STRINGING THE CROSSBOW. 



I do not suppose anything- is known with certainty as to the 

 origin of the crossbow. Some authorities favour the idea that 

 it was a development of the ballista, which it certainly resembles. 



But the motive power of the ballista was two separate arms, 

 worked by twisted cord or sinew, similar to the apparatus with 

 which the carpenter tightens the frame of his bow saw. 



My own idea is that there was a want felt for some weapon 

 which did not require the long time which had to be devoted to 

 acquiring the necessary skill to shoot accurately with the long 

 bow. 



The only books I have seen bearing on the crossbow are 

 Daniel's "Rural Sports;" Hansard's " Book of Archery," 

 published in 1841, and now to be procured second-hand at a few 

 shillings; Elaine's "Rural Sports," quoting from "Daniel," 

 with an illustration ; and Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey's " The Cross- 

 bow," published in 1903 at ,3 35. 



With regard to the second-named work there is a very interest- 

 ing chapter on the crossbow, but mostly historical. There are 

 several good steel plates in this work, from which some idea of 

 the ancient crossbows can be formed. 



Sir R. Payne-Gallwey's work is almost exhaustive, both his- 

 torical, practical, and modern, and enables anyone with 

 mechanical genius to construct reproductions of some of the older 

 patterns. I may say that I have made two kinds from the book, 

 one to shoot bolts, and the other to shoot ball. 



I think it is a pity that Sir Ralph did not make the book smaller 

 in size, and less in price, so that it might have attained the 

 popularity it deserves. 



Many people who possess an old crossbow may not be able to 

 string it, and of course few gunmakers can do the work, the art 

 being almost lost. 



Generally, when an old bow is picked up, either the string is 

 gone or it has stretched till it is useless from age. 



Sir Ralph Payne-Gallwey uses twine for the stringing, and 

 writes me that he finds gut to stretch too much. I have only seen 

 one bow with a twine string, and, like the gut, it had "gone." 

 However, I do intend to try the twine some time. 



For the benefit of anyone who cares to attempt stringing, I 

 will give the system I follow, and which I had partly from a 

 friendly gunmaker of my acquaintance. It would not be fair 

 to copy the lucid and long directions from "The Crossbow," and 

 of course the price of the work is somewhat prohibitory. 



