212 THE OREGON SPORTSMAN 
The most ingenious theory respecting the invention of gunpowder is 
that of the late Henry Wilkinson: 
“It has always appeared to me highly probable that the first dis- 
covery of gunpowder might originate from the primeval method of 
cooking food by means of wood fires, on a soil strongly impregnated 
with nitre, as it is in many parts of India and China. 
“It is certain that from the moment when the aborigines of these 
countries ceased to devour their food in a crude state, recourse must 
have been had to such means of preparing it; and when the fires 
became extinguished, some portions of the wood partially converted 
into charcoal would remain, thus accidentally bringing into contact 
two of the principal and most active ingredients of the composition 
under such circumstances as could hardly fail to produce some slight 
deflagration whenever fires were rekindled on the same spot. It is 
certain that such a combination of favorable circumstances might 
lead to the discovery, although the period of its application to any 
useful purpose may be very remote from that of its origin.” 
The introduction of powder into Europe took place early in the 
Christian era; some believe it was brought by the Moors into Spain, 
and others that it came through the Greeks at Constantinople. Both 
may be correct, but certain it is that it, or a substance closely akin 
to it, was used at the siege of Constantinople in A. D. 668. The Arabs, 
or Saracens, are said to have used it in A. D. 690 at the siege of 
Mecca, and some writers affirm that it was well known to Mahomet. 
In 846, Grecus, in his MS entitled “Liber ignium” describes gun- 
powder as composed of six parts saltpetre, and two parts each of 
charcoal and sulphur. This interesting MS is still in the Royal 
Library at Paris, and the recipe given in it we may state is nearly 
akin to that formula now employed for mixing the ingredients of 
gunpowder. 
There is a treatise in the Escurial collection of Spain upon gun- 
powder, written in 1249. It was probably from this work, or the 
writings of Marcus Grecus, that Roger Bacon derived his knowledge 
of gunpowder, although he describes it as in common use for pyro- 
technical displays; he traveled in Spain, and it was probably imme- 
diately after his return that he wrote his work, dated 1267. Berthold 
Schwartz, a monk of Friburg, in Germany studied the writings of 
Bacon regarding explosives, and manufactured gunpowder whilst ex- 
perimenting. He has commonly been credited as the inventor, but 
at any rate the honor is due to him for making known the recondite 
properties of gunpowder, and its adoption in Central Europe quickly 
followed his announcement, which is supposed to have taken place 
about 1320. It is not improbable that gunpowder was well Known in 
Spain and Greece many years prior to its being used in Central and 
Northern Europe. 

