In order to represent this, to perfection, you must have a Neptune made (of wood, or basket work), as big as life, fixed on a float, large enough to bear his weight; on which must be two horses heads, and necks, so as to seem swiming, as they are shown by [Fig. 35]. For the wheels of the chariot, there must be two vertical wheels, of black fire, and on Neptune’s head a horizontal wheel, of brilliant fire, with all its cases to play upwards. When this wheel is made, cover it with paper, or, paste board, cut and painted like Neptune’s coronet; then let the trident be made without prongs, but instead of them, fix three cases of a weak grey charge, and on each horse’s head, put an eight ounce case of brilliant fire, and on the mouth of each, fix a short case of the same diameter, filled with the white flame receipt, enough to last out all the cases on the wheels; these short cases must be open at bottom, that they may light the brilliant fires; for the horses eyes, put small port fires, and in each nostril, put a small case filled half with grey charge, and the rest with port fire composition.
If Neptune is to give fire, to any building on the water; at his first setting out, the wheels of the chariot, and that on his head, together with the white flames on the horses head, and the port fires in their eyes and nostrils, must all be lighted at once; then from the bottom of the white flames, carry a leader, to the trident. As Neptune is to advance by the help of a block and cord, you must manage it so as not to let him turn about, till the brilliant fires on the horses, and the trident, begins, for it is by the fire from the horses, (which plays almost upright) that the building, or work, is lighted; which must be thus prepared. From the mouth of the case, which is to be first fired, hang some loose quick match, to receive the fire from the horses. When Neptune, is only to be shewn by himself, without setting fire to any other works; let the white flames on the horses, be very short, and not to last longer than one case of each wheel, and let two cases of each wheel burn at a time.
To represent Swans and Ducks in the water.
If you would have the 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 wide enough to receive a small port fire; the port fire cases for this purpose, must be made of brass, two inches in length 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 slantways, 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 in length each, drove 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 swans head, down to the hole in the port fire, to which carry a leader; if the swan be 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 swiming light the two eyes.
Of fire Fountains for the Water.
To make a fire fountain, you must first have a float made of wood, three feet diameter, then in the middle of it, fix a round perpendicular post, four feet in height, and two inches diameter; round this post, fix three circular wheels, made of thin wood, without any spokes. The largest of these wheels must be placed, within two, or three inches of the float, and must be nearly of the same diameter. The second wheel must be two foot two inches diameter, and fixed at two feet distance from the first wheel. The third wheel must be one foot four inches diameter, and fixed within six inches of the top of the post: the wheels being fixed, take eighteen four, or eight ounce cases, of brilliant fire, and place them round the first wheel, with their mouths outwards, and inclining downwards; on the second wheel place, thirteen cases of the same sort, and in the same manner, as those on the first wheel; on the third wheel, place eight more of this sort of cases, in the same manner as before, and on the top of the post, fix a gerbe, then cloath all the cases, with leaders, so that both they and the gerbe may take fire at the same time. Before you fire this work, try it in the water, to see if the float be properly made, so as to keep the fountain upright.
SECT. VI.
To make Crackers.