, 1886-10-22
~KITE-FIGHTS IN INDIA.
A POPULAR PASTlME AMONG THE
BOYS OF HlNDoSTAN.

How Fighting Kites Arc Made-Amount
of Thread Consumed-varIous Kinds OF
Moiion-C Cutting an Antagonist Thread
All Delight In the Game.
In India there are shops whore they sell
kites very cheap: so very few people MAKE
them Mt lone. Besides, 1t wants a I'M
and praticed hand to make the thin, we'll
balanced fi~chting-kites. They are made
OF one (-quare) shape. but OF various sizes,
the smallest being eight inches so rare and
the LARGEST Two feet quare. The most
common and useful ones are a foot square
Very thin but strong paper. resembling
It's ne or cigarette paper, of all colors, is
used for the purpose. But whether the
li,e ID made of one or different pieces Of
paper, 1t must be OF the tame thicknes,
throughout. The backboi is a straight.
fiat. strong. we'll flushed lath, and the
bow Is made out OF a cane or IA piece OF
pl ant wool half as thick as the back
bone. round and knotlesa Tue latter
rust be of equal thickness and weight
throughout It's whole lengtl. a. on 1t
m ,inly depends tbs balance OF the kite.
The tall. which Is merely u finish or an
ornament. IL triangular or round, mea--
u ing only two or three incnes at the
longest.
THE THREAD USED.
strong carl-tnreII IS used to fly kites
with. Inc English manufacturers would
be SURPRISED to learn the amount OF cotton
thread consu neil IN India for this pur-
puse; one lad using rs much "a 10 UOJ
yards in he course OF u year. SIken
thread Is also used. though rarely. The
Knots Joining the pieces being made fine,
smooth, Il Al string. tue whO.e length of
ha 4 "A R.. 4 L.. l-.., sl--..
fine pounded glass aud lgnt starch,
which slvs 1t IL Keen edge. The dr.ed
thread, winch /, now ready for Il shlinc
purposes, is then wound up on u wooden
frame resembling "A spoo.. Great inyenu-
lty Is sp mt in making this spool or roller
light. useful, and ham some.
Next, AS TO the motion or the kite. Two
pieces exactly equal in leng h IF the
main thread are tIed to the kite; one Mt tue
meeting point Of the boz nm | the buck
cone; the other. II few inches lower to thu
eickb me oniy. There ar, Two useful
kinds OF motion besides the ordinary
straight one; the wheeling motion, in
wnicn the kite wheels round AMI round.
the quivering motion, Ia watch ITS hea |
keeps on quiverlng sideways Us 1t fes up
ward, botn being very graceful. A prac-
teal han can give to the kite cit her mo-
- q " aCai
Deepen Is ON the proper fastening Of the
Kite. II IL wheels too muci you must
make the lower fastening thread shorter:
or If 1t leans too much GU one 81 lie you
should stick a piec. OF paper or fine linen
10 tue bow ON the other side. Similarly
there are otner little means to u.u
tie motion of "a kite.
As iu all warfare. great skill aud prac-
tice are require | to light wei, with kites,
ana maneuvering counts n great deal in
paper actions. Sometimes the enemy HIS
certain advantages OVER you. Fur in
stance, his house IS higher than yours Qn
INDIA kites ars usually Il ,wn from the
Hat tops OF houses, commanding II create
swoop, or his kite may DO IA lutte bigger
than yours. in which case his thread will
have II gre tier tension. These disadvan-
tages one must learn to counteract; but
tDese are details.