HUNTING LARGE GAME, AND WOODCRAFT. 57 



sociable adjunct to a lonely camp, and if properly arranged 

 it will burn all night and make a good light; by exercising 

 a little ingenuity you can, with brush poles and bark, have a 

 good, warm place to sleep near the fire, on the ground and 

 against the tree. Don't make the mistake most campers do; 

 that is, don't make a great big fire, a small one is better. 

 The fire on the side of the tree will furnish plenty of light. 

 Now that everything is prepared for the night, in your tin 

 cup make a strong cup of tea, and if you have killed any 

 game, salt and broil a piece, or with your ample lunch you 

 will have quite a supper; as soon as it is quite dark and still, 

 fire off your gun two- or three times in quick succession; if 

 your companions in camp hear you they will reply, when 

 you can, by the sound, locate the direction of your camp; 

 unless it is quite near, don't attempt to find camp until 

 morning. Following streams- in pine woods is very diffi- 

 cult, even in the daylight, and next to impossible after 

 dark, as they are invariably bordered in places with swamps 

 and thickets. If care has been exercised in fixing your 

 camp, you will pass a comfortable night, and it will be one 

 of the incidents connected with camping out that you will 

 never forget. Old and experienced woodsmen can, by gen- 

 eral observation, and certain signs, very nearly tell the 

 points of the compass in dark, cloudy days, but only men of 

 long experience would think of relying upon these means to 

 guide them safely through the forest. 



The mosses usually grow the heaviest on the north side 

 of the trees, while the south side is generally graced with 

 the largest and longest limbs. Trees blown down by the 

 wind unsually lie northeast, from the fact that the prevail- 

 ing winds are from the southwest. The most reliable sign 

 the writer has noticed is this: The tops of pine, spruce, and 

 hemlock saplings, usually taper out into a long, slender 

 branch, and especially is this true of the pine; and this 



