16 AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINES. 



cane of the grass tree, about eighteen inches long. One end of the cane is bored 

 out, and is stuffed with tinder, made by teasing out the dry bark of the messmate 

 tree. The operator sits down and grasps the bone, point upwards, with his feet ; 

 he then places the hollow end of the cane, containing the bark, on the point of 

 the bone, and, with both hands, presses downwards, and twirls the upright cane 

 with great rapidity till the friction produces fire. Or, in the absence of the 

 kangaroo bone, a piece of dry grass tree cane, having in its upper side a hole bored 

 to the pith, is held flat on the gi'ound with the feet, and the sharp point of a piece 

 of soft wood is pressed into the hole, and twirled vertically between the palms 

 of the hands till combustion takes place. Some dry .string3'-bark fibre having 

 been placed round the hole, the fire is commiinicated to it by blowing. The 

 writer has seen flame produced by this method in two minutes. 



