Adventure Magazine Cover, April 3, 1918 — page 192: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

190 Survey Maps of the Adirondacks showing contours (elevations), and if you write for Adirondack Index Sheet and get the sheets covering the route of the river, you will have the best maps there are to travel by. Paste cheese-cloth on the backs. I cut mine on the black rectangular lines, to fold them without breaking. As to outfit, I enclose a sheet of suggestions. Would add that each member could carry a water- proof blanket, woolen blanket and hammock, folded inside the waterproof. Swing hammocks between trees and hang waterproof over hammock, dry bed; drip, in rain will follow the lines down into ham- mock, unless you warp handkerchief around to switch it to the ground. Don’t forget fly dope. Going to Sea _ Question:—“T am a high-school boy seventeen years old and would like to have some information about the sea. “How can a boy work up to become a ship’s officer, and how long does it usually take? What is the rate of pay for officers?” , superior, Wis. Answer, by Captain Dingle:—It matters little how you start going to sea in order to become an officer, but of course you must enter the Deck Department of ships. It is not hard in these days for a young man to get a job aboard ship; men are badly needed— prospective officers are encouraged. Supposing first of all that you are healthy, fairly robust, and have good eyesight, you can do either of several things: enter one of the big lines as a cadet, ship as boy in any ship—ocean-going for preference—or enter ohe of the various branches of the Naval Reserve Service. All this experience will count. You must serve on deck three years usually before you are eligible to take the examination for second mate. The knowledge in navigation neces- sary for this examination must be acquired by your- self, either by study aboard the ship in your own time, or by attending a school ashore between voy- ages. It is by no means difficult. A high-school education is more than most sailors have before going to sea. Then, when you get the second mate’s license, and have served one year in that capacity, you can take the first mate’s exam.; and with one year’s service as first mate, the master’s exam. is open to you. You should be at least first mate in four years. But in these war days I think a smart man can become an officer quicker than the law stipulates. Barriers are being lowered in order to secure officers, Pay for officers at present is high. ‘Third mates are receiving as much as $75 per month. Of course they are fed well and gratis; their lodging is in the ship, free. Second mates can get up to $200, and mates as much as $300 in the Atlantic Trade. Captains are making huge sums, with war bonuses, gratuities, etc. But after the war, you will, per- haps, realize, these wages can not obtain, unless freights are to remain at their present exorbitant rates. This can hardly be, I think, since trade can not stand such charges. In any case, asteamer’s officer is paid well enough to make the profession attractive, and the life is good. My advice is that you go to your nearest port on the seacoast, and apply in person to the chief mate Adventure or captain of any good-sized ship going anywhere. The chief mate usually éngages the men, subject to the skipper’s approval; but for a youngster to start right he should try to select a fairly good-class skipper, talk to him in person, and enlist his inter- est. Captains in these times are of a superior mold to the old-timers, at least in education and breeding, though perhaps not better seamen. I'll be glad to know how you succeed, and am always at your service. : The Canadian Northwest Question: —“‘Are conditions good in B. C. or Al- berta for a man who is willing to do any work in order to live and learn the country? I am not destitute, but wish to earn my way while absorbing what the country has to offer to soothe an itching foot and an imagination that seeks food for a diary of adventure.” , Detroit, Mich. Answer, by Mr. Carson:—You certainly have the right idea of how to come to B. C. or any other place which is new to you and where the conditions are different from those in the East, since the one way to obtain information about a country is to live there a while. Employment of all kinds is to be had almost any- where out here, the larger cities being distributing points for the districts in which they are situated. Just at present the mills, shipyards and logging- camps are simply howling for help and the pay is good, the cost of living rather less than it is in the East while so far as I can learn, the relations be- tween employer and employee are much pleasanter than almost anywhere else. By coming now you could learn enough to land a job with a surveying party or on the reclamation or forestry service in the Spring and for an outdoor man these jobs are hard to beat. The war has stripped B. C. of her best men, in some instances whole districts have been practically depopulated which means just that many openings for the new- comer. ‘These things have to be learned and the one way to do it is to come and take what you can get until such time as you can get what you want. I can not see a single reason why an independent man should hesitate to come to the coast, Western Washington being as good a place as any to begin gathering experience, since the conditions here are almost identical with those across the Line and getting more so every day. If there is any particu- lar brand of labor which you are partial to, let me know what it is and I will give you my opinion as to which would be the best place to locate. Lumbering in Tennessee Question: —“Will you kindly give me some in- formation regarding the lumbering industry in your district? Also advise me as to necessary steps I would have to take to get a position in lumbering camps. “T am twenty years old, have high-school educa- tion, and two years’ clerical experience in the city.” —FREDERICK C. RoomME, New York City. Answer, by Mr. Liebe:—Concerning the lumber- ing and logging operations in my district, they are being carried on chiefly far back in the hills; though sometimes the logging outfit is in the hills, and the MICLOO© SS (C@