The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1891-10-01
nlal,itouof pilot.
THURSDAY. OCTOBER ?, 1891
Ktree OF THE FAR EAST.
Ar Once the Eavy and Despair OF c''h
jzsd Western Youth

One might wander about the Nation.
al Museum for half a Year without
taking notice of a collection OF extra
nrd;porv Chinese kites which are sis-
nended overhead in the middle OF tue
west wing. Nevertheless tles aie
we'll worth looking at. eXhIotinS ao
they do versatile ingenuity OF heNicc
in fiying apparatus undreamed oi "
Fur0peans or Americans.
me small boy Of the United states
horn as an inventor because he IS
Yankeee. thinks he is performing
feat If he succeeds in causing TO soar a
simnIe pentagon Of sticks and paper OF
most primitive shape. with tan OF
RAGS Such a coutrivance, IN COM
,,aTison with the scientific Eites OF
China and Japan. is the mcrest crudity'
unworthy of civilization thai 'alrntS
itself superior TO 4 hoary asa eHele
East
Can the youth of this continent afford
to confess "A mechanical Infcrlorlty TO
Chinese and japanese of equal age!
Assuredly not. Aud yet it must be
admitted that the adolesccnt intelll-
gence OF those races would regard the
Kites one sees in this country with an
utter and superior contempt.
The Caucasian kite bears the same
relation to the Chinese tlier as is
borne by the Hint Ratchet to the
modern AK. 1t represents the ac-
acknowledgements of Il primary principle,
improved upon by thought. In the
collection spoken of are kites in the
shape of frogs. lizards. cranes. owls,
gigantic lies and enormous locusts.
Speaking of locusts, one is reminded
of Il certain novel, translated from the
English into French. in one chapter of
which there was mention OF the hero 3
tying his horse to locust tree in front
of the heroine's door when about TO
make her visit.
Unfortunately the translator thought
that the word locust" referred to the
insect of that name. and explained the
matter in III oif-hand fOOt-nOte. which
said that in the United States To-
Gusts frequently grew to such gigan-
tic size that they were stuffed and
utilized ut the curbstonc for fastening
horses to. However, that was nothing
to do with kites.
Among those described ut the
museum are human figures of all sorts
as well rs many queer animals OF paper
and sticks. besides the ones already
mentioned; but by far the most extra
ordinary of all is Il kite thirty feet or
more long. in the shape of a snake
like dragon. No one but Il Chinaman
or a japanese would suppose that such
a thing could be llown. and yet it IS
known that they float them with aston
ishinr effectiveness
Such Il kite does not in the least re-
semblc any playthlug of the sort known
i'll this part of the world. 1t is com
posed of II mum Der of pasteboard disks.
each a foot in diameter. fastened to-
gether with spaces between by cord
running the length of the dragon, with
Notwithstanding head.
The string held by the manipulation
of this extraordinary toy is attached at
three or ,nore points in its length, so
that it may he controlled in the air.
While allort the long tail has an un-
dulating and serpentine motion, thus
producing very realistic effect.
Kite dying has been reduced to
science in China. where many
thousand. of people will gather upon
hill on a holiday for the purpose of en-
joying the sport. Many of the kites
are cur loose and let go, because it is
imagined that they noat away with
mistortancs that are threatening.
The Japanese are not less superior
20 Europeans in the art of top spinning
than in that of flying ki,cS. Their
skill III this latter sport is at once the
envy aud despair OF civilized Western
youth. lI,aShiayt3a star.