The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-05-28
ss,hsr

original tribes have /
had more or less OF |
this sort OF religion |
In the past. and 10 the present day ]
they have ceremonials associated with |
the making OF new fire at stated inter |
walls. For this purpose they always en-
ploy the most primitive method-that |
is to ray. the rubbing OF two sticks to-
gether. For example. the Zuni use an
agave stick with sand 10 help the fric-
ton. The sand Is wet. because this
renders the hre-making more difficult.
and, therefore. more meritorious IN the
sight Of the gods. One OF the objects In
the collection referred To Is a eo-called
FIRE pump. utilized by the Onandagas at
the feast Of the white Dog. at which a
white dog Is sacrificed This tool uti-
lizes the mechanism Of the pump drill
co. making the point OF a stick reyolve
rapidly In another piece OF wood. thus
finally obtaining ignition. The Hin
docs by the way. have a similar sacred
fire drill. by means Of which they make
fire nine times each day Tor nine days
NJ a periodical festival.
The Hupa Indians. Of California. are
remarkably expert ere makers. With
a couple Of simple sticks OF soft mes
quite wood. which they keep very dry.
they can produce fire In ten seconds.
This method OF Gre making requires
such expert manipulation that few
civilized men have ever been able 10
acquire the art Mr.. Walter Hough.
one Of the ethnologiits OF the National
museum. knows how 10 do Il. The
writer has seen him make IRE In
couple Of minutes by revolving between
the palms OF HIS hands a stick. the
/ point Of which was inserted In a hole
10 another piece OF wood. Presently
smoke would begin 10 come from the
hole. and soon a spark would catch
some finder OF which q pinch was sup
piled for the purpose For such finder
American savases use some very odd
things The Eskimo OF Point Barrow
amnloy for the purpose willow catkins:
/ these Of Cumberland gulf use the white
fhre % arctic cotton. while In some
parts Of Alaska shredded cedar bark Is
made 20 serve TIE aborigines Of Ec-
uador employ for finder the Innings
from the nests Of a certain species Of
ants. while In Mexico a substitute Is
found IN a kind Of fungus which Il
soaked In saltpetor, dried. cut in sheets
aud sold In small packets In Japar
the flowers Of a species OF artcmisia ar
dried for tiuder
The most remarkable ceremonial o
Gre worship that survives la this coun
try ia praciicod by the Nayajos. The.
believe In publication b. IRE. and q
this end they literally wash thcmselyo
In H. The feats they perform with
Gar exceed the most wonderful acts O
arc-eating and hre.haudllng accom-
plished by civilized iusglors. In pre-
paration for the festival a giganti
heap OF dry wood Is gathered from IN
desert At the appointed moment n
gtcat pile OF lnhammable brush Is light
cd and In a few moments the whole {
h. Is IN one blaze. a storm OF spark
ily one hundred feet or more into n
air. and ashes fall about like a ligl
, shower OF snow. The ceremony alway
, takes place at night and the eject ,
It Is both weird and Impressive
Just when the FIRE Is raging at 4
hottest whistle Is heard from n
outer darkness. and a dozen warrior
1.-The and lean. dressed In narrow viii
breech-cloths aud moccaslns simp
and daubed with white earth so as
look like so many living statues. con
= bounding through the entrance Of a
I corral that encloses the flaming hoa
f, Yelplng like wolves they move slow
I. toward the Ere bearing aloft slendl
wands tipped with balls Of eagle dow
A Running around the ere. always 70 a
lofi. they begin thrusting their wanl
"A toward the fire. trying 10 burn on Il
y down from the tips. Owing to the Il
r. tcnslty OF the heat this L. difficult
Iv accomplish. One warrior dashes wild
,, toward the Gre and retreats; anoth
Hes as close to the ground as a frigh
ened lizard endeavoring to wrigg
himself up to the Ere; others seek
y catch on their wands the sparks IN
ny In the air Al last one by one tn,
= al succeed In burning the downy bal
from the wands.
m. The test OF endurance Is very sever
n. the heat Of the fire being 30 gre.
N. Having burned OF the halls OF doy
M the warriors next set about
Ia storing them again. On the 81
ga OF each wand one after anoth'
"a appears presently a fresh bah OF eal
nd down. Il Is supposed TO be the one N
Ia. vas burned. re-orealod, but In fact q
H. Is only a juggling trick, Each m
is. holds In his hand a ring that Is cover
lof With down. When the proper ia
nd arrives he permits this ring TO I'll
along the wand TO It's extremity 7
performers In this ceremony sometlu
wear immense false moustachos a
for huss specmcles. In imitation Of