There are ways and ways of building camp fires.  An old Indian saying runs, “White man heap fool, make um big fire—­can’t git near!  Injun make um little fire—­git close!  Uh! good!” Make it a service privilege for a tent of boys to gather wood and build the fire.  This should be done during the afternoon.  Two things are essential in the building of a fire—­kindling and air.  A fire must be built systematically.  First, get dry, small dead branches, twigs, fir branches and other inflammable material.  Place these upon the ground.  Be sure that air can draw under the pile and up through it.  Next place some heavier branches in tripod form over the kindling, then good-sized sticks, and so on until you have built the camp fire the required size.  In many camps it is considered an honor to light the fire.

Kerosene oil may be poured upon the kindling, or old newspapers used in lighting the fire.

Caution

An interesting account of “How to Build a Fire by Rubbing Sticks,” by
Ernest Thompson-Seton, will be found in “Boy Scouts of America,” page 84.

Be sure to use every precaution to prevent the spreading of fire.  This may be done by building a circle of stone around the fire, or by digging up the earth, or by wetting a space around the fire.  Always have buckets of water near at hand.

Things to remember: 

  First, It is criminal to leave a burning fire;

  Second, Always put out the fire with water or earth.

State Laws

Be sure to get a copy of the law of your State regarding Forest Fires, and if a permit is necessary, secure it before building a fire.

To Light a Match

Kephart, in his book on “Camping and Woodcraft” (page 88), says, “When there is nothing dry to strike it on, jerk the head of the match forward through the teeth.  Face the wind.  Cup your hands, backs toward wind.  Remove right hand just long enough to strike match on something very close by, then instantly resume former position.  Flame of match will run up the stick instead of blowing away from it.”

Story-Telling

The camp fire is a golden opportunity for the telling of stories—­good stories told well.  Indian legends, war stories, ghost stories, detective stories, stories of heroism, the history of fire, a talk about the stars.  Don’t drag out the telling of a story.  Talk it in boy language.  Avoid technical terms.  Make the story live.

College songs always appeal to boys.  Let some leader start up a song in a natural way, and soon you will have a chorus of unexpected melody and harmony.  As the fire dies down, let the songs be of a more quiet type, like “My Old Kentucky Home,” and ballads of similar nature.

Roast Delight