AND THE REINDEER IN MIDDLE EUROPE, 339 



be mostly captiircd by pitfolls, it lias been seen that the American Indian pur- 

 snes the butlalo of liis huuting-gronnds witli proportionably feeble weapons, and 

 that a single Esquimaux will enter into conflict with the polar l)ear when armed 

 only with his lance. Among the Tschutksches, who inhabit the northeastern 

 angle of Siberia as far as the Arctic ocean and Behring's straits, even boys of 

 from 12 to 14 years attack the bears with spears five feet long^ and succeed in 

 killing them. 



Opportunity is constantly afforded us of witnessing what can he perforaied 

 by the ruder races of mankind witli their simple implements. Stone knives of 

 obsidian, for instance, are not uncommon in Mexico, and in certain cases they 

 are even preferred to those of iron. We arc told by Greton that the Damaraa 

 dismember without difficulty the largest animals, elephants and girail'cs, by 

 means of the poorest instraments — thin pieces of iron fixed in a short handle — 

 while he himself could scarcely even pierce their hides with European knives of 

 the best quality. The Caflres show remarkable skill in striking an object Avith 

 then- peculiar missile at a distance of 20 or 30 paces. In doing this, they seize 

 the assagay between the thumb and upper finger joint, the point in front , raise 

 the hand to the level of the shoulder, not higher ; draAv the arm back and con- 

 trive, by striking the shaft against the wrist, to give it a vibratory motion from 

 point to butt, hurl it with great force, and the weapon, still vibrating during its 

 passage through the air, seldom fails of attaining its aim. To the same elfett 

 may he cited their knob-kcrris, sticks of an inch in diameter and four feet long, 

 terminating in a large round. knob. These are usually cut from the off-shoots 

 of the wild olive tree, and are employed by the Cafl"res in hunting wild beasts 

 or destroying serpents. For this purpose they lay hold of the shaft of the 

 weapon, measure with the eye the distance of the object, and throw the stick in 

 such a manner that, circling in the air, the thinner end shall strike the ground 

 a few feet from the point aimed at, and the knob fall, in the rebound, directly 

 on the victim. Equipped with such slight arms as these the Caftre seems insen- 

 sible to danger, and war has shown that, in bush-fighting, the best English troops 

 are scarcely a match for him. 



We are, of course, not in a position to pronounce with certaint}^ in what man- 

 ner the primitive man hunted those animals of which we have been speaking. 

 Had he been in possession of more formidable weapons than have been as yet 

 recognized, it is hardly possible but that some of them would have been found. 

 But that the animals in question existed as cotemporaries of man, and served 

 hinr for sustenance, has been jilaced beyond a doubt, and, in his encounters with 

 them, the primitive weapons of stone which have been ab'eady discovered will 

 appear to have been no such mean auxiliaries, when we consider the effects pro- 

 duced by the analogous and simple instruments wielded by the uncivilized tribes 

 of the present day. 



Tliis contest with the untamed animals gave the first impulse to an industrial 

 activity among men. Before all else the preparation of Aveapons was to be 

 thought of. Metals Avere then unknown, and men seized upon stone, especially 

 that knoAAni as flint, Avhose aptitude for piercing or cutting Avas easily recognized. 

 From this hatchets and the points of lances Avere formed and fitted to Avooden 

 handles. The insufficiency of these Avea})ons led to progressive adaptations. 

 Tlie beasts might fly, and must be overtaken by missiles ; hence the javelin. 

 The fugitive beasts are not in this Avay easily reached; a step in advance, there- 

 fore, was the boAv, Avhich sends the arrow to a greater distance. Tli^^ idea of 

 this Avas found in nature : man had before his eyes the curvature of branches of 

 trees b}' parasitic vines, and witnessed* the elastic force thereby developed. The 

 cord of the first bows Avas sujiplied by strips cut Avith sharp stones from the 

 hides of animals, and the arrow was equipped at one end with a point carefully 

 Avrought from flint. Stimulated by his necessities man would soon learn to 

 resort to ambush and other stratagems, and, gradually emboldened liy success, 



