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Book of Woodcraft

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Birch Bark Roll
Book of Woodcraft

This book is really the eleventh edition of the "Birch-Bark Roll," which I have published yearly and expanded yearly since 1902. 

by Ernest Thompson Seton

[Only a very few of the writings from The Book of Woodcraft are provided here, chiefly those dealing with the "Indian Ideal" and a few other topics not included in the 21st Edition of The Birch Bark Roll, which appears on The Inquiry Net in its entirety.  I hope to include more of these missing topics in the future, and will be glad to work first on any areas where there is interest.  If you are interested in a topic below that you can't find in The Birch Bark Roll, please Email me using the address at the bottom of this page].

CONTENTS

Preface 

Table of the Seventeen Sections:

I. PRINCIPLES OF SCOUTING
Nine Important Principles Recreation .
Camp-life
Self-government, with Adult Guidance 
The Magic of the Campfire 
Woodcraft Pursuits 
Honors by Standards 
Personal Decoration for Personal Achievements 
A Heroic Ideal 
Picturesqueness in Everything
The Ideal 
II. THE SPARTANS OF THE WEST
The Indian Way 
The Indian's Creed 
The Dark Side 
The Bright Side 
Reverence 
Cleanliness 
Chastity
Bravery
Thrift and Providence 
Cheerfulness or the Merry Indian
Obedience 
Kindness 
Hospitality 
Treatment of Their Women 
Courtesy and Polite Behavior 
Honesty 
Truthfulness and Honor
Temperance and Sobriety
Physique
In General 
Summary
Standard Indian Books
III. THE PURPOSE AND LAWS OF THE WOODCRAFT INDIANS
The Redman's Way
Watchword 
Totem 
War-cry
Sign 
The Laws
The Rulers of the Nation .
The Great Council 
The High Council of Guidance 
The Medicine Lodge or Lodge of the Old Guides
The Initiation of a Brave
The Little Lodge
The Big Lodge 
The Laws for the Ruling of the Tribe
1. Name 
2. Purpose
3. Who May Enter .
4. Councils
5. The Rulers of the Tribe 
The Vow of the Head Chief 
The Vow of Each Brave
6. Changes of the Law .
7. Dues 
8. Secret 
9. Laws and Punishments
The Band or Clan 
Costumes
Titles of Nobles
Badges of Rank
The Standard 
Totems
Order of Doings in Council
How to Begin
The Tally Book and How to Keep It 
For Example
The Indian Laws in Brief
The War-cry of the Band
IV. HONORS AND DEGREES AND INDIAN NAMES:
HONORS
Decorations for Individual Honors
Decorations for Group Honors or Degrees 
Standards of Honors
Red Honors: 
Heroism
Riding 
General Athletics 
Athletic Specialties
Water Sports and Travel
Mountain Climbing
Target Shooting 
Eyesight
Big-game Hunting
White Honors:
Campercraft and Scouting 
Archery
Long Range Clout, or Flight Shooting
Fishing 
Bait Casting
Blue Honors:
Nature Study - Vertebrates
Nature Study - Lower Forms of Life
Geology, etc 
Photography 
THE DEGREES IN WOODCRAFT 
Athlete (Song-adis)
Camper (Gabeshiked) 
Camp Cook (Chabakwed)
Camp Craftsman (Enokid) 
Camp Doctor (Mashkiki)
Canoeman (Chemaunigan) 
Fisherman (Gagoiked) 
Forester (Mitigwakid) 
Frontier Scout (Gimab)
Gleeman or Camp Conjurer (Nagamed)
Herald or Crier (Bibaged)
Horseman (Bebamomlgod)
Hunter (Gaossed)
Mountaineer (Wadjiwed)
Pathfinder or Scout (Mikan)
Scout Runner (Ree-mo-sah'-bee)
Sharpshooter (Godaakwed)
Star Wiseman (Gijiged)
Swimmer (Shingebis)
Traveler (Bebamadisid)
Village Scout or Big Village Scout (Odenawinini)
Whiteman's Woodcraft (Dibaakid)
Wise Woodman (Nibwaka-winini)
Winning a Name
Indian Names that Have Been Won by Scouts
English Names that Have Been Given
Indian Names Given in Ridicule
English Names Given in Ridicule
Names Given to Women
V. WOODLAND SONGS, DANCES, AND CEREMONIES
Omaha Tribal Prayer
Sitting Bull's War Song
The Ghost Dance Song
The Peace Pipe Ceremony
The Scalp Dance
Bird Dance Song
The Mujje Mukesin
The Lament
The Caribou Dance
The Dance of the White Caribou
The Dog Dance
The Ojibwa Snake Dance
The Hunting of Mishi-Mokwa
Indian Song Books
The Weasel in the Wood
Le Furet
Rouser or Reveille
VI. SUGGESTED PROGRAMS 
A Series of Monthly Programs
Suggestions for Evenings
Animal Story Books for Evenings
Indoor or Winter Activities
Handicraft
Games 
Studies
Songs
Dances
Robe Contest 
Suggested Camp Routine
Good Program of an Entertainment at a Council
Indoor Competition for a Prize
One-day Hikes
VII. GENERAL SCOUTING INDOORS 
Handicraft Stunts 
Fork and Spoon 
Needle Case 
Tackle Box 
Peach Stone Basket 
Turkey Call
Chicken Squawk 
Picture Frames 
Birch-bark Vessels
Souvenir Spoons 
Knots
Fireside Trick 
The Lone Star Trick 
Bird Boxes or Houses 
How to Raise Some Money
VII. GENERAL SCOUTING OUTDOORS
Rubbing-stick Fire 
Hiking in the Snow
Weather Wisdom 
Outdoor Proverbs
The Stars
The Pleiades as a Test of Eyesight
The Twin Stars
The Planets
The Moon
Making a Dam
When Lost in the Woods 
Indian Tweezers 
A Home-made Compass 
An Indian Clock, Shadow Clock or Sundial 
Lights
Hunter's Lamp 
Woodman's Lantern 
Camp Loom and Grass Mats
Navaho Loom 
Camp Rake 
Camp Broom
Building a Boat
A Dugout Canoe
Camp Horn 
Sleep Outdoors
The Gee-string Camp
IX. SIGNALING AND INDIAN SIGNS 
Sign Language 
Picture-writing 
Blazes and Indian Signs 
Blazes 
Stone Signs 
Grass and Twig Signs 
Smoke Signals 
Signal by Shots
Special Signs 
Weather Signals
Signals on the Railway 
The Code
Colors 
Hand, Flag, and Lamp Signals 
Other Hand Signals
Signals by Engine Whistle 
Air Whistle or Cord-pull
X. CAMPERCRAFT OR THE SUMMER CAMP 
Camping Out 
Outfit for Six (one week)
Outfit for Each Brave 
Tents 
Teepee
The Camp Ground
Latrine
Arriving on the Camp Ground
Camp Officers and Government 
The Dog Soldiers
Inspection
The Horns of the High Hikers 
Council-fire Circle 
Totem-pole 
Councils 
Beds 
Water or the Indian Well
Mosquitoes, Black Flies, etc
Lice and Vermin 
Suggested Camp Routine 
Campfires 
Council-fire 
Firearms Camp Cookery 
War-sack 
Scout Buttons 
Lace or Thong
XI. GAMES FOR THE CAMP 
Interesting Pursuits
Tilting Spears 
Tilting in the Water 
Tub-Tilting on Land
Still-hunting the Buck, or the Deer Hunt 
The Bear Hunt
Spearing the Great Sturgeon
Canoe Tag 
Scouting
 Quicksight
Far-sight or Spot-the-rabbit 
Home Star or Pole Star 
Rabbit Hunt
Arrow Fight 
Hostile Spy 
Scout Messenger
Challenge for Scout Messenger 
Tree the Coon
Navajo Feather Dance 
Feather Football or Feather-blow 
Cock-fighting 
One-legged Chicken Fight
Stronghand
Badger-pulling
Stung, or Step-on-the-rattler 
Buffalo Chips
Rat-on-his-lodge
Watching by the Trail 
Trailing 
Apache Relay Race
The Weasel in the Wood 
Throwing the Spear
Water-boiling Contest 
Medley Scouting
XII. HEALTH AND WOODLAND MEDICINE
First Aid: 
To Revive from Drowning
Sunstroke 
Burns and Scalds
Hemorrhage or Internal Bleeding 
Cuts and Wounds 
Lightning
Shock or Nervous Collapse
Fainting
Mad Dog or Snake Bite
Insect Stings
Tests of Death 
Cinders or Sand in the Eye
Books Recommended
Wildwood Remedies or Simples: 
Antiseptic or Wound Wash
Balm for Wounds 
Bleeding to Stop
Bowel Complaint
Bowel Tonic
Chills and Fever
Cold or Fever Cure
Cough Remedy
Cough and Irritated Throat 
Cough and Lung Remedy 
Diuretic
Face-ache 
Inflammation of the Eyes or Skin
Ink
Lung Balm 
Nose-bleed
Nose Stopped up at Night
Pimples and Skin Rash
Poison Ivy Sting
Purge, Mild
" Strong
 " Fierce
Rheumatism 
Sores and Wounds 
Sunburn
Sweater
Tapeworm
Throat Irritation (at night)
Tonic
Wash for Sore Throat
Worms
Worms and Tonic
Wound Wash, (see Antiseptic)
Indian Bath or Sweat Lodge
Latrine
The Keen Eyes of the Indian
Near-sightedness
The Remedy
Dry Socks
Shut Your Mouth and Save Your Life
Don't Turn Out Your Toes Much
Tobacco
Sex Matters
Starvation Foods in the Northern Woods
Rabbits
Mice
Ants
Insect Borers
Rawhide and Leather
Bark and Buds
Toadstools
Lichens
Iceland Moss
Reindeer Moss
Rock Tripe
Drinks: Labrador Tea
XIII NATURAL HISTORY
Our Common Birds, or Forty Birds that Every Boy Should Know
How to Stuff a Bird 
Making a Skin
Mounting the Bird
Owl-stuffing Plate
Stuffing an Animal
Preserving Small Mammal Skins.
Directions for Measurement 
Directions for the Preparation of Skins 
Trapping Animals
The Secrets of the Trail 
Trailing
Hard to Photograph Tracks
No Two Tracks alike
Dog and Cat
Wolf 
Rabbits and Hares 
The Newton Jack-rabbit
Fox
The Fox's Hunt 
Closing In
Books and Articles Recommended
XIV. MUSHROOMS, FUNGI OR TOADSTOOLS
Abundance
Dangers
Symptoms of Poisoning 
Remedy
To Make Spore Prints for Study
Poisonous Toadstools
Unwholesome but Not Deadly Toadstools 
Wholesome Toadstools
Uncertain Kinds
Cautions for the Inexperienced
Mushroom Growing
Books Recommended.
XV. FORESTRY
Fifty Common Forest Trees of Eastern North America
Pines
Spruces
Cedars
Poplars
Walnuts
Birches
Hornbeams
Oaks
Elms
Gums
Maples
Basswoods
Ashes
Books Recommended
XVI. SOME INDIAN WAYS
Teepees
Storm-cap or Bull Boat
Putting up the Teepee
Teepee Life 
Hairy-Wolf's Teepee
Art
Indian Seats
Head Band
Warbonnet or Headdress
Its Meaning
Plenty-Coups
Details of the Warbonnet
Making the Warbonnet
Indian Costume
War-shirt
Leggings 
Moccasins
War-clubs
Paddles
Drum
Peace Pipe
The Indian or Willow Bed
Indian Paints
Indian Dyes
Naming the Camp or Keeping the Winter Count
Archery
How to Make a Bow 
Holding and Drawing
 The Warbow of the Penobscots
Scalps
Indian Work
XVII. CAMPFIRE STORMS OR GLIMPSES OF INDIAN CHARACTER 
The Teachings of Winnemucca 
The Teachings of Wabash I.
The Lessons of Lone Chief 
The Teachings of Tshut-che-nau 
Courage or the Trained Scout 
An Indian Prayer
Genesis (Omaha) 
The Quiche's Story of Creation 
Clean Fatherhood
Omaha Proverbs
The Medicine Man and His Ways 
The Indian Silence
The Indian Babes in the Woods
The Story of No-Heart
Tecumseh
Kanakuk, the Kickapoo Prophet
Chief Joseph of the Sahaptin
White Calf, Chief of the Blackfeet
Wovoka, the Prophet
The Apache Indian's Case
The Wiping-out of Nanni-Chaddi
The Ending of Dull Knife's Band
The Message of the Indian

Ernest Thompson Seton

 

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