76 THE ESKIMO ABOUT BERING STRAIT [eth.ann. 18 



people of the lower Yukon and tlience southward to the Kuskokwim 

 were specially expert in its application. 



A small notch is cut in the fire stick, in which the point of the drill 

 is inserted, wiiile the upper end, which usually is capped with a piece 

 of stone or bone, is held in the mouth; the rapid revolution of the drill 

 develops sufficient heat to set fire to the dust produced by the friction 

 which accumulates around the pivot of the drill. This fire is then 

 transferred to a small i)iece of punk or tinder and fanned into a flame. 



Plate XXXIV, 3, represents a flat stick, from Norton sound, used for 

 fire making. It is of dry s])ruce, having- a deep groove along its 

 upper surface, with a series of little notches opposite each otiier in 

 pairs along the whole length; near one end are four small circular 

 pits, Avhere the drill has been used. l^Mgure 2 of this plate shows the 

 drill intended for use with the fire stick. It is a round, slightly 

 tapering stick of spruce, about 19 inches in length, and has the upper 

 end painted red; the bow also is made of spruce, and is about IG 

 inches long, with a rawhide sealskin cord attached to the holes in the 

 ends. With this is used the ordinary mouthpiece cap (figure 1 of the 

 same plate) slightly crescentic in form, with a square piece of white 

 quartz set in its lower side. 



Figures 4, 5, 7, and 8 of plate xxxiv illustrate a set of fire-making 

 implements, from Ohalitmut, consisting of a large drill, the cap of which 

 has a piece of obsidian set in its lower surface, a double-hand drill 

 cord with handles made from the points of small walrus tusks, and a 

 broad fire stick with a step-like ledge on one side and several holes 

 along the center where the drill has been used. 



In plate xxxiv, 9, is shown a broad fire stick obtained at Cape Van- 

 couver. It is made with a ledge along one side which slopes inward 

 a trifle toward the center, where holes have been bored in making tire. 

 The surfiice of this specimen is covered with deep holes, showing that 

 it has frequently been used. 



i'late XXXIV, 6, represents a tinder box from St Michael. It is 6^ 

 inches in length, and is made from a section of reindeer horn, truncated 

 at each end and of roughly oval shape in cross section. It has a long, 

 oval opening on one side, through which the interior was excavated. 



In addition to procuring fire by means of drills the Eskimo make 

 common use of flint and steel. Sometimes the steel is replaced by a 

 piece of iron pyrites, but usually a fragment of an old knife-blade or 

 other steel object is carried. The flint is held between the thumb and 

 forefinger of the left hand, just above a little wad of tinder which fre- 

 quently consists of fur ])lucked from a garment. The steel is grasped 

 in the right hand, and as the downward blow is struck the spark ignites 

 the tinder, which is then transferred to the bowl of the pipe, or to a 

 larger piece of tinder surrounded by fine shavings if the operator wishes 

 to kindle a fire. 



Of late years matches have been sold by the fur traders and are 

 greatly prized by these people, who are always anxious to obtain them. 



