The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1894-06-23

bends with sufficient ease. The ends
should be trifie thinner than the
middle, and the tips made fiat on
both sides, with notch for the
string. Around the middle OF the bow
glue handpiece of felt or velvet.
The string must be about six
inches shorter than the bow The
strong thread used by shoemakers,
doubled and twisted several times,
makes very good bowstring. Make
loops in the ends, fastening them
with Il figure eight" or similar knot,
which will not slip. The bow, how
ever, should never be strung except
when in use.
An Indian bow is made broad and
fiat, instead of rounded, except
where the hand rests. This portion
must be whitfield round and left
rather large. The bow should be
about two inches wide above and be-
low the hand-space, and narrow
gradually toward the ends. The back
may be ornamented with red, black
and yellow paint, or any other ap-
propriate decoration.
The most difficult thing in making
arrows is to get them straight. They
should be from twenty to thirty
six inches long. After whiting
them to the desired thickness,
scrape and sandpaper them well,
finishing of with emery paper until
smooth.
Lead points may be nodded on,
after first cutting notch around the
end OF the shaft. The hot pewter,
however, generally burns the wood,
and it is loose and rather unsatis-
factory. The writer has found IL
better TO use an empty cartridge
shell, weighted with few drops OF
lead.
To make the sharp points use a
wire nail. After driving IL into
place, file of the head. This will
give weight enough without adding
lead.
To make the arrow fly straight, it
must be feathered. Select the larg-
est quilts obtainable and carefully
pare off the feathered portion. At
equal distances around the shaft OF
the arrow draw straight lines, divid-
ing the space into two or three parts.
On these lines glue the strips of
feathers and rim them off until even.
Haircloth or even stiff paper may be
used.
A target may be made OF paste
board, with n bull's-eye five inches in
diameter painted in black in the CEN
tre Around this at "A distance OF four
inches another circle OF black should
be painted.
A culver, or case for holding ar-
rows, may be made from strip OF
sole leather sown into the form OF q
cylinder three inches in diameter.
An equally good though less hand
some, quiver may be made from q
piece OF tin pipe two feet in length,
and closed at one end with piece OF
wood. The shoulder strap may be
attached by cutting holes in the tin,
or the case may be covered with
cloth and the strap sewn TO this.
To shoot accurately hold the bow
straight up and down in the left hand,
with the arm outstretched TO the
full extent. Loop the forefnger OF
the left hand over the arrow. The
other end hold betwe the thumb
and forehnger OF the right hand with
the notch on the string. Fix the
eyes on the target and point toward
it. DO not try to sight along the ar
row. Aim simply by your general
sense OF position. With the three
lower fingers OF the right hand
grasping the bowstring, draw back
until the right thumb touches the
lower part OF the ear. Let go, un-
cIasping the fingers and loosening the
arrow sharply and at the same mo-
ment.
The first shots will probably fly
wide Of the mark, but il requires
very little practice TO learn TO shoot
and shoot well.