Swans And Ducks In Water
If you would have swans or ducks discharge rockets into the water,
they must be made hollow, and of paper, and filled with small
water-rockets, with some blowing powder to throw them out; but if this
is not done, they may be made of wood, which will last many times.
Having made and painted some swans, fix them on floats; then in the
places where their eyes should be, bore holes two inches deep,
inclining downwards, and
port-fire cases for this purpose must be made of brass, two inches
long, and filled with a slow bright charge. In the middle of one of
these cases make a little hole; then put the port-fire in the eye-hole
of the swan, leaving about half an inch to project out; and in the
other eye put another port-fire, with a hole made in it: then in the
neck of the swan, within two inches of one of the eyes, bore a hole
slantwise, to meet that in the port-fire; in this hole put a leader,
and carry it to a water-rocket, that must be fixed under the tail with
its mouth upwards. On the top of the head place two one-ounce cases,
four inches long each, driven with brilliant fire; one of these cases
must incline forwards, and the other backwards: these must be lighted
at the same time as the water-rocket; to do which, bore a hole
between them in the top of the swan's head, down to the hole in the
port-fire, to which carry a leader: if the swan is filled with
rockets, they must be fired by a pipe from the end of the water-rocket
under the tail. When you set the swan a swimming, light the two eyes.
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