ate breeze, has a one-man power of
draught, and when the wind is brisker, a force equal to 200 lbs. The force
in a rather high wind is as the squares of the lengths; and two kites of
fifteen and twelve feet respectively, fastened one above the other will
draw a carriage and four or five passengers at the rate of twenty miles an
hour. But George's invention went beyond the simple idea. He had an extra
line which enabled him to vary the angle of the surface of his kites with
the horizon, so as to make his aerial horses go fast or slow as he chose;
and side lines to vary the direction of the force, till it came almost to
right angles with the direction of the wind. His kites were made of
varnished linen, and might be folded up into small compass. The same
principle was successfully applied by a nautical lad of the name of Dansey
to the purpose of saving vessels in a gale of wind on "the dread lee
shore." His kite was of light canvas.

In India, China, and the intermediate countries, the aggregate population
of which includes one-half of mankind, kites are the favorite toy of both
old and young boys, from three years to threescore and ten. Sometimes they
really resemble the conventional dragon, from which, among Scotch
children, they derive their name, sometimes they are of a diamond shape,
and sometimes they are like a great spider with a narrow waist. Our Old
Indian is eloquent on kites, and the glory of their colors, which, in the
days of other years, made her girlish heart leap, and her girlish eyes
dazzle. The kite-shop is like a tulip-bed, full of all sorts of gay and
gorgeous hues. The kites are made of Chinese paper, thin and tough, and
the ribs of finely-split bamboo. A wild species of silkworm is pressed
into the service, and set to spin _nuck_ for the strings--a kind of thread
which, although fine, is surprisingly strong. Its strength, however, is
wanted for aggression as well as endurance; and a mixture composed of
pounded glass and rice gluten is rubbed over it. Having been dried in the
sun, the prepared string is now wound upon a handsome reel of split bamboo
inserted in a long handle. One of these reels, if of first-rate
manufacture, costs a shilling, although coarser ones are very cheap; and
of the nuck, about four annas, or sixpence worth, suffices for a kite.

In a Hindoo town the kite-flying usually takes place on some common ground
in the vicinity, and there may be seen the young and old boys in eager
gr