Page:The American Boy's Handy Book edition 1.djvu/223

One way to make a torch is to wind lamp-wick upon a forked stick (Fig. 122). The ball of wick must be thoroughly saturated with burning fluid of some kind. The torches should all be prepared before starting upon the excursion.

Never take a supply of kerosene or any explosive oil with you in the boat, for, in the excitement of the sport, accidents Image missingFig. 122.Wick-torch. of the most serious nature may happen. A safe light can be made with a number of candles set in a box. A glass front allows the light to shine through, and a piece of bright tin for a reflector behind adds brilliancy to the illumination. A box of this description is generally called a "jack-box;" it is much less trouble than the flaring pine-knot or wick-ball torches.

The candles in the "jack-box" should be replenished each time after it is used; in this manner the jack may be kept always ready for use. After the candles are lighted fasten the box in the bow of the boat; here it will throw a bright light ahead, illuminating the water, but casting a heavy, dark shadow in the boat, concealing the occupants from view. The boys in the boat can, of course, see all the better for being themselves in shadow.

We might expect strange weapons to come from a land that produces quadrupeds with heads like ducks, and other great beasts that go bounding over the plains like some immense species of jumping spiders, using their thick tails as a sort of spring to help them in leaping, and carrying their young in their fur-lined vest pockets! Nor will we be disappointed when, after viewing the duckbill and the kangaroo, we see the odd-looking clubs called boomerangs, or the simple but in-