Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-01-09
ARCHERY REMAINS BIC,
SPORT AMONG BELCIANS
Club nj Knockc, Small Seaside
Town. Brings Great Crowds to
COnCOurSc Held There.
SHOWN IN RED CROSS FILM
Manufacture of Arrows Is Industry
of Considerable Proportions.
Many Bows Are Handed Down
From Father 10 Son.
tWrjtten for Universal Scrvi,cl

Written for Universal Scrvicc.l
OSTEND, BELGIUM Jan. Sin
these days OF utramodern firearms
BclEians still cling 20 archery with
{, devotion which renders the pastiinc
almost a national sport.
The archery club at knockc. Il small
seaside town, has just concluded a
conccurse which brought sturdy bow
men from all parts OF Belgium flock
ing to the meet, which continued for
a week. The unusual sport is shown
III the American Red Cross travel
ii!ril. children OF the Dunes"
According TO the rules which pre-
vail !or archery contests. the entrants
select their own arrows. the manu-
faciurc CT which is an industry OF
considerable proportion in belgium.
Many OF the bows are OF ancient
make, having been handed down from
rather TO SON tor several generations.
In the center OF The club grounds
IS Il ertat'rtecl mast thirty-ouc me
trrs hIgn. In preparation ter Il meet
II Is lowered ana crUsS-irInS are lit
ted u the top. On tnosc arms are
nAcd small punches OF feathers. and
al inc lUpmost poIni - plume OF larger
proportions. in- s.i..iI targets are
aour Ihcuce luhis ana one In,n IN al
amCtcr. Incy are arranged en- WOOD
en- PEGS aSdIusi wnicn an arrow can
Str!nc. 4 AZ mast - in,u raIsCu. ana
anna cheering AND tuc music oI Uanus,
inc score nccivr c.t.!s the men III tnc!r
turn.
standing at tn. foot OF the mast.
the oowucn. one after HnOtncr. takc
Keen SISnt at inc tIny spcGns nearly
100 iccl IN the agr. iAcrv Is :. sharp
twauS as the singing buwStriuS Is
released aHd Il Waite arrow sSOots up.
ward among the ieatucr! targets. 1t
a. no SIna.I TASK 20 DaS one q the
feathers, bu; many rcn-"yci old
bONmen dow Il dozen IN the course
OF San afternoon fhC one VINO dis
locates the great plume at III" top is
declared RIMS o! tAc meet and taxes
down the prize made up from the
entrance fees.
Every HIT is siSnal.zrd by the firing
OF small murtars touched OF by a long
iron poker Thus gunpowdcr and AR
roNS mix strangely IN Il IiclS ian arcu-
cry meet.
The howmen wear II small skull cap
an! leather cum which prevents the
sleeve from interfering with the n!ght
of the arrow from the bow. The ar
rows fall ever the field in vcrltablc
shower when the shooting is at it's
Height. but. although they descend
with great velocity. the horn tips
attention l. paid 10 them by the en-
thusiaStic arCncrS.
huyS wearing broad hr.mmcd hats
Of heavy haSkc;work are CONSTANTS
ecurgyu.g HcrcsS the fields TO brini;
tack the shafts which have been
launched AT the elusive targets. I'D
d!tonai difficulty is added 10 the sport
~ the nigh winds which ar. 50 com
mon along tn" Belgian coast: hut. in
I spite o; the winds, remarkable ac-
Curacy is maintained
Every where through Northern and
Western Belgium archery meets can
he seen In progress on Sundays ana
hol!daES When good crowd has
gathered the forest of long bows and
peculiar caps present picture at a
, distance which recalls the ancient
DAYS when the trustr howmcn OF
Robin Hood lurkcd in 'hc forests
Archery is porular as well with tho
children and. despite its ancient na-
Tor II Eocs on year by year rs per-
hniE Eolg!Um's creates; national
sport.