Dr. Cutbush on the Chinese Fire, ^c. 139 



Another mode consists in mixing sulphur with starch into a 

 paste with water, and covering the figure with the mixture, 

 observing previously to coat it with cJay or plaster. While 

 moist, the coat of suiphur and starch is sprinkled over with 

 gun powder. When dry, matches are arranged about it, so 

 that the fire may speedily communicate on all sides. Gar- 

 lands, festoons, and other ornaments may be represented in 

 this manner, using such compositions as produce differently 

 coloured fires. In connection with this, cases of one thiid 

 of an inch in diameter and two and a half inches in-length, 

 may be employed, charging them with different composi- 

 tions. These would produce an undulating fire. The 

 charge may consist of Chinese fire, formed for this purpose 

 of one pound of gun powder, two ounces of sulphur, and five 

 ounces pulverized cast iron, No. 1, or of the so called an- 

 cient fire, composed of one pound of meal powder, and twd 

 ounces of charcoal, or of brilliant fire made of four ounces 

 iron filings, and one pound of gun powder. To these res- 

 pective charges, the addition of sparks may be made by us- 

 ing at the same time the saw dust of fir, poplar, &c. pre- 

 viously soaked in a saturated solution of nitrate of potash, 

 and when nearly dry, sprinkled with sulphur. Bearded 

 rockets (fusee chevelue of the French,) are sometimes em- 

 ployed for the purpose of producing undulations, filamen- 

 tous appearances, &c. in the atmosphere, resembling friz- 

 led hair, which terminate in a shower of fire. These are 

 made of quills filled with the usual rocket-composition, and 

 primed with a little moist gun powder, both to keep in the 

 composition, and serve as a match. It is to be observed, 

 however, that a rocket charged in the usual manner, and 

 loaded in its cap or head, which is conical, in the same way 

 as with stars, serpents, crackers, &-c. would so disperse 

 them, on the termination of its flight, as to produce in the 

 atmosphere the appearance we have mentioned. 



It has been supposed, that some of the ceremonies of the 

 ancients, such as the feast of the lamps, lampadaria, lamp- 

 tericece, &c. were exhibitions of the same character, in which 

 however lamps were used. But such feasts or celebrations 

 appear to have been confined to the mere exhibition of 

 lights. The inhabitants of some of the cities in Egypt were 

 obliged, on such occasions, to illuminate with a great num- 

 ber of lamps placed before their houses. Herodotus {lib. ii. 



