94 WAITING IN THE WILDERNESS 



shows the north, it does not show where in the 

 ocean the ship is, or the direction to port desired. 

 These must be determined by mathematical 

 reckonings. 



The captain, pilot, scout surveyor, timber 

 cruiser each is doing a work somewhat akin to 

 the work of the others; and the explorer must be 

 a combination of all these and something more. 

 A boy out camping in a region new to him is an 

 explorer even though he does not wear buckskin 

 and have a beard or go far from home. 



One morning two coyotes came near camp. 

 I followed them nearly all day. "Will I be 

 able to find my way back to camp ?" I asked my- 

 self. I had looked back at landmarks, noticed 

 turns, planned to remember ravines, hills, 

 prickly-pear beds, and distances from one turn 

 or landmark to another. 



The coyotes made loops, turns, went off over a 

 confusion of sand hills, travelled toward every 

 point on the horizon, and kept me hustling to 

 keep up. For a time both coyotes were to- 

 gether. One then turned aside and dug out 

 mice and the other appeared to be leaping into 

 the air after grasshoppers. They tried to slip 

 up on prairie dogs. One hid while the other 

 made a dash into the dog town. It failed to catch 

 any and went on for a short distance and sat 

 down. While the dogs were interested in watch- 



