THE METHODS OF FIRE-MAKING. 401 



II.— PERCUSSION OF MINERALS. 



(a) The flint and steel briquet, or strike alight. — The employment of 

 the strike-alight is familiar still, although long* since antiquated. 

 There are few children that have not knocked stones together to see 

 the evanescent glimmer produced. It has been thought that the con- 

 cussion of two pieces of flint will cause a spark capable of igniting tin- 

 der. This is proven to be a mistake, and it is found that an effective 

 spark is due to the presence of iron in some form in the minerals struck 

 together. 



The nature of the spark evolved from flint and iron is thought to be 

 chemical • that is, a particle of metallic iron is scraped off by the silica, 

 and, receiving the energy of the blow into its small mass, is heated to 

 incandescence, burning with the oxygen of the air to an oxide. 

 Whether silica enters iuto the composition of the spark is not known. 

 Silica is a non-conductor aud does not abstract heat at the time of the 

 blow. 



Upon the introduction of iron, probably, that element replaced the 

 iron pyrites (FeS 2 ) that had been used in early times. 



(b) Flint arid pyrites. — The blow of the flint on the pyrites converts 

 enough energy into heat to fuse the latter, setting free sulphurous fumes 

 with a small amount of sulphureted hydrogen. These pellets are not 

 incandescent, but glow at a dull red heat, about 450 degrees, and ignite 

 only " quick w tinder. 



The pyrites method at present is limited to a few tribes among the 

 Eskimos and Aleuts and the Fuegiaus. Some Algonkian tribes bor- 

 dering upon the Eskimo may have adopted the method from the latter 

 people. The prehistoric use of pyrites for fire-making in several Euro- 

 pean localities seems to be proven, as far as the finding of bruised 

 nodules and flint-scrapers indicate the purpose for which they may 

 have been intended. Perhaps the limited use of the pyrites briquet at 

 the present means that it is a survival from ancient times on the verge 

 of extinction. 



III.— COMPRESSION OF AIR. 



The fire syringe. — This instrument is, strangely enough, found both 

 m the hands of the physicist and of the various tribes of Dyaks aud 

 Burmese. From lack of defiuite proof to the contrary, it might be 

 classed as a native method of fire-making. Among some tribes the ap- 

 paratus has a primitive appearance ; in others its construction depends 

 on complex manipulation iu metallurgy. It varies thus from a cylinder 

 of buffalo horn wifeh a hole bored into it for the piston, to a tube of 

 brass lined with lead, or an ornamented cylinder of cast lead (Fig. 57). 



The principle on which the fire-syringe operates is the compression 

 of air which gives up heat under reduction of volume. When this is 

 done under proper conditions, in a non-conductor, the heat is communi- 

 cated to tinder setting it on fire. This is accomplished by the Dyafc 

 thus: "A small, piece of tinder is placed in the hollowed end of the 

 H. Mis, V29, pt. 2 26 



