646 NORTH AMERICAN BOWS, ARROWS, AND QUIVERS. 



Otherwise the end of the bow stave is rounded, cut in ou one side or 

 on two for the bow-string. ^ 



It was not the custom to apply a "packing" or a woolding on the 

 grip of bows. The eastern tribes did not. But the compound bow of 

 the Sioux, the tiat yew bows of the California tribes, and the ellipsoidal 

 sinew-backed bow of the Shoshouean tribes, were so treated. In 

 addition to this, in many cases, the bows were painted in several colors, 

 geometric figures were marked on them, and additions of bead-work 

 made them quite fine. This decoration of the bow occurs among west 

 coast tribes that manifest extraordinary artistic tastes in baskets and 

 other work. 



The warrior and the hunter tended their bows with as much care as 

 though they were children. Every time they were used they were care- 

 ful to oil them in order to preserve their elasticity. The western Eskimo 

 wound uj) his bow when he desired to use it, and was careful to unwind 

 and straighten it as soon as the hunt was over. This winding was done 

 by twisting the sinew cable along the back by means of ivory levers 

 making only a half turn, and then sliding their whole length through 

 the cable before repeating the process. The ordinary self-bow Miien 

 not in use was straightened and pushed into the bow case. (Plate 

 XCIII.) 



The author can find little authentic information concerning the 

 bracing of the bow by the North American Indians. Those that he 

 has seen perform the operation followed the old English method, placing 

 the bottom horn against the hollow of the left foot, holding the upper 

 horn in the left hand, bending the bow with the left knee, and tying the 

 bowstring with the right hand. There was usually no eye in the bow- 

 string that slid down on the bow and pushed up into the nock in 

 bracing. 



Frequent reference is made to the bracer or wrist guard of the ]S^orth 

 Americans. In the far north the gloved hand and the long sleeve made 

 such device almost unnecessary, but a few specimens of carved bone or 

 ivory objects in collections from the liyperborean area bear that name. 

 The Indian, par excellence, wore upon his left wrist a band of rawhide, 

 from 2 to 3 inches wide, as a guard against the bowstring. Many of 

 these come from the Southwest, where they are ornamented with silver 

 and worn in ceremonies. 



"Among the Yurok bows and arrows were made by old men skilled 

 in the art."* As will be seen further on in studying the arrow, there 

 was really no guild or craft of bowyers. In his childhood the Indian 

 made the best bow he could. Whatever ingenuity he expended upon 

 it yielded him an immediate patent. lie not only had the exclusive 

 use of it, but every improvement which he made upon it inured to his 

 advantage at once in the form of sustenance, flattery, and substantial 

 social reward. 



* Powers, Cont. to X. J. Ethnol., vol. iii, p. 152. 



