Telegram-herald., 1890-01-10
FIRE BY FRICTION.
How . Blaze Ls kAndlec % SS7ves
In Many Lands
re G1az GA w-y 0f ost@lalss ffrs -
Shs ksbslzx - I've SIisks - s~Ses-
sEItl01s 0osSrSa1css A1sAS
EaroPs@a Csaztfy fo2A-


isaras about ese Il ts4E esrt2ln savage
Faees produce Is ~ TIE r-b5lns oi t@o
s-sks Dshghrfully simple ss ne De-
ser.pticn - the process Is. says the Lon
Gen tireUzn, any ore VIE las Tlea 70
perform the operation wlll osrtlty '1At
10 IS - 40 means "a easy enc, 4na very
likely vii zftarNard declare feFFently
upon oath that the thing can BOT -
done. Many travellers have tried, under
tie most suspici0us circumstances
countries where tie prod action OF IRE
"a this manner Is in everyday use, with
8 yrinning native - choose the weapons
and give practical exhibition OF his
e~n skill--and 49, many joint and
muscle-aching experiments have given
up the attempt in state OF mind Dor
dering on temporary insanity. We
ourselves" writes q traveller have
been successful Just often enough 70
understand the uncertainty OF the opera
tion. Ia the nrst place, Judgment Ia TO
quired IN choosing the sticks. The In
menss variety Of tropio vegetation fur
nishes many sorts that answer the pur-
pose. but many also that viii not; an
expert sometimes may be long in fnding
two species suita-e. One must be
light and soft; the other heavy,
of close texture. and both must be dry.
Upon the heavy bit he cuts two
grooves, in the form OF a cross, hxes
IL tight - with his prehensile toes,
probably - sharpens the light bat,
places il in tho intersections OF the
cross and twirls il steadily between his
palms Gradually tinder forms in the
shape OF dust which drops down the
grooves In tiny heap on either side.
IL the twirling be interrupted for Sec
ond. that represents SO much waste OF
time, which must be recovered at enor-
nous interest. II the heavy piece shifts
the tinder is displaced. One or other of
these accidents accounts for the failure
of the inexperienced. which is pretty
certain 10 occur. as in all other opera
tions of this kind, manual dexterity
comes only after considerable practice
But the power OF originating fire In this
manner with facility is not an accom-
plishment possessed by every one, even
IN the countries where the practice ex-
fists. The inhabitants Of the topics do
otalways depend wholly upon their two
sticks; among many tribes they are moth
ing but last resort. They have other
methods Of producing fire. A native
carries in his betel-box perhaps frag-
ment Of hard pottery and a morsel of dry
fungus. Fixing bit Of the latter in the
hollow, and holding 1t down with the
thumb-in such way thstit follows the
edge-he smartly strikes the box, which
Is bamboo, of course, just as If be were
handling flint and steel. A practice
still more odd Is used by some Oriental
people. They carry a short stick of
lead, followed Ike cup at one end,
which they fill with tinder, and small
bamboo, which closely FITS IL. Setting
the stick upright IN the left palm, they
adjust the bamboo over IL. strike smart
II, withdraw IL as quickly, and the tin
der is alight.
The friction methods In use in differ
ent parts of the world are various. One
of the simplest is with the stick and
grooye-a blunt-pointed stick being run
along a groove OF its own making in .
piece of wood lying on the ground. In
Tahiti Mr.. Darwin saw a native pro-
duce fire in few seconds, but only sue
ceeded himself after much labor. This
device is employed in New Zealand, the
Sandwich Islands, Tonga, Samoa and
the Radack Islands. Instead Of rubbing
the movable stick backward and for
ward, other tribes make It rotate rapid
ly in a round hole in the stationary
piece of wood, In the manner referred
TO, thus making, as happily designated,
a fire drill. This device has been OBJ
served IN Australia, Kamtschatka, Su-
matra and the Carolines; among the
Yeddahs of Ceylon, throughout q great
part OF South Africa, among the Esqui
1naux and Indian tribes of North Amer
lea, in tho West Indies, in Central
America and IS far south as the Straits
Of Magellan. II was also employed BY
the ancient Mexicans. A further sd
vance was made by some North Ameri
can Indians who appear 10 have applied
the principle of the bow-drill, and the
still more ingenious pump-dril was
used by tbs IrOquois Indians.
These methods of producing FIRE are
but rarely used in Europe, and only in
connection with superstitious observ-
snces. We read in WUttke that some time
ago the authorities Of Mecklenberg
village ordered a wild fire 20 be lighted
against the murrain among the cattle.
For two hours they strovs vainly 20 OBJ
tain a spark, but the fault was not as
cribed 20 the quality Of tho wood or "a
the dsmpness OF the atmosphere, but u
the stubbornness of an Old lady who, OBJ
jeoting 70 the superstition. would not
psf out her night light Such FIRE, %
be efficient, must burn alone. A. last
the strong-minded woman was com
pelled 20 give In; FIRE was obtained, bat
Of bad quality. for i. did not stop the
murrain.
A belief in the peculiar virtues ~ frs
obtained By the friction ~ wood has ~
one tiune or another prevailed among al
nations Of Indo-Europesn race. and not
many years ago the obtaining Of need
ffrel vas prscticed Ia the highlands Of
Scotland One Of its principal virtues
has always been considered 20 be e.
dcisuoy against disease
Ho- - Bs CheevfsL
How % ba chesrful-thst IA how - ~