Cover of Part Six

"A SAMPLE OF ENDURANCE"

"The great South African hunter and scout, F. C. Selous, gave a good example of scouts' endurance on a hunting expedition in Barotseland, north of the Zambesi River, some years ago. In the middle of the night his camp was suddenly attacked by a hostile tribe, that fired into it at close range and charged in.

"He and his small party scattered at once into the darkness and hid themselves away in the long grass. Selous himself had snatched up his rifle and a few cartridges and got safely into the grass. But he could not find any of his men, and, seeing that the enemy had taken possession of his camp, and that there were still a few hours of darkness before him in which to make his escape, he started off southward, using the stars of the Southern Cross as his guide.

"He crept past an outpost of the enemy whom he overheard talking, then swam across a river and finally got well away, only dressed in a shirt, shorts, and shoes. For the next few days and nights he kept walking southward, frequently hiding to avoid the enemy. He shot deer for food.

"But one night, going into what he thought was a friendly village, he had his rifle stolen from him, and was again a fugitive, without any means of protecting himself or of getting food. However, he was not one to give in while there was a change of life left, and he pushed on and on till at length he reached a place where he met some of his men who had also escaped. After further tramping they got safely back into friendly country.

"But what a terrible time they must have had!

"Three weeks had passed since the attack, and the great part of that time Selous had been alone-hunted, starving, bitterly cold at night, and in sweltering heat by day.

"None but a scout with extraordinary endurance could have lived through it, but then Selous was a man who as a lad had made himself strong by care and exercise. And he kept up his pluck all the time.

"It shows you that if you want to get through such adventures safely when you are a man and not be a "slopper," you must train yourself to be strong, healthy, and active as a lad."

"Campfire Yarn No. 17. How to Grow Strong."
Baden-Powell, Scouting for Boys, 1908.

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