he cleats
(see Fig. 240). A buttonhole was made in the cloth covering to let this
hook project through. The belly band was just long enough, so that it
could be stretched over to one end of the cross stick, as in Fig. 241,
and at this point, that is, 30 inches from the upper end of the belly
band, a brass ring was made fast, to which the main kite string was
tied. The kite possessed the advantage that it could be quickly taken
apart and folded into a small space.

AN EIGHT-FOOT MALAY KITE.

[Illustration: Fig. 240. Belly Band Hook.]

Our 8-foot kite was made in the same way only the sticks were 3/4 inch
thick, 1 inch wide and 8 feet long. The cross stick was fastened 17-1/2
inches (two-elevenths of 8 feet) from the top of the backbone and it was
bowed back 9-1/2 inches (one-tenth of 8 feet). The wire in the hem of
the covering was a double thickness of the heaviest picture wire
obtainable.

[Illustration: Fig. 241. The 5-foot Malay Kite.]

[Illustration: Fig. 242. Malay Kite with Elastic Belly Band.]

THE ELASTIC BELLY BAND.

An important change was made in the belly band of the kite. The lower
strand was made elastic by tying it fast to a number of heavy rubber
bands, as in Fig. 242. When flying the kite, if a sudden, strong puff of
wind struck it, the elastic belly band would give, tilting up the lower
end of the kite so that the wind passed under; but as soon as the gust
had passed the rubber bands would draw the lower end of the kite back
against the wind. The elastic belly band had the effect of making the
kite rise almost vertically. Sometimes it would even sail square
overhead. The 8-foot kite was a very powerful one. To hold it we had to
use a very strong cord, the kind used by upholsterers for tying down the
springs in a chair or a sofa.

PUTTING THE KITES TO WORK.

Bill tested the strength of the kite once by hooking a spring scale to
the kite string. The scale was made to register weights up to 25 pounds.
But our kite yanked the pointer immediately past the 25-pound mark as
far as it would go. We judged from this that the kite would lift at
least 40 pounds. Such a pull as this it seemed a pity to waste, but how
to utilize the power was a problem until one day, when the kite was
soaring up on a south wind, Dutchy suggested that we tie it to one of
the canoes and go sailing up-stream. We tried the trick at once, but it
didn't work very well, because the canoe was too light. The kite would
drop