102 BULLETIN 139, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



The historian Oviedo (1526) figures this hearth. Ling Roth sug- 

 gests that Benzoni mentions a similar method in Nicaragua. 



There is abundant pictorial evidence on the fire drill and its method 

 of working among the writings of the ancient Mexicans. These 

 prove that the simple two-part drill was the form employed.® Other 

 drawings in the Codex Nuttall, Peabody Museum, Cambridge, Mas- 

 sachusetts, show even more clearly the definite intent in fire making. 

 Among the uncivilized tribes of Mexico up to a few years ago the 

 fire drill w^as in common use. 



CENTKAL AHEBICA 



The simple drill survives in Central America to the present. The 

 interior and almost unvisited tribes of Panama and Darien still use 

 the drill. The Guatuso of Costa Rica were using the drill at the time 

 of Gabb's visit, about 1870. No pecularities of drill or hearth have 

 been observed in Central America aside from the fact that the Costa 

 Ricans worked the drill on a billet of wood with center groove. 



SOUTH AMERICA 



Many instances of the simple fire drill have been recorded from 

 South America, but much remains. The Maeva Indians of Venezuela, 

 who live in the Sierra Perija, use a reed for the driU, and in a hollow 

 in the end place a piece of tinder. Two men work the drill their hands 

 coming into play alternately. When the tinder ignites the fire maker 

 blows through a small cut through the wall of the reed, thus fanning 

 up the coal of fire,' This extraordinary and unique method indicates 

 what may be discovered in South America when exploration by scien- 

 tific men is carried further. 



Im Thurn describes fire making among the Indians of British 

 Guiana, as follows: 



"Two long sticks when thoroughly dried are used in the operation. 

 A small pit is dug on the side of one of the sticks close to one end, 

 and a groove is cut from the pit halfway round the stick (fig. 17a, 

 p. 258) . One end of the second stick having been cut evenly at right 

 angles to the length of the stick, a few inches at the same end are peeled 

 (fig. 176) . A knife or flat piece of wood or stone is now placed on the 

 ground. Across this the first stick is laid so that the pit is upper- 

 most and immediately over the blade of the knife. The Indian then 

 grasps this stick with the toes of one foot and then holds it steadily 

 in one position. The second stick is held at right angles to the first, 

 the peeled end being in the pit, the other end between the palms of 



» See flg. 377 from the MS. Troano in 6th Ann. Kept., Bur. Amer. Ethnol., 1888, p. 352. 



' Theodoor De Booy. The Maeva Indians of Venezuela, Sci. Amer. Supp., 2245, Jan. n,19l&,pp 24-28. 



