The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1878-08-30
mi i g g liza IA @ ON 8.
ARCHERY.
By AN OLD BACHELOR.

At the mention of drawing the long bow
| the minds of those of us of English origin
| revert at once to the battles Of Hastings
Agincourt, Crecy, and other hard fought
fields, where the sturdy English yeomanry
standing in dense masses, shot their cloth
yard shafts so closely and in such pitiless
showers that plumed and mailed knights
and common soldiers alike went down
their leathern jerkings or steel corselets
pierced through and through by the fata
arrow.
For the past century archery has been
one of the favorte sports of the ladies and
gentlemen of"Merry England" There arc
numerous clubs, composed of members OF
both sexes. They have their regular meet.
ings, are subject to rules and regulations
and contest for the prizes offered on such
occasions.
The Americans, in their growing love fol
out-ofdoor sports should readily take up
this fascinating and exhilarating pastime
Croquet, which has been the reigning ia.
vorte for so long time, is very good in its
way. But at best it is quarrelsome game
with this one thing in its favor, that it
| causes our young women to exercise more
in the open air than was their accustomed
wont. But it is the only game in which
the gentle sex can join us afeld, excepting
lawn tennis, which is now, in conjunction
with archery, being introduced.
Archery is peculiarly adapted to devel-
oping the female form and adding grace to
the movements of the body. See the young
lady, in close fitting, becoming costume, as
she stands, head erect, left foot somewhat
advanced, left arm extended at full length
and arrow drawn to its head. Mark how
her chest is thrown forward, sec the round
full lines of her figure, and watch how she
stands for a moment before letting the ar
row fly, for she knows, does this sly miss
that we are all admiring her. Even the
sourest and crustiCst of old bachelors, we
say, cannot look at this young creature so
displayed without feeling some excitement
in that part ofhis anatomy where his heart
once was
To those DESTROYS Of forming archery
clubs few hints may not be amiss. First
and the most important, is the bow. Bows
have generally been imported from Eng
land, though now one or two parties are
| engaged in the manufacture of them in this
country. They are usually made of lance.
| wood, lemon wood, or snake-wood. Some
| of the more costly are made of two differ.
ent kinds Of wood glued together; these
generally have more spring to them thar
the "self bows" or those made of one
piece. For the beginner the latter will bt
| found all-sufficient. For gentlemen bow
should be six feet long, with IL "pull
of from fifty to eighty pounds, according tt
the strength of the individual. If you car
not draw the arrow to the head, and hol(
| it there for a moment without the hands
trembling, discard the bow for weake
one. You can never make sure shot will
an unsteady hand. For lady tie bow
should be five and a-halffeet in length, ant
with pull varying from twenty five to for
| ty pounds. Very nice horn-tipped lance
wood bows can be had from the dealers II
a cost of from three to six dollars. 1t il
poor economy to buy cheap bow; bu,
the best your means will allow. Rub th,
bow frequently with Il wooden rag saturated
with boiled linseed-oil, keep it covered
when not in use, and never let it stand in
damp place. See that the bowstring is no
chafcd, for the sudden swapping of TIL
| string is sure to break the bow. The
should be wrapped with silk at the par
where the arrow is fitted, and well waxed
To string the bow, or "brace" it, grasp til
velvet handle firmly with the right hand
place the lower horn tip against the hollow
of the right foot, the back or flat side o
the bow being towards your person. Plac
the heel of your left hand against the bacl
of the bow near the upper end and just be
low the loop, pull strongly toward you witt
the right and push from you with the LEI
hand at the same time using the forefinge
ana thumb of your left hand to slide tn
loop of the string into the upper mock
Arrows can be had at cost of from tw,
to ten dollars per dozen. For beginner
the common arrow will answer for all pur
poses. A grown person should use onl
arrows twenty eight inches in length
Never attempt to sight along the arrow
in shooting. There is no such thing a
"taking aim" with an arrow. Havin;
Knocked" or fitted the arrow to the string
advance the left foot slightly, raise the LEI
arm and extend it toward the target, draw
with your right and push with your LEI
arm until you feel the arrow head touc
your left forefinger. Your right ham
should now touch your right ear. Loo
straight at the centre of the target, do no
even glance at the arrow. Direct the al
row by your judgment, and let 90 til
string. Do not keep the arrow drawn
the heal for more than a second 70
will only become confused
The target is usually of straw, covere
with canvas, and painted in rings of diver
coors, the centre, or bull's-eye, being {
, gold. They vary from one to four feet i
diameter. At twenty yards, use two-fot
target; at forty, thirty-inch; at sixt
yards, three foot, and at eighty and or
hundred wards four-foot target. An ar