The art of scouting the countryside

Read the title? Good. In the spirit of our instructor today, let‘s cut to the chase. Let‘s learn how to scout and why we should! You might be surprised by what we find.

General survey

Keep in mind that Badden-Powell was a captain in the British military. Therefore, his lessons are indubitably tainted by military concerns. I will give them as faithfully as I can, maybe branching out here and there to point out what could be most useful to an everyday man.

Let‘s start with a definition. For Badden-Powell, scouting - or reconnaissance - is all about a process of knowledge acquisition on terrain. What that knowledge tells exactly might vary and in more ways than you could expect. For instance, in the military context Badden-Powell was soaked in, reconnaissance was about the grounds of military operations but also the numbers, positions and intentions of the enemy.

Being a study on a variety of things, the “perfect“ scout must be flexible and well acquainted with such variety. Two skills are worth pointing out: the ability to think fast (in case of emergency for example) and resourcefulness. After all, you will be alone, far from help and close to many dangers. Of course, good eyesight and hearing are extremely useful, but even more than those, you have to know how to PAY ATTENTION to your surroundings. We will see some examples of what you should pay attention to later. Let‘s continue with the most important part of a scout‘s job.

Keep track

Ah: maps. Love them or not, scouting is all about that sketching. After all, as a scout, the information you collect is the reason why you went out in the first place! Here are a few elements to keep in mind while sketching:

Your sketch should indicate cardinal directions. By convention, North is up. To find where the north is without a compass, here is a tip from Badden-Powell. Notice the position of the sun midday, then stand with your back to it. In front of you is North. For night orienteering, please refer to my post on star navigation (if you can find it that is).
Write the scale! No need to be fancy or precise, something like “6 inches = 1 mile“ is enough. For the military, Badden-Powell recommends 3 to 12 inches per mile, depending on how many details you need.
Use simple shapes and symbols for the elements on your map. Badden-Powell has some to propose. Look up the reference below if you are curious. But, frankly, what shapes you use matter little. What does is that they are consistent and legible.

Now, sketching in itself isn‘t hard to do. Even someone bad at art (like me) can do it by keeping in mind a few tips. First, pay attention to angles if you want your sketch to be accurate. Sadly, Badden-Powell himself doesn‘t give many practical tips to better judge angles in the wild. He does give one useful way to note elevation angles. It consists of using the number of feet across needed for 5 feet of elevation. A lot easier to guess quickly and still practical.

He gives another great way to estimate the height of buildings using a pole! Go next to the building (not TOO close) and plant the pole upright. Then, find the point where the top of the pole comes in line with the top of the building (viewing from the ground). Then measure the distance you are from the pole (and the height of the pole itself). You can now find the height of the building itself with some basic math: the proportion between the height of the pole and the ground distance you measured will be the same as the proportion between the ground distance you measured and the height of the building.

Finally, you don‘t NEED to know how to draw to sketch but nonetheless, it helps. Badden-Powell insists that even a basic shading can elevate your sketch a good deal. Just keep in mind that hues should lighten closer to the ground, to blend better with the white of the page - and the flat ground.

Nothing to report, sir!

According to Badden-Powell, any good sketch has a report with it. I find this a good activity idea to heighten your treks! The more precise the report, the better! Let me give you an example of what Badden-Powell expected from a military report to give you some idea of what you could include (and how much).

Roads and Paths with indications on their current condition, the availability of material to repair it, how exposed to its surroundings it is and if it crosses any bridge.
Towns and Villages. Focus on their name and what recognizable features they have at a distance. Approximate population, the mayor‘s name, the number of housing available and whether it is walled are other useful notes to take. You might go as far as taking notes on the water supply records.
Walls and Buildings. Focus on their type, the material they‘re made of and the approximate number of accommodations. As a rule of thumb, Badden-Powell took 1 yard in length per man… and 5 ft x 12 ft for a horse.
Rivers and Canals. Their breadth, their depth, the force and direction of current, the consistency of the bed and the inclination of banks are all relevant. You could even add an estimation of seasonal changes.
Woods and Forests. Their size, of course, is useful but also the average height and the species of the trees, something you might not think of. Adding info on the density of trees and the nature of the undergrowth is a nice touch.
Mountains and Hills. Aside from the basics (height and steepness), whether the surface is rocky or rocked is relevant. One other thing that Badden-Powell points out for military reasons I find very inspiring: record the best view direction from the top of it and how far you can see from it. I highly recommend taking some time to do so on your next trip.

As for the other things our instructor notes, they are a bit too military-centric for my liking (state of the enemy, railways, etc.). Yet, thinking about it again, recording some information on transportation systems you encounter is a neat idea. In any case, realize that anything you find worthy of note probably is. After all, that is part of the fun. One last note: every report should record the name of the observer, the date (and hour) of observation and the weather. Facts, facts and facts!

Good ol‘ advice

Let‘s end things up you a lightning round of tips he gave here and there during his lessons:

A good scout notices EVERYTHING. He should take pleasure in noticing little trifles that nobody cares about. This is their main strength.
Make sure you can find your way back at all times.
Keep an eye out for tracks of any kind. Try to understand where it comes from and where it leads. This should help make your world lived in.
Question “country people“ you meet. Children more often tell the truth. I find the prospect of doing that around my town pretty funny but also enticing.
Make use of high places you have access to. Getting a better view is priceless.
Work on your memory. Not often will you be able to sketch at the right time.
He also recommends reading Mark Twain's Life on the Mississippi, particularly its description of the art of piloting a steamer! I simply have to read it now!

End of the road

Here you have it: a complete scout course from one of its masters. There is no bad reason to go out scouting. Even though we live in a VERY different context from Badden-Powell, I still think that the art of surviewing can have value for anyone. What‘s important is getting out there and taking note of your surroundings. I think that regular “scout“ practice is a great way to exercise that. Who knows: you might be thankful for it later.

In any case, go out! I‘ll see you on your road back.

References

Reconnaissance And Scouting, Captain R.S.S. Baden-Powell, 1891.