FIKE-MAKING. 



217 



was sticking in his shoulder, but could not manage it. The 

 Kaffirs, by keeping wide on each side, had run on ahead, 

 and were now gradually inclosing the gallant stag again, 

 delivering their assagies as they approached him. The 

 buck seemed undecided where to charge ; he was once or 

 twice driven back by the yells of the Kaffirs and the 

 rattling and shaking of their oxhide shields ; he soon 

 fell under the blows and stabs that were freely given to 

 him. 



The idea of dining off these two bucks was too great a 

 temptation for my black companions to resist ; they were 

 now bent on eating, and I saw preparations made for 

 lighting a fire, for which neither lucifer nor flint-and-steel 

 were used. 



Two dry sticks, one being of hard and the other of soft 

 wood, were the materials used. The soft stick was laid on 

 the ground, and held firmly down by one Kaffir, whilst 

 another employed himself in scooping out a little hole in 

 the centre of it with the point of his assagy ; into this 

 little hollow the end of the hard wood was placed and held 

 vertically. These two men sat face to face, one taking 

 the vertical stick between the palms of his hands, and 

 making it twist about very quickly, while the other Kaffir 

 held the lower stick firmly in its place ; the friction caused 

 by the end of one piece of wood revolving on the other 

 soon made the two pieces smoke. When the Kaffir who 

 twisted became tired, the respective duties were exchanged. 

 These operations having continued about a couple of 

 minutes, sparks began to appear, and, when they became 

 numerous, were gathered into some dry grass, which was 



