Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-07-09
A BOOMERANG EXPERT.

A BOOMERANG EXPERT.
At Least This 10 What a Washington
Man Claims to Be.
George Clarvoe of Washington, has
become expert in the use Of the Aus
tralian boomerang. can hurl it indeed
with a dexterity that would make him
chief from Booloomooloo to Botany
bay.
He Is an expert instrument maker In
the Coast and Geodetic survey. When
some years ago an Englishman, VINO
had been around the bush with the
wild Australians a spell, came to
Washington and gave an exhibition or
boomerang throwing. Mr.. Clarvoe's in
terest in the construction and casting
of this strange weapon was aroused.
He looked at the things flying and
soaring through the air like birds
wooden birds, as they were. Then he
looked at the half dozen hanging on
the arm Of the Englishman-and that
was enough for Mr.. Clarvoe. He went
home and fashioned him a near BOOM
erang.
1t didn't fly, but 1t fluttered some,
and made a noise like a real BOOM
erang. That was encouraging; he
tried again, varying slants. curves and
dimensions, and at last reached the
point where the flawless boomerang
o11rQcoa1
himself to casting 1t.
1T is much like learning to ride
bicycle" said he. 1T would always go
Just where l didn't aim It,"
But by degrees he attained that ex-
pertness which has enabled him to RI
val and even surpass the black inven-
tors Of the warlike wood.
The weapon is about twenty inches
long over all, having a sharp bend in
the middle like the crook Of an elbow.
In shape 1t much resembles the arm OF
man just at that stage OF the con-
vivial proceedings when he says:
Here's at you"
It Is about two inches wide and about
three -eighths Of an inch thick In the
middle, the bottom side fiat, the top
bevelled down to the edges. The two
arms or branches are not In the same
plane, but are slanted away at an an
gle of 2 degrees. 1t weighs about a
pound.
In casting the boomerang the throw
er grasps 1t firmly by one end, the
other end projecting up and out In
front Of him much like the warning
arm of a railway semaphore. The hand
is then flung back over the shoulder
and brought forward perpendicularly.
the boomerang being hurled at full
arms length.
Just as it leaves the grasp the hand
is snapped back with a jerry as a boy
snaps back a hoop to make 1t return.
This imparts a rotary motion to the
thing, and right there is the milk In
the cocoanut, the secret Of the BOOM
erang's bewildering flight.
Away it goes whirling through the
air. tumbling heels over head, for
distance of 100 to 200 feet, never vary
| ing in its height from the ground.
Then, Just as one thinks it falling to
the ground, as by all the statutes of
civilized things 1t ought to do, he sees
| II hesitate a moment as though con-
sidering what to do next, turn on Its
side, and with a few preliminary Whirls
| (which have now become horizontaD
go gently sailing away to the left, SAIL
ing away and up back, for the aston
ishing affair, instead Of continuing
forward or falling, defies all the laws
of gravitation and acts altogether by
contraries.
In a wide semi circle 1t sweeps,
soaring into the air and reaching It's
greatest elevation when half way
home. Thence 1t comes whirring and
whirling back to the thrower, its rota-
ry motion apparently increasing as 1t
nears the ground at his feet-some-
times at his feet, oftentimes at the
head of the innocent bystander.
"A friend Of mine who goes to think
|
CIarvoe, "once. nursed a goose egg on
the back of his head for a week. 1t
Is the rotary motion that makes the
boomerang a dangerous weapon.
1.-The swiftly whirling arm strikes
powerful blow, and with its soaring
backward sweep it can fish a man out
from behind rock or tree without
difficulty. That is, for the throWer.
1t Is the realization Of that mythical
rifle with the curve in the barrel that
could hit deer around a mountain
side
THE cant, or variation Of the arm
from the same plane, is, l think, the
cause Of the continued rotary motion
and the key to the boomerang's strange
flight. 1t was in getting this exact
that I had the most trouble.
when the boomerang at the end OF
its forward flight halts and turns on
it's side. the rotary or spinning motion
acts like a screw on the air, causing
II to worm its way upward and back
ward. Do you see it?"
The bystander didn't see it. All he
saw was a bewildering flight of BOOM
erangs that dipped and scared and
swerved and darted and hurled and
whirred like things possessed, moving
without the slightest regard for the
laws Of nature or the integrity of his
own headpiece
Boomerangs appear to have a great
natural affinity for heads and windows.
Hence Mr.. Clarvoe, when indulging in
his favorite sport, seeks the green
fields far from folks and buildings
Washington Post.