TravelingintheJungle

　　Junglecountryisnotfriendlytoman,butitispossibletosurvivethere.Youmusthavetherightequipmentandyoumustknowafewimportantthingsaboutwoodcraft.Thenyourchancesofstayingaliveareverygood.

　　Nooneshouldgointothejunglewithouttherightequipment.Youneedlightweightclothing,agoodknife,andacompass.Fishhooksandaline,arifleandammunition,matchesinawaterproofcontainerarenecessarytoo.Soisamosquitonettoprotectthehead.

　　Inthejungleyoucangethopelesslylostwithinfiveminutesafterleavingaknownlandmark.Thatiswhyyoushouldalwayscarryacompass.Inopencountry,duringtheday,youcantellwhichwaytogobystudyingthesun.Atnightthestarsaresureguidestodirection.Butinmostplacesthejunglerooftopissothickthatitisimpossibletoseethesunorthestars.Againandagainyoumustcheckyourpositionbycompass.

　　Keepwatchful.Watchthegroundinfrontofyoucarefully.Stopandlistennowandagain.Avoidhaste,andrestoften.Inaplacethatishotanddamp,thepersonwhosetsafastpacewillsoonbecometired.Asteady,evenpaceiswisestinthelongrun.

　　Ifyouloseyourway,don’tbescared.Trytodecidehowlongithasbeensinceyouweresureofyourposition.Markthespotwhereyouareonatree.Putthemarksonfoursidesofthetree,sothatyouwillbeabletoseethemfromanydirection.Thenyoucanbeginretracingyoursteps,knowingthatyoucanalwaysfindthespotfromwhichyoustarted.Exceptinanemergency,nevertrytotravelthroughthejungleatnight.

　　Wheneverpossible,itiswisetofollowstreamsandriversthataregoinginyourgeneraldirection.Thismaycauseyoumanyextramilesoftravel.Butintheenditwillsavetimeandenergy.Nothingismoreexhaustingthancuttingoutatrailcross-countrythroughunbrokenjungle.

　　Ifariverisbroadanddeepandhasnorapids,raftingisthebestmeansoftravel.Bamboogrowsalongthebanksofmanyjunglestreams.Sinceitishollowandextremelystrong,itmakesaperfectraft.

　　Ifpossible,stayawayfromhighridgeswhenyouaretravelingthroughjunglecountry.Theyareoftencoveredwithclimbingpalms.Theyhavesharpthornsthatcutandtearatyourclothing.Evenwithasharpknife,itisalmostimpossibletocutoutapaththroughclimbingpalmswithoutgettingcompletelycaughtinthem.

　　Mosquitoeswillbewithyouallthetime.Theonlydefenseagainstthemistoweartherightkindofclothing.Youshouldneverwearshortsinthejungle.Yourtrousersmustbelightweightandlong.Thelegsofthetrousersshouldbetuckedintoyourboottops.

　　Findingwaterthatissafetodrinkcanbeaproblem.Manyclearandfresh-lookingstreamsandriverscarrygermsthatcanbedeadlytoman.Streamsfoundnearnativevillagesarealwaysdangerous,eveniftheyareclearandfresh-looking.Suchwatermustalwaysbeboiledbeforeyoudrinkit.

　　Luckily,thejunglehasmanykindsofplantsandvinesthatgivewater.Thebigrough-barkedvinescalledlianas(藤蔓植物)areoneofthebestsourcesofwater.Asectionseveralfeetlongshouldgiveyoumorethanacupofclearwater.Waterfromalmostallplantsispureenoughtodrink.Butstayawayfromvinesthathavebitterormilkyjuice.

　　Manyjungleplantsalsoprovidefood.Beforeyougointothejungle,learntorecognizethevarietiesofplantsthatcanbeeaten.Ifyouhaven’thadachancetodothis,watchwhatkindso