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Specimen of Scheme for an Inter-Crew Rover over-night game.

ESCAPES

The game will be played in an area of country about 7 miles by 5 with the Bristol Avon running through it, and Melksham near the center. Certain roads will be the boundaries. The game will start at 4 P.M. on a Saturday afternoon in summer and last until the same hour on Sunday, with a truce from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. on Sunday. 

Each Crew will treat itself as members of the party who escaped from Yosgad with Major Johnston and Commander Cochrane, [450 Miles to Freedom, Johnston and Yearsby.] and all other Crews will be treated as banditti from whom they wish to remain concealed. They will be given a starting-point 8 hours beforehand, and a journey to do when they get there. The journey will be of a to-and-fro type, crossing and recrossing those of other Crews. 

One point will be awarded to each Rover for every opposing Rover whom he sees sufficiently close to identify his Crew. (Each Crew wears a different colored scarf.) Each Crew loses one point every time one of them is seen sufficiently closely to be identified. Thus the scores got by everybody by this method total 0. 

Rovers may take with them their simplest hiking kit., Telescopes and binoculars are forbidden. They may take also rope, string, cloth, wood, and articles which they have made themselves out of the above. 

They may not take elaborate bought articles; on the other hand it is not intended to put them to the expense of making tents, rucksacks, etc., when they already own them. They must do the whole journey on foot, or in the case of crossing the river they may climb or swim. 

They may have no cooked food, bread, etc., in their possession at the beginning, nor may they buy local supplies nor hold intercourse with inhabitants. They must leave a card with their Crew name and " Thank you " on it buried in the fireplace they use at any camp, and the finders will get 10 points which will be deducted from their score. They will thus learn to leave nothing but their thanks (extreme anti-litter propaganda). They must do this at each place where they camp or do any cooking. 

Towards the end all Rovers will be collected into a comparatively small area. They have to keep a log showing where they were at least once every hour, as well as how many of other Crews they saw and when and where they saw them. The log must be handed in by 4:15 P.M. or a deduction will be made for lateness. 

They may use the 1-inch map or any map they like to enlarge from it or elaborate by going down and filling in detail, but they may not buy or copy a larger-scale bought map. Each Crew must have one 1-inch map, as the journey will be described with reference to it. 

They must not prepare or dump any gear in the area in advance. They must use wood fires from wood procured locally after the game has started. 

In addition to the above general outline of the game, a few special rules for the year may be introduced to enable those who are good at pioneering, ambulance work, etc.; to benefit by their proficiency. Below will be found specimens. Suggestions are welcome, but each suggestion should be intended to develop some particular faculty or study which should be mentioned. Crews should be prepared for any work for which Cub, Scout, or Rover Badges are given. Only two or three will be imposed each year, but Crews will not know what they are going to be until they have started, and it is too late to go back for tools. 

(1) Pioneering. Turkish patrols (imaginary) are in occupation of all bridges over the Avon, and crossings have to be effected by improvised means. Rovers themselves may swim, but they will not be able to carry their kits when swimming. During the crossing a car or bicycle tube must be kept inflated on a line, ready for use as a lifebuoy. It may not be used for any other purpose. Weeds can drown the strongest swimmer. Every Rover must certify that this was ready during the crossing. Fording is forbidden. 

(2) First Aid. At a certain point in the journey each Crew will open a scaled envelope telling them that they have just had a scrap with a party of banditti and that one or two of them have received certain injuries. They have to render first aid and remove them to spots on roads which will be indicated. A doctor in a car will go round during the truce and, after marking the bandaging, restore the victims to health. Crews may volunteer to convey their patients over the river, in which case their first aid marks will be doubled, but this year this will not be made compulsory for any. 

I do not propose to circulate any further ideas in advance, but to introduce certain other things. My restriction on what may be taken and permission to make bring in all sorts of handicrafts. This has already been circulated. An exhibition of all such articles will be held after the show. A sketch (Artist 10 marks) showing how the Crew crossed the river will be asked for, if the river is included.