xil] 
THE FIRE-DRILL. 
121 
envelope. Along with it the men often carry on their persons 
a sort of match of white, well-dried, and crushed willows, which 
are plaited together and placed in even rolls. This match 
burns slowly, evenly, and well. 
The other sort of fire-implement consists of a dry wooden 
pin, which by a common bow-drill is made to rub against a 
block of dry half-blackened wood. The upper part of this pin 
runs in a drill block of wood or bone. In one of the tools 
which I purchased, the astragalus of a reindeer was used for 
this purpose. In the light-stock holes have been made to give 
support to the pin, and perhaps to facilitate the formation of the 
FIRE-DRILL. 
One-eighth of the natural size. 
half-carbonised wood-meal which the drilling loosens from the 
light-stock and in which the red heat arises. When fire is to 
be lighted by means of this implement, the lower part of the 
drill pin is daubed over with a little train-oil, one foot holds 
the light-stock firm against the ground, the bowstring is put 
round the drill pin, the left hand presses the pin with the drill 
block against the light-stock, and the bow is carried backwards 
and forwards, not very rapidly, but evenly, steadily, and un¬ 
interruptedly, until fire appears. A couple of minutes are 
generally required to complete the process. The women appear 
to be more accustomed than the men to the use of this 
