, and yet were received with the utmost kindness, until they treacherously betrayed the men who had helped and harbored...

Hospitality: This is a point that needs little discussing, even the sworn enemy was safe, once he was admitted to an Indian lodge as a guest. Carver says of the Sioux, in 1766 (Travels, p. 172): No peop...

Treatment Of Their Women: The social condition of the North Americans has been greatly misunderstood. The place of woman in the tribe was not that of a slave or of a beast of burden. The existence of the gentile organization,...

Courtesy And Polite Behavior: There has never been any question of the Redman's politeness. Every observer remarks it. I have seen countless cases of it, myself. The white who usurped his domain are immeasurably his inferiors in s...

Teepee Etiquette. The Unwritten Law Of The Lodge: (Gathered chiefly from observations of actual practice, but in many cases from formal precept). Be hospitable. Always assume that your guest is tired, cold, and hungry. Always give your guest...

Honesty: Catlin says: As evidence of . . . their honesty and honor, there will be found recorded many striking instances in the following pages. ******* I have roamed about, from time to time, durin...

Truthfulness And Honor: Falsehood they esteem much more mean and contemptible than stealing. The greatest insult that can be offered to an Indian, is, to doubt his courage: the next is to doubt his honor or truth! ******...

Temperance And Sobriety: When the white traders struck into the West with their shameful cargoes of alcohol to tempt the simple savages, it was the beginning of the Great Degradation for which we must answer. The leading I...

Physique: We need but little evidence on this head. All historians, hostile or friendly, admit the Indian to have been the finest type of physical manhood the world has ever known. None but the best, the picked...

Physique. Continued: The American Indian, born free as the eagle, would not tolerate restraint, would not brook injustice; therefore, the restraint imposed must be manifestly for his benefit, and the government to which ...

Standard Indian Books: Drake's Indian Chiefs, the lives of more than 200 Indian Chiefs, by Samuel G. Drake. Boston. 1832. Adventures of Captain Bonneville, by Washington Irving, in 3 vols. London. 1837. An amazing rec...

III. The Purpose And Laws Of The Woodcraft Indians: The Redman's Way THUS have I shown forth the ways of the great Redmen. And their high code I would here set down for the growth and guidance of all young people, for the building up of their bodies...

The Laws: 1. Obedience Obedience is the foundation of all law; therefore, at all times; obey the law and the Chief and the Council of your Tribe, without evil-speaking or resentment or delay. 2. Courage ...

The Initiation Of A Brave: All who would learn the life, and take on the vows of the other Lodges, must pass through three stages of: (1) Indian Boy; (2) Young Brave; and (3) Minisino or Tried Warrior. Before being admitted ...

The Laws For The Ruling Of The Tribe. I. Name: This Brotherhood shall be called The (any local Indian name) Tribe of the Little/Big Lodge of Woodcraft Indians. II. Purpose The true purpose of this Tribe in its Councils shall be to learn o...

The Band Or Clan: Each Band or Clan of not less than five or more than ten members, elects its Chief for one year, or until his successor is elected. The Chief appoints his own Second Chief, to act in his absence, and ...

Titles Of Nobles: When a Brave has won 24 honors in either Lodge, according to the Standard of Honors, he may claim the title of Sagamore* He that has won 24 grand honors becomes a Grand Sagamore. He that has won...

Badges Of Rank: The badge of the Indian Boy in the Little Lodge is a green ribbon, fastened on with a green pin bearing the blue horned white shield of the Woodcraft Indians. The badge for the Young Brave in the L...

Totems: The Totem of the whole Nation of Woodcraft Indians is the white Buffalo head, symbolized by the Horned White Shield. This is used chiefly on Totem poles and on publications. Each Tribe, of course, ...

Order Of Doings In Council: The Head Chief, or the Herald he may appoint, walks around with the standard, announcing that a Council is to be held, and all must come to Council. The form used among the Ogallala is Neetah Kolah...

The Tally Book And How To Keep It: The Tally Book is the record of the Band's doings. It should be kept like the proceedings of any other society. The Tally Keeper who is an artist has a great advantage, as a few sketches and photograp...

The Indian Laws In Brief: 1. Obedience is the brave's first duty. 2. Courage is the brave's highest gift. 3. Keep yourself and your camp Clean. 4. No Smoking till you are eighteen. 5. No Alcohol in Camp. 6. Take...

War Cry Of The Band: The Call or War Cry is something to be carefully considered. It is a great help if you get it right. The howl of a wolf as suggested by Yow-w-w is not the same as the howl suggested by the wolf itse...

IV. Honors, Degrees, And Indian Names: Honors HONORS are of two kinds, individual, and group or degree. Any brave may take both kinds, if he wishes. The standards for the individual honors, it will be seen, are higher. I shall give t...

Standards Of Honors: These exploits are intended to distinguish those who are first-class in their department, and those who are so good that they may be considered in the record-making class. They may be called Honors an...

Class I. Red Honors: Heroism Honors are allowed for saving a human life at risk of one's own; it is a coup or a grand coup, at the discretion of the Council. A soldier's war medals count for a grand coup each. Co...

General Athletics: (Advisers - J. E. Sullivan, secretary of Amateur Athletic Union; Dr. Luther H. Gulick of Russell Sage Foundation, New York). Those under 10 are children; those over 10 and under 16 are boys; those ...

Mountain Climbing (All Afoot): (Not open to boys, i.e., those under 14). By Sir Martin Conway, ex-President of the Alpine Club. The exploits in this class are repeaters. The first one to climb a standard peak gets double hono...

Target Shooting (Open To Men Only): Everything that can be said in favor of firearms for use in general sport applies to the rifle only (and its understudy the revolver). The scatter-gun has no official existence for us. It is ruination...

Big Game Hunting: (By permission of the Campfire Club of America). Inasmuch as Hunting Big Game must be recognized in our list of national outdoor sports, it should be elevated to a higher plane by the adoption of t...

Class II. White Honors: Campercraft And Scouting Bee Line Come to camp through strange woods from a point one mile off and return in 30 minutes, for coup; in 20 for grand coup. Match Fire Light 15 campfires in su...

Long Range, Clout, Or Flight Shooting: Lads Three-foot target at 130 yards, if possible on a Steep hillside. In the target is a bull's eye, and counts . . 9 Within 3 feet of outside of target . 7 6 5 9 3 ...

Class III. Blue Honors: Nature Study. Vertebrates (Revised by Frank M. Chapman, of the American Museum of Natural History, New York City,) Know and name correctly 25 native wild quadrupeds, for coup; know and name corr...

Geology, Etc: (Revised by Prof. Charles D. Walcott, Secretary, Smithsonian Institution). Paleontology Know and name, referring to their proper strata, 50 native fossils, for coup; 100 for grand coup. Miner...

The Degrees In Woodcraft: With standards for the Big Lodge (Kitchi Wigwam). And with the standards for the Little Lodge (Pangi Wigwam) added in parenthesis. Those for the Medicine Lodge (Mashkiki Wigwam) would be the same a...

Camper (Gabeshiked): The Degree of Camper may be conferred on those who take 10 of these tests: *i. Can light 15 fires in succession with 15 matches, at different places, one, at least, on a wet day. (10 for L. L). ...

Camp Cook (Chabakwed): The Degree of Camp Cook is conferred on those who take 6 of these tests: 1. Can make a good fireplace of wood, of stone, sod, or earth. *2. Light 15 fires with 15 successive matches, one on a wet d...

Camp Craftsman (Enokid): The Degree of Camp Craftsman may be conferred on those who take 15 out of these tests: 1. Have a knowledge of tanning and curing. *2. Can sole and heel a pair of boots, sewed or nailed, and generally ...

Camp Doctor (Mashkiki): The Degree of Camp Doctor is conferred on those who take 20 out of these tests: *1. Can demonstrate the Schaefer method of resuscitation. 2. Carry a person down a ladder. 3. Bandage head and ...

Canoeman (Chemaunigan): The Degree of Canoeman may be conferred on those who take 15 of these tests: *1. Can tie rapidly 6 different useful knots. (4 in L. L). 2. Splice ropes. 3. Can find, collect, prepare and use wa...

Fisherman (Gagoiked): The Degree of Fisherman may be conferred on those who take 9 of these tests: *1. Catch and name 10 different species of fish: salmon or trout to be taken with flies; bass, pickerel, or pike to be c...

Forester (Mitigwakid): The Degree of Forester may be conferred on those who take 18 of these tests: *1. Can identify 25 kinds of trees when in leaf, or 15 kinds of deciduous (broad leaf) trees in winter, and tell some of...

Gleeman Or Camp Conjurer (Nagamed): The Degree of Gleeman is conferred on those who take 8 of these tests: *1. Can open and lead the Council. *2. Light the Sacred Fire with rubbing-sticks. *3. Know the Peace Pipe Ceremony. 4. Know the c...

Herald Or Crier (Bibaged): The Degree of Herald is conferred on those who take 10 these tests: 1. Can walk 1 mile in 11 min. (15 for L. L). 2. 30 12 hrs. (Not open to L. L). 3. Can run 100 yds. in 13 sec. (14 f...

Horseman (Bebamomigod): The Degree of Horseman may be conferred on those who take 10 of these tests: *1. Show that they are at home in a saddle and can ride at a walk, trot, and gallop. *2. Know how to saddle and bridl...

Hunter (Gaossed): The Degree of Hunter may be conferred on those who take 14 of these tests: 1. Can walk 1 mile in 11 minutes. (14 in L. L). 2. 30 12 hours. (Not open to L. L). 3. run 100 yards in 13...

Mountaineer (Wadjiwed): The Degree of Mountaineer may be conferred on those who take 8 of these tests: *1. Take two honors at least in the list of mountain-climbing (see p. 103). (One in L. L). 2. Have camped out at le...

Pathfinder Or Scout (Mikan): The Degree of Pathfinder is conferred on those who take 12 of these tests: 1. Know every land bypath and short cut for a distance of at least 2 miles in every direction around your local headquarte...

Scout Runner (Kee-Mo-Sah-Bee): The Degree of Scout Runner is conferred on those who take 9 of these tests: *1. Can walk 1 mile in 11 minutes. (14 in L. L.) *2. 30 miles in 12 hours. (Not open to L. L). 3. Can run 100 yard...

Sharpshooter (Godaakwed): The Degree of Sharpshooter is conferred on those who take 7 of these tests: *1. Qualify as in marksman with the rifle in accordance with the regulations of the National Rifle Association. *2. ...

Star Wiseman (Gijiged): The Degree of Star Wiseman may be conferred on those who take 7 of these tests: *1. Have a general knowledge of the nature and movements of the stars. *2. Point out and name 10 principal constel...

Swimmer (Shingebis): The Degree of Swimmer may be conferred on those who take 8 of these tests: *1. Can swim 100 yards. 2. Swim on the back 50 feet. (25 for L. L). *3. Swim 50 feet with shoes and clothes on. (25 ...

Traveler (Bebamadisid): The Degree of Traveler may be conferred on those who take 11 of these tests: 1. Have walked 1 mile in 11 minutes. (14 in L. L.) *2. Have tramped 30 miles a day. (Not open to L. L). 3. Have climb...

Village Scout Or Big Village Scout (Odena-Winini): The Degree of Village Scout may be conferred on those who take 14 of these tests: *1. Know how to turn in an alarm for fire. 2. Know how to enter burning buildings. *3. Know how to prevent the s...

White Man's Woodcraft (Dibaakid): The Degree of white Woodcraftsman may be conferred on those who take 9 of the following tests: 1. Take, develop, and print photographs of 12 separate subjects, 3 interiors, 3 portraits, 3 landscape...

Wise Woodman (Nibwaka-Winini): The Degree of Wise Woodman may be conferred on those who take 12 of these tests: *1. Have a list of 100 different kinds of birds personally observed on exploration in the field. (50 for L. L). 2...

Winning A Name: Each brave aims at winning a name. These Indian names are a sort of honorable nickname given in recognition of some exploit or personal gift. Thus Deerfoot was the great runner and Hawkeye had the sha...

Indian Names That Have Been Won By Scouts: As a rule, the idea - wonderful, great, admirable, or above others - is understood, else the name would not have been given. Anoki Actor. Bodaway (He) makes fire. Apenimon Tr...

English Names That Have Been Given: Arrowfoot. Bald Eagle. Black Hawk. Big Moose. Big Otter. Deerblinder. Deerslayer. Eagle-eye. Eel-scout. Hawk-eye. High-hop. Hoot-owl. Jack-rabbit. Jumping-jack. ...

Indian Names Given In Ridicule: Ashki Raw, fresh, new. Bakedon Quitter. Gitchee-Mukasin Big shoes. Kittimi Lazy. Kiwanis A foolish noise. Mah-Ka-Ahuh Plenty of whoop. Mangidon Big mouth, or All...

Names Given To Women: Agokay I stick to it. Anang Star. Anangons Little Star. Anohom Singer. Awashonks The Woman Chief Seconsit, R. I 1671. Bimodon A Grumbler. Gash-Kit-On I am a Winn...

V. Woodland Songs, Dances, And Ceremonies: The Omaha Tribal Prayer Harmonized by Prof. J. C. Fillmore. (By permission from Alice C. Fletcher's Indian Story and Song.) Translation Father a needy one stands before thee; I th...

The Peace Pipe Ceremony: The Medicine Man, standing in front of the ready-laid fire, opens Council thus: Neetah Kola nayhoon-po omnicheeyay nee-chopi - Hear me, my friends, we are about to hold a council. Now light we th...

The Scalp Dance: If the assemblage is mixed, each brave selects a squaw for this, ten to thirty couples taking part; otherwise, twenty braves can do it. They come out of the woods in procession, form a circle about th...

The Caribou Dance: The easiest of our campfire dances to learn, and the best for quick presentation, is the Caribou Dance. I have put it on for public performance, after twenty minutes' rehearsing, with fellows who neve...

The Dance Of The White Caribou: The Medicine Man begins by giving three thumps on his drum to call attention; then says in a loud, singing voice: The Caribou have not come on our hunting grounds for three snows. We need meat. Thus ...

The Dog Dance: This is a Shoshoni celebration.* A procession is formed. The leader carries a bucket, a stool, or a basket upside down, for a low stand. The next one carries a dog's skull, or something like one. We h...

Ojibwa Snake Dance: Select a good dancer for leader. All form line, holding hands, carefully graded so the least is last. Then dancing in step to the music, they set out in a line, follow-my-leader style, doubling the li...

Indian Song Books: Alice Fletcher's Indian Song and Story. (Small & Maynard) $1.00. F. R. Burton's American Primitive Music. (Moffat, Yard, & Co.) $5.00. Natalie Curtis. The Indians' book (Harper & Bros.) $7...

VI. Suggested Programs: A Monthly Series January, The Snow Moon Outdoors Tracks in the snow. Gather mosses in the woods for home study. Take a bird census. Look for cocoons and dormant insects. Dig out borers in dea...

Animal Story Books For Evenings: Written by Ernest Thompson Seton. Published by Charles Scribner's Sons 153 5th Ave., New York City. Wild Animals I Have Known, 1898. The stories of Lobo, Silverspot, Molly Cottontail, Bingo, Vix...

Indoor Or Winter Activities: Handicraft Make a willow bed (see later); teepee; war club for ceremonial use in dance; boat; skiff; bird boxes; wall pocket for camp; bow and arrows; paddle and paint it; fire sticks for rubbing-s...

Robe Or War Shirt Contest: It will be found stimulating to offer a grand prize for the individual that scores the highest in the whole camp-out, according to a given scale of points. We usually call this a Robe Contest, because...

Indoor Competition For A Prize: Each must get up and tell a short story. No excuses allowed. It is better to try and fail, than not to try. The one who fails to try is a quitter. Mark off on a stick your idea of a yard, a foot, a...

VII. General Scouting Indoors: Handicraft Stunts LET each Scout carve a fork and spoon out of wood, with his band totem on handle. Make a needle case out of a fowl's leg or wing bone, thus: Clean and smooth about three inches of...

Knots: The following are standard knots that an accomplished camper should know. Remember a perfect knot is one that's neither jambs nor slips. Slip knot, running noose, or halter knot. Fix...

Fireside Trick: An Indian showed me this, though I have since seen it among whites! Put your hands together as in the drawing, palms also touching. The thumbs are you and your brother. You can separate easily -...

Bird Boxes Or Houses: A good line of winter work is making bird boxes to have them ready for the spring birds. Two styles of bird houses are in vogue; one a miniature house on a pole, the other is an artificial hollow l...

VIII. General Scouting Outdoors: Rubbing Stick Fire I HAVE certainly made a thousand fires with rubbing-sticks, and have made at least five hundred different experiments. So far as I can learn, my own record of thirty-one seconds ...

Hiking In The Snow: In the suggested programs I have given a number of outlines for one-day hikes. For those who wish to find out what animals live near there is no time better than when the snow is on the ground. I r...

Hiking In The Snow. Part 2: Poor little Prince! It made him lose his nightly couch in Abraham's bosom and condemned him to be tubbed and scrubbed every day, and to sleep outdoors for a week. But he had his revenge on all of us; ...

Hiking In The Snow. Part 3: It is no doubt, because it is so conspicuous, that the Great Bear is the oldest of all the constellations, in a human historical sense. Although it has no resemblance to a Bear, the tail part has obvi...

Pleiades As A Test Of Eyesight: This star group has always been considered a good test of eyesight. I once asked a group of boys in camp how many of the Pleiades they could count with the naked eye. A noisy, forward boy, who was ...

The Planets: The stars we see are suns like our Sun, giving out light to worlds that go around them as our world goes around our Sun; as these worlds do not give out fight, and are a long way off, we cannot see th...

When Lost In The Woods: If you should miss your way, the first thing to remember is, like the Indian, You are not lost; it is the teepee that is lost. It isn't serious. It cannot be so, unless you do something foolish. ...

Woodman's Lantern: When nothing better is at hand, a woodman's lantern can be made of a tomato can. Make a big hole in the bottom for the candle, and punch the sides full of small holes, preferably from the inside. If y...

IX. Signaling And Indian Signs: Sign Language DO YOU know the Sign Language? If not, do you realize that the Sign Language is an established mode of communication in all parts of the world without regard to native speech? Do y...

Why Should You Talk The Sign Language?: There are many reasons: In this code you can talk to any other Scout, without a outsider knowing or understanding. It makes conversation easy in places when you must not speak aloud, as in schoo...

Why Should You Talk The Sign Language?. Continued: The Indian had much use for certain signs in describing the white trader. The first was: Liar. Close the right hand except the first and second fingers; these are straight and spread; bring the knuckl...

Blazes And Indian Signs. Blazes: First among the trail signs that are used by Scouts, Indians, and white hunters, and most likely to be of use to the traveler, are axe blazes on tree trunks. Among these some may vary greatly with loc...

Blazes And Indian Signs. Blazes. Continued: Special Signs A sign much used among the Utes was three flocks of geese flying one way meaning, All at Peace. But two one way and one the other meant, Look out! there is a war afoot. Another...

X. Campercraft Or The Summer Camp: Camping Out EVERY boy looks forward to camping out. Then it is that he gets the best chance to practise the things that are peculiar to scouting; and camping out is the only complete outdoor life. ...

Arriving On The Camp Ground: As soon as all are on the ground, with their baggage, let the Leader allot the places of each band or clan. Try to have each and every dwelling-tent about 25 feet from the next, in a place dry and eas...

Arriving On The Camp Ground. Continued: At one side of the ring in a conspicuous place should be the throne of the Chief (p. 457); close by this a desk and seat for the Tally Keeper and on the desk should be a lantern holder; in the exact m...

Lice And Vermin: In certain crowded camps there is danger of head lice and body vermin. I have heard washing in potato water recommended as a sure cure. Potato water is the water potatoes have been boiled in. Most dru...

Camp Cookery: (See Horace Kephart's book of Camping and Woodcraft.) In most camps the staples are: Coffee (or tea), bacon, game, fish and hardtack, bannocks or biscuit, usually and most appropriately called s...

XI. Games For The Camp: Interesting Pursuits I HAVE always taken the ground that interest is as essential to exercise as relish is to digestion. And for this reason have no use for the Indian clubs or dumbbells. An ideal ...

Tub Tilting On Land: But by far the most of the tilting is done on land, around the campfire. For this we use two barrels, about flour barrel size. These are set level, exactly a spear length apart, centre to centre. E...

Still Hunting The Buck, Or The Deer Hunt: The deer is a dummy, best made with a wire frame, on which soft hay is wrapped till it is of proper size and shape, then all is covered with open burlap. A few touches of white and black make it very ...

The Bear Hunt: This is played by half a dozen or more boys. Each has a club about the size and shape of a baseball club, but made of straw tied around two or three switches and tightly sewn up in burlap. On...

Spearing The Great Sturgeon: This water game is exceedingly popular and is especially good for public exhibition, being spectacular and full of amusement and excitement. The outfit needed is: (1) A sturgeon roughly formed o...

The Game Of Quicksight: Take two boards about a foot square, divide each into twenty-five squares; get ten nuts and ten pebbles. Give to one player one board, five nuts, and five pebbles. He places these on the squares in an...

Hostile Spy: Hanging from the Totem-pole is a red or yellow horsetail. This is the Grand Medicine Scalp of the band. The Hostile Spy has to capture it. The leader goes around on the morning of the day and whispers...

Tree The Coon: This is an indoor game, founded on the familiar Hunt the Thimble. We use a little dummy coon; either make it or turn a ready-made toy rabbit into one, by adding tail and black mask, and cropping ...

Buffalo Chips: When I was among the Chipewyan Indians of Great Slave Lake, in 1907,1 made myself popular with the young men, as well as boys, by teaching them the old game of hat-ball or Buffalo Chips. The player...

Medley Scouting: The following competition in Medley Scouting took place at one of my camps. A prize was offered for the highest points in the following: At the word, Go. Bring a leaf of sugar-maple; and tell ...

XII. Health And Woodland Medicine: First Aid (Rudimentary) (Second Aid, and best, is bring the doctor) To Revive From Drowning AS SOON as the patient is in a safe place, loosen the clothing if any. 2) Empty the lungs of water,...

XII. Health And Woodland Medicine. Continued: Cold Or Fever Cure A decoction of the poplar bark or roots of flowering dogwood is a good substitute for quinine, as tonic and cold cure, bowel cure, and fever driver. Cough Remedy (That is, ...

An Indian Bath Or Sweat Lodge: A Turkish bath in the woods is an interesting idea. The Indians have always used this style of treatment and, with their old-time regard for absolute cleanliness, took the bath once a week, when circu...

Injuriousness Of Tobacco: The opinion that tobacco is injurious to the young and apparently harmless to adults, quoted in these pages recently from American Medicine, is adjudged by the editor of Good Health (Battle Creek, Mic...

Starvation Foods In The Northern Woods: For a man who is lost, the three great dangers in order of importance, are Fear, Cold, and Hunger. He may endure extreme hunger for a week and extreme cold for a day, but extreme fear may undo him in ...

Starvation Foods In The Northern Woods. Continued: But the hardest case of all is the best for present discussion. That is the case of the man who has not happened on a rabbit region and who has neither gun nor axe, string nor rawhide. He must look en...

XIII. Natural History: Our Common Bird Or Forty Birds That Every Boy Should Know THE Bald Eagle or white-headed Eagle (Haliceetos leucocephalus) is the emblem of America. It is three to four feet from beak to tail, and s...

Natural History. Part 2: Swan There are two kinds of Swan found in America: The Trumpeter (Olor buccinator), which is almost extinct, is very large and has a black bill, and the Whistling Swan (Olorcolumbi-anus), which is ...

Natural History. Part 3: Snowbird (Plectrophenax Nivalis) About six and a half inches long, this bird is pure white, overlaid with brown the name Reedbird. It is found in North America, chiefly between north latitude 40 an...

How To Stuff A Bird: (By E. L. S. from Country Life, July, 1904) A boy found a bird that was lying dead in the woods. Its beautiful plumage, its form and its markings delighted his eye. He carried it home to show to hi...

Mounting The Bird: For mounting the bird some additional tools and materials are needed, namely: A pair of wire cutters. A pair of pliers. A file, Some glass eyes, Some annealed or soft iron wire of several sizes, Some ...

Stuffing An Animal: Mounting a mammal, popularly called animal, is a much more difficult thing than mounting - that is, stuffing - a bird. To illustrate the mounting of a Horned Owl. It is so difficult that I do no...

Trapping Animals: Trapping wild animals with steel traps is a wretchedly cruel business and will doubtless be forbidden by law before long. The old-fashioned deadfall which kills the animal at once is quite sufficient ...

Hard To Photograph Tracks: When, in 1882,I began my dictionary of tracks (see Life Histories of Northern Animals), I found that there was no literature on the subject. All facts had to be gathered directly from Nature. My fir...

No Two Tracks Alike: The trailer's first task is to learn the trails he means to follow. The Red Indian and the Bushman, of course, simply memorize them from their earliest days, but we find it helpful and much easier to ...

Dog And Cat: The first trails to catch the eye and the best for first study are those nearest home. Two well-marked types are the tracks of cat and dog. Most anatomists select the cat as the ideal of muscular and ...

Wolf: It is well at this time to compare the track of the dog with that of the wolf. I have made dozens of drawings, casts, prints, photographs, and studies of wolf and dog tracks; and have not found a sing...

Rabbits And Hares: America is well provided with rabbits and hares. A score or more of species are now recognized, and two very well-known types are the cottontail of the woods and the jack-rabbit of the plains. The ...

The Newton Jack Rabbit: During February of 1902, I found myself with a day, to spare in the hotel office at Newton, Kan. I asked the usual question, Any wild animals about here? and got the usual answer, No, all been shot...

Fox: Of more general interest perhaps is the track of the fox. I have spent many days - yes, and nights - on the trail, following, following patiently, reading this life of the beast, using notebook at ...

The Fox's Hunt: For a mile or two I followed my fox. Nothing happened. I got only the thought that his life was largely made up of nose investigation and unfavorable reports from the committee in charge. Then we came...

XIV. Mushrooms, Fungi, Or Toadstools: Abundance SUPPOSE that during the night a swarm of fairies were to enter our home woods and decorate it on ground and trunk, with the most strange and wonderful fruits, of new sorts, unheard of in ...

Poisonous Toadstools: The only deadly poisonous kinds are the Amanitas. Others may purge and nauseate or cause vomiting, but it is believed that every recorded death from toadstool poisoning was caused by an Amanita, and u...

Unwholesome But Not Deadly Toadstools: There is another group that are emetic or purgative or nauseating, but not deadly. These it is well to know. Unwholesome. Morgan's Lepiota (Lepiota Morgani) Six to eight inches high and...

Wholesome Toadstools: With all these warnings and cautions about the poisonous kinds before us, we shall now be able to approach in a proper spirit, the subject of Toadstool eating, and consider the second of our groups. T...

Uncertain Kinds Of Mushrooms: Now for the vast number of uncertain toadstools. Remembering always that any hannless-looking species, like a long-legged anæmic mushroom or like a pretty white parasol, is probably deadly Amanita or ...

XV. Forestry: Fifty Common Forest Trees Of Eastern North America. White Pine, Weymouth Pine (Pinus Strobus) A NOBLE evergreen tree, up to 175 feet high. The lumberman's prize. Its leaves are in bunches of 5, and...

Forestry. Part 2: Balsam Poplar, Balm Of Gilead, Or Tacamahac (Populus Balsamifera) Fifty or 60 feet ordinarily, but sometimes 100 feet high. Bark rough and furrowed. The great size of the buds and their thick shiny...

Forestry. Part 3: Blue Beech, Water Or American Hornbeam (Carpinus Caroliniana) A small tree, 10 to 25, rarely 40, feet high; bark, smooth. Wood hard, close-grained, very strong; much like Ironwood, but lighter. A c...

Forestry. Part 4: Osage Orange, Bois D'Arc, Bodarc Or Bow Wood (Toxylon Pomijerum) A small tree, rarely 60 feet high. Originally from the middle Mississippi Valley, now widely introduced as a hedge tree. Famous for ...

XVI. Some Indian Ways: Teepees (From Ladies' Home Journal, September, 1902) MANY famous campers have said that the Indian teepee is the best known movable home. It is roomy, self-ventilating, cannot blow down, and is the...

Putting Up The Teepee: Twelve poles also are needed. They should be as straight and smooth as possible; crooked, rough poles are signs of a bad housekeeper - a squaw is known by her teepee poles. They should be 13 or 14 fee...

Hairy Wolf's Teepef: Marked with a peace pipe in cut p. 444 is Hairy-Wolf's teepee. I came across this on the Upper Missouri in 1897. It was the most brilliant affair I ever saw on the Plains, for on the bright red gro...

Warbonnet Or Headdress Its Meaning: The typical Indian is always shown with a warbonnet, or warcap, of eagle feathers. Every one is familiar with the look of this headdress, but I find that few know its meaning or why the Indian glories...

Details Of The Warbonnet: 1. The plain white Goose or Turkey feather. 2. The same, with tip dyed black. 3. The same, showing ruff of white down lashed on with wax end. 4. The same, showing leather loop lashed on for t...

Making The Warbonnet: Most modern warbonnets take the crown of a felt hat as a basis, but the ancient way was to use a broad buckskin band, as shown in the illustration. Tail feathers of the war eagle were considered es...

Indian Costume: War shirt. Next to the Indian warbonnet, the war shirt or coat is the most effective part of the costume. This may be made out of leather, khaki, woolen stuff, or even muslin. The finest ones used to ...

The Indian Or Willow Bed: The only bed I know of which is light, portable, scoutlike, made of wildwood stuff that can be got anywhere, and costing nothing but a little labor, is the willow or prairie bed used by all the Plains...

Indian Paints: Paints for the body are mixed with grease or tallow from some animal. Paints for ornamenting robes are mixed with water. (Clark: Sign Language.) Paints for lodges, totem poles, etc., were made...

Indian Paints. Continued: Arrows should be 25 inches long, and 3/8 of an inch thick. They are made of pine or ash. The Eastern Indians made them usually of arrow-wood or viburnum shoots. Each should have a conical steel fer...

XVII. Campfire Stories Or Glimpses Of Indian Character: The Teachings Of Winnemucca Chief Of The Piutes About 1800 WINNEMUCCA was one of the famous old Chiefs who stood for valor, goodness, and courtesy; and was in himself a noble example of all his own...

The Quiche's Myth Of Creation: This is the first word and the first speech: There were neither men nor brutes, neither birds, fish nor crabs, stick nor stone, valley nor mountain, stubble nor forest, nothing but the sky. The fac...

The Medicine Man And His Ways: During the later Indian days the army surgeons came into close contact and rivalry with the Indian, and to the amazement of all whites, it frequently happened that the Indian doctor undertook and cure...

The Indian Silence: The first American mingled with his pride a singular humility. Spiritual arrogance was foreign to his nature and teaching. He never claimed that the power of articulate speech was proof of superiority...

The Indian Babes In The Woods: (By permission of Messers. Fleming H. Revell Company, N. Y). The charming story Two Wilderness Voyagers, by F. W. Calkins, gives a true picture of the ways and powers of Indian children. Two litt...

The Story Of No Heart: (By permission of the Author) (From My Life as an Indian, by J. W. Schultz) This story of No-Heart gives a realistic and kindly picture of life in an Indian village. The heroine, a young girl ...

The Story Of No Heart. Continued: The young man attempted to get up, but fell back heavily upon the ground. I cannot stand. he said; my legs have no strength. Then No-Heart cried out: You cannot walk! I had not thought but tha...

Tecumseh: Of all the figures in the light of Indian history, that of Tecumseh, or Tecumtha the Leaping Panther, the war chief of the Shawnees, stands out perhaps highest and best as the ideal, noble Redman. ...

Kanakuk, The Kickapoo Prophet: My father, he pleaded with President Monroe, the Great Spirit holds all the world in his hands. I pray to him that we may not be removed from our lands. . . . Take pity on us and let us remain wher...

Chief Joseph Hinmaton Of The Sahaptin Or Nez Perces: They [Nez Perces and Flat-heads] were friendly in their dispositions, and honest to the most scrupulous degree in their intercourse with the white men. . . . Simply to call these people religious woul...

White Calf, Chief Of The Blackfeet: (Died at Washington, Jan. 29, 1903) (By George Bird Grinnell) For sixty years, as boy, young man and fierce warrior, he had roamed the prairie, free as the other wild creatures who traversed it, an...

Wovoka, The Prophet Of The Ghost Dance: There have been many in every tribe and every time who have brought shame on their people. There have been whole tribes who forgot their race's high ideals. From time to time great prophets have arise...

The Apache Indian's Case: (From On the Border with Crook by Captain John G. Bourke, U. S. A. Courtesy of Messrs Charles Scrib-ner's Sons). For years I have collected the data and have contemplated the project of writing t...

The Wiping Out Of Nanni-Chaddi: (December 27th, 1872). (From the account by Captain J. G. Bourke, in his book On the Border with Crook 1892. By permission of Messrs Charles Scribner's Sons). For the same old reason, as alway...

The Wiping Out Of Nanni-Chaddi. Continued: Look out! here they come! over the rampart, guided by one impulse, moving as if they were all part of one body, jumped and ran twenty of the warriors - superb-looking fellows, all of them; each carr...

The Cheyennes' Last Fight, Or The Ending Of Dull Knife's Band: (Condensed by permission from E. B. Bronson's account as given in Reminiscences of a Ranchman. D. P. Co. This with The Redblood by the same author should be read by all who are interested in...

The Cheyennes' Last Fight, Or The Ending Of Dull Knife's Band. Part 2: A heavy snowstorm had set in early in the afternoon, and the night was so bitter and the Indians so weakened by their campaign that Johnson felt safe to leave them free to take the best shelter they c...

The Cheyennes' Last Fight, Or The Ending Of Dull Knife's Band. Part 3: The Cheyennes sat silent throughout the council, all save one, a powerful young buck named Buffalo Hump, old Dull Knife's son. With a thin strip of old canvas, that served as his only covering, drawn ...

The Cheyennes' Last Fight, Or The Ending Of Dull Knife's Band. Part 4: They expected an immediate attack, but none came. And all day long the garrison was kept under arms, ready for any sortie by the Indians. Night at last came, and, notwithstanding the terrible wa...

The Cheyennes' Last Fight, Or The Ending Of Dull Knife's Band. Part 5: Immediately on hearing the fire, Vroom, at Camp Canby, had thrown two troops in skirmish order across the valley to prevent escape to the east, and hurried into Robinson himself at the head of a third...

The Cheyennes' Last Fight, Or The Ending Of Dull Knife's Band. Part 6: Then he dismounted his command and approached the campfire in open skirmish order, until it was plain to be seen that the fire was deserted. The trail of a single Indian led into the washout, and impr...

The Message Of The Indian: The message of the Indian for us is sixfold: 1st He was the great prophet of outdoor life. He was strong when he lived in the sun; and when, under pressure, he took to a house, he was like Samso...

Then Why Did He Go?: If Crook had been ordered by the War Department to nail the Saviour to the Cross, I suppose he would have done it, and wept as he obeyed; or, under orders of Herod, he would have slaughtered the babes...

The Book Of Woodcraft | by Ernest Thompson Seton

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