The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-01-19
FIRE MADE BY FRICTION.
HOW THE THING IS DONE BY MA
TNEs IN MANY COUNTRIES.

The Rubbing Of Dry sticks Together -
the Favorite Method-Crude Inventions
which n,orIre "A Dextcrous Hand TO
Operate-The Pottery and Fungus Th'"'
One of the first things every emu
learns about fire is that certain sa''se
races produce it by the rubbing OF TWO
sticks DELIGHTFULLY."- simple as the ue-
scrintion of the process is, any one VINO
has tried to perform the operation WI"
certify that it is by no means an easy
one. and very likely will aiterward ae-
clare fervently upon oath that the thinS
cannot be done. Many travellers have
fried under the most suspicious circum-
s.ances-in countries where the prOduc-
ton of fire in this manner Is II every
dav use. with a grinning native to choose
the weapons and give a practical eXhi-
bition Of his own skill-and after many
Joint and muscle aching experiments
have given up the attempt IN state oil
mind bordering on temporary insanity.
1--WE ourselves" writes traveller, "have
been successful just often enough TO UNI
derstand the uncertainty Of the opera
ton"
JUDGMENT AND DEXTERlrY.
In the first place judgment is required
in choosing the sticks The immense
variety of tropic vegetation furnishes
many sorts that answer the purpose, but
MANY also that will not; an expert some
times 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 prehenslYe
toes probably-sharpens the light Dit'
places it in the intersections of the cross,
and twirls it steadily between his palms.
Gradually finder forms, in the shape OF
dust which drops down the grooves I'M a
tiny heap on either side. If the twirling
be interrupted for a second that repre-
SCENTS so much waste time, which must
he recovered at enormous interest. il
the heavy piece shifts the finder Is dis
placed.
But the power Of originating fire m
this manner with facility Is not an ac-
complishmcnt possessed by every one,
even i'm 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 a last resort. They have
other methods Of producing fire. A ma
tive carries in his betel box perhaps q
fragment Of hard pottery and morsel
of dry fungus. Fixing bit of the latter
in the hollow Of the former, and holding
il down with the thumb-in such way
that it follow. 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 in use in differ
ent parts Of the world are various. One
of the simplest is with the stick and
croove-a blunt pointed stick being run
| along a groove of its own making m
piece of wood lying on the ground. IN
/ Tahiti Alr. Darwin saw native produce
fire I'm a few seconds, but only succeeded
himself after much labor This device
is employed in New Zealand, the Sand.
wich Islands. Tonga, Samoa and the
Radack Islands. Instead Of rubbing the
movable stick backward and forward
other tribes make il rotate rapidly in q
round hole in The stationary piece OF
wood, in the manner referred TO, thus
making. as happily designated, fire
drill. This device has been observed IN
Australia. Kamschatka, sumatra and
the Carolines. among the Acddah5 OF
Ceylon, throughout q great part Of Soutl
Africa. among the Esquimaux and ln
dian tribes of North America, in Oh,
West Indies, in Central America and a
far south as the Straits OF Magellan. il
was also employed by the ancient Next
cans. and Mr. Taylor gives q quaint pict
ure Of the operation from MeNican Ms.
i'm which a man. half kneeling on the
ground. is causing the stick To rotate be-
tween the palms of his own hands This
simple method of rotation seems To bl
generally in use, but various devices
have been resortcd to for the purpose of
diminishing the labor and Fastening tho
result