232 TRAVELS IN 
their bows and poifed them in their handsj^ 
were very remarkable. 
The arrow being feleded, they placed it on 
their bow: then they would crouch down with 
their head between their knees like frogs, leap 
and fpring from fide to fide, as if to avoid the 
arrows of their enemies, make feints, take aim 
at the mark, draw near the trench, recede from 
it, and take a hundred different attitudes, which 
at firft appeared to me the tricks of a jack- 
. pudding, but which were in reality employed 
for the purpofe of eftimating the fituation and 
diftance of the obje£t. 
Every inftant I expeded from their motions 
they were going to Ihoot : but fuddenly they 
would retire back, begin again their move- 
ments and feints, and difcharge their arrows 
when I leaft expeded it. At length, when 
they had all fliot for the firft prize, I gave a 
knife to him whofe arrow had cope neareft 
to the centre of the mark. 
The fame proceeding took place for each of 
the other three prizes. Every time a knife was to 
be fhot for, the remaining bowmen employed 
the fame manoeuvres : but, as ^he prizes dimi- 
nifhed in number, they redoubled their ardour 
and 
