248 The Book of Woodcraft 



three tufts are tied, their tops straight if the trail goes 

 straight on; otherwise the tops are turned in the direction 

 toward which the course turns. 



The Ojibways and other woodland tribes use twigs for 

 a great many of these signs. (See second row.) The hang- 

 ing broken twig like the simple blaze means "This is the 

 trail." The twig clean broken off and laid on the ground 

 across the line of march means, "Here break from your 

 straight course and go in the line of the butt end," and when 

 an especial warning is meant, the butt is pointed toward the 

 one following the trail and raised somewhat, in a forked 

 twig. If the butt of the twig were raised and pointing to 

 the left, it would mean "Look out, camp, or ourselves, or 

 the enemy, or the game we have kiUed is out that way." 

 With some, the elevation of the butt is made to show the 

 distance of the object; if low the object is near, if raised 

 very high the object is a long way off. 



These are the principal signs of the trail used by Scouts, 

 Indians, and hunters in most parts of America. These are 

 the standards — the ones sure to be seen by those who camp 

 in the wilderness. 



SMOKE SIGNALS 



There is in addition a useful kind of sign that has 

 been mentioned already in these papers — that is, 

 the Smoke Signal. These were used chiefly by the 

 Plains Indians, but the Ojibways seem to have employed 

 them at times. 



A clear hot fire was made, then covered with green stuff 

 or rotten wood so that it sent up a solid coliunn of black 

 smoke. By spreading and lifting a blanket over this 

 smudge the column could be cut up into pieces long or short, 

 and by a preconcerted code these could be made to convey 

 tidings. 



