THE THROWING- STICK. 79 



Railway. Speed was obtained, as I can testify from personal 

 experience, but the expense of air-pumps and air-tight tubing 

 was too great to be covered by the income, especially as the rats 

 ate the oiled leather which covered the valves. 



I find some little difficulty in arranging the subject which 

 comes next in order. It might very properly be ranked among 

 the Levers, which will be treated of in another chapter ; or it 

 might be placed among the examples of centrifugal force, 

 together with the sling, the " governor " of the steam-engine, 

 &c, all of which will be more fully described in their places. 

 However, as we are on the subject of Projectiles, we may as 

 well take it in the present place. 



It is the Throwing-stick, by which the power of the human 

 arm is enormously increased, when a spear is to be hurled. 

 Perhaps the most expert spear-throwers in the world are to be 

 found among the Kafir tribes of Southern Africa, and yet the 

 most experienced among them could not make sure of hitting 

 a man at any distance above thirty or forty yards. But the 

 throwing-stick gives nearly double the range, and I have seen 

 the comparatively slight and feeble Australian hurl a spear 

 to a distance of a hundred yards, and with an aim as perfect 

 as that of a Kafir at one-fourth of the distance. 



The mode in which this feat is performed is shown in the 

 accompanying diagram. Instead of holding the spear itself, 

 the native furnishes himself with a " Throwing-stick." This 

 weapon varies greatly in shape and size, but a very good idea of 

 its form, and the manner of using it, may be obtained from 

 the accompanying illustration, which was drawn from the 

 actual specimen as held by an Australian native. 



The throwing-stick is armed at the tip with a short spike, 

 which fits into a little hole in the but of the spear. The stick 

 and spear being then held as shown in the illustration, it is 

 evident that a powerful leverage is obtained, varying according 

 to the length of the stick. I possess several of these instru- 

 ments, no two of which are alike. 



It is rather remarkable that among the Esquimaux a throw- 

 ing-stick is also used, exactly similar in principle, but differing 

 slightly in structure, the but of the spear fitting into a hole 

 at the end of the throwing-stick. Wood being scarce among 



