6 PEOCEEDIlSrGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 73 



a success. Shortly a little coal of fire will be seen. To get a blaze 

 from this fragile coal is like Langley's problem in launching the first 

 airplane; the difficult problem which was hardly visioned in the more 

 important effort. 



There are, of course, a number of minor variations in the procedure. 

 The coal may be very gently fanned where it lies and finely divided 

 material added in right amount. Generally, softened inner bark strips 

 are previously placed under the hearth and shredded grass or bark 

 with perhaps a bit of tinder placed near the slot. The coal emerges 

 in this material, which is taken up on the strips of bark and gently 

 waved in the air. In a little while a flame bursts forth. 



FIRE MAKING WITH THE FOUR-PART DRILL OR BOW DRILL 



The explanations referring to the hand drill also apply to the bow 

 drill in everything except in the handling of the machine which sup- 

 plants the bare and often excoriated palms of the would-be primitive 

 fire maker. The aboriginal bow is rigid, straight, or slightly curved 

 and from 10 to 20 inches long. The cord of buckskin or hide is tightly 

 fastened to one end and can be adjusted at the other to take up slack. 

 The drill is usually of laiger diameter and shorter than the hand drill, 

 and tapered toward the ends from the middle. The nut is a block of 

 wood, generally carved in form of an animal among the Eskimo, of 

 convenient size for holding in the hand, and set with a piece of soft, 

 easily polished stone such as marble or soapstone in which a cavity 

 has been made. Make one turn of the cord around the drill, leaving 

 the bow to the right, set the drill in the socket of the hearth, and 

 place the nut. Make a few turns to ascertain conditions, especially 

 whether the cord grips the drill sufficiently to not slip when pressure 

 Is applied on the nut. The position of the driller is over the drill, 

 the left hand holding the nut being brought around the left flexed 

 knee, which aids pressure on the drill. Begin slowly and increase 

 pressure, nicely balancing the pressure with the grip of the cord. In 

 the concluding rapid work the cord may be tightened by pinching it 

 up between the thumb and first finger of the right hand. When the 

 drill is felt to bite strongly into the wood and throws up a little smoke 

 increase the pressure and rotation until the fire coal is thought to have 

 appeared. Hold the drill in place till this fact is known, as it is much 

 better to continue with a hot drill than a cold one. 



With the fire plow we have another idea radically different from 

 the drill. In this case a blunt stick is held between the locked fingers, 

 pressed down firmly, and rubbed back and forward on the flat surface 

 of a horizonal hearth, cutting a groove and forcing the dust into a 

 little heap at the end of the groove, and in which the fire rises. As 

 in the drill, this method requires careful and assured movements, 

 calculated to a nicety lest the accumulation of dust be disturbed. At 



