chief duty ie to ride abroad pleasantly on patrols, to count 

 rings lr. tree stumps and to aoe that everybody obeys regula- 

 tions. Ton to one he la oct at otretching barbed irire, or 

 splitting cedar .^oots or digging holes, or handling largo 

 Jagged rocks. v. M irn hie iva.xLs are all cut and skinned, his 

 nu8o4*3 sore and his bad- tired, he is called to ride a hasty 

 six hours to a large hot firo on a oido hill. There he vrorks 

 for two dayu In a broiling sun, over broiling coals, with 

 little r/ator and perhaps no food. He gets faint, finally 

 sick. He tolls thft head Ranger theoo gainful facts, and is 

 surprised to discover that he io expected, to go ahead anyway. 

 Other non arc wording methodically, as a matter of course, 

 when they are 30 dry that their tonguea swell, and so tired 

 that they stagger. 



"When the fire Is corralled, all ride back hone 

 again. Our nw Hanger goeo to bod to oleop it off. After a 

 few hours he is awakenod and told of another fire in another 

 direction - a bigger firo than the last. Ke is filled with 

 coi.oternation. ".Ve're dead!' he crios, ",Ve can't do anything 

 ' 'We've got to,' la the reply. 



Of course this is tho rough end, but the rough end 

 of rangering prooonts itself of tenor than the smooth middle." 



It a^pearo to ^e that when such occasions arise as 

 described by *ir. Whit4, a great deal of suffering and hard- 

 ship could be avoided by being always properly prepared for 

 Just such emergencies in the way of food, water and other 

 necessities before starting for the fire. And theh^ unless 

 tho danger is extremely great, work by reliefs and nlcep 

 and eat the same way - that, is, spell each other. I cannot 

 see where efficiency ia increased by working under full 

 pressure, without food, water and an occasional rest, until 

 a state of exhaustion is reached. The rcarimuin of efficiency 

 is not obtained when a patrolman or fire fightor is from any 

 oauoe below par in his physique; he breaks down under 

 influences whioh otherwise would have but little affect on 

 him. For that reason to keop always in good physical cor.dl- 



ion by attention to the person, the shelter, clothing and 

 ii?t, and th avoidance of unneceosary exposures and fatigues 

 becomes of prime importance. 



There are, of course, ti^es when prolonged cxer- 

 or. beconea inevitable, but even then cool, deliberate 

 action, with occasional rests and something to cat before 

 you reach the point where you are all in, I think the proper 

 course to pursue. 



23. 



