CHAPTER VII 



INTELLIGENCE^ 



Another thing to be done before proceeding on 

 active service is to get hold of every book, map, 

 paper, etc., that can be found giving information 

 about the theatre of war : its physical features, 

 climate, seasons, communications, supplies, transport, 

 character and mood of life of the inhabitants, etc. 

 etc. The strength, composition, tactics, and charac- 

 teristics of the enemy's forces must also be ascer- 

 tained, if possible. Notes should be made from the 

 books or papers giving the information, and the 

 best of them should be taken, to be read and re-read 

 while on the journey or voyage to the scene of action. 



Our young friend must know something of the 

 country and its inhabitants in which he is about 

 to campaign, and the question is, " Where can the 

 requisite knowledge be obtained ? " The answer is, 

 " Get some sound sportsman to tell you all about 

 it, and then read yourself." 



Sporting authors of late years do not seem to have 

 gone much into the details and etiquette of hunting, 



1 The word is used here in a military sense, and what it means 

 is best explained to the civilian mind by the word " information." 



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