136 
SURVIVAL, ON LAND AND SEA 
It grows in protected spots in most parts of the Arctic. In winter 
it is sometimes found exposed on bare windswept hills or in 
gullies. The roots will burn as well as the branches. In some 
varieties of ground willow the roots are more extensive than 
the branches, and when dead and exposed on the surface of the 
ground make very good fuel. In the Barren Grounds west of 
Hudson Bay where there is no driftwood and little willow, the 
Eskimos depend almost entirely on Cassiope, a kind of heather, 
for fuel. This is a low’, spreading, evergreen plant with tiny 
leaves and white bell-shaped flowers (Fig. 47). It grows from 
4 to 12 inches high and contains so much resin that it will burn 
even when green or wet. To get it burning well, however, some 
dry kindling such as wood shavings or moss and a good breeze are 
required. Dry moss and lichen (plants that grow on the rocks 
or bark of trees) can also be used as fuel. All these fuels — 
moss, lichen, heather, and willow — can be dug from beneath 
the snow if necessary. 
EMERGENCY FIRE MAKING 
If matches or a lighter are not available and there is no dry 
wood suitable for making a bow’ drill such as is described and 
illustrated on page 69, fire can be made by the strike-a-light 
method with flint and steel. Better than flint is iron pyrites, 
known as ‘Tool’s gold,” a yellowish mineral found in lumps 
along Arctic stream beds. A piece of pyrites and steel or flint, 
or two pieces of pyrites, when struck together will give a good 
shower of sparks; this method of fire making is employed by 
most of the interior Eskimos and northern Indians. The flint 
or steel should be struck against the pyrites, not violently but 
with a sharp scraping motion. For making fire in this way a 
