98 BULLETIN 141, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



less continuous current. The piston bellows originating in some 

 -eastern Asiatic center of metal industry is widespread over the East 

 Indies and parts of the continent. It is actuated by plungers in two 

 pistons and is without valves. 



The date of the introduction of the valve is not known, but the loca- 

 tion was probably Europe. The primitive appearing bellows used by 

 the Navaho silversmith is valved. It is probably an introduction from 

 Spain through Mexico. Plate 84, Arizona, Bureau of American 

 Ethnology collection. A curious method of producing a blast of 

 superheated steam to intensify the fire in melting metals is practised 

 by the Lepcha gold workers in Sikkini, India. The specimen con- 

 sists of a copper flask with long curved beak having a slight opening 

 at the point. In practice this is heated and submerged in water, the 

 vacuum created drawing much water into the flask. The flask is 

 then set in a fire and the point directed on the fire under the crucible. 

 (PI. 8Sh, fig. 3; Cat. No. 326753, Dr. William Clemmons; 3.7 inches 

 (9.5 cm.) diameter, 8.7 inches (22 cm.) high.) 



TONGS AND PIRB TOOLS 



One of the earliest problems connected with the utilization of fire 

 was fire handling. The poker may be considered the first of the 

 fire tools and may be a branch sharpened and charred in the fire and 

 also serving at times as a temporary, fitful torch. Such pokers are 

 found in universal use around the fires of uncivilized races and 

 specimens are here and there preserved in the cliff dwellings of the 

 southwesten United States. The poker as a simple device remains 

 indefinitely simple at all stages of progress. Two pokers, however, 

 brought together indicate the beginning of tongs, that is, sticks 

 pressed on either side of a brand for lifting it form tongs. Veritable 

 examples can be found in use in the manner of chopsticks to this 

 day in China, Japan, and the northwest coast of America. Ap- 

 parently the next step is to join these pokers at one end. The Jap- 

 anese use two iron rods to attend the fire in the hibachi. Sometimes 

 these pokers are joined at the ends with a ring, but beyond this there 

 is no invention in the direction of tongs. (PI. 86, figs. 4, 5 ; Cat. Nos. 

 128275, 128141, Japan, Japanese Department of Education; 11.4 

 inches (29 cm.) and 14.6 inches (37 cm.) long.) On the northwest 

 coast sometimes the tongs are made by splitting a stick part way. 

 Generally they are of two round sticks, and sometimes joined as men- 

 tioned. (PI. 85, fig. 6.) The Kiowa used a pair of forked sticks 

 to handle the hot stones for the sweat bath. (PI. 85, figs. 4, 5; Cat 

 No. 153000, Oklahoma, elames Mooney, 14 inches (35.5 cm.) long.) 

 The Washoes of Nevada and some California tribes bent a stick on 

 itself, forming a loop, the implement resembling a tennis racket, and 

 used it for handling hot stones. (PI. 85, fig. 1; Cat. No. 204473, 



