At 11:33 AM 2/26/97 -0600, you wrote:
>In _Roughing It_, Twain and friends attempt to light a fire with a pistol,
>on the basis of having read that this works in books.  Does anyone have
>any idea what book or books demonstrate such "knowledge"?  He must be
>thinking of at least one specific passage in one specific book ...  any
>guesses?

Just a guess here, but it sounds like dime-novel stuff to me. I've camped
all my life and nothing beats a little Ronsonol and a match.

Marcus W. Koechig