XIII 



FIRE-MAKING 



The art of fire-making was known among these 

 people at a very remote time. The earliest method 

 appears to have been through the agency of iron 

 pyrites, called "cozgeen" or "igneen,"and from 

 the latter has been derived "ignek," the Tigara word 

 for fire. Two pieces of " igneen," being struck to- 

 gether, would emit a spark ; a small-sized heap of 

 tinder being placed on the ground the operator 

 would continue striking the glancing blows until a 

 lucky spark ignited the mass. The operation, to 

 say the least, must have required a great amount of 

 patience on the part of the operator. It was the 

 only method of fire-making known for a great length 

 of time; then the second method was happily dis- 

 covered. 



It had been found that a small round stick with a 

 piece of flint inserted in the end, revolved by hand, 

 would bore through bone, ivory or even stone. 

 Later on some inventive genius introduced the bow 

 and string, to revolve the instrument more rapidly, 

 87 



