NATCHEZ — A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous … and wet?

A little rain can’t keep a good Scout down. The Camporee, a two-night campout that joined 160 Boy Scouts and adult volunteers from two districts, went on in spite of the wet weather at the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians this weekend.

The biannual campout coincided this spring with the Natchez Powwow, a combined celebration that brought native peoples from across the country to the Grand Village to celebrate native art, food, dancing and music.

Camping Chairman Mike Murphy, from the Four Rivers Boy Scouts of America district, said this weekend’s campout marked the first time in a decade the Camporee has taken place at the Powwow.

Murphy said he was glad the children would get to experience the Powwow as part of the Camporee.

“They don’t get to see the Native Americans around here too much,” Murphy said. “It’s just a unique cultural experience for them.”

Murphy said learning about Native American history is a goal for many Scouts, just as learning how to pitch a tent, light a fire or shoot a bow and arrow.

Dylan Robinson, 13, said archery was one of his favorite activities he’s learned since joining the Boy Scouts a year and a half ago.

Robinson has never been to a Camporee before, but it is even more fun than other camping trips because of all the other troops that attend, Robinson said.

“We get to see other people,” Robinson said. “It’s good because you get to know them better.”

At this Camporee, he said he learned about fire safety and how to put a tent up in the rain.

“It was tough,” Robinson said.

Brayden Bullock, 11, said hard work was just part of being a Boy Scout.

“It takes a lot of enthusiasm, too,” Bullock said. “You can’t go around moping, doing these things. You have to put a lot of effort into it.”

Activity buzzed around the campsite Saturday morning as campers who chose to sleep inside during Friday’s bad weather arrived to set up camp.

Natchez Trace District Executive Jim Hargon said the campouts were all about bringing the boys out into nature, and the Powwow was the perfect place to do it.

“A lot of the kids just got into scouting,” Hargon said. “This is great for first timers because it feels like you’re in the middle of nowhere, but really, you’re just two minutes from McDonald’s.”

For Hargon, helping the children learn is a central theme of scouting.

“This is the only way to live out here,” Hargon said.