FIRE AS AN AGENT IN HUMAN CULTURE 91 



smoke, a little charcoal then fell in powder, and presently a soark 

 jumped out, kindled the charcoal dust, and the end was accom- 

 plished." " 



MALAYSIA 



While in Malaysia there is the greatest proliferation of fire-making 

 methods, the simple drill is in the hands of those tribes lowest in the 

 scale of culture. 



The Dyak are said by Wood to drill down onto a groove cut in the 

 imder side of the block of wood technically called the hearth. If 

 this observation is correct this method appears to connect with the 

 sawing methods." 



The North Borneans also as one of their methods use the plain 

 hand drill." 



Marsden observed the use of the drill in Sumatra.** 

 The Nias islandei*s used a cord drill and also had the pump drill.^^ 

 Doctor Pleyte has made an interesting study of fire-making appa- 

 ratus in Indonesia, to which attention is called.*^ 



AUSTRALU 



Captain Cook observed that the Australians used the simple fire 

 drill like the Sitkans.*^ This observation, although based on quite 

 incomplete knowledge of Australian aboriginal methods at the time, is 

 generally true. Another method has been introduced, however, from 

 oceanic peoples and will be noted under plow. A strikingly primitive 

 use of the drill is noted by R, Brough Smyth: 



"Mr. Robert Hugham says that the aborigines of Burnett, New 

 South Wales, get fire in the following manner: They cut with the 

 hatchet a hole in a dry fallen tree. They fill this hole with part of 

 the dry ripe head of the flower stalk of the Xanthorrhoea, well 

 powdered between the hands, and then turn the stem head downward 

 into the hole and twirl it. In a few seconds they get fire.^^ 



The Tasmanians were supposed to be an example of a fireless people. 

 "Against this opinion we have abundant evidence that they did 

 know how to produce artificial flame. * * * The natives got two 

 pieces of grass- tree stems, the smaller of which had a hole in it. Some 

 soft down of the inner bark of trees called bull's-wool was mixed with 

 powdered charcoal and placed in the hole. Friction with the other 

 stick ignited the mixture, and flame was the result. "*^ 



" J. E. Tennent. Ceylon, etc., London, 1859, vol. 2, p. 541. 



'8J. Q Wood. The Natural History of Man, vol. 2, 1870, p. 502. 



"S. J. B. Skertchley. Journ. Anthrop. Inst., vol. 19 1890, p. 448. Says that the drill is us«d by the 

 Malaj-s, Dyaks, Dusans, Bajours, Cagayans, Sulus, Muruts, Bugis, etc. 



»» William Marsden. Sumatra, London, 1811, p. 60. 



" Modigliani. Un Viagpo a Nias, pp. 385, 587. 



8» Globus, vol. 59, 1891, pp. 52-56. 



"First voyage, vol. 3, London, 1893, p. 234. 



"Aborigine? of Victoria, 1878, vol. 1, p. 395. 



^Bonwlck. Daily Life of the Tasmanians, London, 1870, p. 20. In Spencer's Descriptive Sociology, 

 vol. 3, p. 49. 



102837—26 8 



