the bottom, as tbe bands descended with the motion
of rubbing or rolling the stick. After about two
minutes of great labour, the notch began to smoke,
a brown dust, like ground coffee, fell from the singed
wood, and this charred substance, after increased friction,
emitted a still denser smoke, and commenced
smouldering; the fire was produced. A rag was tom
from the thorn-brushed drawers of one of the party,
in which the fire was carefully wrapped and fanned
with the breath; it was then placed in a wisp of dr}’
grass, and rapidly turned in the air until the flame
burst forth. A burning-glass should be always carried
in these countries, where a cloudless sky insures an
effect. Although in Arab hands the making of fire
appears exceedingly simple, I have never been able
to effect it. I have worked at the two sticks, until
they have been smoking and I have been steaming,
with my hands blistered, but I have never got beyond
the smoke; there is a peculiar knack which, like
playing the fiddle, must be acquired, although it
looks very easy. It is not every wood that will
produce fire by this method ; those most inflammable
are the cotton-tree and the nabbuk. We now descended
to the river, and fired the grass; the north wind was
brisk, and the flames extended over miles of country
within an hour.
We returned towards the \ camp. On the way
we saw numerous antelopes; and, dismounting, I
ordered one of the hunters to lead my horse while I
attempted to stalk a fine buck mehedehet (.Reduncci
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