Adventure Magazine, December 10, 1924 — page 208: what you’re looking at

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

186 cities and towns in which it will be held. Great care should be used by you in filling out this paper, since your rating on experience is obtained from it. This should be kept in mind, particularly in answer- ing the questions about your former work which, if any, bears on the work of the service, such as work on farms and ranches; handling stock, horses, cattle or sheep; work in the logging woods or at a sawmill; surveying and the like. Do not be afraid of going into all detail necessary to give them a clear idea of what you know and can do, since ex- perience covers forty per cent. of the possible one hundred per cent. covering the entire examination. Men that often pass a very creditable written test, fall down on experience for that reason. The same may be said to be also true of the written test at time of examination. Don’t be afraid to use plenty of paper, which is furnished you by the examiner; and don’t be afraid to take all the time allowed, which in the past has been always six hours. Give them all you’ve got, and use time and care with your penmanship. The rating officer has not time to waste in trying to figure out what an applicant is trying to write. If he can not read the paper readily he marks it a “goose egg’’ and goes on to the next. I can not give you help regarding the actual questions except in a very general way, since each st is entirely different from all previous ones. there will be questions on surveying and lumbering, fire-fighting and stock-raising. Probably the com- ating of areas in simple form, which will require you to know and use the number of feet in a rod and a mile. LSO you should know what is meant by the vari- ation of the compass, and be able to state the declination for same country with which you are familiar. You should know and be able to apply by name some practical rule for finding out the board content of a log of any given diameter and length. Also be able to describe some national forest with which you are more or less familiar, giving its principal topographic features, and have something to say about its resources. You will also have to be prepared to answer some very practical questions about fighting forest fires. You may run up against questions regarding cattle- branding—either have to draw out brands from a written description or identify brands in writing from the printed object. This has sometimes been included. A study of Carey’s manual ‘“‘Woodsman’s Hand- book”’ might be of great help to you. To date there have never been given so-called ‘“‘catch questions.” All are very practical, and the taking of the exam- ination is a liberal education as to what you know or don’t know. Whether you pass it or not, you will find it interesting. An applicant must receive a rating of 70 per cent or better to pass. required to obtain only 65 per cent to pass, and preference is also given them for appointment. Applicants must be between the ages of 21 and 40 years at the time of passing or taking the examina- tion. Papers are usually rated and applicants in- formed of the rating obtained by the following March or April. The eligible list from which ap- pointments are made is-‘usually issued soon after the applicants are notified of ratings. Ex-service men of any war are . Adventure The entrance salary is $1220. per annum, and rangers have to provide their own horse and living equipment. They are given a forage and a travel allowance in addition to their salary, and usually quarters are provided with stoves or ranges and a limited equipment, though seldom bedding. Many men have found it advisable to work for a summer season or two on some national forest in the West before attempting to take the examina- tion. You do not need to be uneasy about at- tempting it for that reason, however. It is not considered a difficult one for an average, wide- awake man to pass. He must, however, have some knowledge of the matters involved. If you decide to take the examination, permit me to wish you the best of luck. I hope that you will find herein the information you desired. When you get something for nothing, don’t make the other fellow pay the post- age on it. Whales and Whaling HONTING the world’s biggest game: Question: —‘T dislike very much to disturb you in this manner; but public libraries are unavailable to me, whose ship remains in port (a tanker) twenty-fours hours generally, and ofttimes less. Also I am sure you have at your finger-tips facts that I might never find out for myself otherwise. So I take the liberty to address you these questions. First and generally: I wish a whole encyclopedia about whales; in short terse words. Numerating: Their habitats and seasons of gathering at these habitats. Average weight and length and amount of oil and bone. Greatest weight, length and amount of oil and bone. Value of gallon of oil. Of bone per pound. Method used by whalers to extract this oil. Probable loss on an average whale when whalers of experience have taken all they can before the body sinks. Are whales as numerous as always? You might if you have the facts handy, tell me of the best banks where whales are always to be found, and any other facts, just in short words to make it easy for you. I am a master of steam vessel for two years and a chief mate for four years. That I’m going whaling is obvious, and I will certainly appreciate your kindness. As a last word you might mention books or other sources of information on the subject, for I realize I’ve got a lot to learn. Thank you a hundred times; and when I take my first whale I’ll remember to send you a part of him.”—G. T. B., San Pedro, Calif. Answer, by Mr. B. Brown:—There are a dozen different varieties of whale. For example, the bowhead or right whale, the largest of all, which of recent years is found almost exclusively in the Arctic. The sperm whale is found in all of the waters of the globe, and the old-fashioned whaler after sperm whale quite frequently in a leisurely way circled the entire globe, killing sperm whale everywhere from the Caribbean Sea to the Indian Ocean or the Sea of Japan. As it feeds on the giant squid, the sperm whale is found more often in Go [DOO = a =