Moses

WILDERNESS Outward Bound School

Name of Pupil: MOSES

Age: 18

Subject: Orienteering

Moses is a born leader. Under his captaincy the school’s orienteering squad has gone from strength to strength.

Last week’s final of the Cleopatra Trophy was the high point of the season. It’s always a needle match when the Cleopatra Trophy is at stake, but even more so against the Pharoah’s select squad.

Nobody who watched what happened will ever be able to forget Moses’ brilliance.

Admittedly we had a little luck to begin with. By all accounts the Pharaoh’s squad were plagued with injuries in the days leading up to the match, though whether you can believe all you read in the papyruses is another matter. Claims that their training had been badly disrupted by swarms of locusts and hordes of frogs sounded a bit farfetched to me, but there was no denying that the loss of Pharoah’s son through a sudden dose of death was a serious blow to them.

At the end of the day though, the orienteering title still had to be won, and it was Moses we had to thank for our crushing victory. His tactics were absolutely outstanding.

Heading off while the Pharaoh’s lot were still asleep was a crafty move. It gave us a head start before the sun came up. That became very important when they finally got under way.

They’d solved all the clues and were catching us fast. Too fast for my liking. Frankly, and I can admit it now, I thought Moses had got it wrong. Coming to the water obstacle, I really thought we were going to lose.

That was when Moses showed his class. How he managed to judge it I don’t know, but no sooner had our team got across than the tide came in. Absolutely amazing. It certainly left the Pharoah’s team in a lot of trouble (up the creek without a paddle, as one might say) and there we were, high and dry champions.

Terrific stuff, and all down to Moses. I wish him all the best as he leaves us and goes, I don’t doubt, on to higher things. (Excuse the feeble joke; I refer to his mountaineering abilities of course). What with his all round sporting acumen and his practical talents at masonry and stone carving, he seems destined to reach the very top.

I. Walkabout