Determining the Exact North–South Direction Using Natural Phenomena
Translation details
Model:mistral-large-2512.Translated text
Section titled “Translated text”By day: a) the sun, b) the sun and a watch, c) a cut tree stump (rings thicker on the south side), d) moss on solitary trees not standing near water (moss on the north side), e) the tree crown (greater branch development on the south side).
¹) Before the instructor proceeds with terrain games and exercises, they should familiarize themselves with the basic knowledge in this field, contained in the following books:
Niezbrzycki J., Terrain Science.
Gąsiewicz S., Terrain Orientation Handbook for Non-Commissioned Officers.
School of the Young Soldier.
Gawkowski S., Field Sketches of a Scout.
At night: a) the North Star and the Great Bear, b) the Milky Way, c) the constellation Orion (in winter), d) the moon.
Game no. 1 and 2 is conducted as follows: Participants equip themselves with straight branches about a dozen centimetres long and sharpen one end. On the instructor’s signal, they lay them on the ground using the requested method mentioned above, pointing the sharp end toward the north or another direction specified by the instructor. After placing the sticks, the boys step aside. The instructor then checks the direction with a compass and determines who marked the direction most accurately.
This exercise should be repeated frequently in various circumstances and times of day, in the most diverse terrain, and under different weather conditions. However, it should always be required that each participant be able to transfer this direction into the terrain, defining it using terrain landmarks, e.g.: “North lies in the direction of the white house’s chimney” or “Marching east, I must head toward the left poplar,” etc.
Source scan: Polona / National Library, marked “Public Domain.” View scan — image 139.
Metadata
Section titled “Metadata”- Type: game
- Traits: Not stated in the source
- Source: Jan Jasiński, Gry i ćwiczenia terenowe (Harce terenowe) (1938)
- Printed pages: 131–132
- Digital edition: Digital edition · Source record
- Open the edition at the relevant page: p. 131
- Read the source text: gct-068