In the first-mentioned case, two pieces of wood are used, usually a flat basal piece, with a small circular hollow in its centre, and a long cylindrical stick, rounded at one end. The native assumes a sitting position with his legs slightly bent in the knees. He places the flat piece of wood upon the ground and holds it securely beneath his heels. The rounded point is now inserted into the small hollow, and, holding the stick vertically between the flat palms of his hands, the native briskly twirls it like a whisk ([Plate XXII]). The twirling action is, however, not backwards and forwards, but in one direction only. After a while, the wood dust that accumulates by the abrasion begins to smoke, then smoulder. Suddenly the native throws his stick aside, and quickly stooping over the smoking powder, gently blows upon it whilst he adds a few blades of dry straw or other easily inflammable material. When the smouldering dust has been coaxed into flame, more straw and twigs are added, then larger pieces of wood, until eventually a blazing fire results.
Often a small notch is cut at the side of the central hollow in order that the smouldering powder might find its way down to a piece of bark placed beneath the basal stick, and there, by the aid of gentle blowing, ignite the dry grass, which was previously laid upon the bark for that purpose.
Usually, during the process of twirling, a little fine sand is placed upon the hollow to increase the friction. A curious practice was observed among the Larrekiya at Port Darwin, which seems to be opposed to the friction principle. When the fire-maker has, by careful twirling, adjusted the point of the upright stick, so that it fits nicely into the hole in the basal piece, he squeezes a quantity of grease from the sebaceous glands of his nose, which he scrapes together with his finger-nails and transfers in a lump to the ankle of his left foot. Then he resumes the twirling, and, so soon as the stick begins to smoke, he applies its hot end to the grease, which spreads itself over the point. The stick having been thus lubricated, the process is continued as before.
The central tribes, like the Dieri, Wongapitcha, and Aluridja, usually make the basal piece short and flat, and wider than the twirling stick. The Dieri select needlebush for the twirling stick, and Hack’s Pea (Crotalaria) for the basal piece. The other tribes mentioned combine the needlebush wood with that of a mulga root.
The northern tribes almost invariably employ two long sticks, one of which has a rounded point at one end, the other a series of shallow circular pits, into which the point of the twirling piece just described fits when the implement is in use.
The Mulluk-Mulluk, Ponga-Ponga, and other tribes of the Daly River district carry a number of these sticks about with them, especially in the rainy season, when there is always a chance of the fire-stick being extinguished by an unexpected tropical deluge. The fire-making apparatus is carried in a receptacle, which consists of a single segment of a bamboo, with a septum at the bottom. The sticks are stuck into this cylindrical holder, which keeps them perfectly dry even during a prolonged season of rain, after the fashion of arrows in a quiver.
Fire-making implements are carried by the men, whilst the fire-stick is, as often as not, carried by the women also. As we have already seen in connection with the carriage of water, it is the concern of the women to undertake the transport of the camp-belongings from one site to another. When moving they pack themselves with the domestic implements, collecting-vessels, personal paraphernalia, and their infants, whilst their husbands burden themselves only to the extent of a few spears, a spear-thrower, and the fire-producing sticks just mentioned. The men declare that it would be most unwise to be burdened with any impediment themselves, while on the march, because at any moment, and when least expected, they might be pounced upon by an enemy, who would make good use of their unpreparedness. So also, should game of any kind suddenly come into view, the men, who are the recognized hunters, must always be ready for quick action, or in a position to take up the chase immediately. Hence it comes about that in the best interests of the tribe the women are required to undertake the transport.
PLATE XV