THE PNEUMATIC TINDER-BOX.
Provide a small stout brass tube, about six inches long, and half an inch in diameter, closed at one end, and fitted with a hollow air-tight piston, containing in its cavity a scrap of amadou, or German tinder. Suddenly drive the piston into the tube by a strong jerk of the hands; and the compression of the air in the tube will give out so much heat as to light the tinder; and upon quickly drawing out the piston, the glowing tinder will kindle a match.