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acquainted with this American practice; 
they knew, however, that by rubbing 
together two dry {ticks, the one hard, the 
other foft, the latter would take fire ; for 
befides that this is the method praclifed 
by the peafants in fome parts of Ruflia 
when in the woods, there is alfo a re- 
ligious ceremony, firictly obferved in 
every Ruffian village where there is a 
church, in which the fire employed is 
called Givoy Agon, that is, Living Fire, 
and which mult be kindled in the like 
manner (a). 
" like tinder, eafily combuftible, and the fire is 
" kindled by the help of dried grafs, or other ma- 
" terials tit for the purpofc." 
(<?) An account of this fingular ceremony may 
probably not prove unentertaining to my readers, 
though it have no immediate connection with this 
Narrative. 
Tiie eighteenth of Auguft, old ftile, is by the 
Ruffians called Frol i Lavoir, from two martyrs, 
who, in the Roman calendar, are known by the 
names of Florus and Laurus. According to the Ro- 
man chronology, this day falls on the twenty-ninth 
of Auguft, the fame day on which the church com- 
memorates 
