280 THE MENOMINI INDIANS [eth.anx.h 



means of sinew thongs. The points of the thorns have been broken 

 off, but still serve admirably for bird shooting. 



Release 



It may be appropriate to remark that in arrow release the thumb 

 and forefinger are used in grasping the arrow, the forefinger being bent 

 so that the second joint is pressed toward and opposite to the ball of 

 the thumb, a method affording a maximum of strength. The bow is 

 firmly grasped, the arrow lying across the top of the hand and on the 

 left side of the bow. In rapid shooting, the arrows are taken one by 

 one from the quiver as wanted, thrown quickly across the left hand 

 and the notch fitted to the string as the right hand is pulled back for 

 release. The quiver at such times is thrown upward toward the 

 shoulder that the arrows may easily be taken therefrom. 



Penetration 



With reference to the penetration of the arrow, much depends on 

 the bow. I have examined a bow belonging to Long Soldier, a Sioux 

 hunter of magnificent physique, who formerly dwelt at the now aban- 

 doned agency of Grand River, North Dakota. The string of this bow 

 I could scarcely pull at full arrow length, even when standing on the 

 bow and pulling the string with main strength. This was perhaps the 

 strongest bow used in the Sioux camp, and the report was current, and 

 doubted by none, that Long Soldier had often shot arrows entirely 

 through the body of the buffalo. In this case it is of course to be under- 

 stood that the arrow encountered no large bones. Bows and arrows 

 were used long after the introduction of firearms, as the former could 

 successfully be used in hunting game and shooting down sentinels with- 

 out revealing the presence of an enemy. 



It is well known to those familiar with the subject, that as late as ten 

 or fifteen years ago, when hostile Indians were still thoroughly in prac- 

 tice with the bow and arrow, that it were safer to stand before an 

 Indian's rifle at 80 yards than at the same distance when he was armed 

 with bow and arrow. Since these more primitive weapons have been 

 discarded, however, the Indians have become much more expert with 

 the rifle, as has many times been shown. 



Bows and Bowstrings 



The bows of the Menomini are made of a single piece of wood, gener- 

 ally without sinew backing. Ash is commonly selected, unless hickory 

 can readily be obtained. To prevent the wood from becoming brittle, 

 the bow is frequently sized with deer brains. 



It may be of more than ordinary interest in this connection to note 

 that some of the older men of the Menomini claim to have seen bows, 

 made by members of their tribe, consisting of two pieces of wood, glued 

 together lengthwise, and wrapped at intervals with buckskin or sinew. 



