
HOW TO USE A POCKET COMPASS. 
W. L. MARBLE, 
No doubt most readers of RECREATION 
know how to use a compass, but probably 
there are others who do not, and I trust 
the suggestions I shall offer may be of 
service to them. 
First in importance is the selection of a 
compass. This does not necessarily mean 
an expensive one. I once owned one that 
cost only 30 cents, and that was accurate 
and reliable for more than Io years, in 
nearly constant use. 
The needle, or pointer, should have an 
agate bearing or jewel, firmly set in a brass 
cap, and should be accurately balanced on a 
finely tempered and pointed pivot. The 
needle should be thoroughly magnetized 
and should vibrate sensitively at the least 
change in position of the compass box. A 
needle that vibrates rapidly and easily al-* 
ways points right when it settles; whereas, 
one that vibrates slowly and settles quickly 
is liable to be off a few degrees when it 
settles and consequently to be inaccurate: 
Compasses vary so much in this respect that 
you may have to test a number before find- 
ing one that is perfect in every way. You 
want one that will tell the truth every time. 
Then you should believe it and trust it even 
if it does seem to point the wrong way. 
Don’t argue with your compass. It is al- 
ways a waste of time, for the compass is 
bound to win out. 
It is always best to select a compass with 
an arrow shaped needle. Some are made 
with both ends of the needle alike, except 
that the North end is colored blue and the 
South end is polished. Some people have 
- been known to forget which end was North. 
The size of the compass does not cut 
much of a figure. One anywhere from % 
to 1% inches in diameter is large enough 
for a sportsman’s use. Timber cruisers, 
who have to run accurate parallel lines, 
usually carry compasses with 2% to 3 inch 
needles with raised and graduated dial and 
with folding sights. 
Some people prefer a stop on a pocket 
compass. This is a little lever which 
presses the needle against the crystal when 
the cover is on. I consider the stop not 
only unnecessary, but detrimental, as it al- 
lows particles of dust to get inside the box, 
which eventually work their way into the 
pivot cavity of the needle mounting, and in- 
terfere with the free working of the needle. 
Most compasses are made so that thev can 
not be taken apart for adjustment without 
injuring the crystal, or the flange that holds 
it in place. This is a bad feature and 
should be avoided in the selection of a 
361 
compass. It often happens that the; ex- 
treme point of the post becomes dulled, or 
broken, or slightly bent over. If you can 
readily take the box apart the point may 
be sharpened with a fine whetstone and 
made as good as new. This is important 
when you are not where you can step into 
a store and buy a new compass. If you are 
going into the woods alone and where you 
must depend on the compass, always take 
along an extra one, or still better, 2 extra 
ones, so that if one should become dam- 
aged your business or pleasure may not be 
interfered with. 
The compass box should te waterproof, 
as the least moisture under the glass 
will cause the needle to stick to the crystal, 
and until this has been thoroughly dried out 
your compass is worse than none. 
to stop once in a driving snow storm, late 
in the afternoon, miles from camp, build a 
fire and dry out all 3 of mv compasses, 
which had collected moisture under the 
glass to the extent of being entirely use- 
less. They were not waterproof. 
If you are going hunting in unfamiliar 
territory, where you are to depend on your 
compass to get you out, a map showing the 
topography of the country is of great bene- 
fit and may usually be secured at the State 
land office, the county seat or at the United 
States land office. These maps are com- 
piled from the field notes of the surveyors 
and indicate the location of streams, lakes, 
roads, mountain ranges, hills, swamps, etc. 
Locate your camp on the map. You will 
usually camp on a stream, lake or road. 
If.the general course of the road or 
stream is East and West and you are to 
hunt North, you will only have to travel 
South to get back to your base line or camp. 
If your course varies to the East of North 
you should make the same distance West 
of South to get back to your starting point. 
Consult your compass often. Otherwise 
you may swing so far from your course in 
going only a short distance that you wiil 
be inclined to doubt the accuracy of the 
instrument. If you get bewildered and 
forget which way to go, always remember 
that a straight course in any direction will 
take you somewhere. A lost man once 
came to my camp who had walked con- 
tinuously 6 days and nights, and was only 
about 6 miles from his starting point. Five 
hours of travel in any one direction would 
have taken him out of the woods and 
saved him the loss of both feet by freezing. 
If you wish to lay a fairly accurate course 
and have both hands at liberty hold your 
I had 
