Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 September 1892 — LIGHTING THE FIRE SPARK. [ARTICLE]

LIGHTING THE FIRE SPARK.

Curious Methods of Fire Making In Use Among Various Peoples. The most curious of all known metli • ods of making lire is practiced by the native tribes of Borneo ami Uurmab. Funnily enough, the instrument which they employ is utilized for the same purpose to-day by the scientific physicist in the laboratory. The primitive form of apparatus used Uy the barbarous peoples referred to is simply a cylinder of buffalo horn with a sort, of piston that fits into it. In the receptacle that, holds this “fire syringe,” as it is called, is also carried a small box tilled with tinder. When fire is wanted a pioce of tiuder is placed in the hollowed end of the piston, which is thereupon inserted into the mouth of the cylinder of buffalo horn. Holding the cylinder in the left hand the operator strikes the knob of the piston a smart blow with the open right band, the force used being sumciont to drive it home. Owing to the natural law by which compressed air gives up heat under reduction of volume, the tinder in the end of tins piston catches fire and is seen to be alight, when the piston is instantly and quickly withdrawn after the blow has beeu struck. Gentle breathing cn 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 arc added to make the beginning of a blaze. Easy as this process for obtaining fire looks, it requires no little skill and practice.

A very interesting monograph on the fire-making methods of the world, among which this on i is referred to, is on the point of being published by the Smithsouiun Institution. The we’ll know* process of obtaining the spark of ignition by drilling with a revolving stick into another piece of wood is first described. It varies in manner so much that some savages can get fire iu this wny in a fraction of a minute, while the Aiuos, of Japan, require two boors or more for the purpose. Next is mentioned, the plan of making fire by sawing, whieh is in common use among the Malays ami throughout the East Indies. A native will cut a V-shaped slit in a brunch of the oil tree, put a knife edge on u piece of iron wood, saw quickly back and forth with tlio latter in the V, and iu less than three minutes he will have set fire with the incandescent sawdust produced by the friction to tinder hold underneath. Than he will put the ignited tinder in a bunch of dry leaves, wrap them in dried grass, whirl tho bundle around his bead and have n flame in a jiffy. However, the usual method of fire muking by rawing practiced by these peoples is to take two pieces of bamboo —one a hollowed convex strip and the other prepared with an edge like a knife. The former is placed with the convex side up and the knife edge is drawn rapidly buck and forth across it. Presently the hollowed convex pioce is pierced through tho top by the saw, and the incandescent dust fulls qpon tinder bencuth, igniting the latter. Sometime* the process is reversed, and the convex pieec holding the tinder is sawed tipon the bamboo knife,* which is fixed with the edge up. Bamboo is an excellent friction material; the siliceous coating is favorable for tho development of great heat, while the soft marrowy substanco inside is very iuflummable. 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 runs a groove in a piece of soft wood with the end of a stick of hard wood, the rubbing stick wearing off particles of the soft wood and pushing them along in a heap ot 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 dcvicos 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, fdr catching it on tinder, and for starting a blaze—steps requiring separate operations in tne primitive machines. Of the devices which preceded the friction match, the nearest likeness to it was the splint of inflammable wood tipped with sulphur, wfiich accompanied tne tinder box, the invention of the flint and steel strike-a-light, necessitating some device to convert the spark into a flame. For this purpose the Eskimo applies a wick soaked in oil to the spark and blows it alight. Brimstone matches arc found in Japan in the shape of broad, thin shavings, tipped along one end with sulphur. In Mexico cotton wicks dipped in sulphur are similarly employed. “Spunks” the common name for splints tipped with sulphur—-were in general use in this country prior to 1825, and lingered in out of the way places long after the introduction of matches. In certain districts of France to-day they are still in use, being much more economical than matches from the point of view of people of simple habits. Hunting parties and exploring expeditions bound for distant countries usuallj carry, besides matches, strike-a-lights for use in case matches are sf.hausted 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 and mechanical device. A variation of the “spunks” was curled shavings tipped with sulphur. At the beginning a very general prejudice was felt against friction matches, because they were poorly made, hong fire, readily absorbed moisture, emitted noxious odors and were costly. The worst ones, however, were more expeditious than the tinder box, and improvements were soon made. Nevertheless, it is seriously suggested by Mr. Hough as worthy of inquiry whether the alarming deterioration of the teeth of the present generation may net be doe to the phosphorous matches mom than to soft food. Attempts to supersede the wretched “epaaks* produced the tiuder

piston, the tinder wheel, and, later, the find chemical match.