WKAPONS USED IN HUNTING LAND AN1MAL^■ 



503 



strength, they mgeniously remedy the defect hy securing to tlie back of the bow, 

 and to the knobs at each end, a quantity of small lines, each composed of a plat or 

 "sinnet" of three sinews. The number of lines thus reachmg from end to end is 

 generally about thu-ty ; but besides these, several others are fastened with hitches 

 round the bow, in pairs, commencing eight inches from one end, and again united 

 at the same distance from the other, making the whole number of strings in the 

 middle of the bow sometunes amount to sixty. These being put on with the bow 

 somewhat bent the conti-ary way, ijroduce a spring so strong as to require consider- 

 able force as well as knack in stringing it, and giving the requisite velocity to the 

 arrow. The bow is completed by a woolding round the middle and a wedge or two 

 here and there, driven in to tighten it. 



Fig. 440. Bows of reindeer antlers. (National Museum, Washington, a, 340.53; 6,34055.) 



The bow represented in Fig. 4.39 is from Cumberland Sound and 

 resembles tlie Ighilik pattern. The fastening of the sinew lines is 

 different and the piece of bone giving additional strength to the 

 central part is wanting. In Cumberland Sound and farther south 

 wooden bows each made of a single piece were not verj^ rare ; the 

 wood necessary for their manitfacture was found in abundance on 

 Tudjan (Resolution Island), whence it was brought to the more 

 northern districts. 



Fig. 4-11. Bow of antlers, with centi-al part cut off strai.tcht, from Pelly Bay. (National Museum, 

 Washington. lOiTO. 



The bows which are made of antlers generally consist of three 

 pieces, a stout central one slanted on both sides and two side pieces 

 riveted to it. The central part is either below or above the side ones, 

 as represented in Fig. 440. These bows are strengthened by plaited 

 sinews in the same way as the wooden ones and generally the joints 

 are secured by strong strings wound around them. A remarkable 

 bow made of antlers is represented in Fig. 441. The central part is 

 not slanted, but cut off .straight. Tlie joint is effected by two addi- 

 tional pieces on eacli side, a short stout one outside, a long thin one 

 inside. These are firmly tied together with sinews. The short piece 

 prevents the parts from breaking apart, the long one gives a power- 

 ful spring. The specimen here represented was brought home by 

 Hall from the Sinimiut of Pelly Bay. and a similar one was brought 

 by Collinson from Victoria Land and has been deposited in the 

 British Museum. The strings are attached to these bows in the 

 same way as to the wooden ones. 



