Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1890-05-29
FIRE FROM FRICTION.
How Savage People Obtain Fire by the
Rubbing of Dry sticks.


One Of the first things every child
learns about fire is that certain savage
races produce it by the rubbing of two
sticks saws the AmertcuH AHGiYSt. De
lightfully simple as the description of
the process is, any one who has tried
TO perform the operation will certify
that it is by no means an easy one and
very likely will afterward declare
feryently upon oath that the thing can
not be done. Many travellers have
tried under the most suspicious circum-
stances-in countries where the pro-
duction Of fire in this manner is in
everyday use, with a grinning native
to choose the weapons and give a
practical exhibition of his own skill
and after many joint and muscle aching
experiments have given up the at
tempt in a state of mind bordering on
temporary insanity. 1--WE ourselves
writes traveller, "have been success
iul Just often enough to understand
the uncertainty Of the operation" In
the first pace, Judgment is required in
choosing the sticks. The immense
variety Of tropic vegetation furnishes
many sorts that answer the purpose
br many also that will not An ex-
pert sometimes may be long in finding
two species suitable. 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, fixes it tight-with
his prehensive toes robably-sharpen
the light bit. places it in the inter-
sections of the cross, and twirls il
steadily between his palms Gradually
finder forms in the shape of dust,
which drops down the grooves in q
tiny heap on either side. If the twir.
ing be interrupted for a second that
represents so much waste time, which
must be recovered at enormous interest
ii the heavy piece shifts the finder is
displaced.
But the power Of originating fire in
this manner with facility is not an &C.
complishment possessed by every one,
even in the countries where the practice
exists. The inhabitants of the tropics
do not always depend wholly upon
their two sticks; among many tribes
they are nothing but last resort
They have other methods of producing
tire. A native carries in his betel-boX
perhaps, a fragment of hard pottery
and a morsel Of dry fungus. Fixing a
bit of the latter i'm the hollow of the
former, and holding it down with the
thumb-in such a way that it follows
the edge he smartly strikes his box,
which is bamboo of course just as if
he were handling flint and steel The
fungus finder is glowing in an instant.
The friction methods i'm use in different
parts of the world are various. One OF
the simplest is with the stick and
groove buut-ponted stick being
run along groove Of its own making
i'm piece of wood lying on the ground.
In Tahiti Mr.. Darwin saw native pro.
duce fire in few seconds, but only
succeeded himself after much labor.
This device is employed in New Zea-
land the Sandwich islands, Tonga
Samoa, and the Radack islands,
Instead Of rubbing the movable stick
backward aud forward, other tribes
make it rotate rapidly in a round hole
i'm the stationary piece of wood in the
manner referred to-, thus making as
happily designated a Iire-drill THIS
device has been observed in Australia,
Kamschatka, Sumutra, and the Caro-
lines, among the Icdjahs of Ccylou,
throughout great part of South
Africa. among the EsquimauN and
Indian tribes of North America. in the
West Indies, i'm Central America and
as far south as the Straits of Magellan.
Ii was also employed by the ancient
MeNicaus, and Mr.. Taylor gives
quaint picture of the operation from
Mexican MS. i'm which man. half
kneeHng on the ground is causing the
stick to rotate between the palms of
his own hands. This simple method
OF ROTATION seems TO be generally i'm Use,
hut various devices have been resorted
to for the purpose OF diminishing the
labor and Fastening the result. The
Guacho of the Paupas takes IAN elastic
stick about eighteen inches long,
presses one end to his breast and the
other in the hole of a piece of wood,
and then rapidly turns the curved part
like q carpenters centor-bitN In other
cases the rotation is Affected by means
of "a cord or thruug wound around the
drill and pulled alternately by this end
and that, A further advance was
maNe bN some NOill American lh-
diaus, who appear to have applied the
priucipleof the bow-driIl and the still
more ingenious pump-drill was used
by the Iroquoi~ Indians. For full de-
scription of these instruments we must
refer the reader to Mr.. Tavior's va,ul-
BILE chapter in his "Researchcs.'
These methods of producing fire are
bat rarely used in Europe, and only in
connection with supcr~Jitiou- observ-
auces. We read iu Wuitke that some
time ago the authorities of a Mick.en-
berg village ordered wild fire to lie
lighted against the murrajn among
cattle For two hours they stroEe
vanity to obtain a spark, but the fault
was not a,cribei To the quality OF the
wood or TO the dampues> Of the atmas-
phera. but 20 the ,tubbornne.s OF AIN
old lady who, Directing to the super
stition. would moi put out her ni-u
light. such a fire to be efficient must
burn alone. AT last the stroug-minted
woman was compelled to give in. Fire
was obtained. but of bad quality. for il