After the Indians became acquainted with the early settlers, they gave up their old fire-sticks for the “strike-a-light” of the traders, which consisted of a piece of flint, a piece of coarse file or other rough iron, and some tinder. The “strike-a-light” set shown in one of the illustrations was taken from the Cheyenne Indians of Arkansas. It consists of a tinder pouch of buckskin, containing dried bark fibers, a bit of flint, a piece of coarse file, and the small end of a horn which is filled with “punk” made from dried pith. This horn was held in the fist, and the spark was struck into it from the flint. This outfit was very compact, and could be carried about on the person. Another illustration shows one of the early New England “tinder-boxes” and outfit. Sparks were directed into this box by striking the iron “flourish” against the flint,
The old-time method of building a fire in a log-cabin.
In later times, the back of an old kitchen knife was often used against the flint to produce the sparks, and another and more unusual method was to fire a rifle into the stone fireplace, where some tinder was gathered, the bullet striking sparks that set up a fire. An emery-wheel revolving against a steel would produce many more sparks than any of the above contrivances, but the mechanical fixture needed to set it up was more cumbersome and not readily carried about.
In those days, when it was so difficult to produce fire, it was the general custom to keep a fire burning continuously. At night and other times when the fire was not so much needed, it was “banked” with a covering of ashes and cinders. In this smoldering condition it would usually remain for many hours; but sometimes by neg-