284 ETHNOLOGICAL HINTS 



gested by Capt. Beechey ? Lave they any sham fights with blunt and 

 pointless weapons, such as are described by Vancouver in Hawaii 

 and amongst the Hottentots ? How is the march of a party con- 

 ducted ? do they move in a body with a broad front or in file, and 

 do they send forward advanced parties ? do they make night attacks ? 

 have they any stratagems for concealing their trail from the enemy ? 

 Have they any superstitious customs or omens in connection with 

 war, and if so give an account of them? What is the meaning of 

 the custom of shooting an arrow with a tuft of feathers attached, 

 mentioned by Capt. Beechey, and supposed to be a declaration of war? 

 (the custom of shooting an arrow towards an enemy as a declaration 

 of war formerly existed in Persia.) Do they employ treachery, 

 concealment, or ambush, and if so, what is their usual mode of pro- 

 ceeding? Are their clogs employed in war? Are their treaties 

 with other tribes binding? Do they form alliances with other 

 tribes, and if so, to what extent do they act in concert, and under 

 what leadership ? Are personal conflicts common between men of 

 the same tribe, and if so, what is their usual mode of proceeding ? 



2. Weapons. — What are their war weapons? are the same wea- 

 pons used in war and the chase? What is the exact nature of 

 their defensive armour, especially that described as being made of 

 pieces of wood fastened together ? Is the throwing-stick used in 

 war ? what is the accuracy, range, and penetration of a lance pro- 

 jected by this means ? is there any evidence of its being a more 

 ancient weapon than the bow ? is it an indigenous weapon or derived 

 from without ? What are the difficulties in the construction of the 

 bow from the absence of suitable elastic wood ? is the practice of 

 giving elasticity to the bow by means of sinews attached to it an 

 independent invention or derived from the Asiatic Continent ? what 

 is the accuracy, range, and penetration of the bow? 1 In what 

 manner are the performances of their weapons handed down from 

 father to son, as is said to be the case ? What is the exact meaning 

 of the marks scored on their arrows and their weapons (with draw- 

 ings of them) ? Have they any means of giving a rotation to their 

 arrows or other missile-weapons ? Have they any regular system 

 of training to the use of the bow and other weapons ? At what age 

 do the children commence the use of the bow ? Are the Eskimos 



1 It appears desirable that some test of accuracy should be established. If the 

 natives can be induced to shoot at a target, the distance of each shot from the 

 point aimed at should be measured, added, and divided by the number of shots. 

 The figure of merit obtained by this means would enable a comparison to be 

 made with the shooting of other races. A target composed of grass bands, not 

 less than six feet iu diameter, might be used. Misses should be scored with a 

 deviation of four feet ; distances, fifty, one hundred, one hundred and fifty, and 

 two hundred paces of thirty inches. 



