644 NORTH AMERICAN BOWS, ARROWS, AND QUIVERS. 



the Kuskoqiiim area, in whicli the ends bend backward abruptly, so as 

 to lie along the string, as in the Tatar bow. In this tyjie the strands 

 of sinew cord lie parallel, pass entirely from end to end, and the last 

 one is wrapped si)irally around the rest. The whole of the broad part 

 cf the limbs is often seized down with spaced spiral turns of the cord. 

 Next to the Cumberland type this is simplest, and is only a slight 

 departure from it. (Plates lxv-lxvii.) 



(f) The Arctic type. — The bow is shorter and narrower, the ends are 

 often bent as in the Tatar bow, and strips of sealskin are put under the 

 backing. The cord is always braided sinew, passes from nock to nock, 

 but is laid on in a much more complicated manner, and much more 

 "incorporated with the bow." The whole process of laying on the 

 backing is minutely des(uibed by Mr. Murdoch. (Plates lxviii-lxx.) 



{d) The Western type. — Bow broader and flatter than the last, but 

 less contracted at the grip, either straight or Tatar shape. The 

 backing is in three parts, none of which extend as far as the nocks. 

 The first cable goes from end to end near the nocks; the second from 

 elbow to elbow, say afoot from each nock; the third along the straight 

 part of the back. The cables become practically one alongthegrip. The 

 method of laying down and knotting this intri(;ate lashing must be 

 studied from the ligures (Plates lxxi, lxxii,) so that in the Eskimo area 

 we have : ( I) The plain or self-bow, of one piece ; (2) the compound bow, 

 of whalebone, antler, bone, ivory or wood ; (3) the compound and sinew- 

 corded bow; (4) the single-cabled straight bow; (5) the single-cabled 

 Tatar or three-curved bow; (6) the complex-cabled straight bow; (7) 

 the complex-cabled Tatar bow; (8) the three-cabled straight bow; (9) 

 the three-cabled Tatar bow. 



The material of bows varies geographically. Beginning in the south 

 the regions may be roughly marked off — 



(1) Mexican border : Cottonwood, willow, mez(piit, bois d'arc, juniper. 



(2) Southern United States: Hickory, oak, ash, hornbeam, walnut. 



(3) Northeastern United States: Hickory, oak, ash, walnut, hornbeam, 

 sycamore, dogwood, and, indeed, any of the many species of hard wood. 



(4) Mississippi A^illey: Same as on the Atlantic slope. 



(5) Plains : Bois d'arc coffee tree and ash, wood procured in connnerce. 



(6) Interior basin: Mezquit in the south, abundant woo'ls in the 

 north, hard and elastic; species not determined. 



(7) California and Oregon: Evergreen woods, yew, spruce. 



(8) Columbia Biver: Same as California. 



(9) Southeastern Alaska: Willow, spruce. 



(9) Western Canada: Birch, willow, maple, si)ruce, cedar. 



(10) Eskimo: Driftwood and timber from whale ships and wrecks. 



