PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM 



VOL 73 



I. On wood (reciprocating motion) by. 



II. On wood (sawing motion with knife 

 and thong). 



1. Simple two-stick apparatus. — Indians 



of North, Central, and South Amer- 

 ica; Ainos, Japan; Somahs, Africa; 

 most Australians, etc. The most 

 widespread method. 



2. Four-part apparatus; moiUh drill and 



two-hand drill. — Eskimo, some Indi- 

 ans, Siberians, Hindus, and Dyaks. 

 . Compound, weighted drill. — Iroquois 

 and Chukchis. 



Malays and Burmese. 



III. On wood (plowing or planing mo-|poiy,,esians; some Australians 



tion 



IV. Of minerals and bamboo (percus- 

 sion). 



1. With pyrites (or stone containing iron) 



and flint. — Eskimo and Indians of 

 the North (Algonkian and Atha- 

 pascan stocks). 



2. Flint and steel.- — Modern and disused 



methods and appliances. 



3. Flint or other hard substances on bam- 



boo. — Malay. 



V. By compressed air. 



Besides the lens, mirror, and aerophore there are pyrophores, the 

 hydrogen lamp, matches, and various chemical and electrical methods. 



FIRE MAKING BY ARTIFICIAL MEANS 



Observations on the customs of the races of mankind, extending in 

 time and area, show that by one or more of several methods all men 

 knew how to make fire artificially. The origin of fire making is 

 evidentl3^ lost in the past, but there is no valid reason to put the 

 invention very far back in tune. Sound criticism will place it at the 

 period of one of the profound advances marked by new ideas and 

 the beginnings of the great movement of the dissemination of man 

 over the earth. Several deductions are legitimate concerning the 

 nebulous period when the art of fire production was in the making. 

 The first of these is that fire was carefully preserved when no means 

 of lighting it again were at hand and fire occurring in nature from 

 the lightning and volcano was difficult to obtain. Hence the ancients 

 of the early world of man learned all there was to know about the 

 guardianship of fire and were also frugal in the use of this "friend 

 of man." 



Another deduction is that there is more or less uncertainty in 

 carrying fire about, especially to any distance, under primitive con- 

 ditions. If fire was as important to man as has been imagined, he 

 would not for a long time migrate from his primitive seats. 



It is not possible to imagine man, undoubtedly a creature of long 

 development and with a long train of acquired experiences, remaining 



