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Chap. 2.]
latter divinity made a display of his wealth and productions, such as dra-gons, elephants, tigers, eagles, ostriches, chestnut and pine trees, &c.The Ocean, on the other hand, collected whales, dolphins, porpoises andoeher sea monsters, together with ships, rocks, shells, &c., “ all these ob-jects were represented by performers concealed. under cloths, and whoplayed their parts admirably. The two assemblages of productions, ter-restrial and marine, made the tour of the stage, and then opened right andleft to leave room for an immense whale, which placed itself directlybefore the emperor, and spouted out several Jwgsheads of water , whichinundated the spectators who were in the pit.” a As both the water andforcing apparatus were contained within the moving figure, we can onlyimagine the jets to have been produced by means of piston or bellowsforcing-pumps, or sometliing analogous to them—or by air Condensed inone or more vessels containing water, like soda fountains. 4. If Chinese lads never discovered a source of amusement in the application of theirbellows (some of which are only eight inches long) as squirts or pumps,they must differ essentially from lads of other nations—a position that fewjudges of human nature would admit. Boys are the Same in all ages, andthe mischievous youngsters of the Celestial Empire have doubtlessoften derived as much pleasure from annoying one another with waterejected from these Implements, as those of Europe and this country dowith similar devices. Such an application of them was sure to be foundout by boys, if by no one eise. Whether the bellows-pump originatedin this manner or not, may be uncertain, but several useful discoverieshave been brought to light in much the same way : it was a youth whochanged the whole character of the steam-engine, by giving it that featureupon which its general Utility depends—his ingenuity, stimulated by alove of play, rendered it self-acting.
The antiquity of the Chinese bellows is a subject of much interest. Itmay have been the instrument which Anacharsis introdueed into Greece , ithaving, perhaps, been employed by his countrymen, the ancient Scythians ,as well as by their descendants, the modern Tartars . If it has been inuse, as supposed, from times anterior to Grecian and Roman eras, theorigin of the pump in the second Century B. C. can hardly be sustained;for when the induction valves of one of these bellows are placed in water,(as we suppose has oceasionally been done ever since its invention,) it isthen the “ water forcer” of Ctesibius ; and if pipes be connected to F andJ, (No. 112,) and their orifices placed in a liquid, the apparatus becomesthe double acting pump of La Hire. But what may be surprtsing to somepersons, its construction is identical with that of the steam-engine ; for letit be furnished with a crank and fly wheel to regulate the movements ofits piston, and with apparatus to open and close its valves, then admitsteam through its nozzle, and it becomes the double acting engine of Boul-ton and Watt. Again, connect its induction orifices to a receiver, and itbecomes an exhausting air-pump; apply its nozzle to the same vessel, andit is a condensing one. The most perfect blowing machine, and the chefd’ceuvre of modern modifications of the pump, are also its fac-similes.
It would seem that the Chinese have other kinds of bellows, or differ-ent modes of working these. Bell, in his account of the Russian embassym 1720, says that he was lodged in a village twelve miles from Pekin ina cook’s house, which gave him an opportunity of observing the customs ofthe people even on trifling occasions : “ My landlord,” he observes, “be-mg in his shop, I paid him a visit, where I found six kettles placed in a