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 torn 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 dry 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 ensures 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.
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