How did the crees from 1800-1825 make fires?

Question

the plain crees of Canada in Saskatchewan

diagrams could be helpful and i'll pick a best answer

Answer 1

Most plains people used the fire drill This consists of a small board with a central depression with a channel leading off to the side, and an upright hardwood stick which fits the depression. The stick is pressed downwards firmly and rotated either using the hands or with a small bow, like a bow-drill.

I have seen the manual version myself - it took about four or five minutes of vigorous turning to produced hot embers or coals in the depression as a result of friction, which are then poured from the side channel onto dry tinder to make fire.

Those Crees with access to trading posts would have been able to obtain flints and steel, which produce sparks and start a fire much more quickly.

For a picture of a similar fire-drill (but from Africa) see http://www.dkimages.com/discover/Home/History/Early-Peoples/Stone-Age/Miscellaneous-Tools/Miscellaneous-Tools-08.html
For flint and steel see
http://www.nocbay.com/store/pipematerials/pipematerials1.html
(bottom of the page)

Answer 2

they rubbbed two boy scouts together!

sorry. old joke.