224 WHAT TO DO IF LOST IN THE WOODS 



dicate position, by both sight and smell. Under 

 favorable conditions, birch bark smoke can be 

 scented miles away. Do not discard your pack 

 and provisions to lighten yourself, and if game is 

 scarce, be saving, as you do not know how long 

 you may be before finding your way. I knew a 

 man who was lost for six days and came out all 

 right. Remember that the great secret is: 

 not to worry. None of the above hints will be of 

 any use if you do. It must be a very poor place 

 in the bush where a man with an axe cannot fix 

 himself up comfortably for a night, even if he 

 has no tent. The least thing, such as a few 

 branches, will break the wind, and in winter, if 

 some snow is thrown over them, additional com- 

 fort will be secured. 



Clothing, footgear and mitts should be well 

 dried before the fire. If a man gets some little 

 rest and starts out in the morning with warm, 

 dry clothes, it makes a great difference in the 

 day's work that he will be able to perform. 

 Many a poor fellow has had his feet frost-bitten 

 from not observing this simple rule. 



It will happen sometimes that one may be over- 

 taken by a heavy snowstorm while out hunting, 

 and not be provided with snowshoes, or a snow- 

 shoe is sometimes lost by accident. Travelling 

 under these circumstances is excessively fatigu- 

 ing. A temporary snowshoe can be made with a 

 stout branch of a spruce or balsam tree. This 



