796.5 H29b Tlie Big Hike FOR THE Summer Vacation Period UNIVERSITY OF nUNOiS LIBRARY AT URBANA-CHAMPA.GN ,,UK0^S W^rromCM. SURVEY ^ i <^ * Tke Bi5 Hike FOR THE Slimmer Vacation Perioa Taking the party from place to place for instruction and recreation instead of spending the full time at a fixed Camp. By Jokii H. Hauberg, L.L.B. Member Executive Committee, Illinois Sunday School Association. Member Boys' Work Committee, Rotary Club, Rock Island, 111. Member Executive Com- mittee of the State Association of Y. M. C. A.'s of Illinois. The illustrations are from photos taken by the author. ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS 1924 y M.imi^, To My Wife, All equal partner in devotion to all onr Boijs' work; wko sees us on on our Big Hikes; stai.js Idlj tlie StuH wkile we are awaij, ana travels lar to meet us on our return TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Chapter I. Why? 9 Chapter II. On Wheels 12 Chapter III. Routes and Schedules 18 Chapter IV. Each Fellow a Task 36 Chapter V. Cookery 49 Chapter VI. Devotionals 60 Chapter VII. Overnight 67 Chapter VIII. Steamboating for a Change 76 Chapter IX. The Black Hawk Hiking Club 88 Chapter X. Worth While Trips 95 Chapter XI. The United Sunday School Band 133 CHAPTER I. Why? IN a conference on Boys' Camps, a State Secretary remarked : "I fear sometimes that we get our boys' camps too civilized. Some of these camps have all the conveniences known to up-to-date home life." Of course, in case a fearful storm is raging, the folks at home know that their boy is as well sheltered in the fixed camp as at home, while on the Big Hike, as described in the following pages, the harder it storms, the less they know of Son's circumstances, or exact whereabouts. But a boy often becomes weary of having everything done for him, with no chance for his own initiative. He wants to be doing, and seeing, and learning to know something through his own exertions. The camp with class instruction through books and lectures, supplemented with camp activities, provides a program of finest cultural and inspirational values, 9 10 THE BIG HIKE but the vacation training for manhood should be dif- ferent from the school room where he has already spent the preceding nine or ten months. That Summer-camp is best for character-building in which the greatest number and variety of prob- lems are met and triumphantly solved. Sir Baden-Powell, serving with the army in Africa, where it was sometimes necessary that the soldiers practice a degree of self-help, found that the Regulars from the Brstish Isles were so used to having every- thing done for them, that they were helpless when left to shift for themselves. To correct this he sent them out in details, to do scouting and to learn to become self-re- liant. Then he tried the plan with companies of boys and called them Boy Scouts. The outing, therefore, WHY? 11 which leaves the most possible to the boy's own de- vices, comes nearest to the Boy Scout ideal. An ever-changing scene; a continual round of ad- justing one's self to new conditions; the meeting of unforeseen obstacles which must be overcome; each night choosing a strange spot where he will unroll his blanket; every day with its duties, in which he must take the initiative; the presence of the Gang with whom he must keep in harmonious relation, these are some of the items which make the Big Hike an ideal outing for boys. CHAPTER II On Wheels. A DAY'S hike in the vicinity of Home is easily made from the end of the trolley line at the city limits, but when one plans for wider flight, a Big Hike, covering several days or weeks, it is necessary to pro- vide some way of taking care of baggage and equip- ment. Our Big Hike has always been on wheels, with either horse-drawn vehicles or auto-trucks. Each has its advantages. The horse-drawn outfit cannot travel as far in a given time, but its gait is such that the boys are on and off the wagons, playing as they go, chasing one another, getting a drink at a farm house and catching up again without having to stop to wait for them. No matter how heavy the load of boys and baggage, our horses never came to a hard pull, for all but the drivers would walk up-hill, or over sandy or heavy muddy stretches of road and would be aboard only 12 ON WHEELS 13 where the roads were easier. Our argument was that if a boy became tired he could ride, but if we wore out our horses with heavy pulling we would all be at a standstill, and the trip broken up at least temporarily. With this regard for the horses, a fairly good team will take you an average of say twenty-five miles per day for a dozen days or more, and be but little the worse for it. Sometimes we had trouble in securing good horses. One year we had a party of seventy-five boys and asked for seven wagons. The liveryman had trouble getting so many extra horses, with the result that we had a couple of teams which were unable to keep the pace. On that trip we covered 230 miles in eleven days. We always provided facilities for carrying the entire outfit, boys, baggage and all, all at the same time. 14 THE BIG HIKE The horses enjoy their hay and grain during- the noon stop. Our hostlers were appointed from our own party, for not only would it cost good money to hire a man, but what is much more to the point, the boys would be deprived of the opportunity of learning to drive and of taking care of horses — the feeding, watering, currying, harnessing, etc. On one of our trips into Iowa we had the boys unharness the horses during the noon stop, so as to better rest them, as it was a warm day. One of the hostlers was finding it impos- sible to reharness his team, until a farm boy happened along and straightened things out for him. It was reported to the writer that our young city hostler had taken the harness off '*in about twenty pieces." On another Big Hike a boy was asked to be a hostler for the trip. The young fellow replied, ''I don't know ON WHEELS 15 anything about horses, except that one kicked me once and I've been afraid of them ever since." He was appointed hostler, and before the end of the journey had become a careful driver, and took an almost af- fectionate interest in his team, going over them with curry-comb and brush and attending to their needs, while other boys were playing at games. At meal time the hostlers were always the first to be served, and would have their horses hitched up and ready to start by the time the entire gang was ready. It was evident in many instances that one of his proud- est moments had come to a boy when he was permitted to take the reins and be a driver, if only for a little while. But we wished for a wider flight than is possible with horses, and for the last six years we have made our Big Hike by automobile. We have been fortunate in having young fellows each year who could qualify as chaffeurs. As in the case with wagons we always provide facilities for carrying the entire party and baggage. Even at this the fellows do a great deal of walking, and the Big Hike is not a misnomer. We have generally taken large, seven-passenger touring cars of the best makes, second-hand, which were out of date but in excellent running condition, and sawed the body in two just back of the front seat, and in place of the heavy rear of the body, we built a platform with a long seat at each side, thus making 16 THE BIG HIKE seating for a dozen fellows or more. One of our pres- ent outfits, however, is a ton-and-a-half truck, pur- chased for the purpose, and made up with a long, up- holstered seat at each side of the platform. In addition to the above-mentioned w^e have a four- wheeled trailmobile which we sometimes use. It has seating for a dozen or so of boys, and has the cupboard at the rear in which we pack the cooking equipment and the groceries. With this made-over touring car, and the one-and- a-half-ton truck and trailmobile, we in 1921 carried a party of fifty fellows, besides their baggage, which averaged about twelve pounds each. We get over the roads at about an average of 15 miles or a little better than that, for the truck is slow. The made-over tour- The Piercc-Anow inade-os'er car and trailniubile. ON WHEELS 17 ing car, while capable of 50 or more miles per hour, will, when drawing the trailer, and having a total load of about 25 boys with all their baggage, average eigh- teen miles per hour over the best roads. Our cars are open top. The view is better that way. We have never provided a ''top" for the cars, and though the sun may be hot at times, the movement of the car never fails to create a refreshing breeze, and the view is not confined. In case of rain a tar- paulin is spread, sometimes over an emergency frame, and sometimes the boys merely pull it over their heads, and their chatter and scuffling go merrily on while the rain pours, and the chaffeur holds to the road. , Our vacation trips of this nature have taken from four days to two weeks, and it goes without saying that a trip of 1500 miles in a given time, gives less time for the enjoyment of each point of interest than a trip covering but half or a third of the distance. The Biff Hike. 2. CHAPTER III. Routes and Schedules. MONTHS before vacation time the place where we will go has been decided upon, and we pro- ceed to select the best route. Automobile Blue Books and road maps are diligently studied, the boys are told what they are to see, history is reviewed, books relating to the country are some- times read. A vote is taken as to whether there is to be an essay contest on our return home, and if so, how long an essay and when the time limit for it expires. The Blue Book gives mileage, contour of the country, whether hilly or level; kind of road, as, sand, dirt, gravel, macadam, or paved, and what is equally prized, it makes special mention of many points of interest. Our country has so much that is attractive, that while pursuing your special objective, you are often passing by with no time for observation, many points of almost equal interest with what was especially se- lected. Our 1919 Big Hike, for instance, had in it a 18 ROUTES AND SCHEDULES 19 Crossing the Mississippi at Fulton, 111., via the Lincoln Highway. succession of fascinating items, namely : Starved Rock State park ; Chicago ; Great Lakes Naval Training Sta- tion; Milwaukee, with its fine museum at the public library and parks along Lake Michigan; Manitowoc, Wis., and its railroad ferry across Lake Michigan, the Menominee Reservation with its 1700 Indians; won- derful virgin forests; Madison, Wis., with its Univer- sity, historical collections, capitol, and beautiful lakes; Camp Grant, Rockford, 111., where the famous Black Hawks were trained for service in the World war; Oregon, 111., and its beautiful Rock river surroundings, and back to Rock Island, and all along the entire trip attractive farm and dairy country interspersed with beckoning lakes and rivers, with an occasional stop to see logging operations ; saw mill ; paper mill, cheese 20 THE BIG HIKE factory out in the country, and with it all, the unusual style of camp-life and the happy, chattering comrade- ship among the fellows, a spirit to which the out-of- doors contributes so generously. Camp Grant where the Black Hawks were trained. In preparation for the above-named trip, we wrote the Park Commissioners of Chicago for camping priv- ileges; to Swift & Co., so as to be sure of a guide through their immense slaughtering plants; to the Board of Trade, which at that time required a special permit, to witness its pits, with their frantic bulls and bears ; to the Indian Agency, inquiring about guides, fishing and other privileges. In addition to this we did advance scouting by rail and auto, to settle some of the details of the route and schedule. ROUTES AND SCHEDULES 21 In making up the schedule one needs to work out a reasonable distance to be covered each day, allowing time for emergencies, so that in spite of delays, the en- tire round can be made, returning home the very day as planned, with something of unusual interest every day of the trip, and rounding up at night at a good camping place. If possible, a wet-weather route and a dry-roads route should be worked out so that the schedule can be made in spite of bad weather, but be assured of this, that the worst weather and road conditions bring to the party certain compensations which are unknown to the fair-weather hiker. Speaking of weather conditions, we recall with sat- isfaction our trip of 1917. There were 75 of us in the party, with the writer as the only adult member. We traveled in seven horse-drawn wagons, and it was raining as we started. On our third day out a storm of heavy wind and rain came upon us while we were Our caravan of seven wagons. 22 THE BIG HIKE having our noon meal. The meal ended, we traveled on, with the rain pouring, drenched to the skin, pass- ing fallen trees and windmills blown down by the wind. It stopped raining about the middle of the afternoon, but the wind continued so strong that as we walked, we had to be careful lest the wind would blow us out of our path. We were literally blown dry. We had tents on that trip, but the ground being too wet, we se- cured permission to spend the night in the Gymnasium of the Y. M. C. A. (at Sterling, 111), but we were about five miles short of our schedule. Five miles is a long way with wagon and horses, so next morning we covered that distance before breakfast, and were on our way again at 9:00 A. M. Just as we were ready to leave the city of Dixon there was a heavy downpour of rain, but we were all cheerfully climbing into the wagons, and some by-standers asked in as- tonishment, **What do you do when it rains?" There seemed to be only one reply to make, namely, ''Let it rain," and we jogged along, soon getting beyond the city limits on to muddy roads. We were headed for Taft's big Indian statue at Oregon, 111., at which place we had secured permission to camp that night. Our scedule seemed the one big thing in mind. The boys did not ride through muddy roads, but walked, the wagons under such circumstances being load enough for the horses. It soon stopped raining, the 3x5 feet flags were taken from their casings and were ROUTES AND SCHEDULES 23 flapping over every wagon ; the boys' faces beamed vs^ith eagerness, and as we pressed on, it seemed like a moving Fourth of July celebration. Nobody wanted to stop to eat, except for cookies, etc., bought at passing stores, and so it was twelve hours between meals that day. In the meantime it had gotten dark, but at 9:00 o'clock that night we were gathered around the camp fire at Oregon, partaking of one of the rarest good meals ever served. Our horses again were enjoying a night in a livery and feed stable, and most of the boys promptly accepted the hospitality of the livery pro- prietor and opened their beds in his barn, but some of us, who were determined that the Big Hike should be an Outing, made our beds in the open wagons. At midnight, however, we were awakened by the patter of rain, and made a dash for the barn. We had lacked about two miles of making our sched- ule, but were feeling fine, and next morning after breakfast we formed a procession of fours, and with fife, drum and bugle playing, flags flying, and our car- avan of wagons bringing up the rear, we paraded a few blocks, just for fun, then marched across the Rock river bridge, put away our instruments and started in earnest on another day of water and mud. We scrambled up to Eagles' Nest, where stands the great Indian statue, and to the Artists' Colony to see a col- lection of plaster models, and then continued on toward 24 THE BIG HIKE The Lorado Taft Indian statue at Eagles Nest, near Oregon, 111. Stillman Valley, the scene of the Indians' triumph over the Americans in the Black Hawk war in 1832. At one point we had to clear a fallen tree from the road- way, and we assisted an auto in getting through a mud hole. Nightfall at Stillman Valley found us still short of our schedule, but we had had a great day. ROUTES AND SCHEDULES 25 We had written some good people of the town of our proposed visit there, and this day, as the writer ar- rived with the caravan of wagons, he founds most of the boys had reached there ahead of him, having walked along the railroad track, and were being royally en- tertained at a fine private residence. The dear, good lady was serving large lots of the finest home-made cookies, while the boys were showing their apprecia- tion by singing and giving guitar and piano music. The rugs were badly bedaubed with mud, but the fine hostess seemed not to notice it. We spent that night in a large vacant barn, for the ground was still too wet for sleeping. Next day we were to have a great treat. The Rock- ford, 111., Rotary Club had invited us to dine with them. We were in reach of that city, but with no time to lose, so we started on the road without breakfast. One of the teams celebrated by having a brisk run- away, but no one was hurt. We breakfasted after reaching Rockford, and were on hand for the sumptu- ous dinner, though some of us were hardly dressed to appear in company. One boy had lost his shoes, sev- eral had lost their hats, others had torn clothes or lost buttons which the artificer had not had time to re- place, and all of us looked weatherbeaten. We were seated alternately with Rotarians, and at the end of the meal several of the men, each declaring his was the best speaker, would stand his boy guest on a chair 26 THE BIG HIKE for an address. They were much applauded, and prizes were drawn for, and we came away, one boy having drawn a peck of peanuts, others drew such gifts as a base ball, catcher's mitt, and a generous lot of other useful articles. That night found us entirely up with our schedule, and all sleeping on the ground, in a beautiful place beside Rock river. Next day, two of our teams of horses having become too tired to keep up the pace, we transferred their load of tents and baggage to other wagons, and more walk- ing had to be done by the boys. One of our wagons was a hack with substantial wood roof. On top of this we placed some light pieces of baggage, but found it necessary to have a boy spread himself over it to keep it from falling off. In an unguarded moment a wheel went into a chuck hole, the boy, baggage and all dashed overboard into the mud. The boy declared his neck was broken in two places, so our boy doctors got out their bandages, adhesive and otherwise, and wound yards of it about the complaining boy's neck — and he recovered. That night we turned off the road, entered by a gate, and drove a winding way for perhaps a quarter of a mile among trees into the Pine Forest in Ogle County, 111. That night, as our camp fire lighted the high, lace-like, symmetrical, overarching branches of the white pine, with the tall, straight tree trunks all about, it made a scene of unusual beauty. ROUTES AND SCHEDULES 27 The boys with the travel-weary horses arrived about midnight, long after our camp fire had died down and everybody was asleep. How they were able to follow us, to locate the gate, even to see the flag which we had placed there, and to keep our track until they came upon our camp in the midst of the forest, has always The good old eating time. been beyond comprehension, for it was so dark one could not see his hands before his face. The boys said they had started with a flash light but it gave out, and as they got into the forest they proceeded by leading the horses by the hitchstraps, getting on all fours oc- casionally, to feel the road with their hands. Every cloud, we are told, has a silver lining ; the sun always comes out and saves the day at one point or 28 THE BIG HIKE another. The faith of our gang never wavered; the spirit and discipline of the 75 were such throughout that they presented no more of a problem to the leader than would be the case with a party of only a half dozen boys. We had more rain, but the sun did come out, we kept the schedule to the end, and the boys met their engagements with their employers for the vaca- tion jobs, on time. We have never heard any of the fellows say they were thankful for so much rain, mud and inconven- ience in general, but character building goes on with quickened pace where hardship is met and overcome, as on the 1917 Big Hike. On our trip into the Indian country in Wisconsin, we had a day which was so crowded with unusual events that it seemed like a period of several days. Our Indian guide headed the company of 37 boys for a 12-mile walk through the forest, bound for the Dells of Wolf river. The rest of us expected to follow most of the way with the autos, picking our way over un- certain woods roads. We had hardly started when we found that through some oversight the Pierce was without gasoline. The Packard got but a few hun- dred yards with its heavy load, when it got into deep sand, and in a twinkling ground out the "discs," which answer for what in other machines is the ''clutch." It was helpless and could not move on its own power. The Ford had gone for groceries. We then secured the ROUTES AND SCHEDULES 29 aid of an Indian farmer, who took our bedding, cook- ing utensils, scant groceries and a few passengers aboard his hay-rack wagon, and started over the wind- ing road, so narrow we brushed the trees on both sides. We soon came to where there seemed to be no regular road, and the Indian had to pick a way around fallen tree trunks and over streams which had no bridges. The boys who with the guide had walked on ahead, reached the Dells just before sunset. They thought it impossible for us to reach them, and proceeded to make a supper of wild blackberries, of which there were hundreds of acres of ripe, glistening fruit scattered throughout the forest. They were quite surprised when at dusk we emerged with our hay-rack wagon upon the little clearing about the Dells. What little we had with us of groceries, was consumed for supper, being scarcely more than a taste of food. The general belief was that the Ford crew would not reach us for at least two reasons. There was no road and the forest was quite dark. The Leader took great pride in stating that he knew the calibre of every one of the fellows who were back with the Ford; that there was not a ''quitter" among them, and that certainly they would not give up until they had found our camp. The natives had told us stories of bears, and of the difficulty of the mother bear finding food for the young at this season of the year. They confidently assured us that an Indian boy who had gone out after cattle had Gust, our Mcnouiinoe Indian guide. ROUTES AND SCHEDULES , 31 failed to return, and that a searching party had found his bones and parts of his clothing. Some of the fel- lows remembered having read about it in the news- paper. Whether the story was true did not matter. It so impressed our party that we kept as close as possi- ble. The guide's carrying a rifle made the danger seem more real. At one point a large dog sprang from the bushes, and the boy nearest him turned a deathly pallor. There was but" a small open space at the Dells con- sisting of a solid bed of granite. Upon this we had our camp-fire, and here, too, we spread our blankets. The sun had long since gone down, we held our devotional meeting and soon the camp was quiet. The sky was clear, the stars very bright, the air as crisp and re- freshing as anything could be, there was not a sound to be heard except the constant rush and roar of the river, as it shot over the great boulders, and an occasional faint snore from one quarter or another. We were not long in going to sleep, for the day had been filled with adventure. Near midnight we were awakened by loud, trium- phant Ha, ha, ha's. The Ford party had arrived, afoot, loaded with things for next day's meals. After all but wrecking the car among stumps, logs, bogs and creeks, and nearly exhausting themselves with lifting and pushing, they abandoned it, and somehow found an Indian to guide them to our camp. 32 THE BIG HIKE We were content for the time to abide by the ad- monition of the Good Book — which says, ''Take there- fore no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself." We had had a big day, and we were up with the schedule. Our 1920 trip took us to Mammoth Cave, Ky. In making out the schedule we were careful to leave a couple of days free, to take care of emergencies. It was fortunate that we did this, for one of the ma- chines ground out its bearings the first forenoon, and at the end of the second day we had only reached the locality intended for the first night. Our roads and weather had been perfect. By the time we had reached the Ohio river we had made up our loss of time and were a trifle ahead of the schedule, but again lost a day by the time we had arrived at the Caves, because of poor, unmarked roads, a heavy rain and consequent mud, and slow ferriages over Green river. On our return trip from the Mammoth Cave we had a night's camp a few miles north of Kentland, Indiana. Our host and hostess in whose farm lot we were spend- ing the night, shared in the fun of an interesting pro- gram about the camp fire. After a good sleep and a hearty breakfast, we were leaving for Starved Rock State Park in Illinois, about 135 miles to the north- west, where we were to spend the night and the next day. The Packard, with the Leader, together with a few ROUTES AND SCHEDULES 83 In ?Iorseslioe t'anon, Starved Kock. boys, was first to drive out on to the public highway, where it stopped and waited for the Pierce-Arrow truck, with the main body of the party aboard, to take the lead. After they had passed we found ourselves unable to again start our engine. When the self- starter failed we all got out and pushed the machine. Next we engaged a team of horses, but all to no avail. We 'phoned a garage at Kentland to send an expert. To make a long story short, we spent the balance of the day at a repair shop, and failed utterly to locate the Pierce-Arrow party by long distance telephoning. They waited for us an hour or two at Kankakee, 111., when some one told thm they had seen a Packard with flags, passing. You may depend upon it some one will always be found who will volunteer any information The Big Hike. 3. 84 THE BIG HIKE you may want on any subject, drawing from pure im- agination if necessary. The boys hurried on, and reached their destination in the afternoon. As for the Packard crew, we were not Hberated from the shop until 8:00 o'clock that evening. We told Andrew, the chaffeur, we would leave it to him, whether to put up at once for the night, or to proceed some distance on our journey before turning in. He preferred to go on. At Watseka we stopped for more repair work, and then took to the road again, and kept going on, all through the night. We had the road to ourselves, and the unusual drive was not without a certain fascination. We reached the camp ground at Starved Rock at 4:00 next morning, and came upon the boys, all of whom were sound asleep. The Packard had all the groceries and was well supplied. The Leader did not learn until long after- ward, when the Annual Big Hike Essays came in, that the Pierce party had gone supperless to bed, and had no prospects for breakfast, had not the Packard arrived, for the Big Hike had come so near its end, the boys had parted with nearly all of their spending money, and had only enough left to buy the necessary gasoline, and a few rolls which they had eaten for dinner. It was Sunday morning. We all donned our clean Sunday clothes and our boy cooks prepared us an ROUTES AND SCHEDULES 35 excellent breakfast, after which we descended the steep precipice above which we were encamped and filed, Indian fashion, across the hollow and up to the top of historic and picturesque Starved Rock, where in 1682 Tonti, the Frenchman, erected Fort St. Louis and flew to the breeze the first flag to wave over Pulpit Roek, Starved Rock State Park. a white settlement in the Mississippi Valley. Then we threaded our way to Pulpit Rock where we climbed to the top and had our Sunday School les- son. We were a happy, contented lot, having had a never-to-be-forgotten trip of nearly 1,500 miles, and with all its ups and downs we were entirely up to our schedule. CHAPTER IV. Kach Fellow a Task. ON our first Big Hil<:e we thought that work w^ould be as interesting to the boys as the play part of the outing, and that the boys would rally about whenever anything needed to be done, but we found that what was everybody's job was nobody's job. Since then we have started on our journey with every member of the party knowing just what was expected of him, and woe to him if he failed to carry his part. Some tasks had almost no work connected with them. In fact there are cases where the boy w^as not called to action throughout the trip, while others are regu- larly at work, several times each day. A job once assigned and accepted, the boy no longer is treated as a mere boy, but as a man, with the same responsi- bility that an adult must have, if he ever hopes to succeed in life. In addition to his specific job, in connection with the camp life, there are relations with the public in general which must have serious consideration also. 36 EACH FELLOW A TASK 37 Before starting on a trip we hold a meeting at which we call attention to certain general rules, somewhat as follows: It costs nothing to be polite and it yields good re- turns. Do not make fun of any stranger, nor make un- complimentary remarks about his pokey little town, or of the tiny street cars which look sometimes as if they had been in service since the days of Noah. Speak only of the good you see, and you will find them inviting you to come again. If you misbehave at home, you are blamed indi- vidually, but if one of our fellows misbehaves among strangers, they blame our entire party. On the other hand, if one or two of the boys should get off by them- 38 THE BIG 11 IKE selves among the natives, and conduct themselves like gentlemen, they immediately create a good impression for all the rest. The farmer or fruit grower does not have a pay envelope like an employee in the city. The corn, vegetables and fruit which he grows, is his pay. To take them without his permission is like stealing his money. Throughout the trip the fellows need to be reminded of these rules time and again, for in a truck load of from a dozen to a score of active folks, there are tongues and voices that work freely without thought. Something may be said which gets the party ''in bad" before anybody is aware of it. Our various camp duties are assigned about as fol- lows: Chauffeitrs: one or two older fellows for each auto- mobile. Mechanics: assist the chauffers in the care of the car. Trailer Couplers: two boys who attach or detach the trailmobile when this needs to be done. The Baggagemen load the baggage upon the trucks, and unload it when camp is reached for the night. No suit cases or trunks are taken. The bed roll with its two or three blankets contains also the extra cloth- ing, and the whole is either wrapped in water-proof canvas and strapped or placed in a bag, to keep the contents clean. The boj^s ride on the pile of baggage EACH FELLOW A TASK 39 Bringing in wood. SO nothing breakable is carried. Each carries a separate haversack n which he has the knife, fork, spoon, metal plate, tin-cup, tooth brush, towel, soap, etc., and each fellow takes care of his haversack inde- pendently of the baggageman. The Artificer carries needles, thread, buttons, etc. to repair clothing, shoes, etc. Color Sergeants keep the flags in place throughout the day and take them down for the night. Old Glory in various ways has a wholesome influence on the Big Hike party and the people we meet enroute. In addition to the patriotic thrill it has a special use as it flies above each of the wagons or autos, for at a glance you are able to recognize the vehicle of your party, — sometimes your cars are mingled with scores 40 THE BIO HIKE of others, and again, out in the country, your machines become separated, and the fhitter of the flag on a distant auto, is notice that it is part of your party. Hospitality. Those assigned to this duty should be boys who can meet strangers with ease. They carry extra cups, plates, etc., for serving chance visitors at meal time, sometimes the. farmer and his wife near whose farm we are stopping, or others camping near you come to see how the cooking is done. At Grant Park, Chicago, many of our guests were evidently hoboes, and the hospitality boys' business picked up at an alarming rate, both among whites and negroes, but they fed all comers, and who knows but that they were entertaining angels unawares. Newspaper Reporters each day send a letter to the home papers so that the home folks may follow the fortunes of the party. Besides, it is excellent practice for those who do the reporting. Doctors carry first aid materials, bandages, iodine, epsom salts, cold cream, and other things calculated to relieve suffering humanity. A doctor has numerous calls when with a party of one or two score of boys. The following are a few examples, copied verbatim from the Diary of one of our ''Doctors", viz: June 3, 1917. Leslie — . I used peroxide on a cut in his finger. Floyd — . I used salve and plaster on his burnt finger. EACH FELLOW A TASK 41 John — . He wanted a seidlitz powder. Harold — . I used salve, bandage and plaster on his sore finger. George — . I used salve, cotton and plaster on a boil. Emery — . I used plaster on a sore on his lip. Edwin — . Wanted cotton for a sore on his toe." Stvim Tester. No one is permitted to enter a stream or lake until the Swim Tester has pronounced it safe. There is no other rule upon which we place so much emphasis. All "swimming holes" are strange to us away from home, and one cannot afford to be careless in so important a matter. This rule is relaxed only at regular public bathing beaches. We do not care whether the Swim Tester can swim. Rescuing drowning boys is not his special job. It is for him to locate the bottom. If there is too much depth or too swift a current, keep away from it. Fool- hardy ''stunts" in the water should be postponed until the trip is at an end. Everywhere we have been able to find safe swimming and bathing — as safe as the pool inside the "Y", and in fifteen years, we have not lost a boy, and have had but one case of danger, when a boy got beyond his depth in a current which he was unable to stem and some of the fellows had to swim out and help him back to shore. Water Carriers bring all the water necessary for cooking and for the kettleman. 42 THE BIG HIKE Wood Carriers bring fuel for cooking purposes. If a large bonfire is wanted, the entire party joins in bringing the wood. Cooks. Four to six boys will do the cooking for a party of 30 to 50. No previous experience is neces- -■-.^^^^i^i^^H^^^^ ■ - Water carriers on the job. sary, but the Leader should be able to direct them. Most boys have some knowledge of the subject which they have learned in the home kitchen. It is the height of folly to employ a professional cook for the Big Hike. It is not only unnecessary, but what is more important, it deprives the boys of this very choice opportunity for service. Fireman. He should be prompt in having the hot- test fire in the shortest time possible, and continue EACH FELLOW A TASK 43 his service throughout the cooking period. When serv- ing a large party with French toast, for instance, or bacon and eggs the cooks require a good bed of glowing coals. The Kettleman provides himself with a good bristle brush and soap or soda, and cleans the buckets and frying pans after every meal. We have no dishwash- ers, for every fellow washes his own plate and utensils. Commissary boys go with the Leader when purchas- ing supplies, and carry them to the truck and pack them safely away. The Steiuard repacks the cooking outfit and food supplies after the meal is over, and the kettlemen have finished their work. The Auditor keeps account of all expenditures, as they are made, and after the return home makes up a report. The following summary is from the report of a boy Auditor, and gives an idea of the items used on a trip of thirteen days, with thirty-seven in the party. We had no expense for rental of autos. Summary. "The Ford car (carrying five persons and their bag- gage) consumed on the trip of 1,000 miles, 77 gallons of gasoline. The Packard (carrying eight persons and baggage) used 112 gallons of gasoline. The Pierce-Arrow (a made-over) truck and trail- 44 THE BIG HIKE mobile used 176 gallons of gasoline. (This outfit car- ried 24 boys and their baggage). Cost per person, meals, etc., per day $ .464 Cost per person, meals for the trip 6.04 Cost per person, transportation 4.27 Total cost per person per day 795 Total cost per person for the trip 10.32 Average daily expenses 29.37 fl Total cost of the trip, 13 days 381.87 Items of Food. 191 loaves of bread. j 6 doz. buns. ' 10 pies. j 9 doz. cookies, 6 doz. doughnuts. i 52 cans condensed milk. \ 91.5 pounds of meat, as follows: 241/1. lbs. wienies. 38 lbs. minced ham. 15 lbs. steak and bacon. 15 lbs. beef ribs. 43 doz. eggs. 6% lbs. cheese. 56 cans pork and beans. 12 cans salmon. 15 cans peas. 24 lbs. lard. 7 boxes noodles. 17 lbs soda crackers. EACH FELLOW A TASK 4(5 2 cans tomatoes. 4 jars pickles. 1 bushel apples. 2 bushels potatoes. 16 cans Karo syrup. 56 lunches at cafes. 15 lemons. 7 oranges. 14 lbs. coffee. 10 lbs. cornmeal. One bar of soap." Camp Police clear the camp of all rubbish, whether scattered about by their own fellows or by others. It must never be said of a Big Hike party that they left an untidy camp. They should aid in setting a good example to other campers. On the Bia- Hike. 46 THE BIG HIKE We used to carry a small collection of books, a phonograph, base ball outfit, some band instruments and song books. We still take some of these, and a boy or two is assigned to the care of each. A choris- ter and program committee too, are among the func- tionaries. The Captain of the Guard makes up the list of those who stand guard, in one hour reliefs, all through the night. It is only under some unusual condition that the party feels it is unsafe to be without a guard. Almost without exception the boys are keen for this service, and the Captain finds himself thronged with volunteers. During the first few years, when we used horses, we carried a Springfield army rifle or two (but never any ammunition) to be carried by the guards, and we would have guards every night of the trip. In all the above, where as many as three or m.ore are assigned to the same task, one should be named as Chief, so that the Leader may know instantly where to locate responsibility. There is one dignity, however, that is not appointive. The entire membership of the party has within its own control the nomination and election of a Council, which settles matters of discipline. The Council has five members, and elects its own chairman and secretary. The very dread of this august body is enough to keep ?. boy on the straight path of rectitude, for what penalty might not the Council exact? A mild case of wrong- EACH FELLOW A TASK 47 For discipline's sake. Thrown in, clothes and all. doing may call for a ducking in some convenient stream or puddle, into which the offender is thrown, clothes and all, with scant ceremony, or if there is no water, a thorough dust bath is given. Syrup mixed with earth has been used as a dressing for the hair. In one instance, where the milder forms of treatment had no effect, the Council in its wisdom administered an anointing of what in commerce is called ''600 W differential grease." It is a black grease, and the un- fortunate violator was thoroughly smeared from his waist up — his face and hair, as well as his body. He tried to wash it off in the river, but this only made it worse. After riding for miles in the sun, a horrible object, he secured some gasoline during the noon stop. 48 THE BW HIKE and by its use emerged from his slippery coating a wiser and a better young man. Lastly, the party must have a Leader whose author- ity is undisputed,, one who permits the greatest free- dom, and exhibits his authority only when the situa- tion demands it; one who may order any one to leave the party if necessary. But in the fifteen years that we have enjoyed the Big Hike, with hundreds of differ- ent boys, we have never had any trouble to speak of, and certainly no occasion for any extreme measures. The Leader will also find himself called upon to act as a depositary for the boys' spending money. The boys draw it out a dollar or so at a time, as the trip pro- gresses. Do not make the mistake of permitting some out- sider to travel with you, on the ground that he will be a useful man in camp. Every job a boy holds is an educational opportunity. Your greatest temptation, perhaps, will be to engage a skilled cook. CHAPTER V. Cookery. THE cooking outfit is of the lightest and simplest. The kitchen at home, with its up-to-date assort- ment of pots, kettles and pans, gave us the idea that we too must have quite a variety of these, so we started off years ago with a coffee pot, dish pan, some smaller pans, buckets and frying pans. One by one they dropped off, until we had learned that we needed only the last two named, viz., buckets and frying pans. To these we add a butcher knife, dipper, a few pan- cake turners, a big spoon or two and a can opener. We use galvanized buckets of the 12 and 14 quart size, and the frying pans are IQi/^ inches in diameter at the bottom. The complete outfit, ample for all the needs of a party of forty or fifty persons, weighs only about 30 pounds. It would include, say six or seven buckets and about five frying pans. The intent is that three times a day, at least, — breakfast, dinner and supper, each shall have all the 49 The Big Hike. 4. 50 THE BIG HIKE The complete cocking outfit. food and drink he desires. Many boys in addition to this, use their spending money for sodas, candy, etc., at the various places along the way where we stop for gasoline, groceries or sightseeing. It is difficult always to estimate accurately what the party will consume for a meal, and we have sometimes underestimated the Big Hike appetite, but the rule has been that we prepared more than we could consume, with the result that some food was wasted. I COOKERY 51 A methodical leader would probably prepare a menu in advance, for the entire trip, but we have generally waited for our appetite to suggest what the next meal should be, and almost without exception when the pro- posed bill of fare was put to a vote there would be a unanimous chorus of "Fine." The camp fire is always an object of fascination, whether it be just a tiny flame with its curling column of smoke, or a big roaring fire. It is vastly more in- teresting to a lot of hungry hikers when within its embrace, a good meal is being prepared. We do not hang our buckets over the fire, but set them in the midst of the burning wood, with the flames snapping all around them. This country of ours has a great wealth of fuel; so abundant is the supply that our people seem never to At Grant Park, Chicago. &2 THE BIG HIKE think about its conservation. People living near the forest burn coal because they can get it so much more easily. An American traveling in Europe is surprised to see every branch of a tree, no matter how small, carefully gathered and added to the fuel supply. Scarcely a twig the size of a toothpick escapes them, while in our country, the wood-chopper saves only the trunk and larger branches, and it is always a matter of special agreement whether the employer or the em- ployee is to burn the brush. Practically every wood lot, whether it be a small grove planted on the prairie as a wind-break for the residence and live-stock, or whether it be a native forest, is littered with dead branches or fallen trees, which the owner of the lot is glad to have removed. All the Big Hike woodman needs to do is to politely ask permission, and to prom- ise that he will be careful of fences in bringing out the wood. He needs no ax, for the wood is dry and can be broken, if desired, into proper lengths. Ordi- narily an ax is not as necessary a hike tool as one would think. It often provides a cause of concern for the leader, lest a boy use it in damaging valuable trees or shrubbery, and calling down upon his head the right- eous wrath of the owner or caretaker. In fact we have made a number of Big Hikes having neither axe nor hatchet with us, and never felt the need of them. The ''full dinner pail" or a ''square meal" sounds good, especially for an out-of-doors appetite. What is COOKERY 53 a good square meal? Our answer probably would be according to our bringing-up. Once upon a time, when abroad, the writer observed a group of Bohemian rail- road laborers at their breakfasts and suppers. Bread and coffee made up the entire meal. Each had his own loaf of bread from which he whittled as he ate. There was no lard, butter nor anything as a relish with the bread, only the dark bread; and coffee, with milk and sugar in it. Judging by their usual jolly nature, clear healthy complexions and strong limbs, they were en- joying each his square meal. Their noon-day meal doubtless was mainly meat-and-vegetable stew. You will recall a well-known painting showing a family reverently gathered about their dining table, each with a small bowl, and a larger bowl gracing the cen- ter of the table. Their square meal would be found in the large single bowl. All this is another way of say- ing that our common American standard of meals is not a real necessity, viz., a bit of this and some of that, in variety; — soup, meat, vegetables, salad, bread and butter , dessert and drink, all at one sitting. Let us take a Big Hike situation. You had break- fast at 7 :00. It is now noon. Five hours have passed, during which you have covered considerable ground. You have been chattering, singing, boxing, or dodging other boys' boxing, or scuffling, and taking in strange sights. You have reached a place where there is a plenty of wood for cooking, and water is not far away 54 THE BIG HIKE — perhaps a farm house with its well is near. Better still, you have stopped at a creek, for there you find trees and fire wood, and if there is no well you use water from the creek. In a few minutes of time you see coffee or cocoa boiling in the buckets; in another bucket or two you see cans of pork and beans, and the cooks have cut the bread — not as mother slices it — but each loaf cut into five equal parts. Open a can of the hot beans — two fellows to a can — take a chunk of bread, and with the hot drink the square meal is at hand. All problems of under-nourishment and the ''balanced ration" have vanished. Peas taken from the can, boiled with some canned milk and seasoned with salt, or creamed corn treated the same way, is good. Our band remembers a time at Starved Rock (Illi- nois) State Park, when Chief Cook Luther was shak- ing pepper over the boiling bucket of corn, the lid un- expectedly came off the pepper can, and no one ate corn that day. Had it not been for other eatables, there would have been another story of the Starved Rock kind. These days one can get a wide variety of meats, veg- etables and fish in cans of all sizes. Bakery goods are to be had along the beaten paths, and corn meal or wheat flour can easily be carried for points where there are no bakeries. The best beans we have ever tasted were navy beans bought by the half peck and boiled in our own camp, COOKERY 55 but it takes hours of time, and on a Big Hike, time is precious for other pursuits. We sometimes boil a lot of potatoes with jackets on, so as to have them for supper and enough left over for fried potatoes for breakfast, which with either Meal time. Tennessee Beach on Lake Michigan, Holland, Mich. bacon or eggs, or both, will give a fellow a good start for the day's work. One of our best meals is French toast, syrup and coffee. We generally have this for breakfast. We stir up a lot of eggs, add milk and salt, and then enough water so you will have enough to go 'round. Into this you dip a slice of bread — like mother slices it — and fry it in hot, sizzling lard so there is no danger of it sticking to the bottom of the frying pan, fry over a good hot bed of coals. When it is a beautiful brown. 56 THE BIG HIKE turn it over, and get it brown on that side also. Your gang is in line waiting their turn to be served. As each is served he passes on to where a young gentle- man is presiding over the syrup-can. When he has supplied your wants, you receive a helping of coffee and are ready to find a seat somewhere beside a group of chums, and proceed with the meal. You return for more toast, round after round, until you are fully sat- isfied. Serving food direct from the boiling kettle or the frying pan, gets it to the boy when it is in its best possible condition. The best food when allowed to get cold before it is served often loses all the excellence which it otherwise would have had. When everyone has been served once, the cooks take a turn at eating, and volunteer cooks take their places to serve others the second or third helping. The writ- er's appetite is satisfied fully with about three fine, fat slices. One time he and Julius were eating side by side, and he asked, ''How do you like French toast?" 'Tine," replied Julius, "this is my seventh piece, and on the first morning out I ate twelve." Corn on the cob, fish fresh from the stream, steaks, chops, and other toothsome dishes, too numerous to mention here, are among the opportunities of the Big Hike cook. We avoid dishes which require a long time for preparation. Our cooks never miss any sight-see- COOKERY 57 Hero worshippers surround the chief cook. ing. Their work is done speedily and very efficiently. It is one of the proudest jobs of all. The following gives the bill of fare as served on our 1923 trip, viz. : First day (Aug. 17), lunches brought by the boys from their homes. Aug. IS. Breakfast : BacoD, eggs, bread and coffee. Liiiiclieon : Buns, pressed veal, a pint of milk each. Supper : Boiled potatoes, fraukforters, bread and cocoa. Aug. 19. Breakfas't: French toast, syrup, coffee. Lunch : Minced ham sandwiches, apples, water to drink. Supper : Boiled potatoes, creamed peas, bread, cocoa. Aug. 20. Breakfast : Bacon and eggs, fried potatoes, bread, coffee. Lunch : Salmon, pickles, buns, doughnuts, water. Supper : Wienies\ bread, lemon-orangeade. Aug. 21. Breakfast: French toast, syrup, coffee. Lunch : Buns, cheese and apples. Supper : Eggs, bacon, bread, cocoa. 58 THE BIG HIKE Aug. 22. Breakfast : Crackers, while drivint: along. Lunch : French toast, syrnp, coffee. Supper : Potatoes m jackets, sausage, bread, cocoa . Aug. 28. Breakfast : Fried potatoes, fried eggs, bread, coffee. . Lunch : Boiled ham, tomatoes, rolls, bread, cocoanut, tarts. Supper: Creamed peas, l)read, cocoa. Aug. 24. Breakfast : French toast, syrup, coffee. Lunch, Minced ham and cheese s^mdwiches, pickles. Supper : Boiled potatoes, wienies, bread, honey, cocoa. Aug. 25. Breakfast : Fried pototoes, eggs, bread, honey, coffee. Lunch : Shredded wheat biscuits, pint milk each, cup cake, doughnuts-. Supper: Potato soup, containing noodles, cabbage, eggs, etc., lu'ead. Aug. 20. Breakfast : French toast, syrup, coffee. Lunch : Beans, salmon, bread, water. Supper: Canned corn, bread, cocoa, and left overs. Aug, 27. Breakfast : Bacon, eggs, bread, coff"ee. Lunch : ( no record ) . Supper : Frankforters, ])read cocoa. Aug. 28. Breakfast : Bacon, eggs, bread, coffee. Lunch : Pea soup, bread, syrup, water. Supper : Hamburgers, onions, mustard, boiled potatoes, bread, cocoa, Aug. 20. Breakfast : Fried potatoes, eggs-, bread, coffee. Lunch : Sugar-rolls, bananas, bread, water. Supper : Corn, minced ham sandwiches, bread, cocoa. Aug. 30. Breakfast : French toast, syrup, coffee. Lunch: (no record). Supper (no record). Aug. 31. Breakfast : Bacon, eggs, bread, coffee. Lunch : Bolls-, ham, apples, water. Supper: Party was divided, one truck load arriving home, the other, without groceries, had bread, and a lot of pigeons which were donated l>y their host. COOKERY 59 With the appetite common to the out-of-door life, each of the meals mentioned above seems like a verit- able banquet. We would not have been so sure of this were it not for the fact that the Black Hawk Hiking Club, made up of discriminating ladies and men, use practically the identical menu as above, and find it quite sufficient. They, too, have their annual Big Hike, the same as the boys. For a party of twenty-five to thirty boys we make up about twelve quarts of coffee, using a half-pound of ground coffee. As most of the fellows like it with milk and sugar, these are put in before we begin to serve it. What is left after the meal is thrown away, and the next lot is made of new materials. Do not try to make good coffee from a cheap grade. Always insist on the better grades. We do not remember ever seeing two persons making cocoa according to the same recipe. Each has his own way. Our fellows make it by mixing four or five ounces of cocoa, dry, with nearly a pound of sugar. When thoroughly mixed it is stirred into about twelve quarts of water and brought to a boil. We have al- ways believed that the longer it boils, the better, but our patience rarely holds out beyond five minutes. Then we add two or three one-pound cans of con- densed milk, and it is ready to be served. One needs to observe that good cocoa cannot be made with scanty portions of either cocoa, sugar or milk. CHAPTER VI. Devotionals. TEACHING the Scriptures is the self-imposed task of Christendom. How to get the message "across" has occupied the attention of some of our best educators, and many volumes have been written on the subject. We would no doubt agree that the human touch, in connection with the teaching, gives better results than to carry on a correspondence course. Granted that the teacher is what he should be, a close relationship be- tween teacher and pupil would bring about the best re- sults. The humble Nazarene, our Saviour, took the Big Hike method, if we may say it. His particular class, the twelve, hiked with Him. They sensed His reaction to every kind of condition. Together they hungered and plucked the ears from the grain as it stood in the fields; they ate and relieved their hunger. They slept in the open under the stars ; doubtless they knew what 60 DEV0TI0NAL8 61 TIk' author and party at the ''Little Brown Church in the Vale,"' near Xashua, Iowa. it was to be chilled to the bone, and to be drenched to the skin with rain. They knew the terror of the awful storms and the pleasure of a meal prepared over the open fire beside the lake. Mountain and plain, fertile fields and desert, lake and stream were theirs. He speaks of flowers and birds. They learned to know inhospitality to such an extent that even John, the Be- loved, suggested that fire be called down to consume the unfeeling cities. Banqueted at one place, their lives threatened at another, praise and popularity, con- tempt and mockery, triumphal procession, crown of 62 THE BIG HIKE thorns, shameful death and victorious resurrection, — all these were shared with the twelve, and every fibre of their being absorbed His personality, His message. It is definitely stated that often the Twelve did not understand His ivords. They did not grasp their meaning. But they learned to know the power which ruled His conduct, from the conduct itself, and when He had ascended to His Father, the way was so plain to them that like Him, they gave their lives to the new dispensation. Our army of Sunday-school teachers is a very large one. It outnumbers the officers and men of our stand- ing army and navy, ten to one. That its work is of first importance to both the individual and to the na- tion, is attested by our leading men and women; our chief executive at Washington places decided emphasis upon the subject. To make its work more effective is the perennial problem of its leaders. Teaching the lesson in the class-room is hardly as effective as living it in the presence of the class. It is very difficult for most of us to teach a vitalizing gos- pel unless we supplement our class teaching with some kind of contact outside the class-room — some week- day activities. Living together under the same roof or in the same camp for days or weeks at a time gives this needed contact. On our annual Big Hikes each boy selects a topic with Scriptural reference, and is assigned a night DEVOTIONALS 63 when he will discuss his topic about the camp fire. Us- ually it is necessary to have more than one boy on the program of talks in order that every member of the party may be heard. A text can often be suited to the place which has "He leadeth me beside still waters." Lake Geneva, "Wis. been scheduled for an overnight camp. ''I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help," or, ''Lovest thou me more than these?" which scene originally occurred beside a lake. ''He maketh me to lie down in green pastures ; He leadeth me beside the still waters ; He restoreth my soul, yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou are with me." "When I consider thy heavens, the moon and stars which thou hast or- 64 THE BIG HIKE clained, what is man that thou art mindful of him?" But of course we do not make any attempt to choose every text to fit into natural surroundings. ''Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong," and, *'Ye are the salt of the earth," and, ''Submit your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service," are but a few and, as a rule, the Scripture for the last night of the outing calls attention to our own good qualities as fellows who stick together and see a thing through, namely, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." We always carry extra clothes to be worn to Sunday-school, but if the distance is too great we have the Sunday service in our camp, hymns, in- struction, collection and all. The Big Hike knows no regular hours. Spark plugs, punctures and blowouts, detours, and other causes are likely any time to delay us, or we may spend more time or less on some point of interest, but the last get-to- gether of the day, before we retire to our beds, is the meeting around the camp fire, which we call devotion- als. First we sing anything and everything, then the presiding officer calls upon the adult Leader, who tells about to-morrow's schedule — the distance, points of interest, scenic, scientific, historical, or otherwise. Then the time for breakfast is set, and the leader of the even- ing's topic introduced. It is not uncommon that it is the young fellow's first attempt. He has made some DEVOTIONALS 65 preparation, and has presumed, also, that when he arises to speak, a copious flow of thought and expres- sion will naturally come to him, but alas ! three or four broken sentences, from which all correct English has departed, and he is at his wit's end, and after a vain attempt to think of something more to say, he sits down, but his serious effort really has spoken volumes. It is just as common, however, that we are surprised by a fine, fluent talker, with well-chosen illustrations from the boy's own observation, and some striking truths brought to our attention. These meetings have as fine a spirit of reverence as that within a church edifice. In one of our camp fire topics the leader was a young man in his upper teens. His subject was, ''What chances for service does my church offer me?" He said, "In our church the offices are all held by old peo- ple, and they don't think a young fellow can do any- thing" — more truth than many *'old people" care to admit. The presentation of the topic is followed by general discussion, after which all arise and join hands around the camp fire. We ''number" to be sure that all are present or accounted for, repeat the Lord's prayer in unison, and are dismissed for the night. The presid- ing officer is always the young man who had the pre- vious night's topic; the office rotates and each has an opportunity to show his talent in handling a meet- ing. The Bi(i Hile. 5. 66 THE BIG HIKE We sometimes expand these meetings into very in- teresting programs, with special music, vocal or in- strumental, recitations, stories, talks, Indian dances, etc. We recall with pleasure our 'Telican Quartet" and their performance in vocal music. At least one of the four could carry a tune, and the rest made up in enthusiasm what they lacked in harmony. The result was uproarious, and quite a success. The Lord's Prayer is like a benediction, and most of the fellows, wearied with a long day of strenuous ac- tivity, at once retire to the blanket roll or sleeping bag for a night of restful sleep. CHAPTER VII. Overnight. WE used to carry tents. The boys provided them among themselves. Two or more would go in together and share the expense, and likewise the socia- bility of what thus became their own little home circle. We never carried wood floors nor cots. They, of course, would be too heavy to be taken about, but for the first years we did provide straw for bedding. It was fine for that purpose, and no one ever objected to its use, but in time it seemed to be more trouble than it was worth. Some of us, while having our tents with us, got into a practice of sleeping in the open without it. Two Annual Big Hikes were taken in this way, without even unpacking the tents, and by and by it was voted that henceforth no tents would be carried. But what if it rains? If it rains the tent gets wet, and is very heavy to transport next day. If it rains 67 Gi> THE BIG HIKE Our 1910 camp near Cordova. 111. — The days when we believed tents were necessary the ground may be too wet for a bed the following night. If it continues cloudy for several days the tent's do not dry. aid a tent long wet is a sorry piece of bag- gage. Incidentally the air in a tent is stuffy and un- wholesome. In place of a number of small tents, we now carry a large canvas, which serves as a roof in emergency. If it gets wet we do uur best to dry it next day, and if the ground is too damp for sleeping the night follow- ing, we secure dry quarters under some hospitable roof. We have been permitted to use, in these emer- gencies, the Y. ^I. C. A's. : a church; a county court OVERNIGHT 69 house; a public hall; fair grounds buildings; livery barns; a farmers' co-operative warehouse, and a '*ho- tel annex," of which vv^e must tell you, though the in- troduction to the story is long. It was during the time that we were using horses, wagons and tents. On the Big Hike. Iowa River near Marengo. Late one nig?it a bad wind and rain storm broke upon our camp on the Iowa river. In a short time the ground was flooded and the tents blown down. Next day was a long, steady pull through mud, and by large trees which had been blown down in the storm. We planned to spend the night in some vacant farm build- ing — a corn crib, for instance, but as the afternoon wore away we were unable to secure permission to enter, though we inquired at several farms. We then 70 THE BIG HIKE decided to unhitch and feed our horses, while the cooks prepared our supper, and would then cover the re- maining nine miles to Tama, Iowa, for we were on our way to visit the Indians a few miles west of Tama. At dusk we started on our slow, tedious way, with lanterns cleaned and filled. It became very dark. All except the drivers were walking and the w^ay seemed endless. We finally reached Tama, gave our horses a com- fortable place in a livery barn, and midnight found our party of twenty-eight all seated about a horse- shoe shaped lunch counter, having a sandwich and a glass of milk before retiring to the barn where we had permission to spend the night. Among our Indian friends at Tama, Iowa. OVERNIGHT 71 Next day, while in the midst of the Indian country, we were greeted by one of the most terrific storms of hghtniiig, thunder and rain that the writer has ever seen. After a couple of nights spent in the Indian farmer's barn, and with the ground still saturated from the rains, w^e returned to Tama. ''How much did we charge you for the use of the barn the other night?" asked the proprietor. On being told how much, he added, 'If you'll give me $5.00 more I can put all your boys in beds at our annex." The offer was accepted, and all of us were ushered to our rooms. The writer had a room all by himself — so he thought, but soon after he retired he felt things creeping. Turning on the light we beheld the bed bug, who like- wise was bent on hiking. It seemed they were out in squads, platoons and companies, and as the light was turned on they exe- cuted a right about face and disappeared under the pillows and over the edge of the bed. The writer was once told that if the room is kept lighted the bed bug will not come out, so this was tried, but the bugs could not resist the prospect of a fine, juicy banquet, and ad- vanced again in spite of lights. So the writer re- treated to the street and to other quarters. Next morning, 4:00 o'clock, found our gang all aboard the wagons, and merrily headed homewards, where we arrived a few days later. Some of the moth- ers, having heard of our "Annex" experience, met 72 THE BIG HIKE their sons at the door and threw clean clothing out to them and directed them to a bath in the barn before coming into the house. It served us right, for a party going for a week or two of outing should have better judgment than to accept a soft bed in-doors even for a Sleeiiing under tlie stars, an almost unknown luxiii'\'. single night. Sleeping under the stars on the hard ground is a luxury unknown to the great mass of our fellowmen. The writer's first experience of the kind was years ago, out in the Great West, among the cow- boys in Wyoming. It was there, too, with the Round- up outfit, that he had his first wonderful meal, pre- pared over the open camp fire. The rear end of the mess wagon had the cupboard, and the cupboard door had its hinges at the bottom, so that when open the OVERNIGHT 73 door served as a table. The cow-punchers, as they were called, were so devoted to their out-of-door life, that even when they came to the head ranch they dis- dained to sleep in the ''bunk-house," but spread their beds out in the pasture and slept under the stars — and The Big Hike bath. At Camp AVarren, Mich. sometimes under a coat of snow which fell through the night, but the outer covering of the bed, a tarpaulin, was water-proof, and they had never a thought of dis- comfort. In the morning they rolled up the bed^ buckled some straps tightly about it and tossed it into the bed wagon. Their days were spent in the saddle. Your first night's bed on the ground, with but two or three warm blankets about you, will seem hard. The second night you will have less thought of hardness, and before you are aware of it, you take to your open- air, hard-earth quarters as naturally as to the mat- 74 THE BIG HIKE tress and springs under the paternal root. It does not rain every night. Most summer nights are dry, and an experience with a thunder storm, provided there an^ not too many of them, only adds to the pleasure of the trip. And what of mosquitoes? The person who has n^t slept out under the stars will enjoy the following stanza from ''The Rime of the Ancient Hiker-Man," by John H. Shantz of the Black Hawk Hiking Club, for it satisfies, and saves a strain on his imagination: "I lay me down upon the ground An ant-hill was my bed; And while I lay, without a sound Came creeping, crawling things around, And swarmed upon my head. A lizard crept across my nose, A spider bit my heel While twice ten thousand skeeter bugs Danced the Virginia reel. At half past two I fell into A most uneasy rest, To dream that Sitting Bull himself 'Twas, sitting on my chest." The above poem, in itself reveals a fine imagination, besides reciting a number of possibilities. Stored away in our collection of choice Hiker memories are a num- ber of Hero tales of how we battled with mosquitoes. The writer recalls a night when he lay hidden under OVERI^IGHT 75 his blanket, with a perfectly fiendish chorus closely overhead. He learned that mosquitoes like the genus homo, have their tenors, basses, soprano and alto, and in this case the entire grand chorus was fired with such singleness of purpose that it kept their intended victim perspiring under cover, occasionally coming up for air, until daylight, when the entire chorus disap- peared so completely you would have thought it was all a dream. A bad night of mosquitoes, like that of a heavy storm, adds to the store of "whoppers" with which the stay- at-homes will be held breathless while the nerve- rack- ing, hair-lifting details are recounted by the re- turning Hiker. Insect pests, however, are the exception, and as a rule, when once in his cozy blanket roll, the Hiker, soon drops off into peaceful sleep, unmolested, until morning, when some of the ''early birds" start the day's chatter of conversation while still abed. CHAPTER VIII. Steaniboating for a Change. IN 1916 our Annual Big Hike took us to the Mark Twain country, down the Mississippi, Rock Island, Illinois, to Hannibal, Missouri, with a stop of a couple of days at Keokuk, Iowa, to see the great power dam. We traveled in turn on three different steamboats, the "Quincy," the "Dubuque," and the "St. Paul." The steamers were of the type described by Mark Twain in his "Life on the Mississippi." Capt. John Streckfus, head of the Streckfus Line, who was with the Quincy as we boarded her at Davenport, Iowa, proved himself a fine, considerate host. The Mississippi is a noble stream., with a majesty and beauty all its own. Its lovely bluffs, islands, wooded shores and views of cultivated fields, small vil- lages nestling at the edge of the stream, an occasional bridge built so high it offers no obstruction to naviga- tion, other bridges having draw piers, upon which a span swings to give passage, or where the draw span 76 8TEAMB0ATING FOR A CHANGE 77 On the Mississippi Primitive methods of handling freight. 78 THE BIG HIKE is lifted above the possibility of danger, all these join in making a steamboat trip a constant moving picture, which never loses its charm. Added to its natural beauty is its historical interest. It carried over this very course fleets of commerce and of war, which had their share in the contest for the possession of the Mississippi basin during the Revolu- tionary War. In the War of 1812-14 it saw several expeditions of fortified keel boats of the Americans pass up the river to entertain the Indians with the war game in their ov/n fastnesses, rather than have them descend with tomahawk and scalping knife upon the settlements about St. Louis and Alton, and these same keels never returned except with the bleeding forms of soldiers, who sometimes were obliged to leave the bodies of some of their comrades, less fortunate than themselves, to be mutilated by their victorious enemies. Fort Armstrong, Fort Edwards and Fort Madison, located along this section of the Upper Mississippi, have their tales also of the armed contest between the red man and the whites for possession of the country. Black Hawk, Keokuk, Wapello, Powiskiek and other notables of the Sauk and Fox tribes; Wabasha the elder, and the younger, of the Sioux, Matchekuis, the great Chippewa who led the allied Indian forces in the massacre at Michilimackinac during Pontiac's War; the handsome Winnebago, Red Bird, and others — all these are subjects worthy of the pen and brush of a STEAMBOATING FOR A CHANGE 79 Fort Armstrong, Rock Island, 111. master. To this date, neither the heroic chiefs of the conquered Red men, nor the events in which they played their part, have had the notice which posterity will give them. Not only the steamboats, but all the miethods of handling freight, were the same as in the days of Mark Twain. A dozen roustabouts would cluster about an automobile in unloading, and in carrying aboard a 80 THE BIG HIKE crated engine, as many as could get around it would be seen pushing and pulling while the mate directed every move. In handling lighter articles of freight there would be a procession the like of which might be copied from the records of the Pharoahs, so ancient |t<|l|t^^^fM^^^A' The i)()\vt'i' dam at Keokuk, Iowa. — Ilaniilton, 111. is the method. All of it was of absorbing interest to the passenger. After we had passed below Keokuk, Iowa, there was much entertainment in seeing cattle and hogs brought aboard the steamer for shipment to St. Louis. In loading the hogs the roustabouts would carry sections of board fencing in such a way as to make a movable pen, and by gradual stages the steam.- er-deck was reached. Bringing on the cattle proved to be more exciting. One member of the herd decided, at the last moment, not to go aboard. After some ma- 8TEAMB0ATING FOR A CHANGE 81 Live stock to be shipped to St. Louis. "She enjoyed lots of play. The Bill 11 He. 6. 82 THE BIG HIKE neuvering a rope was thrown over her horns, but the rope was long and she enjoyed lots of plaj^ In time, however the men got her into close quarters, and in the final act she was almost literally carried aboard. The dam across the Mississippi at Keokuk is said to be the longest for purely hydro-electric purposes in the world. Its locks for the passage of water craft exceed in height those of Panama. There is also a large U. S. dry dock, and its power plant furnishes light and power for cities as far away as St. Louis. Altogether this power project at Keokuk is a great engineering feat. We found it fascinating beyond our expectations, and after a couple of days there we again filed up the gang plank and were off for Hannibal, the old ''St. Petersburg" of Mark Twain's 'Tom Sawyer." Lower gate of the lock, Keokuk dam. 8TEAMB0ATIXG OFR A CHANGE 83 It may be that a certain community breeds humor- ists, just as other localities become famous for grow- ing corn and cotton. Anyway, the first person whom we asked to guide us suggested that of course we would all want to drink of the Mark Twain spring, and he led the way. All were thirsty, and with our tin cups in hand, were jostling each other for the first chance at the clear overflowing trough. The water is very strongly mineralized and bitter, and the joke was on us. We spent the first night on the high bluff, near the statue of the noted author who made the place so fam- ous, and the next few nights were spent at the mouth of the Mark Twain Cave. It was within this cave that Becky and Tom were lost and given up for dead, and where Indian Joe starved to death. You should read these very, very pathetic tales in ''The Adventures of Tom Sawyer," chapters xxix to xxxiii inclusive. We secured two guides for the cave trip. One led the way and the other brought up the rear, to keep stragglers from getting lost. Each guide carried a lantern and the boys of our party carried lighted can- dles, and on two different days we passed through the deep and dark recesses of the cave. The camp fire pro- gram of the night between was devoted entirely to reading the story with absorbing interest, of Tom and Becky, lost in the cave. One day we rented a lot of row boats and rowed to the Island, just below Hannibal, where we had fine Witliin tlie Mark Twain cave. 8TEAMB0AT1NG FOR A CHANGE 85 bathing, and prepared our evening meal. It was on this island that Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn and Joe Harper lived as pirates, and from which Tom swam to the mainland, made his way unobserved into the church, and there listened to his own funeral ser- At the boyhood home of Mark Twain, Hannibal, Mo. mon. You will find the story beginning at chapter xiii in 'The Adventures of Tom Sawyer." We visited the boyhood home of Samuel L. Clemens (Mark Twain) , in the city of Hannibal, and climbed to the top of Lov- ers' Leap, a rocky promontory which in his boyhood afforded him such inspiring views of the Mississippi and its traffic. One of the most enjoyable parts of the Big Hike was a cross-country walk for a distance of twelve miles as the crow flies. This took us over hills and hollows, 86 THE BIG HIKE following 110 regular road, tramping part of the time in a dry creek bed, and through fields, pastures and woodland, and an orchard where we were cheerfully told by the farmer to help ourselves to the wind-falls. Earlier in the day we had been shown, at the Atlas Portland Cement Works at Ilasco, Mo., every part of the process of cement manufacture, from drilling and blasting the limestone to bagging the finished product. This plant had supplied a large part of the cement used in the construction of the locks for the Panama Canal. We did not leave Ilasco for our cross-country walk until the middle of the afternoon, and the result was we did not reach our destination at New London, Mo., until after 8:00 at night, all of us tired, but very happy. Naturally some walked faster than others, and as we followed no definite route we were soon divided into two main parties, lost to each other. One of our twelve-year-old boys, not so robust as the rest, had to be carried part way. Sixty boys dropping un- expectedly out of the darkness, would excite an inter- est in any town. Some big-hearted men thought we ought to sleep under cover, and offered us our choice between the basement of their fine Christian church and the court room in the county court house. We accepted the last-named. The next morning, while breakfast was on, our hospitality boy served French toast and coffee to a number of the townsmen and women. They asked for our recipe, which is always a compliment to any cook. STEAMBOATING FOR A CHANGE 87 Another walk of about twelve miles over the main highway brought us back to Hannibal and the steam- boat landing, where w^e again embarked and steamed up the river homewards. Several years have passed, but one still hears our boys imitating the long-drawn- out call of the deck-hands who sounded the channel, as we proceeded, viz., "four feet," ''six feet," ''no bot- tom." Interesting as was every part of the ten days' out- ing, the feeling seemed to prevail that steamboat trans- portation was too confining to the boys. It did not give us the necessary amount of exercise, and should we ever repeat the trip, we would try to arrange for shorter relays by boat, with more walking between, but should still provide for enough steam-boating to get the true Mississippi flavor. Passing the draw-spiin at Quincy, 111. CHAPTER IX. The Black Hawk Hiking Club. FOR years we believed ours was an exclusively mas- culine type of summer vacation; that only men and boys could live out in the open, without stoves or tents. We were blinded by our present-day habit of living, where every convenience is thought to be a ne- cessity. We forgot about Pharoah's daughter going to the river for her bath, and that Rebekah drew water at the well instead of turning a faucet ; we overlooked the trip which the last-named young lady had from the paternal roof, down to where her husband-to-be was waiting, and which doubtless was a very near precedent to our style of outing. Her meals, like ours, were prepared over the camp fire, and in spite of a weather-beaten complexion she retained her charm, and Isaac loved her at first sight. Our grandmothers kept house with no more equip- ment than we carry; their bill of fare was not so varied, and often the sleeping quarters had less of S8 THE BLACK HAWK HIKING CLUB 89 The Black Hawk Hiking Club. privacy. Thousands of them, with husband and chil- dren, journeyed to the new Land of Promise in practi- cally the same style as our Big Hike. The Black Hawk Hiking Club has a membership made up largely of college-trained men and women. They include many leaders in the church and welfare work of their respective communities. Married and single they fairly represent the culture and refinement of the community. During the four years of the Club's existence they have taken the annual "Big Hike" as described in the foregoing pages, and have found the plan entirely practicable. From the first, a night un- der the trees with only the blanket roll, was a success. 90 THE BIG HIKE '■L'ompk'xions are acquired." "Ladies' dormitory" and "Men's dormitory" mean noth- ing more than separate plots of ground, without build- ing or tents. They have traveled some thousands of miles all told in autos which do not have so much as a Black Hawk Hiking Club. Everybody works. sun shade. Complexions are acquired, the like of which cannot be purchased with money. The daily bath is taken in river or lake, and the health of the party is such that it is not unusual for THE BLACK HAWK HIKING CLUB 91 them to sing by the hour, out of the pure joy of Hving. Distances are covered by auto trucks, but, as in the case with the boys, there are many times each day when all are afoot, and the term ''Big Hike" fairly describes the outing. There is no difference to speak of between the Big The "Ladies' dormitory," Hike program of the Black Hawk Hiking Club and that of the boys, except that the former are more apt in arranging a camp-fire program; composing songs, and in the use of the camera. The matter of cooking, schedules, devotionals, each-person-a-job, and over- night are identical in both groups. The ladies' share with the men in all kinds of work, from, helping an auto out of a mud hole, to carrying 92 THE BIG HIKE wood and water, doing camp-police work, and they have even done guard through the long dark hours of the night. The first local hike, of what is now the Black Hawk Hiking Club, was taken in January 1920 on the ice of the Mississippi, with the thermometer at six below Black Hawk Hikers at the Dunes of Northern Indiana. zero. Every one was warmly clad, and the hikers re- turned with a new love for the out-of-doors and ready for another venture. We have since had over a hun- dred local hikes, averaging one for about every two weeks, at every season of the year, and regardless of weather. It is not uncommon to have from sixty to a hundred in the party, and we have discovered and learned to admire many charming spots within a few miles of our homes which previously were unknown, and therefore unappreciated and unsung. THE BLACK HAWK HIKING CLUB 93 On these local hikes we carry a bucket or two, and we never fail to have coffee or cocoa, and through the winter months we vary the bill of fare with an occa- sional oyster stew, soup, or some meat stew, all of these prepared over the camp fire. Our first Big Hike took us to Lake Michigan and the sand dunes of northern Indiana, where we lived night and day in the out-of-doors. We were all city folks, with the mincing appetite of the person of sedentary habits, but in an incredibly short time we had recov- ered such capacity for food as is common to growing children. It is not only during the period of the outing that the members have the time of their lives. Some of the best of it comes on the return home, where we find a The men's washroom. Black Hawk Hiking Club. 94 THE BIG HIKE brand new appreciation of the comforts and conven- iences — the bath, chests of clean clothes, rockers and easy-chairs; our feet under a dining table; and a bed — Oh, so soft! This appreciation should be credited as among the benefits of the Big Hike. CHAPTER X. Worth While Trips. EVERY Big Hike we have had has been highly worth-while, and it is only necessary to outline some of them to give an idea of what they contained. Our 1915 outing was a model, because of the variety of items found on a round-trip covering but two hun- dred miles all told. Twenty-eight of us were eleven days making the trip with three horse-drawn wagons. The first two nights were spent at an attractive lake near DeWitt, Iowa, where we had a beautiful camp, with boating, bathing, and good fishing — the fish, of course, finding their way into our frying pans. The third and fourth nights were spent in a wilderness country — the Maquoketa Caves, where we spent the day between partly at baseball and part time exploring the caves. The fifth night we were on the bluff known as Eagle Point, high above the Mississippi river, at Dubuque, Iowa, from which there was an inspiring view. 95 96 THE BIG HIKE Crystal Lake, Dewitt, Iowa. After another day of interesting sight-seeing and play we put up our tents on the slopes of Mount Sinsinawa in Wisconsin. Next day took us to the lead and zinc mines about Hazel Green, Wis., and to Galena, 111., where we visited the old store building within which U. S. Grant was engaged in the leather business preceding the Civil War. We saw at the post- office the famous painting by Nast, of the surrender of General Lee at Appomatox, and in Grant Park a statue of the famous general, and up on the hill the brick residence presented to him at the close of the Civil War, and in which he resided before being called to the White House as President. The night following found us encamped at the top of Sunset Hill, six or seven miles southeast of Galena. WORTH WHILE TRIPS 97 The caves near Maquoketa, Iowa. Next day our entire party was lowered 175 feet into the cavernous depth of a lead and zinc mine, a rare treat, as instructive as it was interesting. The two nights following were spent at the rocks overlooking the Mississippi at Savanna, 111. We crossed and re- crossed the Mississippi over the high bridges at Ful- The Big Hike. 7. 98 THE BIG HIKE ton, 111., and at Clinton, Iowa, and the last night of the trip found us on the bank of the Mississippi a few miles below Albany, 111., and within striking distance of Port Byron, at which place we would leave our The General U. S. Giant homestead, Galena, 111. horses and wagons and return by railroad to Rock Is- land, our starting point. The above gave us a fine variety : lakes, rivers, prec- ipices, caves, woods, lead and zinc mines, beautiful farms, historical points and cities of which we had heard but never seen, besides the usual sports and games in which boys indulge when at home. ^ ♦ ♦ ♦ Our first year's travel by auto, in 1918, gave us a fine round of inspirational travel also, with not to WORTH WHILE TRIPS 99 The Twin Sisters, Savannah, 111. exceed 400 miles of travel all told. Our first stop was at Galesburg, 111., where Mr. 0. L. Campbell took us to ''Old Main" of Knox College, and told us about the famous debate which he heard there in 1858- between Abraham Lincoln and Senator Stephen A. Douglas. We spent a couple of nights on the Illinois river at Quiver Beach, near Havana, excellent for bathing and boating, then spent a noon hour at Oakford, with Mr. John Armstrong, son of the ''Jack" Armstrong with whom, in 1831, the young Lincoln had the famous wrestling match. Mr. Armstrong proved a loyal son, for he said, "Mr. Lincoln did not throw my Dad. No- body could throw Dad." We admire the fellow who stands by his Dad. Mr. Armstrong explained that there were certain conditions under which the match 100 THE BIG HIKE AVith Mr. John Armstrong, son of the man wlio wrestled with Lineohi. was held, and that Mr. Lincoln won under those con- ditions. We were shown enlarged portraits of Mr. Armstrong's mother, while he told us about his moth- er's often ''foxing" Lincoln's pants, for Mr. Lincoln boarded with them after the Black Hawk war, while he was engaged as surveyor. The native prairie grass would cut the young surveyor's nether garments, and Mrs. Armstrong mended them. Another portrait showed Mr. Armstrong's brother Duff, whom Mr. Lin- coln defended, gratis, when the young man was WORTH WHILE TRIPS 101 wrongly accused of the crime of murder. As we were about to leave, our host brought out a gold-headed cane, and explained it was the first prize won by him in an old-fashioned fiddling contest. We prevailed upon him to give us an exhibition of his skill, which he The Offut store, of which Lincoln had charge, at "Old" New Salem, 111. did, and it was great. It was old-fashioned dance music and was compelling in its power to move. We expressed our thanks by producing our fifes, drums and bugles and giving him a few tunes. That night we prepared our supper at the old town- site of New Salem. The people of Petersburg, two miles away, were at this time replacing log buildings as they were in the '30s, when Abraham Lincoln, then an unknown young man of 21 years, came there, and 102 THE BIG HIKE for several years made it his home, meanwhile being engaged as merchant, miller, postmaster, surveyor, and law student. Here he met ''Jack" Armstrong of the Clary's Grove gang, Ann Rutledge, his first love; here he enlisted and marched off to the Black Hawk war as captain of his company, and it was while here that he was elected to the Illinois legislature. At night The Lincoln homestead, Springfiehl, 111. we appeared on the program of the Lincoln Chautau- qua, and were shown many valuable Lincoln relics, in- cluding the mill stones of the mill which he had super- intended at New Salem. Next day found us at Springfield, the state capital of Illinois, where we were shown through the old home- stead where the Lincolns lived for seventeen years — WORTH WHILE TRIPS 103 r- Lincoln's tomb, Oak Ridge Cemeteiy, Spring-field, 111. the only home he ever owned, and from which he moved, as President of the United States, to take up his residence in the White House at Washington. The great tomb of Lincohi, with its many relics, the county court house, which in his day was the capitol build- ing, and where he uttered some of his great addresses, were also visited. We had a couple of days at the state fair, where ex- President Theodore Roosevelt was the great attraction for the last day. We heard him speak in the after- noon, and at night he and Mrs. Roosevelt, together with Governor and Mrs. F. 0. Lowden and many other notables, made up part of the audience before whom we performed, for we had accepted an invitation to take part in "The Masque of Illinois," which was the 104 THE BIG HIKE crowning performance of the state centennial, and was presented under the direction of the Centennial Commission, appointed by the governor. Our party We heard Roosevelt. returned to Rock Island by way of Peoria and Gales- burg, having had a most profitable vacation. On the 1920 Big Hike to Mammoth Cave, and the Lincoln birthplace in Kentucky, we made sight-seeing stops at Peoria, the Illinois state university at Ur- bana, the Indiana state park at Turkey Run, old Vin- ceimes. West Baden, and French Lick, where we drank of the famous mineral waters. Next was Lincoln City, Indiana, where the Thomas Lincoln family lived in the half-faced camp, and where the mother of Abra- WORTH WHILE TRIPS 105 Where the Lincoln cabin stood, Lincoln City, Ind. Xancj' Hanks Lincoln Park, Lincoln City, Ind. 106 THE BIG HIKE ham Lincoln is buried; and then Rockport, on the Ohio, where the migrating family of Lincoln crossed in 1816, on their way to Indiana. We had a fine over-night camp here on a high point overlooking the Ohio river. Our fellows did not seem especially interested in the At Turkey Run, Indiana State Park. country as long as it was the same as we see at home. It is when we come upon scenes that are new and strange that the attention becomes riveted, though the sociability of the boys among themselves is always an element in making a trip worth while. The third morning out found one of our trucks still in the repair shop at Urbana, and as there was no danger of getting off our course, the boys started from our camp afoot, heading off toward Danville. Autoists WORTH WHILE TRIPS 107 going in the same direction would stop and invite them to ride, so that by the time our own machines came along, we found our fellows, here a few and there a few, scattered over a distance of 25 miles. Soon after we entered the state of Indiana, near In Indiana. Veedersburg, the aspect of the country changed con- siderably; the roads narrowed, rail fences appeared, and soon a left-over log cabin here and there was to be seen. Then as v/e journeyed on we came upon sassa- fras, beech and persimmon, all unknown in our home surroundings, and picturesque covered bridges of wooden spans; hills and woods. At old Vincennes we stopped to imbibe a bit of history of General George Rogers Clark and the days of the Revolutionary war. 108 THE BIG HIKE A young priest showed us through his church, which occupies the site of the one in which in 1778 the French inhabitants transferred their allegiance from England, and joined their fortunes with the struggling colonists. We also visited the mansion of William Henry Harri- son, which was built in 1804, while he was governor of Indiana territory. The scenes became more fascinating still after we left Owensboro, Ky., and proceeded over a hilly coun- try toward Mammoth Cave. We had some unusual difficulties, for while Kentucky has some of the finest roads, we selected a route through some ''back coun- try," which had no marked trails. It was necessary at every fork of the road to stop and inquire the way, and these people, like their brethren everywhere, never An interesting hill counti'V in Kentuckj\ WORTH WHILE TRIPS 109 agreed one with another on which was the right road or which was the best. Besides, to come to a halt every few miles to inquire, takes all speed out of a trip. Our route, which we had carefully worked out long before leaving home, was approved in full by a man we met in Indiana, who said he passed regularly over these roads every week, but when we reached one of the towns in Kentucky on this very route, an equally intelligent-looking man declared with equal emphasis that the proposed route was impossible, and directed us over another route, which would add miles to the trip. His directions we followed for better or worse. There is this consolation to the strange autoist: val- ley towns often have only a couple of ways to get out of them, so by the time you have asked several natives, some of them are bound to agree. Our first meal in Kentucky was at noon. We had permission to cook our dinner before a tiny log cabin home. Several people passed on horseback, a mode of travel new to us. Among them was a lady wearing the old-fashioned sun-bonnet and chewing a snuff-stick, and we saw a family jogging along in a wagon, using sitting-room chairs instead of a spring seat. Across the road from us was a rail fence, and beyond that a tobacco field. It was a week day, and a near-by church bell was ringing. "This," said some of the boys, ''is just like in the movies, with the horseback people, and the bell ringing to warn the moonshiners that there 110 THE BIG HIKE Our first meal in Kentucky. are strangers in the country." Going to the well, our water boys had to draw with a rope and bucket, and finished their task by accidentally letting the rope slip into the well. They apologized profoundly, but we had to leave it to the farmer to recover the rope and bucket. Late that afternoon, while at Hartford, we were overtaken by a heavy rainstorm, the only one of the trip. We huddled under our large canvas, which was brought for such emergencies, but it soon began to be more of a strainer than a shelter. After everybody was drenched the boys ran to a near-by eaves-spout and crowded each other to get the force of the water as it shot down upon them. We secured permission to spend the night in the warehouse of a Farmers' Co-operative company. Hav- WORTH WHILE TRIPS 111 ing taken possession of this, our boys donned their bathing suits and hung up their wet clothes to dry. Next morning all our clothes as well as our tarpau- lin were nicely dry, and we were off in the best of spirits for a day's encounter with mud roads. We soon reached Green river, which had to be crossed by ferry, but the landing at each side of the The contrivance which brought the auto out of the mud. river was barred by an auto stalled in the mud, and we could not pass until they were removed. Our boys prepared to help, again togging themselves in bathing suits. A horse and mule team was at hand, but these, with all the men and boys that could cluster about it, and with the ferry against the rear of the car, failed to move the first auto, for it had been there over night, 112 THE BIG HIKE and was well imbedded. Our party then called for a piece of cable which was at hand, and by attaching one end to the auto and the other to a tree, two stout wooden bars were taken and twisted upon the cable in such manner as to make a windlass — and the auto sur- rendered and came out. The second auto gave us less The ferry, Green Ri\er, KeimKk\'. trouble, and we were soon across and on our way. This ferry, of quite a primitive type, was attached to an aerial cable by means of lines and pulleys, and on being set at a proper angle, was driven across by the force of the current. After driving some distance we had again to cross the river — this time on a small ferry which was pro- pelled by means of great, long oars, such as we had WORTH WHILE TRIPS 113 seen pictures of, but had never before seen in actual use. We arrived at the famous Mammoth Cave long after dark, a badly mud-bespattered lot, but with the blood coursing warmly as a result of the many unusual inci- dents of the day. We cannot describe Mammoth Cave here. Our party made two trips, on successive days. Headed by our guide we saw the saltpetre vats and old wooden pipes used in the manufacture of saltpetre during the War of 1812-'14, saw the ''Giant's coffin," cork- screw, the wonderful ''Star chamber" effects, and many other interesting points within this largest of known caverns. At one place where the echoes were most remarkable, one of our boys gave bugle calls, and the sounds echoed and re-echoed until they blended like the music of some wonderful instrument. We took it upon ourselves to explore one cave with- out a guide — Dixon's Cave, which, as a native darkey said, "Isn't a cave at all. It's only a hole in the ground. It's only three-quarters of a mile long." We carried a quantity of fire-wood down the stony in- cline, and on, into the far depths, and had a bonfire, which but faintly lighted up the walls of this immense cavern. Some of the boys with flashlights continued their explorations far beyond our bonfire, until they heard a hissing sound. Our party did not learn what it was. The boys did not stop to investigate, for in a Til,' Biy II He. S. 114 THE BIG HIKE The spring. Lincoln's biithplaec farm, Hodgensville, Ky somber depth such as we were in, and without a guide, one has a feeling of more or less awe and uncertainty at best. We wondered how high the ceiling in the cave was. We cannot tell you now, except this — it was WORTH WHILE TRIPS 115 SO high that only a few of our best throwers could fling a carefully selected rock high enough to reach it. One of the leading objectives on the trip was the Abraham Lincoln birthplace farm. We camped there This building contains the log- cabin in which Abraham Lincoln was born. over night and secured our water supply at the same spring from which young Abraham got his first drink. We entered the marble, temple-like building, within which stands the very cabin in which the great eman- cipator was born. To wander over the premises was like treading upon sacred ground. As usual we took IIG THE BIG HIKE many snapshots which serve so well as records of places visited. A stop was made at Hodgensville, the little city nearest the Lincoln birthplace, and then we were off for Louisville, over perfect roads and on homeward through the ever-interesting Indiana coun- try. The year following we covered on our 1921 Big Hike less distance than we had for several years, only about 500 miles, but it was filled with most interesting places. It included Starved Rock with its precipices and canons; and Lake Michigan, with its wonderful bathing and dunes. We spent several days where the large sand dunes of northern Indiana and southwest- ern Michigan were at one hand, and the clear lake water lapped the gently sloping beach at the other. One of the features consisted in a twelve-mile walk to Michigan City, Indiana. We wore bathing suits for the trip, and part time we would be in swimming, or wading, or just walking along the beach. Right at the water's edge the sand was packed hard, and was a cool path for bare feet. But we took too little account of the glaring sun, intensified by its reflection in the water, and a few of our boys were blistered with sun- burn, one of them quite badly so. One morning, at Orchard Beach, Michigan, after a night of hard wind, we had a great time out in the high WORTH WHILE TRIPS 117 white-caps as they rolled in and broke upon the beach. We were told to be careful when the waves roll high, as in this case, for at times there is a strong undertow. The miles upon miles of country devoted exclusively to fruit growing was a source of interest. One day we Ine hike mi Lake Michig'an. witnessed the loading of thousands of crates of fruit upon one of the large lake steamers. It was our good fortune to board this same steamer and sail across the lake from South Haven, Michigan, to Chicago. It was an overnight voyage. The approach to the city while it was still dark, with the city's lights increasing in number as our horizon dropped to their level until it looked like an endless procession of lights ; passing the lighthouse and entering Chicago river, — it was day- light by this time, and watching the bridges, seven of 118 THE Bia HIKE them in succession, opening to let us pass, all of it was of absorbing interest. At Chicago we visited the wholesale produce market on South Water street, at its best. It is probably the busiest street in the world, with warehouses and side- walks piled with fruits, vegetables, poultry and prod- uce of all kinds ; with wagons and trucks backed to the curb, so tightly parked side by side, you would wonder how they could extricate themselves, and yet they seemed to move out and in as if there were plenty of room. The elevated road took us to the stock j^ards, where we saw some of the 13,000 pens, 8,000 double-deck pens, with room for 300,000 animals at a time, and the great packing houses where we saw hogs slaughtered Inspecting the stockyards, Chicago, 111. WORTH WHILE TRIPS 119 at a rate almost beyond belief. The cattle, while we were there, were being killed by a Jewish Rabbi, in order that his people might have ''Kosher" meat. He was a ''sight" all by himself, dressed in B. V. D.s and an apron, with long beard and piercing eye, and with bare arms wielding a long razor-edged butcher knife with which he executed his victims with a single stroke. He slaughtered only enough to supply the peo- ple of his own religion, after which the task was given over to the regular employes. We were told they have as many as 150,000 visitors per year to see these blood-bespattered scenes. One of the larger companies alone have 61,000 persons on their payroll, the most of them being employed at the Chicago slaughtering and packing plant. The new Field Museum at Grant Park, with its great Indian and other collections; the Art Institute with paintings which are famous the world over, and of which the boys had learned in their school work ; Lin- coln Park and its zoo; the down-town shopping dis- trict with its crow^ded walks, all these we found highly worth while. Much of the distance beside Lake Michigan, follow- ing Sheridan road to the Great Lakes Naval Training Station is like a parkway, and from the last-named place to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, we passed through a country beautiful with farms and herds, rivers and lakes. 120 THE BIG HIKE Snappy young fellows at Great Lakes naval training station. We were cordially received at the Yerkes Observa- tory on Lake Geneva, Wis., which is connected with Chicago University, and some of our ''hikers" consid- ered our visit there, with its instructive lecture on the subject of the telescope and astronomy, as being the most worth-while thing of the entire trip. Since many of our fellows had, on previous trips, seen some of the lakes and forests of Wisconsin, the items on the 1922 Big Hike which were new to us were the iron mines of Gogebic county. Upper Michi- gan, the great ore docks at Ashland, Wis., the visit to the Red Cliff Indian reservation ; the swim in icy Lake Superior, and above all, a motor-boat cruise among the WORTH WHILE TRlPii 121 group of Apostle Islands. At Raspberry Island the keeper of the U. S. lighthouse took our boys in groups of fours to the lamp at the top of the tower, and we found it a fascinating subject to be told about the flashing of the light; use of fog horns, etc. Another stop was at the lone log cabin of a Canadian French- Yerkes Obseivatory on Lake Geneva, Wis. man on Manitou Island. At Madeline Island w^e vis- ited the Chippewa Indian cemetery with its strange wooden structures over the graves, and we visited the old mission church of the Congregational denomina- tion, and its first church in Wisconsin, organized in the early days, and the present old building, being the "new" one, built in 1837. Our Sundaj^-school attend- ance was likewise on this island, at a small Evangeli- cal church, so small our boys more than half filled it. WORTH WHILE TRIPS 123 The "new" church, built 1837, on Madeline Island, near Bayfield, AVis. Our return homeward was via St. Paul and Minne- apolis, but before reaching the Twin Cities we spent a night on the shore of Shell Lake. Here we spied an unusually large number of frogs. Our boys dashed after them, returning in a short time with pockets bulging with frogs. Scores of them were dressed, and made a dainty dish, fried in bacon grease. The Dalles of the St. Croix are now an inter-state park. We spent a couple of hours there, climbing the rocks, and trying to interest the fish in hook and line to no avail. The Dalles are to be found at Taylor WORTH WHILE TRIPS 125 Falls, Minn., with the town of St. Croix Falls on the Wisconsin side of the river. After a night on White Bear lake we were off for St. Paul to see their beautiful Capitol and the historical building with its fine collections. At Minneapolis we were shown through the great Pillsbury flouring mills, among the largest in the world, and were taken down to where their turbines catch the force of what used to be St. Anthony's falls, but which is now harnessed for power. Minnehaha falls and Fort Snelling were visited also. At the last-named place a game of polo was to take place, and we watched them for a while, as they were warming up horse and man, in some pre- liminary practice. Our course then took us via Northfield, with its fine college, which we visited, and Austin, Minn., a small city of 11,000 inhabitants, which was completing a new high school at a cost of $800,000. The president of their school board found us and declared we must see the new building, which was a wonderful structure for the size of the town. We spent a night beside ''The little Brown Church in the vale" — the one of which the hymn is written — ''There's a church in the valley by the wild-wood," etc., located in the country a couple of miles from Nashua, Iowa. By way of variety a night's camp was had in the Tama, Iowa, Indian country, where we induced a young brave to lead our boys in a snake dance. After WORTH WHILE TRIPS 127 all, the 1922 trip was like those before it, in that it contained so*much of interest, one could write a book about it. * ♦ * ♦ All of us had looked forward to the Big Hike of 1923, for it was to take us to Niagara Falls. Instead A g-linipse of the Public iLarket, Hamilton, Ontario. of telling of the things we saw, as Great Lakes and small ones; corn and grain fields; vineyards by the hundreds of acres, and orchards of like acreage ; large cities like Detroit, Buffalo, Cleveland, and Chicago; a fine trip across Ontario, Canada; oil wells; lakes shipping ; historic spots, and the famous Niagara Falls ; Whirlpool rapids ; cascades above Goat Island, and the trip to the Cave of the Winds at the foot of the falls, instead of reciting these in detail, we will mention the 128 THE BIG HIKE Conmiodore Perry's flagship "Niagara," wliich saw service in the battle of Lake Erie, War of 1812— '14. Xow at Erie. Pa. human-contact side of the trip, not because it was ex- ceptional, but because we have said Httle about this part of a Big Hike in telHng of other trips. On our first Sunday out we were received with the usual fine consideration at the Sunday-school which our party of thirty-four attended. The evening of the same day we were at Camp Warren, Michigan, a camp owned by the Berrien county (Mich.) Sunday-school Association. Here we were invited to take part on their night program — giving songs and band music, WORTH WHILE TRIPS 129 and in turn we enjoyed the part of the program which was given by the boy campers there. At London, Ont., we found the local people much interested in our unusual travel-camp, and in addition to the interest of the people generally, newspaper reporters held us up to be photographed. At our camp at Niagara Falls we had visitors from various states, east and west, in attendance at our camp-fire and devotionals. At Tona- wanda, N. Y., after an afternoon of rain, we needed shelter. The chief of police, to whom we applied, promptly consented to our using the park, which we be- lieved would suit our purpose, but suggested we ask the mayor of the city also. While waiting for the mayor, the secretarj^ of the Y. M. C. A. spied us, and without any suggestion on our part, he invited us to spend the night under the ''Y" roof, which we gladly did. It had rained again as we neared Sandusky, Ohio. Meeting their city engineer by chance, he inquired where we were to spend the night. On learning that we had no plans, he suggested we stay at their Fair Grounds, and he led the way. When nearing the grounds, a merchant friend of his stepped aboard our outfits, and as he watched our boys starting a feeble fire, because the wood was wet, he said : "Wait a min- ute," and in a few minutes his delivery truck drove up with a lot of dry, wooden boxes for our use. At Freemont, 0., while viewing the collections in the The Bill liil^-<- 9. 130 THE BIG HIKE President Rutherford B. Haj^es Memorial, a son of the late President, Col. Webb Hayes, took us in charge and took pains in showing us about and telling us of their local history. Our second Sunday had been spent in the country near Erie, Pa., where a kind widow permitted us to The Magara above Goat Island. stay on her farm from Saturday night to Monday morning. At Sunday-school we again were given ev- ery mark of attention ; were given a special part — singing, in the regular church service; some of our boys were invited out to Sunday dinner by church members, and attended the young people's meeting at night. The milk of human kindness runs freely for a group of buoyant, eager, appreciative boys, and it is a con- ^ iagara Falls, 132 THt: BIG HIKE stant challenge to our better selves, trying to merit the kindness shown us. It has come to be a proverb among our fellows that 'The last Hike is always the best," and as we return to familiar sights and swing into the old home city, some one there always is, who, with profound convic- tion, repeats what others before him have said, 'This is the best Big Hike we've ever had." CHAPTER XL The United Sunday School Band. THE Big Hike, as described in the foregoing chap- ters, gives the collection of experiences of the United Sunday School Band of Rock Island, Illinois. The band had its start in a small mission Sunday- school in which the writer was honored with the posi- tion of superintendent. He also was teacher of a class of boys. Teacher and boys lived miles apart, with no connection one with another except for the brief Sun- day-school period. We had nothing in common except the lessons, and many of the fellows evidently took little interest in them. In order to do any effective work there had to be some additional contact, preferably some week-day ac- tivity. A fife and drum corps was suggested and met with immediate approval. Within a couple of weeks some of our boys reported that others, not in our Sun- day-school, wished to join our corps. We then made it a rule that any boy attending Sunday-school, any- where, regardless of denomination, could become a 133 134 THE BIG HIKE member. This was in January, 1909, and we have kept the rule unaltered, except that we set an age limit of twelve years before they could join. We also added the bugle as one of the regular instruments of the band. In addition to fife, drum and bugle practice, we have always taken local hikes, some military drill, given the The United Sunday School Band. boys opportunity for public appearance through giv- ing stereopticon talks, singing and programs, and we have appeared in a great many parades, at home and elsewhere. After some of the fellows became proficient in the use of their respective instruments, they were ap- pointed instructors, and for some years not a cent has been spent for teachers. Our best fifers would be given a class of three or four boys each, the drummers THE UXITED SUXDAY SCHOOL BAND 135 would be divided into two classes — advanced and be- ginners, and the same was done with the buglers, with chief fifer, chief drummer, and chief bugler respec- tively. We have a large room in the garage at the leader's residence, its brick walls hung with trophies and enlarged photographs of Big Hike scenes. The furniture is mostly benches of two-inch plank spiked to large-dimension uprights, and a gym mat sometimes is in use on the concrete floor. It is never necessary to ask the boys not to break the furniture. Very few ''don'ts" are necessary. We have had many meetings at which over a hundred members were present, en- tertaining themselves in their own way until they were called to order to begin the evening's work. The pro- gram is usually as follows: (1) Singing, using the stereopticon instead of song books. (2) Stereopticon views of hikes, or other subjects, with talks. (3) Practice period of about forty minutes, ad- journing to different rooms so as not to interfere with each other : drummers in one, buglers occupying a cou- ple of rooms elsewhere, and fifers in still another place. For a few winters we had also a mandolin and guitar club. (4) Re-assemble, roll call and announcements. (5) Band practice, in which we played our music, each carrying their own parts as best they could. 136 THE BIG HIKE Toward the end of the season, when the fellows had their tunes in hand, we would often divide into three or four "pony bands," assigning a boy leader to each, and send them in different directions out on the streets for parade practice. In all our plans the annual Big Hike had its most important place. It was the "pot of gold at the end of the rainbow," for only those were permitted to go who had favorable records of attendance at our regu- lar meetings, on local hikes, in our parades, and in their respective Sunday-schools; and so the Big Hike lure held us steady. As a rule, we did not require that a member should learn to play the instrument of his choice, for some boys seemed to have no music in them — they could neither whistle a tune nor guess correctly as between "Yankee Doodle," or "Girl I left behind me," or any other tune, even after a season of practice covering the months from January to Decoration Day in May, but they marched with us, carrying flags or assisting the bass drummer in carrying the drum, and in all respects, their enthusiasm for the cause was helpful. While we may have a pardonable pride in asserting that our boys have given excellent service in parades and programs, that the thrilling music of fife, drum and bugle has quickened the pulse of crowds lin- ing the street or hall, it is still true that our primary purpose has never been to create or train musicians, but to grow together in mutual helpfulness, share our THE UNITED 8UNDAY SCHOOL BAND 137 commoji experiences, to cement the ties which bind, and to lead toward the finer, and the higher things in life, which included, of course, a reverent considera- tion of the Scriptures. Many and many a boy has appeared for enrollment whose appearances at first sight were against him. Shabby, careless, rough spoken. In our judgment of him. we would have to call to his credit the fact that he was faithful in Sunday-school and regular at pub- lic school, with little else to recommend him. Prac- tically without exception, such boys have proven, on closer acquaintance, to be possessed of worthy charac- teristics, dependable, and with visions of a life of use- fulness ahead ; the kind, after all, upon which rests the future progress of our nation. Crossing tlie -Missisnippi ice at i{ock Island, 111. A lucal hike of the United Sundav School Band. The Bin Illlr. 10. AUGUSTANA BOOK CONCERN. PRINTERS AND BINDERS ROCK ISLAND, ILLINOIS