400 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1890. 



lu most cases the heated particles are not allowed to fall the whole 

 distance to the ground beneath, which would cool them rapidly, but 

 they drop upon tinder held up to the orifice by slivers of bamboo 

 started from the under side of the lower piece. In some localities the 

 process is reversed and the convex piece holding tinder is sawed upon 

 the knife placed upright. Bamboo is excellent friction material; the 

 siliceous coating is favorable for the development of great heat, while 

 the soft medullary substance on the interior is very inflammable. 



Dr. K. M. Luther contributes the following description of the Bur- 

 mese method of making and using the fire-saw : "A Burmese found a 

 brauch of the oil tree ( Dipterocarpus), hewed in it a yshaped cavity with 

 his dah, cut a knife of iron-wood, sawed with it across the branch, and 

 in less than 3 minutes had a coal of fire underneath. This was taken 

 in some dry leaves, wrapped in a bunch of grass, and whirled around 

 the head, giving a flame in a 'jiffy.'" 



The distribution of this method is of great interest. It ranges from 

 Siam across the East Indies into Australia— in many localities, how- 

 ever, in conjunction with other methods of fire-kindling. 



3. Fire-making by plowing. 



The mechanics of the third method of fire-making on wood remains 



to be considered. A short cylindrical 

 stick and a larger billet of wood are 

 required. The smaller stick is 

 clasped between the hands at an angle 

 of about 45 degrees and projected 

 toward and from the body, forming a 

 groove on the lower piece (Fig. 56). 

 The slant at which the plowing stick 

 is held is the angle of greatest friction 

 consistent with command of the rub- 

 bing portion of the apparatus. The 

 action of the rubber wears off parti- 

 cles of wood and pushes them along 

 into a heap at the end of the groove, 

 and by acceleration of the motion the 

 dust is brought up to ignition point. 

 The soft hibiscus wood, H. tiliaceus, with a rubber of harder wood is 

 usually employed in the Polynesian islands, although this feature is im- 

 material. This method, as far as known by the author, is exclusive^ 

 Polynesian, and, strangely, the only one practiced, since most peoples 

 possess more than one fire-making device. Representatives of all stocks 

 in the Oceanic area also practice the plowing method, which was, per- 

 haps, originally Polynesian. This apparatus has advantage of sim- 

 plicity of parts, but it is rather difficult to work. Flame is said to be 

 sometimes procured by the first operation, without the use of tinder, 



Fig. 56. 



flke-making by plowing. (drawn from 



Specimen in the National Museum.) 



{Cat. No. 13n6;a. V. S. N. M Samoa. Deposited by Hnrolc 

 M. s ewe 11. ) 



