INTRODUCTION. 3 



of country still remain in a state of nature, it is a very 

 common thing for men oppressed by over-work, or 

 mental worry, to go into camp, in the woods or on 

 the plains. * The balmy incense of the pine forest, or 

 the brisk air of mountain solitudes, is often found the 

 most powerful of all tonics for the disordered digestion 

 or overtaxed brain. The gay watering-place may suit 

 the fancy of the blase woman of fashion, but is often 

 of questionable benefit to the brain-worker. 



There is another aspect of this question which is 

 less generally understood, namely, that a residence in 

 a wild country opens up to a man of observant habits, 

 or scientific tastes, a new form of highly technical 

 education of a most valuable kind. 



Here, circumstances teach the unobservant to observe; 

 and it may be very safely assumed that a well-balanced, 

 highly educated mind can hardly pass through even a 

 few weeks of such a course of training, without 

 acquiring great and permanent benefit. Experience, 

 for example, has conclusively shown the immense 

 value, to every man, of a short course of military 

 discipline and instruction. Now, the life of a traveller 

 in the wilderness is very much like that of a soldier 

 in the field: nor is it too much to say that every 

 soldier will return to barracks a better soldier, after a 

 few weeks' camping on his own resources in a wild 

 country. Nature herself is there our commanding officer, 

 necessity our drill sergeant; we must learn to be self- 

 reliant, to use our eyes and ears, and to make a 

 note of what we see. Rank, wealth, or book-learning, 



* During 1896 appeals for help towards fitting out recreation camps 

 for city boys, appeared in the leading London papers the experiment 

 having been tried in 1895 with conspicuous success. 



