162 ANCIENT AND MODERN METHODS 



Persians and Turks use the thumb-ring in the same way. 

 Fig. 18, representing the Persian thumb-ring, is copied from 

 a drawing given in Meyrick's " Ancient Armour." Han- 

 sard, referring to another author, says that "one of the early 

 Turkish Sultans occupied his leisure in manufacturing 

 these rings," distributing them as presents among his favor- 

 ite pashas ; and adds also that the carnelian thumb-rings 

 may be easily procured in the Bazaars of Constantinople. 

 Some notes in regard to Persian archery may be found 

 in "Hansard's Book of Archery," p. 136. 



The " Archers' Register " published a number of notes 

 from a manuscript copy of " Anecdotes of Turkish Archery 

 procured from Constantinople by Sir Eobert Ainslie, and 

 translated by his interpreter, at the request of Sir Joseph 

 Banks, Baronet, 1797," from which we quote : 



" The bow, instead of being drawn with 

 three fingers on the string, according to 

 our mode, was drawn by the right thumb, 

 with the arrow placed on the string im- 

 mediately above it. A thumb-piece, or 

 guard of bone, answering the purpose of 

 our 'tips,' was worn. It covered the ball 

 of the thumb, one end being made as a 

 ling and passed over the joint. A pro- 

 Persian thumb-ring. j ect i n g tongue in the inside prevented 

 the string slipping off the guard into the angle of the 

 thumb formed by the bent joint. The inside of the guard 

 was lined with leather. A curious contrivance, consist- 

 ing of a horn-groove several inches in length, fixed on 

 a foundation of wood attached to a leather strap and 

 buckle, was fastened on the bow-hand. The groove pro- 

 jected inwards. The arrow was laid in this groove, which 

 rested on the thumb, and was rather higher on the outside, 

 as the arrow was shot on the right side of the bow, on 

 the contrary side to what it is in England." 



