The Time Travelers' Handbook (3 page)

Traveling thousands of years back in time can be a bumpy ride. You find yourself crash-landing right in the middle of a group of muscular, hairy people. What's more—they're all armed! Every single one of them is holding a wooden spear with a pointed tip that looks very sharp. These hairy people are called Neanderthals—a species of primitive human.

Resist the temptation to push EJECT on your TT handset. It's not you the hairy hunters are after—it's a mammoth. Mammoths are a type of hairy elephant with long curved tusks that are extinct today. You've landed in one of the top Neanderthal mammoth-hunting teams. So, get ready for your first mammoth hunt.

A Mammoth Task

One of the guys hands you a spear, and points to the ground. There's a trail of enormous footprints on the ground, and an enormous pile of steaming mammoth poop—sure signs a mammoth is nearby.

When it comes to hunting, a mammoth has all the advantages except one—you and the team have bigger brains. There are various ways to outwit a mammoth. You could build a huge pit, disguise it with leaves and branches, and then herd the mammoth into it. Or, if you find a weak mammoth, you could use spears, stones, or poisoned darts to finish it off.

Today, your team is hoping to use the mammoth's own size against it. They plan to drive it into a nearby swamp. Mammoths can grow to over 10 feet tall and weigh more than 15,000 pounds! Their tusks are sharp and can be 10 feet long. This much mammoth is a lot easier to kill once it's floundering in swampy water!

First, the team quietly and stealthily surrounds the mammoth, leaving just one gap for it to escape through—right into the muddy swamp. Then, at the team leader's signal, you all charge at the mammoth, shouting, yelling, and swinging flaming sticks.

Be careful to keep your footing so you don't get trampled. The panicking mammoth will look for a way out, and if it sees a gap, it will make a run for it.

Hunting Hints

Mammoth hunting is risky and difficult, but there are things you can do to give you and your team a greater chance of success:

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.

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.

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.