The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-01-25

this way, instead of the up-and.dowr
dasher used in other parts of the country.
And the Brahmins, although they have
simpler and easier processes, still employ
this method OF producing fire upon sacred
occasions,
The Esquimaux, when first brought
in contact with the Europeans, employed
n method like that last described, in pro-
ducing fire. Davis, the navigator,
after whom Davis straits were named,
describes how, in 1886, Greenlander
began to kindle fire in this
manner Z" he took a peice of board,
wherein was q hole halle throw; into
that hole he put the end of q round
sticke, like unto bedde-statfe, dipping
the end thereof in trajne-oil, and in
fashion of turner, with q piece of
lether, by his violent motion, did speed
ily produce fire." This was only used
in making fire; but when the shaft was
pointed with stone, it was used for drilling
holes in stone and wood. The thong
being passed twice around the drill, the
upper end is steadied by mouth-piece
of wood, having a piece OF the same
stone imbedded with a counter-sunk
cavity. This, firmly held between the
teeth, directs the tool.
The next advance was the mere thong
or cord of bow, by which one hand can
be made to do the work OF two in driving
the spindle. The bow-drill thus formed
was used by the ancient Egyptians, and
is employed at the present day In our
own country by certain artisans.
There is another contrivance, used
equally for drilling and fire-making, and
which is termed the "pump-drill. That
which is used in Switzerland, and else
where for drilling, is armed with a steel
point, weighted with wooden disk. AS
the hand brings the cross-piece down, it
unwinds the cord, driving the spindle
round; as the hand is lifted again, the
disk, acting as a fy-wheel, runs on and
rewinds the cord, and so on. This appa-
ratus is used in several of the South
Sea islands, only the spindle is armed
with hard stone, instead of steel
point. A similar instrument was also
used amoug the Iroquois Indians OF New
York.
The natives of Terra del Fuego iii we
credit Magalhaens, from whom the
Straits of Magellan take their name),
made fire from flint on piece of iron
pyrites. the sparks being received on
some kind of finder. This method was
also used by the Slave and Dog Kib In
dians, near the Arctic circle, as also by
the Greeks and Romans.
There are certain varieties of cane, or
bamboo, which contain large proper
tons OF silica, which is the same sub
stance that, in another form, we call
flint. The natives of Sumatra, Borneo,
and the surrounding islands, produce fire
by striking or rubbing together splints
of bamboo, the silicious coating of which
renders ignition possible. Producing fire
by means of what is termed "sun-
glass, is not, by any manner of means,
OF modern origin. Pliny mentions
"glass globes" practically what we call
double convex lenses), with water put
in them, which, when set opposite the
sun, would so concentrate its rays as to
set clothes on fire. The story of Archi-
medes informs us that the fleet besieg-
ing Syracuse was set on fire by means of
"burning mirrors" In like manner
the vestal virgins lighted the fire it was
their study to keep forever burning in
the fame of Vesta, on the banks OF the
Tiber. If these virgins allowed the
eternal fire to go out, they were whipped
by the priests, "whose custom it was to
drill into board of suspicious wood till
the fire came, which was carried to the
temple in a brazier." Inca, who acted
as prophet, priest and King" of Peru,
lighted the fires of his nation annually,
ION the occasion of the winter solstice, !"
by means of concave mirrors fashioned
out of nodules of iron pyrites, which are
capable OF being polished to the bril-.
hancy of silver or steel. When, how
ever, the sun failed to shine on the fes-
tival given in his honor-for the Incas
were sun-worshipers-then the new fire
was kindled by means of friction.
In our own country We have in turn
lighted our fires with flint, steel and
finder, with the sun-glass, and of late
with the friction-match. Before the in
vention of the match, if ones fire went
out, it was o common practice to run to
the neighbours to borrow some and,
years ago, during the intermission be-
tween the services upon the Sabbath,
there might be seen, upon the sunny
side of the church, groups OF men en-
deavoring to light their pipes with a
sun-glass.
But all of these methods have been
supplanted by the friction match. Such
is the progress of SCIENCE. f. Pack
ard, in Wide AOake.