A PRIMITIVE GYROSCOPE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10587, 18 October 1910, Page 1

A PRIMITIVE GYROSCOPE.

•sThe gyroscope, is. no! i toy, .libr. evieh■■-. merely .'?ai :'.'scienbinc ; ::?buribsity..

Since it has been'discovered how'to utilize its, remarkable balancing power prlactically,.it'bids fair to-become one' ofi the most usofid pieces of mechanism. It] is already in use" for preventing the rolling and pitching of Steamers, and Iftlro Brennan type of monorail' sh'otild succeed, its employment would be 1 much extended. toys using the" gyroscopic principle' are very old —witness the common spinning-top—-and now G. *'. Collins' describes in the"_ -National (-eographic Magaainc a primitive- form ol gyroscope used by the Golahs of-Li-Urtii. tome of whom have" developed ureat -skill in manipulating it: keeping motion indefinitely in midair merely bv whipping it. The instrument is made from A fruit distantly related to the oranges, frOi'Ji three to five inches in diameter and liar.'i<g a hard shell one-quart or io onc-hu.'f inch thick. Says Mi Collins:

■"The top >is formed of. one ,'' fruits.from which; the interior has 'iWn removed, : togetlier with" a ■; 'round -stick a-l^out-piie-half -an inch in ; "diameter■ and .eiirht inches in length. The stick passes through the centre of the -fruit,.projecting only on one side. A hole.is cut in the side of the fruit so that tlie top produces a low,- mournful sound when spinning rapidly. "The whip by means of which the top is'kept in the air consists of a stalk about one foot in length to which a 'string about 8 inches long, made' from tho fibre of the wine palm is tied as a lash. ■-.'--. .• ';-

■ '."The lash .'of .the.. ...whip is wound around the body of the top, making, a little more, than one turn. The. top. is thieh! placed on: the! ground with the stem-to one side.,. The whip is -then given a quick upward motion, 'thrown iiife the top into the.air at the same time; imparting to it a spinning motion. As the top drops within .reach, but before it touches the ground, it is struck with the w-hio in such a: manner that 'tlio lash winds around the stem close, to tlie head. The stroke is immediately ■fallowed by another .trp.ward.ir motion, ■ which ; again throws the top 'up and mjakes ■ it' rerolye still .faster.: ""

'■" This operation is. repeated rapidly, the top going -factor and'faster with' each stroke, until it begins to'emit a lojw::musical "note.- -."The performance-' rriay be likened'to the operation of the popular toy called 'diabolo,' but tho skill required, is immensely.;.'greater. The 'diabolo'.'■■■ is thrown: tip, from the middle, and the ends. on. "either!'side of : -'■ , the- -string;! being .of equal weight, • bill-. arxe each other, while in the Liberiah ■■ •-■Kjy the weight is practically all'on one '-.side of the pla-cer struck "by" the' whip.' l Skilled performers have; lib difficulty in keeping the toj> iii for any ' - length of time desired. The "perform-, auee'.vis:;varied, by _ tfce stock -.'of'-tho' whip and; slowly 'tilting'.it iuutil the Vend, of : ' the stick''rests : en!-the-' grouiid;' w'here it"'spins-for some time liko Jii ordimiy top Fiont'tl'is pbs'Lioii. -% hilo still spinning, the top can- ajiain -be thniv.-n into''tlie' air by the whip and the whole opeiation ic"pbatod. '"When hist seen it seems inciediblo that the Lop can be tin own up by the stem, which is on one side, ~ without tiiistmg the top into another position Tlicie can be no doubL that the samo principle la imoLvd ns when a guoseope is maintained m a horizontal ppsition, although suppoi ted' by onlj one end of the a\is> "' *" The skill required to-'operato this top is possessed by vei-y few members of tho tribe, ivc~aie tbld by the writer. Repeated and patient eflorts on Mr

'Collins' pait to acquize the knack were fnti'e Ho was no\ ei able to keep the. top in the air for more than two oi ihiee of the whip, and vas nc\el aWo to nnko it io\oho fast enough to piocluce flo goes ch * -"* ' * "Byi in«ba, "the Golah man, was the only native I met th° necessary skiO ," Tliat this man had nicre- than ordinor> ability was sh<n\u in other wa\ s His" house vas the best in tov]i,-hp could smm fastei and'divo faithcr than an> one else, and he was alwajs chosen ioi' the dangeious uoik of taking the big canoes from the up-

per leacheb of the" St Paul River thi otigh'the rapids lb the lover river. Thxs*'skill; id anilities, ivasr supposed to be explained b\ a hippopotamus for f a totem , ,- "> ! "The sound produced by this top i& Weltered bj the/Golahs to bo drstaster f 41' to the ground-hogs, w Inch, often- do coiisidei able ** "damage' to "cultivated fields- This means "of dnvmg a way. pests is so that 4 'Hon able to perforin top are m. sjieat 'demand aio,ofteii called a } distance lai two tiayel to Yjd'fields of j these'pests t' ' <

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