Safety for Forest Visitors 



H.R 



or any prominent lone landmark. Do 

 not remain on a ridge or summit, and, 

 above all, get out of the water, if you 

 are swimming. Artificial respiration 

 should be given a victim of lightning, 

 as in the case of a near drowning. 



Make sure your axes and knives are 

 well-sheathed. When chopping, re- 

 move overhanging branches which 

 might deflect your blow. Be sure that 

 the arc of your swing does not end at 

 your foot. 



THE TRAVEL-WISE ADVENTURERS 



have learned the hard way that ten 

 rules are vital. The experience of those 

 who have disregarded them also em- 

 phasizes their importance : 



1. Never travel alone, especially on 

 overnight trips or through hazardous 

 country. Never go into wild country 

 without letting someone know where 

 you are going and when to expect you 

 back. 



2. No matter how sure you may be 

 of reaching your destination on sched- 

 ule, include in your kit a powerful 

 flashlight, dry matches, and emergency 

 rations. 



3. Wear nothing more than is nec- 

 essary for comfort, but always carry 

 extra clothing for unexpected changes 

 in the weather. The proper clothing is 

 not necessarily expensive clothing. 



Common sense prescribes light 

 clothes for warm latitudes and heavier 

 ones for cool latitudes and for the 



559 



higher altitudes. Strong fabrics are 

 important. 



4. An accurate compass, preferably 

 of the floating-card type, makes no 

 mistakes unless used near steel or iron 

 accessories, such as a pocketknife or 

 buckle, or near iron-ore deposits. Have 

 faith in your compass but remember 

 that its use is limited without a reliable 

 map and knowledge of the terrain. Do 

 not believe that you have an unfailing 

 sense of direction no one has. If fog 

 develops or snow starts to fall, you 

 will get turned around unless you know 

 the country or stay on a trail trust 

 your compass rather than your hunch. 

 Always keep yourself located approxi- 

 mately on a map. Know the major 

 drainages in your locality and the gen- 

 eral direction in which they flow. Have 

 the general topography of the area in 

 mind. Find out at what declination 

 your compass is set and what the local 

 declination is. Remember the compass 

 needle points in slightly different di- 

 rections in different parts of the coun- 

 try. There is no reliable way to tell 

 north by the moss on trees or rocks. 

 The only reliable way to tell direction 

 is by the sun, the stars, or a good com- 

 pass. Know the watch direction for- 

 mula, and know the North Star. 



5. Have plenty of rest and food be- 

 fore undertaking long walks or diffi- 

 cult climbs. Respect your age. Know 

 your limitations. Do not think you are 

 an experienced woodsman because you 

 have walked along a few trails. 



6. It is always better, especially in 

 alpine travel above the timber line, to 

 turn back and retrace your route over 

 familiar territory than to press on into 

 the unknown until it becomes too late 

 to return to safety. Remember that you 

 cannot exert yourself at high eleva- 

 tions as you can at sea level. 



7. If in trouble, fire three shots at 

 intervals, light three fires, or indicate 

 your need for help by any device em- 

 ploying three units. 



8. Maintain a slow but steady pace, 

 rather than a fast one with frequent 

 stops. The progress of the party is 

 limited to the speed of its slowest mem- 



