THE COMPASS AND ITS USES
For the average woods hiker a compass is a necessity in laying out the course of travel. Men whose business keeps them in the wilderness seldom carry the instruments but in them is developed to a high degree the bump of locality—that instinct that points the way—coupled with trained observation of land signs along the trail.
Consult the compass often, otherwise you may swing so far from your course in going only a short distance that you will be inclined to doubt its accuracy. In choosing a compass one need not go beyond the price of two dollars for a serviceable and accurate instrument. The size is not so important, a ¾ to 1½ inch dial is large enough for sportsmen. The needle or pointer should have an agate bearing or jewel firmly set in the brass cap and to be accurately balanced on the fine tempered or pointed pivot. It is very important to have the box water-proofed else the needle will stick.
The principle in use comprehends the presence of a theoretical magnetic North Pole located northwest of Hudson’s Bay which attracts the blue end of the compass needle from all parts of the northern hemisphere causing it to point in that direction. Should one wish to lay a fairly accurate course, have both hands at liberty, hold the compass in both hands at half arm’s length from body with elbows resting against your sides so as to bring the compass in direct line with the center of your body. To settle the needle quickly tip the compass until the end of the needle touches the glass to check the vibrations. Repeat this quickly two or three times as needle passes the center of the arc it is making. Then carefully level the box to stop the needle from vibrating. When the needle swings free and finally stops the compass can be easily turned until the letter N is under the blue end of the needle and then one has all parts of direction. It is well to remember that the needle is affected by proximity to iron and steel.
Remember, when reading your map that the meridian marked thereon is the true north. Your compass, as just explained, points to the magnetic north. Therefore, you will have to apply a correction to your compass reading, the amount necessary varying as you go east or west of a line which passes, approximately, from Mackinac Island, in Lake Michigan, to Savannah, Georgia. The further east you are of this line the more the north end of your needle will point west of north; the further west you are of this line the more your needle will point east of north, the amount of the deviation amounting to one minute west for each mile east of this line (or 1° for each 60 miles) and one minute east for each mile west of this line.
WHAT TO DO WHEN LOST
The catastrophe of getting lost besets almost every lone woods traveler sooner or later and frequently results in a panic as deadly as that which drowns good swimmers. Even trained woodsmen sometimes get “turned around” but they usually find their bearings soon because of the general knowledge of the country and the main landmarks, shapes and heights of mountains, the trend of the ridges, the prevailing winds, the general direction and ultimate outlet of the streams, etc. The danger of getting lost is further offset by a proper knowledge of taking one’s bearings, by range finding, by the knack of traveling by direction and by correct compass reading.
Perhaps the greatest cause of one’s being lost after separation from party is that during ensemble travel the leader is the only one who sees the landmarks. Upon leaving the camp place or headquarter’s point one should note the landscape and know absolutely the direction he is taking, otherwise his compass will be of little value even though he can see the sun and knows that if, he points the hour hand of his watch to it, half way between that point and twelve o’clock he is directed south.
A lost man has a tendency to travel in a circle which is explained by some as being due to the fact that most men step farther with one foot than with the other. It can be avoided by selecting some distant object, walking straight to it, picking out another in the same line of travel and continuing to do this until one has arrived somewhere. One has the satisfaction of knowing that he will not find himself at the place he started from a short time previously. The compass then is invaluable and its directions must under no circumstances be questioned.
To further prevent the possibility of losing one’s self he should blaze the trail as he tries to travel out and keep straight with the compass if there is no sun, moon or stars to act as guides. One cannot depend much on Nature’s signs such as the preponderance of tree limbs on the south side, moss on the north side, etc. In a country that has been lumbered over old trails and woods roads should be followed down hill as the lowlands and water courses are the invariable destination of logs and these old trails and tote roads usually guide the traveler to some lumber camp or clearing from which a well defined road is apt to lead. As a last resort strike running water and follow it tenaciously. In it and along its shore the wanderer may perchance find food, he may possibly launch a raft upon it and he certainly will not die of thirst.