The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1913-06-06
HOW 1T BEGAN
NAKED savage found himsel!.
In the greatest danger. A
wild beast. hungry and fierce.

-, Wild beast. hungry and fierce
was about to attack him.
ESCAPE was impossible. Retreat was on,
on. He must fight for his life. but how ::
Should he bite. scratch or kick ::
Should he strike with his fist? Thes,.
were the natural defenses of his bod,
but what were they against the teeth.
the claws and the tremendous muse les
Of his enemy? Should he wrench a
dead branch from tree and use Il
for a club? That would bring him
within striking distance. to be torn to
pieces before he could deal a Second
blow.
There was but moment in which
to act. Swiftly he seized jagged frag-
ment Of rock from the ground and
hurled 1t with all his force at the bIaz
ing eyes before him. then another and
another until the beast, dazed and
bleeding from the unexpected blows.
fell back and gave him chance to eS
cape. He knew that he had saved his
life. but there was something else
which his dull brain failed to realize
HE HAD INVENTED ARMS AND
AMMUNITION!
In other words, he had needed to
strike harder blow than the blow of
bis fist at a greater distance than the
length Of bis arm. and his brain show
ed him how to do it. After all, what
10 modern rife but device which
man has made with his brain. permit
ting him to strike an enormously hard
blow alta wonderful distance? Fire
arms are really but a more perfect
form OF stone throwing. and this early
cave man took the first step that has
led down the ages to present day arms
and ammunition.
This strange story Of q development
that has been taking place slowly
through thousands and thousands of
years. 80 that today you are able to
take a swift shot at distant game in
stead Of merely throwing stones-this
story we shall briefly tell.
The Earliest Hunters.
The cave man and his descendants
learned the valuable lesson Of stone
throwing. and it made hunters Of them,
not big game hunters-that was far too
risky. But once in a while a lucky
throw might bring down 4 bird or q
rabbit Tor food. And 20 It went on
TOR centuries perhaps. Early mankind
was rather slow Of thought
At last. however, there appeared q
great inventor-the Edison Of his DAY.
He added the second link--the sling.
The Use Of siinsa
The new weapon worked with great
success. and a little practice made ex.
pert marksnsen. We know that most
Of the early ruces used It for hunting
and In war, We lind It shown In pic
lures made many thousands Of years
ago In ancient Egypt and Assyria. We
md 1t In the Roman army. where the !!
was called "funditor."
We dnd II In the Bible. where Il In
written Of the tribe OF Benta min.
Among all these people there were
seven hundred chosen men left handed.
EVERY ONE COULD SLING A
STONE AT AN HAIR BREADTH
AND NOT MISS" Surely. too, you re-
member the story Of David and Goliath
when the young shepherd prevailed
'ver the Philistine WITH A SLING
AND WITH A STONE"
Something Better.
Yet they had their drawbacks. A
tone slung might kill bird or even q
nan. but It was not very effective
against big game.
what was wanted was missile to
'ierce q thick hide. SO through long
ears OF CROPPING for something bet.
or" the bow and arrow was evolved
mo played most important part In
ne development Of arms and ammuni.
ION In many lands
A Shooting Machine.
BUT the age Of machinery was COM
ns on. Once In awhile there were