by Ernest Thompson Seton
If you should miss your way, the first thing to remember is like the Indian,
"You are not lost; it is the teepee that is lost."
It isn't serious. It cannot be so, unless you do something foolish.
The first and most natural thing to do is to get on a hill, up a tree, or
other high lookout, and seek for some landmark near the camp. You may be so sure
of these things:
You are not nearly as far from camp as you think you are.
Your friends will soon find you.
You can help them best by signaling.
The worst thing you can do is to get frightened. The truly dangerous enemy is
not the cold or the hunger, so much as the fear. It is fear that robs the
wanderer of his judgment and of his limb power; it is fear that turns the
passing experience into a final tragedy. Only keep cool and all will be well.
If there is snow on the ground, you can follow your back track.
If you see no landmark, look for the smoke of the fire. Shout from time to
tine, and wait; for though you have been away for hours it is quite possible you
are within earshot of your friends. If you happen to have a gun, fire it off
twice in quick succession on your high lookout then wait and listen. Do this
several times and wait plenty long enough, perhaps an hour. If this brings no
help, send up a distress signal--that is, make two smoke fires by smothering two
bright fires with green leaves and rotten wood, and keep them at least fifty
feet apart, or the wind will confuse them. Two shots or two smokes are usually
understood to mean "I am in trouble." Those in camp on seeing this
should send up one smoke, which means "Camp is here."
In a word, "keep cool, make yourself comfortable, leave a record of your
travels, and help your friends to find you."
The
Birch Bark Roll