The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-09-20
HOW TO MAKE FIRES.
rhs Methods Employed by DwelIers Il
UncixillSed Countrics.

ths Methods Employed by DwelIers In
Uncivilised Countries.
There are few things more curious and
which furnish such food for reflection
rs the ways in which the uncivilized
man makes fires. Tho problem of the
easiest and best way to get a spark
must have been worked at in the
earliest times, when the human race
realized the need Of fire, and the man
who solved the problem Is one OF the
worlds great, but unknown, bcnefac-
tors. 1t is not unlikely that various
methods have been invented as the re-
suit Of these attempts; 1t Is true of the
beginning OF our marvellous age OF in
ventions. The modern period furnishes
the most singular ways, for the reason
that chemistry and physics have en-
larged the field. For an immense period
in mans history the method OF kindling
fire afresh was by turning or rubbing
one stick upon another. In Burmah
tribe called the Kakhynes carry for
striking light cylinder of buffalo
horn, with central bore three-
sixteenths OF an inch in diameter and
three inches deep bored into 1T. A
closely fitting plunger of iron-wood
works in the hole. When the native
wants light, he withdraws the plunger
and puts bit of tinder into cavity in
the end of 1t. The piston is then in
serted and driven down with quick
blow, suddenly withdrawn, and the tin
der is found to be ignited. The Dyaks
of Borneo, who were systematic head
hunters before the advent of Rajah
Brooke, also made use of besiapi, or
fire syringe of brass, lined with lead,
fitted with wooden plunger.
This implement was known in this
country under the name of 'fnstan-
taneous light-giving syringe" before the
invention of matches, but was not gem
orally used, since, at best, it gave un-
certain results, leading the lecturer to
to saturate the tinder with bisulphide
Of carbon to minimize the burden of
proof. 1t is an interesting question how
the Dyaks and Burmese came to employ
the acrophore for fire making. The
Cochin China people strike two pieces
Of bamboo together and ignite tinder.
The coating of amorphous, silex-like
flint on the surface of the bamboo yields
spark at sharp blow. The traveller,
Mr.. w. T. Hornaday, tells me that the
jungles are frequently fired by the ex-
cessive friction Of the bamboos during
gale. The Tungaras of British North
Borneo and the Ternate Malays carry
attached to the girdle a joint of bamboo,
often finely carved, containing finder
and fragment of porcelain. The bit
Of china with tinder is held in one hand
and struck against the bamboo tinder
horn held in the other, generally get
ting light at the Erst blow. The
Aleutians of Alaska MAKE fire by dip
ping two pieces of quartz in sulphur.
which abounds in the islands, and strik-
ing them together over a small heap
of down on which sulphur has been
sprinkled. Some tribes of Esquimau use
two pieces of iron pyrites, or pyrites
and flint, in the same way. Matches
have gone everywhere and supplanted
the native fire-making processes. Holm,
the distinguished Danish Arctic ex-
plorer, relates that an Eskimo, on being
presented with box of matches, gave
away his fire drill, saying he would
have no further need of it. The Ma
tional Museum has a collection of fire.
making apparatus, showing the repre-
sentative methods of making fire used
in various parts of the world. 1t would
be impossible to duplicate the majority
of the pieces now, since trade has car.
ried matches to the ends of the earth.
Blacksmiths can start fire by pounding
violently rod of soft iron, first spread
ing on the anvil layer of powdered
coal dust This is good illustration
of the conversion of force into heat.
Walter Hough, in Popular Science
News