The End of 2018 and the Beginning of 2019 ©

It is the end of 2018 and The Woodsman’s Journal Online is officially three months old.  It has been a busy three months, and I would like to thank everyone who has visited the Woodsman’s Journal and read my articles or has watched my videos at Bandanaman Productions on YouTube.  Thank you and I hope that the coming New Year is kind to you.

At the end of this old year and the beginning of the new, I want to take a moment to define and refine the mission statement for both the Woodsman’s Journal and Bandanaman Productions.  Over the last twelve years, ever since I started teaching wilderness and survival skills, I have found that that the part of this journey that I enjoyed as much as being out in the wilderness doing things or teaching people how to thrive in the outdoors; was doing the research. 

I am a voracious reader and researching how to do things in the woods or authentic woods lore from 18^th, 19^th, 20^th and 21^st centuries is something that I enjoy and is, if I do say so myself, something that I have gotten very good at.  So…

The mission of The Woodsman’s Journal Online and Bandanaman Productions is to be the best-researched resource available to the online user.  My articles and videos are intended to be a compilation of my research, this way you the reader or viewer, will not have to spend your time doing the research that I have already done.  So that you can gather more information for yourself, if you choose, I will always provide a list of the sources I have consulted and endnotes when and where needed. 

 

A note on Evidence and Positive Proof, a selection from Williams, A Compendious and Comprehensive Law Dictionary, 1816

To be the best-researched resource available, I will follow the rules and practices outlined below.  To provide proper evidence and conclusions, and to establish positive proof, I will always use at least three sources for every article, whenever they are available.  When three different sources are not available and there cannot be positive proof, which is very likely when researching antique woods lore from the 18^th and early 19^th centuries, since everyday skills of everyday people, were generally not recorded, as they were not deemed important; I will use circumstantial evidence and the doctrine of presumption.  The doctrine of presumption states that, “…when the fact itself cannot be demonstratively evinced, that which comes nearest to the proof of the fact is the proof…” (Williams, 1816).  I will always tell you when I am using circumstantial evidence and the doctrine of presumption.

 

A section from Miller’s Camp Craft, 1916, p. 168

Lastly I will always tell you when I have not actually done something myself and I am reporting someone else’s experience.  In addition, I will endeavor, whenever practical, to experiment with the techniques, methods and tips and then report to you on the results.

Again, a most heartfelt “Thank You” to everyone who has visited the Woodsman’s Journal and read my articles or has watched my videos at Bandanaman Productions on YouTube; I wish the best to you for the coming New Year.

Sources:

Warren H. Miller, Camp Craft: Modern Practice and Equipment, [Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York, NY, 1916], p. 168 https://books.google.com/books?id=tdY1AAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=Camp+Craft+-+Modern+Practice+And+Equipment&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjMpImer8XeAhUtvlkKHYEbAVgQ6AEIKjAA#v=onepage&q=Camp%20Craft%20-%20Modern%20Practice%20And%20Equipment&f=false, (accessed 11/8/2018)

Thomas Walter Williams, A Compendious and Comprehensive Law Dictionary; Elucidating the Terms and General Principals of Law and Equity, [Printed for Gale and Fenner, Paternoster Row, London, 1816], EVIDENCE p. 2 https://books.google.com/books?id=sw8yAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false, (accessed 4/18/2017)

Who is a “Woodsman”, what is a “Journal” and why should I read this Blog?

A woodsman is, to use the words of The Century Dictionary (1895), “One who dwells in or frequents the woods, as a wood-cutter, sportsman, hunter, or the like” and Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, defines a woodsman as "one who lives in or frequents a forest: an expert in the arts and skills of living or travelling in the woods".  Therefore, this Blog is for those of you who spend time in the woods or who would like to spend time in the woods and want to know more about woodcraft, camping and survival.

The word journal and journey come from the same early French word, jour, which is derived from the Latin dies, and relates to a day’s events and a day’s travels.  In fact, Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary of the English Language (1839), defines a journal as “a diary, an account kept of daily transactions; any paper published daily” and a journey as “the travel of a day; travel by land, distinguished from a voyage or travel by sea; a passage from place to place”.  This Blog is a journal, because a good blog is written regularly, if not daily, and because traveling through the woods and learning woodcraft and camping skills is a journey, which we will take together. 

There is a lot written about woodcraft, survival and camping, so why should you read this Blog?  Ten years ago, my oldest son challenged me, he wanted to become active in Boy Scouts, camping and 18^th century re-enacting, and while I had always been interested in camping, survival and history and had spent a lot of time canoeing, camping and doing things in the woods, teaching is an entirely different kettle of fish!  I knew what I knew and I knew I needed to know more to become an excellent teacher.  So, I began to read and research everything I could find on the subject of woodcraft, camping and survival during the 18^th century, the 19^th and 20^th centuries and the 21^st century.  I had many questions that I found answers to and I thought that if I had questions then so must others.  I found that I enjoyed teaching and sharing my accumulated knowledge and I hope that by publishing the answers to my questions, it will help you the reader and that is why you should read my Blog.

References:

William Dwight Whitney, Ph.D., The Century Dictionary, Vol VIII, (New York: Century Co., New York, 1895) p 6969. Reprinted in https://books.google.com/books?id=sUDU0mte7G4C&pg=PA6969&dq=woodsman+dictionary&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj9xdPXmOLaAhUSnlkKHQ6FD88Q6AEILDAB#v=onepage&q=woodsman%20dictionary&f=false (accessed 8/27/18)

Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, Vol. I to III, (Merriam-Webster Inc., 1986), 301-302 and 2631.

Samuel Johnson, Dictionary of the English Language, (London: John Williamson and Co., 1839) 545. Reprinted in https://books.google.com/books?id=1fMxAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA1-PA400&dq=editions:zPCZcM5kjhwC&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjEh_HEgY7dAhXGTd8KHVEGDxMQ6AEISzAG#v=onepage&q&f=false (accessed 8/27/2018)