Posted by Ed Kiser on October 16, 2003 at 04:13:39 from 205.188.208.8 user Kisered.
The Swallows have had their first look at the valley called
Swallowdale, and started looking for some sort of lookout
post. Looking back to the east, they see a ribbon of lake
and there on the other side they can even see Holly Howe, and
spot a white speck there on the lawn, thinking it is maybe
Bridget or Nurse's white apron. An interesting possiblity
comes to mind...
SD-Ch12
"We could even signal to mother if we
wanted anything, or she could signal to us."
At no time did Mother get involved in any signalling, and
it is not known if she knows Morse or Semaphore codes, but
they do think that some sort of signalling would be possible.
They did not ever make use of this possibility.
Maybe it would involve Mother, and that gets a Native
being involved in the signalling which is more properly
a skill of the explorers.
They do feel the need to get word to her each day, and plan
to send a written note to her via Mary who normally rows
across the lake each day, and can thus stop by Holly Howe
and deliver those posts.
It's an interesting possiblity of some really long distance
signalling perhaps using a flashlight at night, as the distance
probably would not make the flag waving a feasible mode of
communication. A simple spark from a torch if before a dark
background can be seen for quite a distance. It is almost too
bad they did not try to attempt this rather long distance mode of
signalling. An opportunity - lost...
It seems that the longest distance of signalling in these books
was by Nancy hoisting a flag at Beckfoot which was interpreted
by Dick up at the observatory as being "Go to North Pole".
Then there was Dick's signalling from the North Pole the letters
"NP" that Nancy saw from Beckfoot, which apparently was quite
some distance away.
Just wondering if any of the TARBOARD members have had any
experience with some very far distance visual signalling, and
wondered just how far away a simple flashlight could be used for
this purpose.
Ed Kiser, South Florida