Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1896-10-17
HOW TO KEEP COOL.
SOME OF THE METHODS EMPLOYED
BY NATIVES OF THE TROPICS.


Artificial swamps of New Guinea-India's
FLOATING Villages"- -Subterranean DWELL
ings of the syrians-The King of Slams
Glass House.
If people will only profit by example
they can keep cool. Just see how the
other fellow, who lives where it is al
ways hot, manages to be comfortable,
and then you will have struck the key
note.
For centuries the inhabitants of the
tropics have been devising ways to
keep cool. Not only have the natural
resources Of their own countries been
converted into methods of cooling
schemes, but the mechanical skill of
modern science has also been introduced
by the fabulously wealthy rulers of these
semibarbarous lands.
The natives of New Guinea, who are
compelled, owing to the intense heat,
to go almost naked during most of the
year, have hit upon scheme that is
claimed to make life not only bearable,
but highly enjoyable during the long,
hot days when the broiling sun is send
ing down seeming rays Of fire.
While their plan does not tax the
brains of modern science, it is, never
theless unique and involves the labor
of an enormous army Of workers. Their
method is to take a broad stretch of
land adjoining their large villages and
convert it into a swamp. This is done
by clearing the land thoroughly of all
vegetation and underbrush, only the
trees being left standing. By months of
patient labor, in which all inhabitants
of the village, both men and women,
join, they dig canal from the nearest
lake and drain it into their artificial
marsh. The depth of water in these
marshes varies from 10 to 20 or 80 feet,
according to the excavation done before
hand.
Trees are then cut and carefully strip
ped of both bark and branches and
driven in groups i'll numerous parts of
the marsh, leaving about 10 or 10 feet
above the water. On the tops of these
stills, or piles, the houses are then built
and SO overhang the marsh.
In some parts of India floating viii
lagos" have been constructed with great
success. The inventors of this mode of
keeping cool came from inland tribes of
natives, whne the heat killed off hum
dreds every year. These men journeyed
to tho river shores and there built their
houses on large flat RATS. Some of these
villages have low grown to large pro-
portions, and che near MacCluer's inlet,
Or gulf of Ouin, as it is now called,
numbers over 500 houses. They are all
connected by ropes, with some 30 feet
of water between, and move with the
current. This huge excursion fleet, as it
appears, lazily floats from one shore to
the other and up and down the stream,
catching all the air that comes from the
neighboring forests. The difference in
temperature between the land and the
RATS averages % degrees.
In Syria the latest and most effectual
scheme of escaping the sitting heat has
been found in the subterranean passages,
of which the country has many. Large
forces of Syrians have made mammoth
excavations i'll the passages, and here,
deep down i'll the bowels Of the earth,
built abodes. 1t is very cool down there.
the rocks oftentimes being actually cold.
This is largely accounted for by their
contact with the numerous subterranean
waterways, which flow along under
mountains and rents in the rocks caused
by internal volcanic eruptions.
Down there, hundreds of feet beneath
the earth's surface and in, as it were,
gigantic tomb, the Syrians pass the
heated portion of the day in quiet Sc
clusion and peaceful rest.
Tho Chinese, although a backward
and unprogressive race, have neverthe-
less tried many experiments for keeping
cool, and think they have solved the
question by their "tree dwellings," At
least it is the most satisfactory method
that has ever been put in operation in
the Flowery Kingdom.
Taking advantage of the tremendous
growth of trees i'll some parts of the yell
low empire, the natives have built their
do by splitting the large and topmost
branches and fitting the foundation of
these houses securely i'll these splits
Perched up there, hundred feet in
the air and in the direct sweep of the
wind when there is any, the Celestials
dream away the tedious summer day.
The type Of architecture is more preten-
tious than that displayed in the simple
log cabin. The walls are decorated
with curious designs, and the inter-
woven latticework CT palm and bamboo
which form the houses give them de-
lightfully cool and airy appearance. 1t
is an ideal nest, and one in which the
Celestial never tires of lingering
The king of Siam has scheme on
which that swarthy ruler labored for
many years. and which, besides being
wholly original, represents an expendi-
ture Of money that would make dozen
men wealthy for life. In substance, it is
mammoth glass room. measuring
some 90 feet square by Is feet high,
constructed on the surface of lake,
into which it is submerged on hot days.
With the exception of the floor, it is
entirely of heavy plate glass closely fit
ted into steel frames. 1t took over five
years of steady labor to make this re-
markable room, and so jealous Of the
secret was its imperial inventor that
each particle of the room was manufac-
turcd i'll u different place and by work.
men entirely unfamiliar with the other
parts of the structure. New York Jour-
nal.