Boy Scouts of the Geological Survey Read online

  CHAPTER XII

  AN ILLUSTRIOUS EXAMPLE

  That night the Scout Master was much gratified at the interestmanifested by the boys as they assembled around the council fire.It was plain that they had all found "food for thought" in what hehad told them on the previous evening. Their questions showed thatthey were anxious to understand how to make the most of the promisedcourse, and that they realized it was bound to prove intenselyinteresting.

  "Some of the boys asked me to remind you of the book you had lastnight," said Don Miller, coming up to Lieutenant Denmead as thelatter had a moment's freedom.

  "Surely! I must not forget my promise," responded the Scout Master."See that the troop is assembled and ready, Miller, and I will securethe volume."

  A few moments later the erect, impressive figure of the lieutenantfaced the waiting assembly of silent scouts.

  "Scouts of Pioneer Camp," he said, "among the heroes of our nationis one whose name is particularly familiar to you and to whompublic honor is frequently given. His character has borne thesearchlight of investigation for more than a century, and as aman of fine moral fiber and a military leader of superior judgment,he still stands preeminent. I refer, boys, to General GeorgeWashington!"

  So impressive and so compelling were these words that instinctivelythe patrol leaders rose to their feet and stood at salute. In aninstant every scout had joined them, and the Scout Master gravelyreturned the proffered courtesy.

  At a gesture the boys sat down again, and the lieutenant, sitting sothat the fire light fell steadily on the open book in his hand, beganto read:

  "'George Washington was not more than thirteen or fourteen yearsof age when he was encouraged to put his skill in mathematicsinto definite use by learning surveying. He applied himself sothoroughly that before long he surveyed the land about the schoolhousewhich he attended. As he was the first pupil who had performedsuch a practical piece of work, his schoolmates were deeply interestedin his exploit.'"

  "'A little later, when he had advanced so far in his study asto give him some idea of the proper use and handling of the chainand compass, he began to put his knowledge into practice by takingsurveys of the farms lying in the immediate neighborhood of hisschoolhouse.'"

  "'Assisted by his schoolmates, he would follow up and measure offthe boundary lines between the farms, such as fences, roads, andwater courses; then those dividing the different parts of the samefarm; determining at the same time, with the help of his compass,their various courses, their crooks and windings, and the anglesformed at their points of meeting or intersection. This done, hewould make a map or drawing on paper of the land surveyed, whereonwould be clearly traced the lines dividing the different parts withthe name and number of acres of each attached, while on the oppositepage he would write down the long and difficult tables of figuresby which these results had been reached. All this he would executewith as much neatness and accuracy as if it had been left with himto decide thereby some gravely disputed land claim.'"

  Lieutenant Denmead paused and glanced at the group of faces steadilyturned toward him. Then he resumed:

  "'The habit of mind thus cultivated continued through life; so that,however complicated his tasks and overwhelming his cares, he foundtime to do everything, and to do it well. He had acquiredthe magic of method, which of itself works wonders.'"

  "'When about sixteen years old, George Washington was asked by hisfriend, Lord Fairfax, to make a survey of the latter's extensivelands, a vast territory lying between the Potomac and RappahannockRivers. He undertook the commission in the early spring, when themountains were still white with snow and the streams had swolleninto torrents. He was clad in a buckskin hunting shirt, withleggings and moccasins of the same material, the simple garb ofa backwoodsman, in perfect keeping with the wildness of the sceneshe had to encounter. In his broad leathern belt were stuck along hunting-knife and an Indian tomahawk. As he rode his horse,he frequently carried in his left hand his useful compassstaff.'"

  "'The enterprise upon which Washington had entered was one ofromance, toil, and peril. It required the exercise of constantvigilance and sagacity. Here and there in the wilds ran narrowtrails through dense thickets, over craggy hills, and along thebanks of streams; but when they might lead the young surveyorinto the camps of squatters or Indians, no one could tell.'"

  As the Scout Master stopped again, he found the boys listeningwith breathless interest, and he guessed that many of them werefollowing the explorations of Washington in imagination.

  "This next paragraph," he said, "reminds me of some of our ownexperiences on a hike. Listen: 'My companions and I,' wroteWashington in his journal on April eighth of that year, 'campedin the woods; and after we had pitched our tent and made a largefire we pulled out our knapsacks to recruit ourselves. Everyone was his own cook. Our spits were forked sticks, our plateswere large chips. As for dishes, we had none.'"

  "I shall read only two more brief paragraphs:"

  "'Washington's success as a surveyor for Lord Fairfax called theattention of the Virginia authorities to him and to the unusualaccuracy of his surveys. As a consequence, he was appointed publicsurveyor, deriving a discipline therefrom which was of great serviceto him in his later career. By making him an able civil engineer,it laid the foundation of his future eminence in a military capacity.And by making him known to the principal landholders of the State,it led to his appointment, at the age of nineteen, to the officeof adjutant-general, with the rank of major. This gave him thecharge of a district, with the duty of exercising the militia,inspecting their arms, and superintending their discipline.'"

  "That is all, boys," concluded the Scout Master, rising and closingthe volume. "But as we take up our course in surveying, with theadditional interest of its geological significance, we may like toremember that we are following in the footsteps of no less a manthan George Washington!"