Evening star., 1928-09-09

hobby, the two archers finally made q
target and began to practice once
week on the Mall near the Smithsonian
Institution-the same plot used by the
original Potomac Archers and reserved
by the Government for that express
purpose. Other archers became inter-
ested in the target-Shooting contests.
x
DAUL CARRIER took up bowmanship
during his youth. when ne was
member of a Boy Scout troop and
sought the merit badge which that or
ganization awards to its accredited
archers who pass the rigid shooting
tests. Mr.. CARRIER failed to win the
coveted emblem as boy, but several
wears ago, in the capacity OF scout
master for District troop, he estab-
lished an excellent record in archery.
A Manumuskin Indian Of once
famous New jersey tribe taught Paul
CARRIER how to handle bow and arrows.
It so happened that cousin OF Mr.
CARRIERS owned a large New Jersey
farm. where the late Buffalo Bill (Col.
| w. F. Coddy) stored considerable equip
ment during the eastern visit OF MS
muskin warrior was left as guardian OF
the equipment during a certain Summer
| when young CARRIER visited at the farm.
| The red man made several bows ana
| arrows and taught the youthful wash
| ingtonian how to shoot. Eventually the
| lad acquired sufficient skill so that he
| surpassed his teacher in target shooting
| This was because the Indian, typlfy-
| ing the archery ability of his race, shot
| from instinct, while his pupil gained
scientific skill from practice and repe-
tition of bowmanship motions.
w. J. Ghent. a Washington author.
| current president of the Potomac
| Archers. was a member of the original
organization which ranks as one OF the
oldest clubs in the United States. The
United Bowmen of Philadelphia, OF
course, antedates the Potomac Archers,
as it was founded several years before
the Mexican war Mr. Ghent an ac-
complished archer, has been interested
actively in the ancient sport for many
years. He speaks entertainingly about
the bygone days when Col Robert Will
liams, jr.; d. F. MCGOWAN, c. E. Nc
Nabb, E. Clement. F. S. Sudworth and
A. B. Casselman ranked among the
leading archers of the District of Co
lunbia. Mr. Clement still preserves the
historical yew bow which L. w. Maxson
used in winning many American arch
cry championships
Several years ago Stewart Edward
White. Arthur Young and S. T. Pope
of California voyaged to Africa on the
most epochal excursion after wild game
in the annals of modern archery. This
trio of American sportsmen turned back
the pages of history couple of CEN
turies by using bows and arrows as
their dependable weapons in strife with
the kings and queens of jungleland.
During the five months journey they
shot many gnus, antelopes, lions,
leopards and the miscellany of beasts
which wander wild on that continent
Arthur Young scored one of the arch
cry triumphs of the expedition, when
he killed an antelope at a distance of
$50 yards. This was a feat in bow
manship worthy of such an eminent
ancient archer as Robinhood himself.
w. W. Diehl of the Potomac Archers
has demonstrated that there are even
today new and extraordinary uses for
archery skill, despite the fact that the
sport has been popular for some 80
centuries. One late afternoon, when
Mr.. Diehl was on his way to archery
practice, he noticed a small crowd
grouped on the Mall. watching what
looked like two columns of smoke
| SQI dllIlS SkyWdIQ IIOLl OIlS VI Tie l1Il-
den trees. He identified the apparent
smoke column as swarms Of very small
insects. which we're circling above the
tree top. some 90 feet from the ground.
The Government scientist desirous OF
securing specimens of the unusual in
sects, thought of the clever expedient of
smearing glue on the feathers of several
arrows previous to shooting at the
swarm. He retired hastily to his Office,
prepared the snare" arrows, and then
returned in time to test his markham
ship in unique way Finally he was
successful in shooting an arrow through
the swarm so that several of the insect
mites stuck fast on the sticky feathers
National entomologists classified the
specimens the following day as un-
identified gnats.
The use of the bow and arrow for
obtaining specimens of insects that
swarm in or near tree tops proved so
practical that Smithsonian scientists
intend to repeat the stunt" in future
attempts to catch insect specimens
which are shy of all bats and snares,
and hence never previously have been
collected.