Chogan and Kanti are in a bit of a bind. Their canoe has overturned in a storm, stranding them on a rocky beach miles from home. If they are to continue their journey, they must patch the tear in their canoe. And that will depend on Chogan’s ability to start a fire. He needs hot spruce pitch to seal his canoe. Fortunately, Chogan’s fire-starting kit is dry (he wrapped it in oil skin before he left). I am sure many of you are wondering how Chogan is going to start his fire without matches, but all he needs are a spindle, hearth board, and tinder bundle. Ben happens to have all three and will show us how Chogan does it.
Fire Spindle
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Ben has selected the stalk of the mullein plant (Verbascum thapsus) for his spindle. Not all materials work equally well, but mullein is a good choice. Other good choices include: mule fat (Baccharis salicifolia), bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare), horseweed (Conyza canadensis), and cattail (Typha latifolia). The spindle should be straight and one and a half to two feet in length.
Hearth Board
Ben purchased this redwood from the lumber yard, but Chogan doesn’t have that option. He has to find a limb from a dead tree and split it down the middle to make his hearth board. Chogan would look for a soft wood he could scratch with his fingernail. Cottonwood, basswood, and cedar make good choices. Notice the depression and notch in Ben’s hearth board. The depression is the diameter of the spindle and was made on a drill press. The forty-five degree notch is equal to an eighth of a pumpkin pie and extends almost to the center of the depression. This was cut with a band saw. Unfortunately, drill presses and band saws were not available in Chogan’s time. He had to dig the depression with a pointed stone and file the notch using an abrasive rock.
Tinder Bundle
The tinder bundle is the last piece of equipment Ben needs to start a fire. This can be made from leaves, shredded bark or any material that will retain heat and burn quickly. The tinder bundle Ben is holding is made of dry grass with a center of fluffy fiber from a cattail bloom. He has formed it into the shape of a bird’s nest.
Creating the Ember
Whenever two objects are rubbed together friction develops, and that produces heat. If the heat is not allowed to escape, the temperature increases until a glowing ember is produced. Ben is securing the hearth board with his left foot while he twirls the spindle between his palms. A tree leaf under the notch will catch any wood dust. To increase friction, he pushes downward on the spindle as it twirls. Ben’s hands will gradually work their way down the spindle. When his hands reach the hearth board, he will hold the spindle in place with one hand while he moves the other hand back to the top. Then he starts over again. A fine wood powder will accumulate in the notch. When the temperature of the dust reaches about 800 degrees Fahrenheit, the dust will ignite and smoke will rise from the hearth board. Then Ben will blow on the smoking wood dust until a glowing ember appears.
Turning Burning Coals into Flame
Ben has removed the tree leaf from under the notch and dumped the hot coals inside his tinder bundle. When he closes the top of the “bird’s nest,” the coals become surrounded by highly flammable insulation. This causes the heat within the tinder bundle to increase. Ben blows on the tinder bundle until it bursts into flame.
Bow and Spindle
Starting a fire with the hand-drill is a lot of work. That’s why Chogan and Kanti alternate twirling the spindle. There is an easier method called the bow and spindle technique. Unfortunately, this method was unknown to Chogan and other Native Americans. (A few Indians in Northern Canada did use this technique.) Ben is demonstrating the use of the bow and spindle in the picture to the right. The spindle and hearth board are unchanged, but instead of twirling the spindle by hand, Ben is now using a bow. The bowstring is wrapped around the spindle causing the spindle to rotate when Ben moves the bow back and forth. He is using a cupped-shaped stone to hold the top of the spindle. A sea shell or piece of wood could also be used. If Ben were to use wood, he would shape the top of the spindle to a blunt point that would fit into a socket in the wooden hand-hold. Since he doesn’t want friction at the top of the spindle, he would lubricate the socket with bear grease or ear wax. Enough talk. It’s time to get back to Chogan and Kanti to see if they can repair their birch bark canoe. They still have a long way to go to complete their journey.