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ENJOYING EACH OTHER 269
last," and often they are right. Good weather usually sets in by slow degrees. The proverb,
"Mackerel sky, Twelve hours dry,"
is a very true one.
In summer, heavy dews at night mean fine weather; but if in hot weather, after many dewy nights, a dewless one comes, it is a sure sign of rain.
Thunderstorms that come up with the winds will pass over soon; but those that come against the wind will be more severe and will last longer.
Eleven o'clock in the morning is the best time to find out what the weather is going to be for the rest of the day.
"Rain before seven, Fine before eleven,"
is a good old country saying.
Our rainiest winds are the sou'westers. When the weathercock swings from west to south, look out for squalls; but when the weather-cock swings with the sun, it is a hopeful sign of fine days.
To the scout, to the hunter, and to all outdoor men, the language of the winds and clouds, and the effect of the weather on wild life form a study of deepest interest and of highest value.
Indian Signs
Lately I have been much interested in the study of sign language, a study suggested, of course, in the country by memories of the Indians. A good deal is made of this in Ernest Thompson Seton's Woodcraft League. His "Woodcraft Manual" tells how to write messages in Indian pictograph, how to understand railroad signals, how to read the flags of the Weather Bureau, how to signal with smoke, stones, and "patterns," and how to talk in the deaf-and-dumb alphabet. This |
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