Taking the hint given him by Prince Waratah, he got together a goodly number of bamboo stalks, most of them no thicker than a lady’s little finger. Carefully removing the inside pith, he first inserted a bark cork into the open end, and then covered it with a seal. The seals he used were made of hard brown gum-nuts; and in order that the bamboo tubes should be perfectly air-tight, he dipped their ends into hot melted beeswax before screwing on the cap-nuts. The effect was just the same as when hot paraffin wax is poured on top of a jar of newly made jam—nothing could either get out or in. Having in this way effectually sealed one end, he then, by means of a little electrical bellows, proceeded to fill the tubes with air, so full that they were almost ready to burst. But before that could happen, he deftly slipped a bark cork into position, swiftly dipped the unsealed end into the hot melted beeswax, and without losing an instant of time, rapidly screwed on the cap-nut, thus sealing that end as closely as the other.
As soon as a sufficient number of various lengths and sizes had been filled with air, they were put together in the shape of a chair, with a box beneath the seat. The chair was then upholstered, or covered with finely woven rushes over a padding of moss; thus making it a very comfortable one in which to sit.
To make it easy to move, four little wheels were attached; and to protect the occupant from the rain or sun a hood could be raised or lowered by simply moving a lever at the left side. This hood, as well as a rug to cover the knees, was made of spider-webs as soft as a baby’s hair. The late Queen Victoria had presented to her by the Natives of India an exceedingly fine shawl made of the same kind of material.
But the most curious thing about the chair was its two wings, one at either side. They were as large as the wings of an eagle, and of the same shape, and they were entirely covered with the soft green feathers of rosella parrots. As was seen later on, they could be folded back against the chair, or set to any angle desired, according to the way in which their controlling mechanism was turned. [[60]]To the front of the chair four rings were affixed, but for what purpose was not made clear until they were about to be used.
What was then disclosed was this: The chair was in reality a flying carriage; the box underneath being intended to hold whatever the driver might wish to take by way of food, clothes or other things. The four rings in the front were to be used as couplings to which to attach an astonishingly swift team of Blue Kingfishers, sixteen in number, who were to pull the carriage through the air. The Birds’ harness was made of light, but strong, honey coloured ropes, twisted out of strands of silk taken from the spiders who spin that kind of thread. The spiders originally came from Papua or New Guinea, and the threads they spin are coarser than those which the silk-worms produce; but none the less very useful for such a purpose as that to which they were being put.
Of course it took some time to learn all these details. As a matter of fact, it was not until the Engineer Fairy gave his first demonstration that they were all seen and understood.
What then took place needs but a few words to describe. The Prince, being present, and everything in readiness, the Engineer sat himself in the seat, lifted the silk reins, spoke to the team of Blue Kingfishers, and off they set at a smart run—the flying carriage running on its wheels behind them. Presently they all rose as one bird into the air, and at the self-same moment the carriage also rose, and, with wings outspread, flashed behind the flying Kingfishers as perfectly balanced and as steady as a modern aeroplane.
When in a little time the Engineer Fairy returned, he carefully explained to the Prince all that was required to be done, and very respectfully suggested that he should try his hand.
Nothing loath, apparently, Prince Waratah took the driver’s seat, and faithfully and implicitly obeying the instructions given him, managed to make a very skilful flight indeed, all things considered. Later, by much practice, he became so proficient that it was next to impossible for him to come to harm.
It was then that he set out, alone, to visit the Wattle Fairies, covering the distance in an extremely short space of time compared with what would have been necessary had he ridden on horseback [[61]]or walked. Maybe you can imagine the consternation and excitement among them the first time they descried him coming through the air. When first sighted he was little more than a speck in the far distance; but all Fairies have very keen eyesight, and watching intently, it was not very long before they could discern the brilliant blue plumage of the Kingfishers, the flashing of their honey-coloured harness as the sunbeams touched it every now and then; and, above all, the Prince himself in the yellow flying carriage with the great green wings attached!