Some Indian Ways 481 



HOLDING AND DRAWING 



It is very important to begin shooting in correct form and 

 never change from that if you wish to become a good shot. 



Grasp the bow in the left hand. Put the arrow on the 

 string with the right. Hook the first three fingers on the 

 string one above, two below the arrow. The little finger 

 and thumb do nothing, (f in upper cut, p. 480). 



Stand perfectly upright, left side toward the target, the 

 heels 12 inches apart and in exact line from the target. 

 Hold the bow upright and the arrow against the left side of 

 it, resting on the hand. Draw the cord till the head of the 

 arrow touches the bow and the top of your thumb rests on 

 the corner of your mouth. You must sight along the arrow 

 for direction, but guess for elevation. Hold it one second. 



Release the arrow by straightening your fingers and at 

 the same time turn your hand back up, but keep the thumb 

 tip at your mouth corner. Do not move the left hand a 

 hair's-breadth till the arrow has struck. 



Begin practising at very short range and slowly increase 

 up to the standard, forty yards. 



Unstring the bow when not in use. 



THE WABBOW OF THE PENOBSCOTS 



This warbow (Tong-bi) is as shown to me by Big Thun- 

 der, the Penobscot Chief, at Boston Sportsman's Show, 

 December 12, 1900. He was then seventy-seven years of 

 age, perfectly straight, and six feet four inches in height. 



He said that the bow had been in his tribe for over two 

 hundred years; fifty-five years ago it was put in his charge 

 by his uncle, the late Chief John Nepta. 



It is made of "hornbeam" in two pieces, loosely joined, 

 with an auxiliary piece in front (AA), to which are attached 



