MINDELEFF] NAVAHO FIRE-MAKING 501 
covered with many blankets and a large buckskin is spread over all. 
On this skin the gagdl“, sprinkles iron ochers and other colored sands in 
striated bands, symbolic of the rainbow and sunbeams which covered 
the early mythic houses. He and his assistants stand near the hut 
shaking rattles and singing a brief song to Qasteéjini, at the conclusion 
of which the patient is released. The initial spark of the fire used at 
these ceremonies and for all religious purposes is obtained by friction, 
and is regarded as essentially different from fire produced by flint and 
steel or otherwise, because the first spark of friction fire was brought 
from Qasteéjini, who is the god of the underworld fire. The produe- 
tion of fire by friction is a very simple matter to these Indians and is 
often done in play; frequently, under the windy conditions that prevail 
n their country, in but little more time than a white man can accomplish 
the same result with matches. For this purpose they often use the dry, 
brittle stalks of the common bee weed (Cleome pungens). The drill, 
which is whirled between the palms of the hands, consists of a stalk 
perhaps a quarter of an inch in diameter. This is made to revolve on 
the edge of a small notch cut into a larger stalk, perhaps an inch in 
diameter. A pinch of sand is sometimes placed under the point of the 
drill, the rapid revolution of which produces a fine powder. This pow- 
der runs down the notch or groove, forming a little pile on the ground. 
Smoke is produced in less than a minute, and finally, in perhaps two 
minutes, tiny sparks drop on the little pile of dry powder, which takes 
fire from them. By careful fostering by feeding with bits of bark and 
grass, and with much blowing, a blaze is produced. ~ 
It is said that First-man made the first ¢d‘tee. After coming up the 
qadjinat, or magic reed, he was very dirty; his skin was discolored and 
he had a foul smell like a coyote. He washed with water, but that did 
not cleanse him. Then Qasteéjini sent the firefly to instruct him con- 
cerning the ¢6‘tce and how to rotate a spindle of wood in a notched 
stick. As First-man revolved the spindle, or drill, between his hands, 
Firefly ignited the dust at its point with a spark of fire which Qasteéjini 
had given it for that purpose. There is another myth concerning the 
origin of these little sweat houses which does not agree with that just 
stated. According to this myth, the ¢d‘tce were made by the Sun when 
the famous twins, Nayénézgani and CQo‘badjistcini, who play so large a 
part in Navaho mythology, were sent to him by Estsdnatlehi. When 
they reached the house of the Sun they called him father, as they had 
been instructed to do, but the Sun disowned them and subjected them 
to many ordeals, and even thrust at them with a spear, but the mother 
had given each of the youths a magic feather mantle impervious to any 
weapon. Kléhanoai (the night bearer—the moon) also scoffed at them 
and filled the mind of the Sun with doubts concerning the paternity of 
the twins, so he determined to subject them to a further ordeal. 
He made four ¢6‘tce, but instead of using wood in their construction 
he made them of a metallic substance, like iron. He placed these at 
