502 IMPLEMENTS AND WEAPONS. 



in Denmark. They are, however, now made of metal, which 

 the southern Esquimaux have been enabled to obtain, though 

 in small quantities, from the Europeans. Some few of them 

 also break off bits of meteoric iron, which they hammer to an 

 edge, and then fix in a handle of horn or bone. The arrow- 

 heads are of several kinds and shapes. Those of stone (fig. 

 217) are made, not by blows, but by pressure, for which pur- 

 pose they use the point of a reindeer's horn, set in bone ; bone 

 itself would not be tough enough. Other arrow-heads are of 

 horn; these often bear "owners' marks/' as may be seen by 

 fig. 2 (p. 11). The shafts of the arrows are short, straightened 

 Fn L! 17 ' by steam, and provided with feathers at the butt 

 end. These are fastened on by deer sinews. 

 The bows are generally of wood, either made of 

 one piece steamed into the right form, or of 

 three parts most ingeniously fastened together, 

 and strengthened by pieces of bone or sinew. 

 When wood cannot be obtained, they use bone 

 or horn. They do not appear to be particularly 

 good shots: but Captain Parry* thinks that 

 ~Arrow-headT they would generally hit a deer from forty to 

 forty-five yards, if the animal stood stillf Moreover, against 

 large game they are, after all, not very effective. Sir J. C. Eoss 

 gives an interesting account of a musk-sheep hunt which he 

 witnessed. At length becoming impatient, as the Esquimaux 

 " continued to shoot without apparent effect, finding his 

 opportunities for an aim with much difficulty, and losing 

 much time afterwards in recovering his arrows, Sir James 

 fired, and broke the animal's shoulder-blade, to the immense 

 astonishment of his companion."! 



* 1. c. p. 511. also their ancient habits have been 



t The Esquimaux of Greenland modified, and their condition greatly 



have long abandoned the bow and improved, by this intercourse. 



arrow, using guns obtained from Sir J. Ross' Arctic Expedition, 



the Danes. In many other respects 1829-33, p. 350. 



