The Time Travelers' Handbook Read online

  • If the mammoth stops feeding, raises its trunk high above its head, and swivels it about, it’s bad news. Your mammoth has nostrils at the end of its trunk, and those nostrils may have picked up your scent.

  • If you are sure your mammoth has spotted you—don’t panic. Top mammoth hunters never panic. Instead, freeze. Your mammoth may never have seen a human before, and it may not know what you’re planning. If you stay still, your mammoth might relax and go back to its feeding, because feeding was probably a full-time job for a mammoth. Like elephants, mammoths probably needed to feed for up to 18 hours a day.

  • Above all, stick with your team. One on one, you wouldn’t stand a chance against a mammoth. It’s huge—a fully grown mammoth weighs over 150 times more than you do.

  How To Make Papyrus In Ancient Egypt

  You’ve landed behind a thick clump of reeds beside the Nile River in Egypt. No one has spotted you—and make sure you keep it that way, because what you’re about to see is a closely guarded secret. It is 2500 BC, and the Ancient Egyptians are the only people in the whole world who have figured out how to make writing scrolls from a special kind of reed called papyrus. They make a lot of money selling these scrolls, and they don’t want anyone else to know how they make them. If they see you, they might think you’re a spy, and who knows what they’ll do to you.

  You might want to look out for crocodiles as well. They are very common in this part of the world and like nothing more than lurking in reeds, just like the ones you are hiding in.

  Making Papyrus

  You spot a group of people pulling up papyrus reeds along the banks of the Nile. You follow them as they leave the riverbank, but stay well hidden to watch them at work making scrolls.

  Papyrus reeds have a tough outside layer that is peeled off. The workers keep this part and use it to make other things, like baskets and sandals.

  Inside the reed is a sticky stalk that they slice into strips. They pound these strips flat with heavy blocks of wood and then soak them in water from the river for up to three days.

  Luckily, you don’t have to wait that long. Another group of men is working on strips that are ready. Using pieces of wood that look like rolling pins, they squish out all the water and make the strips flat.

  Next, they start laying the strips out, each one overlapping the one before it a tiny bit. The first layer is horizontal, then they add a vertical layer on top. The strips contain a natural sticky gum, so they glue themselves together as they dry.

  To dry the papyrus, the men place sheets made of linen and felt over it. The sheets are then squashed between two boards in a press that squeezes it all together. The men will keep replacing the linen sheets over the next few days.

  You see a pile of finished papyrus being joined together, end to end, to make a big roll, about 33 yards long. You also see the man who’s joining them look up. He’s spotted you—it’s time to go.

  How To Be Evacuated In World War II

  It is 1939 and Britain is at war with Germany. You’ve landed on a train in England. It is packed with children, all waving out of the window as the train pulls out of the station.

  A boy about your own age makes a space for you next to him. His name is Thomas.

  Thomas tells you he is from a city called Coventry in England, and that he and all of the kids in his school are being sent to the countryside because it’s too dangerous for them to stay in the city. This is called evacuation and it is happening all over the country. All the major cities are sending their school-age children out to the countryside, where it is hoped they will be safe. The Germans have a big air force and most people think they’ll start dropping bombs on the big cities soon.

  Thomas is skinny-looking and scratches his head as if he has lice. He has a label on his jacket with his name and address on it, a small suitcase, and a gas mask. You ask to try the gas mask on. It smells rubbery and makes your face feel hot and horrible. Thomas doesn’t mind, he knows it could save his life if the Germans drop poison gas on everybody. He asks why you don’t have one, and why you don’t have a label.

  Thomas seems very nervous. He can’t decide whether to be excited or homesick. He has never been out of Coventry before. He is leaving his home and his parents, and doesn’t know who he will be living with, or how long he will be gone. He is worried about his parents, too. His dad is away fighting and his mother is still in Coventry.

  Too Many Children

  After a couple of nervous hours on the train with only one sandwich to keep you going, you’re tired and hungry, but the day’s not over yet. Once the train stops, all the children march into a big village hall. There is a lot of confusion and you see a crowd of adults staring.

  People living in the area have agreed to take children into their homes. The grown-ups are looking around and choosing the children they want to take, but there doesn’t seem to be enough grown-ups for the number of children looking for homes.

  A woman holding a clipboard is scratching her head and looking very worried. You and Thomas hope you won’t be left until last.

  Top Tips for Getting Picked

  It is important to be chosen by nice people who will look after you well. Some people don’t want children living with them, but if there are still evacuees left over, officers can order people to take in a child. They will get a fine if they don’t. So, here are some ways to improve your chances of getting picked.

  • Do make yourself look neat—smooth down unruly hair and straighten your clothes. Imagine that you were for sale. Would anyone want to buy you with a dirty nose and your jacket buttoned up all wrong?

  • Do speak only when spoken to—and be polite, answering questions with “Yes, sir” or “Yes, ma’am.”

  • Don’t scratch—the villagers might think you have fleas and will not want to take you into their homes.

  Chosen!

  You and your friend duck your heads as an extra-grumpy-looking man with a big stick comes past. Luckily, he passes right by and then another couple, with smiling faces, come along. They take one look at Thomas and say he needs a good meal. They approach the woman with the clipboard and sort out the paperwork.

  You had better get out of here quickly. Not only will your name not be on the list of children they were expecting, you don’t even have a label. So you quickly say good-bye and good luck to Thomas, and press EJECT.

  How To Join The American Gold Rush

  Splash! The good news is you have landed in the new state of California, on the west coast of the U.S.A. The bad news is you have landed in a river.

  In front of you is a man holding a pan half in, half out of the water and he is swirling around what looks like mud and pebbles. The man’s staring down at the pan very hard.

  All of a sudden, he gives a shout, throws his hat in the air—and that’s when you see that there is something interesting in the pan after all. A small chunk of metal is glittering in the dirt at the bottom of his pan. Gold!

  The Forty-Niners

  When he has stopped jumping for joy, he introduces himself as Nathaniel. Gold was discovered in this river in March 1848. At first, people didn’t believe the news—they thought it was just a government scheme to get folks to move west to California from their comfortable homes in the east. Now, thousands of people have rushed here to strike it rich.

  They call it “gold fever.” People seem to have gone crazy—obsessed with the idea of finding gold. The people that came here are called “Forty-niners” because many of them arrived in 1849. Since then, new towns have been springing up.

  A Flash In The Pan

  Your friend is one of the lucky Forty-niners. He came early when there was still gold to be had. Back then, he was panning nearly $100 a day. He brought along his whole family, selling everything they had to get here—their house, their furniture, even their dog. They traveled more than 2,000 miles across the continent.

  Now, Nathaniel’s noticed he is finding far less gold. It’s running out. Today’s find was
his first in weeks. But more people are arriving every day. They spend up to 10 hours a day, standing in freezing water panning for gold, but find nothing.

  Making Money

  Along with all the people looking for gold, known as prospectors, others have arrived—merchants and con men. They are hated. They make their money by buying up every bit of gold-panning equipment in the area, and then selling it at many times the original price. Others charge huge amounts for food and supplies. Those prospectors who do not find gold can’t afford food at these incredible prices—some even starve to death.

  Panning for Gold

  Nathaniel is not too downcast. One Forty-niner pulled a nugget the size of a turkey egg out of this river—right where you are standing, he tells you. He offers you a pan, and shows you how to pan for gold.

  1. Fill your pan about half full with the mixture of dirt and gravel that has collected at the banks of the river.

  2. Gently put your pan beneath the surface and fill it with water. Take it out and break up all the muddy clumps with your hands to loosen all the dirt—and perhaps gold.

  3. Drain away some of the water and take out twigs and rocks. Tip the pan beneath the surface of the water gently to fill the pan again.

  4. Now, swirl the pan near the surface of the water. Gold is heavy, so this should make it sink towards the bottom. Be gentle and take care not to slosh any dirt out of your pan.

  5. As you keep shaking, the lighter dirt rises up. Lift the pan out of the water, and tilt the front down. Water will run off the edge of the pan, taking the lighter dirt at the top with it. Any gold should be in the bottom of the pan.

  You keep swirling and tipping away the dirt for what feels like ages. Nathaniel finishes his pan and fills up to start again. You are about to do the same when…you see it: something glinting in the bottom of the pan. It might not be the size of a turkey egg, but you’ve done it—you’ve struck gold!

  Unfortunately, Nathaniel reminds you that he has staked a claim to this bit of river. That means the gold is his. He gives you a slice of his wife’s homemade pie instead—hmmm…

  How To Sweep A Victorian Chimney

  Watch out! You are about to be run over by a horse and carriage speeding toward you. You leap out of the way onto the sidewalk and take a look around. You have landed in the middle of a London street during the reign of Queen Victoria.

  There are some fancy houses on either side of the road with steps going up to the main door. The houses are four to five stories high, with spiked iron fences to keep people out.

  As well as the steps going up to the main door, you see that there are steps going down to another door that is far less fancy.

  You see a man emerging out of one of these doors. He is with two boys slightly younger than you. They are very thin and have no shoes on. Their faces are completely black with dirt and you notice that their eyes are red and watery. The street is very busy and everybody seems to be in a hurry, but you are worried about the boys and decide to go and speak to them.

  Climbing Boys

  The smaller of the two boys has clearly been crying and the other is trying to calm him down. You ask what is wrong and find out that they are brothers and are both working as “climbing boys,” otherwise known as chimney sweeps. They have just been cleaning the chimneys in the house you saw them leaving.

  The younger boy is upset because his feet are hurting so much, he is finding it hard to walk. His older brother explains that this is his fault. He says that while they were working, their boss complained that they were taking too long. The older boy was sent up the chimney to make his little brother work faster. To hurry him along, he had to prod the soles of his brother’s feet with hot pins. What’s worse, they are now late for their next chimney and their boss is angry and will dock their pay.

  Feeling sorry for the brothers, you offer to help out. You are a bit bigger than the youngest, but are willing to give chimney sweeping a try. The smaller boy stops crying, happy to be off the hook and the older boy quickly gives you some tips.

  Top Sweep Tips

  • Don’t go to the front door of the fancy houses like the ones on this street. You will be asked to go in the tradesman’s entrance. Customers don’t like sooty sweeps tramping dirt through the house.

  • When you are inside the house, don’t touch anything except the chimney. Not only do you not want to make things dirty, but you also want to avoid being accused of stealing anything. If you are, you risk being sent to a horrid Victorian prison.

  • Make sure you put lots of sheets around the fireplace to collect all the soot. If you make a mess, you will be punished and could be forced to clean the next chimney naked!

  • When up a chimney, hold the cleaning brush in one hand and push your knees and elbows against the walls to help you climb. Shuffle up, one knee and elbow at a time, sweeping the brush ahead of you.

  • Get to the top as quick as you can, or your friend will be sent after you to poke you in the feet with hot pins.

  • Don’t complain. These boys are lucky to have jobs. With no parents, they have nowhere else to go and would be left on the street to starve. In Victorian England, children as young as five work in factories or underground in mines.

  Health Warning

  • The inside of the chimney has lots of sharp bits of brick that can hurt your elbows, knees, and feet. If the soot and dirt get into cuts and scratches, they can become infected and start oozing pus.

  • Try to keep your eyes shut. The soot is full of toxic chemicals that will make them sore and itchy.

  • Try to retire young. Being a chimney sweep is very bad for your health. The soot will damage your lungs and leave your face permanently dirty. Lugging around big sacks of soot will hurt your back and leave you with hunched shoulders. When you get bigger, you will no longer be able to climb the chimney and may be too injured to work anywhere else.

  After climbing up only one chimney, you decide this is not a career for you and that it is time to get out of there. You whiz back to the present to take a long soak in the bathtub. It’s a shame your two new friends can’t do the same.

  How To Compete At The Ancient Olympics

  You have landed on a running track in a huge stadium that is packed with noisy spectators on all sides. It’s day one of the Ancient Olympiad, the biggest festival in Ancient Greece, celebrated in honor of Zeus, king of the Greek gods.

  Just like the Olympics in modern times, the Olympiad is held every four years, but always here in the city of Olympia. The festival is considered so important that wars between cities are stopped so that the athletes can travel safely to the games.

  Fighting Fit

  Nervously, you line up with a group of boys who are about your age and size. They’re all warming up for a 192-metre (210-yard) sprint from one end of the stadium to the other.

  The Ancient Greeks think being fit and healthy is very important. All boys in Ancient Greece do a lot of athletic training, and these are the cream of the crop. They’ve been training hard for months in a place called the palaistra, the wrestling school. They have been eating healthily and working hard—which means you’re up against some tough competition.

  As you are waiting for the starter’s orders, follow these top tips:

  • Try not to let the butterflies in your stomach bother you. They’ll go away as soon as you start running. They’re caused by your body producing a chemical called adrenaline. This is completely natural and will give you a burst of speed across the stadium.

  • Don’t worry about not having your running shoes with you. Take a look around. No one else is wearing any—in fact, they aren’t wearing anything at all! Ancient Greek men and boys trained and competed completely naked. So strip down and get ready to run.

  • Try to block out the roaring crowd and go through the race in your head. Imagine yourself being super-speedy and think how good you’ll feel when you cross that finish line first.

  What Next?

  The down
side is that if you win, you shouldn’t expect a medal. Ancient Greeks didn’t do medals. Winners get a crown made out of olive branches.

  The good bit is Olympic winners are celebrities and are greeted by cheering crowds when they return home to their towns and cities. In the meantime, while you are in Olympia, you can expect some nice free meals and front row seats at the theater. You may even get a statue built in your honor.

  While You Wait

  If you win any of the races, you’ll have to hang around for your prize, because the Ancient Olympiad goes on for five days and the prizes are all given out at the end.

  Here are a few things you can do while you’re waiting:

  • What better way to while away the hours than taking in a chariot race or two? There are two-and four-horse events, as well as a cart and mule race. Chariot races are very exciting with up to 40 chariots jostling for first place during the 12 laps. You might not want to sit in the front row for this one, though. Crashes are common and you don’t want to get trampled by a runaway horse.

  • For a seriously tough sport, why not watch some boxing? The boxers don’t wear gloves like modern boxers, they just wrap bits of leather around their hands, leaving their fingers sticking out.

  The boxing matches don’t have rounds; each fight continues until someone gives up or loses consciousness. Watch out for a man named Theagenes of Thassos—he is said to be this year’s favorite. At the age of nine, he was so strong that he managed to tear a bronze statue of a god off its base and carry it home.