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Post by lenapej on Dec 16, 2020 12:58:34 GMT -7
Have any of you all ever come across any references of people in the 18th century carrying fire (coals)? as in from camp to camp, or cabin to where ever?
Just one of those things I am curious about, was it done?, how was it done?, etc Not that I think starting fire is a chore, I enjoy it.
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Post by spence on Dec 16, 2020 15:18:33 GMT -7
I haven't, but I saw the film Quest for Fire....does that count?  Spence |
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Post by paranger on Dec 16, 2020 16:08:43 GMT -7
I have collected a bunch of black locust shelf fungus for just that purpose, but have yet to try it out.
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Post by Sicilianhunter on Dec 17, 2020 5:05:22 GMT -7
Have any of you all ever come across any references of people in the 18th century carrying fire (coals)? as in from camp to camp, or cabin to where ever? Just one of those things I am curious about, was it done?, how was it done?, etc Not that I think starting fire is a chore, I enjoy it. LenapeJ, An interesting question for the group, I must admit I haven't considered it myself until now. This is what LeLoup suggests: www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwAxugy2ivg Here is another take on the bundle method: www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SuVyksDB-U That covers some methods how but I would defer to Spence's archives as to whether if it WAS done. The only instance I might see that happening is from the account of a runaway or escaped captive and even then It would be quite a liability to someone on the run to be literally carrying a torch although I don't recall it being recorded that settlers used any other method other than flint and steel in some variation so it might have been worth the risk in that case |
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Post by lenapej on Dec 17, 2020 7:31:28 GMT -7
Spence, I...don't...think...so? Paranger, that is a good idea, I've seen modern bushcrafters use that method, seems to work well. Cicilianhunter, Thanks for the links, I thought I read once of an instance where someone carried fire in a bucket of ashes or something but can't remember where! lol I guess that is why I need to save everything to the computer. |
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Post by hawkeyes on Dec 17, 2020 9:31:04 GMT -7
I know when it comes time to clean the stove of ashes I'll have embers in my ash can that will last up to 24-48hrs before dying off.
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Post by brokennock on Dec 17, 2020 9:44:47 GMT -7
I know when it comes time to clean the stove of ashes I'll have embers in my ash can that will last up to 24-48hrs before dying off. Yup, this can be problematic if a child drops a toy or something in there,,,,,, but I wouldn't know anything about that.... |
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coot
City-dweller
Posts: 152
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Post by coot on Dec 17, 2020 15:25:23 GMT -7
I recall reading a story which included a child (10-12) walking a mile or two with a small cast iron pot to get hot coals from the neighboring farm after her family's fire had gone out. Historically accurate or just a plot device I cannot say.
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Post by lenapej on Dec 17, 2020 16:10:35 GMT -7
I recall reading a story which included a child (10-12) walking a mile or two with a small cast iron pot to get hot coals from the neighboring farm after her family's fire had gone out. Historically accurate or just a plot device I cannot say. That's the story I was thinking of! Hawkeyes, yes I have noticed the same thing, I have read of people "banking" the fire, or covering it with ashes to preserve the coals for when they return, makes me think the same could be done in a container to transfer. |
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Post by hawkeyes on Dec 17, 2020 18:54:32 GMT -7
I recall reading a story which included a child (10-12) walking a mile or two with a small cast iron pot to get hot coals from the neighboring farm after her family's fire had gone out. Historically accurate or just a plot device I cannot say. That's the story I was thinking of! Hawkeyes, yes I have noticed the same thing, I have read of people "banking" the fire, or covering it with ashes to preserve the coals for when they return, makes me think the same could be done in a container to transfer. Absolutely, I know me personally once the fire burns down come morning I have plenty of embers awaiting for the next burn, just a few strategic blows from the blowtube and it's off to the races for the day. I haven't came across anything personally here in the colonies but did stumble upon a reference that pertained to Scottish highlanders using peat from a bog to carry embers. No way I can remember where I came across that piece on the web. On second thought I do vividly remember grazing over something about an Abenaki warrior carrying an ember in a guard vessel. It was in a child's book of all things I had about several great lakes tribes, very old book, red hardback cover and I do remember seeing it at my parents home recently. What it is called or who it's written by I cannot recall unless I find it. |
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Keith
City-dweller
Bushfire close but safe now. Getting some good rain.
Posts: 990 
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Post by Keith on Dec 24, 2020 0:47:49 GMT -7
You can use any of your native tinders to carry fire, the flower stem of the American Aloe is very good for this.
Keith.
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Post by spence on Jan 1, 2021 18:54:06 GMT -7
Lenapej said, "...I have read of people "banking" the fire, or covering it with ashes to preserve the coals for when they return, makes me think the same could be done in a container to transfer." I burn a Buck stove, but let the fire burn out each night. Thinking of this thread, this morning I found a remaining poplar ember as big as a small orange, isolated it, covered it with 5"-6" of ashes, closed all possible draft in the stove and left it for more than 10 hours. A few minutes ago I just raised it out of the ashes and let it sit. Within a minute it started to send off sparklers like a fireworks as the oxygen reached it and almost immediately began to glow red hot.  Properly covered in ashes in an appropriate container it could be transported a long way. Spence |
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Post by Black Hand on Jan 1, 2021 19:34:18 GMT -7
The question I might ask is how frequently this happened? I'd suggest it was far more common when primitive fire-lighting methods (friction) were used and became less frequent with the availability of flint & steel. That said, if one was caught without F&S, we've heard/read of those who were unable to light a fire - I can't recall running across any mention of whites lighting fires with friction methods and it seems to be a lost art amongst the natives once F&S became easily available (Ishi comes to mind as the exception).
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Post by hawkeyes on Jan 2, 2021 6:13:52 GMT -7
The question I might ask is how frequently this happened? I'd suggest it was far more common when primitive fire-lighting methods (friction) were used and became less frequent with the availability of flint & steel. That said, if one was caught without F&S, we've heard/read of those who were unable to light a fire - I can't recall running across any mention of whites lighting fires with friction methods and it seems to be a lost art amongst the natives once F&S became easily available (Ishi comes to mind as the exception). This has become to be my thought as well. Just how practical is carrying an ember? I mean personally I have never had any issues procuring fire with flint and steel, even with the lock. I'd like to think the old boys had no issues either and likely gave carrying an ember no thought. I honestly cannot think of a scenario were it would be needed. Even in rains fire still can be made (with more effort obviously). |
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Post by spence on Jan 2, 2021 9:00:01 GMT -7
A good example of the fact that just because it's possible a thing could have been done, that doesn't mean it ever was done. An opinion well expressed by Winfred Blevins in the introduction to "The River of the West, The Adventures of Joe Meek", by Frances Fuller Victor:
"If one principle could be genetically implanted into future historians, it should be: Don't figure out what they must have done, or what is reasonable to assume they did, or what logic says they did---find out what they actually did."
Spence
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