160 Morten P. Porsild. 



with American authors we find descriptions and good figures of bows 

 from the tribes dwelhng there, which in all essential details are similar 

 to those of West Greenland. 



The bow-stave is made in one piece only in rare cases, although 

 round Disco Bay drift-wood has often been found which was sufficiently 

 long and straight for this purpose. It is generally patched together 

 with, at least, three pieces, one middle-piece, and two end-pieces ; fre- 

 quently with five pieces, when the end-pieces are lengthened further 

 with a piece of good wood or bone for the fastening of string and 

 backing. Sometimes the middle-piece is strengthened with a splint of 

 bone, wood or whalebone. The manner in which the centre- and end- 

 pieces are mortised together (see Fig. 20) without rivets shows plainly 

 that the object of the the bow-stave is only to give rigidity. The 

 bows were from 1.0 — 1.3 metres long and the wood at the back 3 — 4 cm. 

 broad, and a fraction thinner. 



The bow when ready for use is called pisigse or pisigseq, 296, the 

 bow-stave alone sâneriâ, (Supplement, 42) or pisigsitâ, 296. The end- 



о '^ 



2 3 4dm 



Fig. 20. Bow-stave made of three pieces of drift-wood. Seen from the edge, and 

 from the back, and in transverse section. 



piece with the notch for reception of the string, inûssâ, 102, "its doll" 

 or "its man-likeness;" the central projecting part of the end-piece to 

 which the backing and string are fastened, noqartarfia from подагра, 

 254, "its place for stretching." 



The backing, (kujâ, 189) is first formed like a long cord which is 

 wound round both the noqartarfik pieces, so that all the strands get to 

 lie on the back of the bow. The number of strands varies from 12 — 20 

 or perhaps more. In order to keep all the strands on the back, the 

 bow-stave is in some places lashed with sinew-thread, whereby care is 

 at the same time taken to join the pieces of wood from which it is made. 

 In order to prevent the lashing from slipping there are small notches in 

 the edge of the bow, and, besides, the lashing cord often makes a turn 

 between the strands of the backing. The lashing is called qilernera, 143. 

 Finally the whole, the backing and the lashing, is wound round with 

 yet another cord, nerma, 249, which is laid in ordinary whipping. 



The bow-string (noqarta, 254) also consists of cord which is braided 

 first and afterwards wound round with sinews. It has loops to fasten 

 round the end tenons when the bow has to be used. When by wear 

 or through moisture the backing becomes too slack, a small implement 



