FIRE-MAKING APPARATUS IN THE UNITED STATES 

 NATIONAL MUSEUM 



By Walter Hough 



Head Curator of Anthropology, United States National Museum 



INTRODUCTION 



In the ethnological collections of the United States National Museum 

 at the period of 1886 there were many fire sticks, chiefly from the 

 North American Indians, and from the Eskimo, with a few from other 

 parts of the world. Prof. Otis T. Mason, then curator of ethnology 

 in the newly organized Museum, observing the interest of his aide in 

 these curious objects, urged him to take up their study. In this oppor- 

 tune time, 42 years ago, the constant stream of ethnological material 

 flowing into the Museum from expeditions brought with it other fire 

 sticks, until a sufficient basis for their scientific description was assem- 

 bled. From the first in the National Museum organized by G. Brown 

 Goode on the basis of arts and industries it was regarded as a necessity 

 to .practically work out the method by which the aborigine produced 

 the impedimenta which supplied his needs. Thus before the writer 

 could intelligently handle the subject of aboriginal fire making he 

 should be able to make fire by all the methods known to man. This 

 unexpectedly difficult task accomplished, the first practical monograph 

 on the subject appeared.^ It was found possible in the study to 

 classify the methods and assign them to races and geographic areas 

 and also to give a synopsis of the technical and developmental status 

 of the methods. The widespread interest in this subject was demon- 

 strated by the demand for the paper, which has been placed out of 

 the reach of collectors for many years. The present paper is a revi- 

 sion and extension of the former publication. 



The following is a classification of the chief methods of fire making, 

 based upon the presumed order of development : 



• Hough, Walter. Fire-Making Apparatus in the IT. S. National Museum, An. Rep. U. S. Nat. Mus., 

 1888, pp. 531-587. 



No. 2735.— Proceedings U. S. National Museum, Vol. 73, Art. 14. 



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