FIRE AS AN AGENT IN HUMAN CULTURE 179 



Again, as fire could be kindled without human aid, as by lightning 

 catching the rays of the sun, or by rubbing two sticks or two stones 

 together, it soon came to be recognized that the fire thus kindled 

 was the best for sacrifice, as though God himself descended to meet 

 and receive the offering.'* 



About 1900 the Polynesian fire walk attracted the attention of 

 several scientific observers, and data on the subject were collected 

 by Andrew Lang. No rational explanation being offered, the process 

 remained a mystery. On the visit to the South Seas Dr. S. P. Lang- 

 ley, secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, had an opportunity to 

 witness the most celebrated exhibitions of the fire walk at Tahiti 

 conducted by Papa-Ita, a venerable hierophant of the ceremony: " In 

 a pit about 9 by 21 feet and 2 feet deep cordwood was placed, and 

 on this laid waterworn stones of porous basalt and fire set to the 

 wood. The fire was continued for four hours, when attendants with 

 long poles turned some of the stones over. Now the most impressive 

 part of the ceremony began. Papa-Ita, tall, dignified, flower-crowned, 

 and dressed with garlands of flowers, appeared with naked feet and 

 with a large bush of ' ti ' leaves in his hands, and after going partly 

 around the fire each way, uttering what seemed to be commands to 

 it, went back and, beating the stones nearest him three times with the 

 ti leaves, advanced steadily, but with obviously hurried step, directly 

 over the central ridge of the pile. Two disciples similarily dressed 

 followed him, but they had not the courage to do so directly along 

 the heated center. They followed about halfway between the cen- 

 ter and the edge, where the stones were manifestly cooler since I had 

 satisfied myself they could be touched lightly with the hand. Papa- 

 Ita then turned and led the way back, this time with deliberate con- 

 fidence, followed on his return by several new disciples, most of 

 them not keeping exactly in the steps of the leader, but obviously 

 seeking cooler places. A third and fourth time Papa-Ita crossed 

 with a larger following, after which many Europeans present walked 

 over the stones without reference to the priest's instructions. The 

 natives were mostly in their bare feet. One wore stockings. No 

 European attempted to walk in bare feet, except in one case, that 

 of a boy, who, I was told, found the stones too hot and immediately 

 stepped back." 



Doctor Langley made an extemporaneous test by placing a hot 

 stone in a bucket of water, and estimated that its mean temperature 

 was 1,250° F., and also found that the material was a poor conductor 

 of heat, so that it might be very hot beneath while above it might 

 have been cool enough to walk upon without discomfort, especially 

 with native soles unacquainted with shoes. 



1* The above notes are from the Journ. Anthrop. Soc. Bombay, vol. 6, 1902. 

 102837—26 13 



