Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1893-07-15
LIGHTING FIRES BY FRICTION.
Primitive Method StiIl in Use Among
Some of tho Indian Tribes. --F

Centuries ago-before the white men
had penetrated into the lands of the
klamath, Pueblo and other Indian
tribes OF the west-wood friction was
the method employed by the North
American Indians The same manner
of kindling fires can be observed
among many of them to-day. No other
method is employed by the Eskimos |
and other northern uncivilized people, |
and later than 1888 wood friction was |
used to kincie the fire at the white dog |
feast by the New York Iroquois In
dams and the Onondaga Iroquois of
Canada. The operation of igniting
tinder by wood friction is varied, but
in every instance it is peculiar and
shows considerable amount of pa
thence and ingenuity The most primi-
tive form of apparatus consists of two
pieces of wood, one of some dry, loose
grained timber, which is the piece to
be operated upon, and the other, or
spindle, of hard wood, which must be
perfectly dry. The first piece is laid
fiat on the ground close to the tender
which is to be ignited, and small hole
is cut in the floor to receive the wood
powder as it is ground from the loose
grained wood. The hard wood spindle
is then taken between the palms of
the hands, and having first pressed the
| point against the other piece of wood
| it is twirled rapidly, causing gradu-
ally increasing friction and grinding
out a little heap of wood powder, which
falls into the hole referred to. This
! generates great deal of heat, and
finally the little heap of wood dust be-
| gins to smolder, and in a little time
enough heat is evolved to produce to
| ignition by spontaneous combustion.
Flame is never produced by this opera
tion. The wood or coal must be brought
into contact with the tinder and cau-
tiously famed into blaze. vu.s-s .s
Another form is called the pump or
weighted drill, and Mr.. Hough, in the
report of the National museum, says
that this apparatus is used in only
two localities in the world for making
fres-viz. among the Chullchis, of ST.
IBERIA, and the Iroquois Indians of New
York and Canada. The apparatus is
very ingeniously constructed. 1t con-
sists of a piece of soft or loose-grained
wood as in the first case,S and the
pump or spindle.s The spindle is
made of we'll seasoned elm ors other
hard wood. 1t is usually about tive
feet long and has kind of fly wheel
about three inches from the bottom. A
crosspiece of wood with hole in the
center large enough for the spindle tc
pass through easily is then adjusted as
the pump handle. Attached to each
| - l., ,. L. .l. - ;o1, ,
fastened to the top of the spindle ano
twisted around it in such a manner thai
moving the handle up and down will
cause it to revolve rapidly in alternate
directions, thus creating maximum
amount of friction at the point of con
tact with the loose-grained wood. Thi!
was the kind of apparatus used by th,
Iroquois Indians at the white dog feas
of 1888. ..... .t..
! The natives of the East Indies and o
Australia use another method for oh
tanning ignition by means of wood fric
ton. Their method is by Saving.
A V-shaped notch is first cut length
wise in piece of bamboo-almos
penetrating it Then another piece O
l bamboo or other hard wood is shape,
] like the blade of knife, and this !
drawn backward and forward, afte
the manner of saving, until the lowe
piece is pierced and the heated Woo
powder falls through. .r.
DIR. r. NJ Luther tells the following
incident of lighting fire by this. Pre-
cess: "A Burmese found branch c
the oil tree, hewed in it V-shape
s cavity, cut knife of ironwood, save
j with it across the branch. and in les
I than three minutes had coal of fir
j underneath. This was taken in som
e dry leaves, wrapped in bunch of gras
4 and whirled around the head, giving
= flame in a jiffy.'" This method, how
, ever does not seem to have been eve
d used by the North American indians
u Buffalo Times
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