The Indians protected their wigwam cooking fires like prized possessions, for naturally they had no matches or lighters at their disposal. If they had to build a new fire, they could do this only with a fire drill. As a matter of fact, even today many gauchos on the Argentine Pampas, the natives of Samoa, and the Eskimos still make their fires this way, and recently I learned that drilling fires is a part of the NATO pilots' training course, so they will be capable of managing for themselves behind enemy lines without any technical resources in case of emergency.



To drill a fire, you need a bent branch, string, a hardwood stick, a bit of wood for a mouthpiece, and, finally, softwood drilling board and tinder. The piece of softwood serves as a base. Cut a little hollow in the surface. Then place the hardwood stick vertically in the hollow and twirl it energetically back and forth between the palms of your hands. This drilling produces a hot, fine powder. Make a notch at the side of the hollow so that the powder will fall out, and put some tinder there. You can use shredded bark or fine wood. Shavings for tinder.

The hot powder will light the tinder, and you have a fire. In order to increase the friction in the hollow (and thereby the heat produced), put in a few dry grains of sand. In order to speed up the revolving hardwood stick, catch up the stick in a bowstring the way the Eskimos do it. Since the person who is drilling the fire alone has to hold the stick, he makes himself a mouthpiece for this purpose. The mouthpiece is also used when two people drill without a bow. Another way of starting a fire without matches is by rubbing cotton between dry wood until you can smell it burning, then start it glowing with a quick wave through the air, and light a wood fire with it.

Overnight Shelters

If you are to be truly at home in the out-of-doors, you should learn how to build a shelter for yourself. There is no genuine trapper or ranger who has not spent at least one night sleeping under the sky. We've all read stories about the weary traveler who dug a hollow for his hips in the soft ground and slept until dawn. Even this primitive sleeping arrangement calls for some knowledge of how to adjust to the prevailing conditions. Try lying down on the bare ground to sleep. You will notice quickly enough that the hip bone on whichever side you are lying is in your way. Dig out a depression, just big enough for your hip bone, and you will immediately notice how much more comfortable you are. You can go one step further, and cushion the hole with some fine sand, or you can place some slightly crumpled paper in the hollow for insulation against the cold.