The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-09-14
EARLY FIREMAKING.
SOME CURIOUS METHODS IN USE
AMONG VARIOUS PEOPLES.

How Natives of Borneo Produce Fire by
the Compression of Air-Igniting finder
by Saving and "Plowing''-uow the
Chemical Match Came to Be Invented.
The most curious of all known methods
OF making fire is practiced by the native
tribes OF Borneo and Burmah. Funnily
enough, the instrument which they EN-
ploy is utilized for the same purpose to-
day by the scientific physicist in the la
boratory. The primitive form of appa-
ratus used by the barbarous people above
referred to is simply cylinder of buffalo
horn, with sort of piston that fits into it.
In the receptacle that holds this "fire
syringe" as it is called, is also carried
small box filed with tinder. When fire is
wanted piece of tinder is placed in the
followed end of the piston, which is there
upon inserted into the mouth Of the cylin-
der of buffalo horn. Holding the cylinder
in the left hand the operator strikes the
knob of the piston smart blow with the
open right hand, the force being sufficient
to drive it home.
Owing to the natural law by which COM
pressed air gives up heat under reduction
of volume, the finder in the end of the pis-
ton catches fire and is seen to be alight,
when the piston is instantly and quickly
withdrawn after the blow has been struck.
Gentle breathing upon the spark fans its
commencing glow; fresh tinder is applied,
which catches fire Immediately; more
blowing increases the flame, and scraped
wood and then small sticks are added to
make the beginning of a blaze. Easy as
this process for obtaining fire looks, it re-
quires no little skill and practice.
A very interesting monograph on the
firemaking methods Of the world, among
which this one is referred to, is published
by the Smithsonian institution. The well
known process Of obtaining the spark of
ignition by drilling with revolving stick
into another piece Of wood is first described.
1t varies in manner so much that some
savages can get fire in this way in frac-
tion Of q minute, while the Amos of Japan
require two hours or more for the purpose.
Next is mentioned the plan of making fire
by saving, which is in common use among
the Malays and throughout the East In
dies. A native will cut V shaped slit in
branch of the oil tree, put knife edge
on piece of iron wood, saw quickly back
and forth with the latter in the V, and in
less than three minutes he will have set
fire with the incandescent sawdust pro
duced by the friction to tinder held under
meath Then he will put the ignited
tinder in bunch of dry leaves, wrap them
in dried grass. whirl the bundle around
his head and have flame in "jiffy."
However, the usual method of firemak-
ing by saving practiced by these people is
to take two pieces of bamboo-one hol-
lowed convex strip, and the other prepared
with an edge like knife. The former is
placed with the convex side up, and the
knife edge is sawed rapidly back and forth
across it. Presently the followed convex
piece is pierced through the top by the
saw, and the incandescent dust falls upon
tinder beneath, igniting the latter. Some
times the process is reversed, and the con-
vex piece holding the tinder is sawed upon
the bamboo knife, which is fixed with the
edge up. Bamboo is an excellent friction
material; the siliceous coating is favorable
for the development of great heat, while
the soft, marrowy substance inside is very
inflammable.
Quite as odd is the only method of fire.
making known to the Polynesians, to
whom it exclusively belongs-namely, that
of the "plowing stick" The operator rubs
q groove in piece Of soft wood with the
end of stick of hard wood, the rubbing
stick wearing off particles of the soft wood
and pushing them along in heap at the
end of a groove BY acceleration of the
motion they are brought up to the point of
ignition. Much expertness is required to
perform the process successfully, but flame
Is said to be procured directly without the
use of tinder.
The modern lucifer match is superior to
all other devices for producing fire, says
the author of the monograph quoted, Mr..
Walter Hough, since it combines in one
instrument arrangements for the creation
of the spark, for catching it on tinder and
for starting blaze-steps requiring sepa-
rate operations in the primitive machines.
Or the devices which preceded the friction
match the nearest likeness to it was the
Splint of infammable wood tipped with
sulphur, which accompanied the tinder
box, the invention of the flint and steel
strike-a.light, necessitating some device to
convert the spark into flame. For this
purpose the Eskimo applies wick soaked
in oil to the spark and blows it alight.
Birthstone matches are found in Japan in
the shape of broad, thin shavings tipped
along one end with sulphur. In Mexico
cotton wicks dipped in sulphur are SINH
larly employed.
"Spunks," the common name for splints
tipped with sulphur, were in general use
in this country prior to 1926, and fingered
in out of the way places long after the in
PRODUCTION Of matches. In certain districts
of France today they are still in use, being
much more economical than matches from
the point of view of people Of simple hab-
its. Hunting parties and exploring expe-
ditions bound for distant countries usually
carry, besides matches, strike-a-lights, for
use in case matches are exhausted or
meet with some of the many accidents to
which they are liable. Patents are still
sought from time to time for pipe lighting
contrivances, involving the use of flint and
steel struck together by some more or less
simple mechanical device. A variation of
the "spunks" was curled shavings tipped
with sulphur. s,-...
At the beginning very general preju-
dice was felt against friction matches be-
cause they were poorly made, hung fire,
readily absorbed moisture, emitted noxious
odors and were eostly. The worst ones,
however, were more expeditions than the
tinder box, and improvements were soon
made. Nevertheless it is seriously sug-
gested by Mr.. Hough as worthy of inquiry
whether the alarming deterioration of the
teeth Of the present generation may not be
due to PHOSPHORUS matches more than to
soft food.-St. Louis Globe-Democrat.
But One Dream.
Sir William Fraser mentions clever
retort made by Lord Fitz Clarence when in