Percival The Lighthouse Mouse
The book includes a Glossary of 18 Terms that are found in the story. They will help the reader become more familiar with the working of a lighthouse.
Bullseye Lens: A convex lense used to concentrate the light to make it appear brighter.
Clock Works Weights: The weights that are wound up to the top of the tower. As the weights slowly drop down, they make the gears turn to rotate the lantern and lens.
Fuel: The material that is burned to produce the light. Whale oil and kerosene were once used to light the lantern. Today the light is lit by electricity.
Peapod Boat: A small rowboat that is pointed at both ends. It resembles an open peapod.
Burnt Island
Light Station
In 1821, President James Monroe directed congress to purchase the five-acre island and construct a 30 foot tower.
A bell tower was later built in 1895.
From 1821 to 1988 there were thirty lighthouse keepers and families that lived on the island.
The light and fog signal is fully automated by electricity and does not require a lighthouse keeper.
The Maine Dept. of Marine Resources acquired the Burnt Island Light Station in 1998 as part of the Maine Lights program.
Part of the year the island serves as an outdoor school for students and teachers.
An education center has been built on the island to accommodate the overnight programs.
For more information visit : www.maine.gov/dmr/burntisland
Percival
An almost true story
It is recorded that a long time ago, Keeper Ben became sick and had to be admitted to the hospital. A temporary keeper named Reggie was assigned to stay at the lighthouse until Keeper Ben could return. Reggie was young and very nervous about being alone on the island. On the first night he lit the lantern, but was nervous about going to bed.
Reggie sat in the kitchen until he was so tired that he finally had to go to bed.
From a sound sleep, he was suddenly awakened by a loud crash. The bed-side alarm clock was ringing loudly on the floor.
The bedroom was totally dark. It should have been lit by the tower light which shone outside his bedroom window.
The flame in the lantern had gone out.
Reggie raced to the top of the tower to light the lantern so that the light would shine out to the ocean again!
Reggie was alone in the lighthouse. Someone knocked the alarm clock off the nightstand? Could it have been Percival the mouse?
This event was the inspiration for the story of how Percival the mouse help save Captain Rusty and his ship.
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