1835.] MODE OF PRODUCING FIRE. 393 



found ravines. In the Cordillera I have seen mountains on a far 

 grander scale, but for abruptness, nothing at all comparable with 

 this. In the evening we reached a flat little spot on the banks of 

 the same stream, which we had continued to follow, and which 

 descends in a chain of waterfalls : here we bivouacked for the night. 

 On each side of the ravine there were great beds of the mountain- 

 banana, covered with ripe fruit. Many of these plants were from 

 twenty to twenty-five feet high, and from three to four in circum- 

 ference. By the aid of strips of bark for rope, the stems of 

 bamboos for rafters, and the large leaf of the banana for a thatch, 

 the Tahitians in a few minutes built us an excellent house ; and 

 with withered leaves made a soft bed. 



They then proceeded to make a fire, and cook our evening meal. 

 A light was procured, by rubbing a blunt pointed stick in a groove 

 made in another, as if with intention of deepening it, until by the 

 friction the dust became ignited. A peculiarly white arid very 

 light wood (the Hibiscus tiliaceus) is alone used for this purpose : 

 it is the same which serves for poles to carry any burden, and for 

 the floating outriggers to their canoes. The fire was produced in 

 a few seconds : but to a person who does not understand the art, 

 it requires, as I found, the greatest exertion ; but at last, to my 

 great pride, I succeeded in igniting the dust. The Gaucho in the 

 Pampas uses a different method: taking an elastic stick about 

 eighteen inches long, he presses one end on his breast, and the 

 other pointed end into a hole in a piece of wood, and then rapidly 

 turns the curved part, like a carpenter's centre-bit. The Tahitians 

 having made a small fire of sticks, placed a score of stones, of 

 about the size of cricket-balls, on the burning wood. In about 

 ten minutes the sticks were consumed, and the stones hot. They 

 had previously folded up in small parcels of leaves, pieces of beef, 

 fish, ripe and unripe bananas, and the tops of the wild arum. These 

 green parcels were laid in a layer between two layers of the hot 

 stones, and the whole then covered up with earth, so that no smoke 

 or steam could escape. In about a quarter of an hour, the whole 

 was most deliciously cooked. The choice green parcels were now 

 laid on a cloth of banana leaves, and with a cocoa-nut shell we 

 drank the cool water of the running stream ; and thus we enjoyed 

 oui 1 rustic meal. 



I could not look on the surrounding plants without admiration. 

 On every side were forests of banana ; the fruit of which, though 



