Part II

National Round, which made a record, so far as we know, for so young an archer. 60 50 20-110 23-141 Total 43-251 22-130 65-381 132 American Archery While the foregoing scores show the best performances at the targets and ordinary ranges, there are many other feats of skill A that are of interest. succession of good scores are evidence of sustained power, even though none of them be the best the archer has ever made, excellent shooting may be done at irregular marks, or prowess in hunting game with the bow and arrow may demand recognition. Such deeds will be mentioned at random, under the names of the individuals who accomplished them. Captain F. S. Barnes, Forest Grove, Oregon. Shot at least three deer and a mountain lion. C. C. Beach, Battle Creek, Mich. Best 30 arrows at 60 yards " 30 " " 50 " " 30 " " 40 " 30-198 30-216 30-242 Hypothetical round 90-656 George Phillips Bryant, Melrose, Mass. In answer to a letter asking for his best scores, Mr. Bryant said: "I enclose a record of what I consider the best shooting I ever did. York Rounds shot consecutively, July, 1912. Best Scores of All Kinds 133 100 yards 80 yards 60 yards Total 56-246 56-216 52-206 55-225 57-269 61-293 45-251 44-246 45-255 48-284 47-235 45-251 24-152 24-150 24-152 24-128 24-142 24-158 125-649 124-612 121-613 127-637 128-646 130-702 My bow broke in the last end of the last York, which settled this run of scores." Mr. Gray, who saw all of these splendid York Rounds shot, said to the writer that the arrows seemed to fly down the range as though they were all tied to one invisible wire. Best 24 arrows at 60 yards " 30 " " 60 " � u 30 ,< 5Q � " 30 " " 40 " 23-167 30-206 30-224 30-238 Hypothetical round 90-668 Frank E. Canfield, Chicago. In a letter to the writer, December, 1910, Dr. E. B. Weston says, "I once saw my friend Canfield shoot a little over 300 yards, using a 56 pound lemonwood bow and flight arrows of his own make. Dr. E. I. Cole, Ossining, New York, 30 arrows at 2o"yards 999999 999999 799999 999997 999977 6- 54 6- 54 6- 52 6- 52 6- 50 30-262 134 American Archery W. J. Compton, Portland, Oregon. In a letter dated November 5th, 1916, Dr. Saxton Pope gives the following account of this remarkable man. He is a professional hunter who uses a bow because he thinks it is more sportsmanlike than using a rifle. " Compton wrote out for me just what game he has killed, as nearly as he can remember. He began shooting the bow at 14 years, in 1877, in Nebraska at the head of the Elkhorn River. The Sioux Indians were his teachers. He uses the Sioux release, a tertiary type, all the fingers on the string, below the nock, thumb lightly touching nock, a very powerful loose. He killed his first deer with a bow in September, 1877, shooting it in a " blow-out" at 10 yards distance, through the heart. Later in the same year he killed a fawn, with three arrows and much chasing. During the next few years he killed about 20 deer in this country, within a radius of 100 miles. Also four antelope, one cow elk three years old and one yearling. In 1880 he shot a buffalo, a two year old. He hit him about the middle but did not finish him, the Indians did this with guns. Best Scores of All Kinds 135 This was between Crow Creek and the Little Missouri, almost the last stand of the bison. In Wyoming, in 1883, he killed a big buck antelope by severing his spinal cord with an arrow at about 50 yards. In Big Horn Mountains, in 1884, he shot, but failed to kill outright, a black bear, chasing him for almost an hour. In this place he also shot a big buck through the heart at 82 paces. He also made another heart shot at 50 yards. In the Cascade Mountains of Oregon he killed a mountain beaver, a very rare animal, never known to be shot with a gun. Besides these he has killed several hundred rabbits, many quail, a few ducks on the wing, sage hens, prairie chickens, doves, grouse, a few squirrels, chipmunks, ground- hogs, two skunks so dead they had no time to register a complaint, four coons, two badgers and some tame cats. I have seen him kill dozens of rabbits, small birds, wound two deer and kill another, using broad heads and a 65 pound bow. He can shoot an 80 pound bow. The best shot I ever saw, Compton made We at this deer. started him and, as he 136 American Archery bounded down a very steep hill side, at about 65 yards, Compton let drive. The deer was running quartering away from, us. Just as it swerved slightly to enter the brush, say at 75 yards, the arrow connected with him. Compton released at 65 and hit the deer, which was not going at full speed, at about 75 yards. It caught him in the short ribs on the right side, and ranged forward, making an exit back of the opposite shoulder, sticking out a foot. The deer dashed into the under- growth, some small bak or laurel bushes. As it did so it snapped off the arrow shaft, leaving only ,the feathers visible in the side. Compton went and picked up the shaft. On its point were blood, green food and lung tissue. We knew we had him. About an hour later we found him huddled up against some small madrone trees, 200 yards down A the canyon, dead. good sized forked horn. Our autopsy showed that the arrow had penetrated the stomach, diaphragm, lung and base of heart. The pericardial and pleural cavities were flooded with blood. This was a beautiful shot, good luck, good archery, and good judgment of distance." Arthur Young Shoots fish in California Dr. Saxton Pope and first buck for 1917 W. J. Compton and Arthur Young. A bird apiece Dr. Saxton Pope and his composite bow : Best Scores of All Kinds 137 Mrs. John Dunlap, Jr., Wayne, Pa. On November 29th, 191 3, shooting the 100 yard distance of the last York in the N. A. A. Mail Match, she made an end of 99773 5-35, probably a record for a woman. Dr. Robert P. Elmer, Wayne, Pa. In 191 5, shooting the American Round twice a week or oftener till after the National Tournament, had every score above 500. In September, 1917, shot eight consecutive American Rounds, in private practice, as follows September 6 7 ii 1 ii 14 17 18 � ' 19 30-180 29-187 30-196 30-196 30-200 29-191 30-194 30-196 30-214 30-224 30-208 30-222 30-218 30-222 30-200 30-194 30-222 30-216 30-224 30-216 30-218 30-242 30-242 30-222 90-616 89-627 90-628 90-634 90-636 89-655 90-636 90-612 The above rounds were made with a yewbacked yew by Barnes, 191 1, five feet ten inches long and weighing 48 pounds, and McChesneyV.arrows, 5 403 'grains. Best 30 arrows at 60 yards " 30 " " 50 " " 30 " " 40 " Hypothetical round 30-200 30-224 30-242 90-666 Sept. 14 as above. Sept. 11 as above. Sept. 17 and 18 as above and at Chicago August 7, I9IS- 138 American Archery Aug. 7th, 1915 17 golds 12 reds 1 blue 6- 46 Sept. 17th, 1917 6- 46 Sept. 18th, 1917 6- 54 6-46 6-50 6-48 6-46 6-52 6-52 6-50 19 golds 6- 48 8 reds 6- 48 3 blues 6- 46 6- 42 6- 52 30-242 30-242 30-242 The first ten arrows at 40 yards on Sept. 1 8th were golds. Made 11 successive golds at 40 yards, being the last arrow of the first end, all of the second end and the first five of the third end, in a match at the Cynwyd Club, May, 1915. Scored by Esther M. Weyl. 6-46, 6-54, 6-50, 6-46, 6-44, 30-240. 18 golds in all. Made with Duff's arrows. Best American Round shot in a match was made 17th September, 1916, at the Cynwyd Club, Cynwyd, Pa., ancl scored by Dr. E. F. Corson. 30-196 30-216 30-228 90-640 In this round a Barnes' self yew (6 feet, 42 pounds) was used with Duff's arrows (409 grains). Frank C. Havens, Oakland, California. Best 30 arrows at 60 yards 30 50 " 30 " " 40 " 30-202 30-2I2 30-246 (18 golds, 12 reds.) Hypothetical score 90-660 Dr. Owen L. Hertig, Pittsburgh, Pa. This extract from a letter to the writer, dated March 20th, 19 12, is well worth pre- serving : Best Scores of All Kinds 139 "As a boy, from the age of twelve until I started to college, I was, after a fashion, a skillful archer. Shooting home made weapons, unfeathered hickory arrows, tipped with Nor- way iron points, using primary loose, and placing arrow on right hand side of bow, I was able at short range, to do some very creditable and, I may say, remarkable work. Here are a few samples which my memory holds clearly and distinctly: Placing 10 consecutive arrows in oldfashioned oyster can at 20 yards, that is, hitting a space 4 by 6 inches. Shooting through an inch auger hole at 18 feet 35 times straight. Hitting a pie pan thrown into the air 100 times straight at 20 feet. Hitting consistently any object thrown into the air, no matter how small. Placing, at 10 yards, 95% of arrows in a four inch circle. At 20 feet shooting tin box lid 3 inches in diameter, from hand of boy companion and pinning it to the wall. This last feat I did repeatedly until my father caught me at it. The boy, A. H. Sayers, now a prominent attorney of my old home Waynesbury, Pa., 140 American Archery was the instigator of the thing for which I was punished." The best practice shooting he has done with regular methods and equipment was in October and November, 1913, when, in 54 consecutive rounds, 24 York, 18 American, and 12 Team he averaged in the York 113- 517, in the American 88-532 and in the Team 93-527. In that fall he won the York Round in the series of 10 mail matches conducted by the N.A.A., in a field of 24. He shot in 8 matches with a low score 106-484, high 122-596 and average 114-535. In sending his last mail match score, in Novem- ber, he wrote, "I have dropped only three arrows out of 350 at 60 yards. In the old English round of 144 arrows at 60 yards I made 143-867. The English record is 142840, made by the Rev. Rimington." Z. E. Jackson, Atchison, Kansas. He has done a great deal of hunting, especially of small animals and birds. While seated in a canoe, in 191 1, on a lake in British Columbia, he shot and killed a deer at 60 yards distance, the arrow passing through both shoulders an inch in front of the heart. (Thompson, Forest Sif Stream, March, 1915.) Best Scores of All Kinds 141 Louis W. Maxson, Washington, D. C. (Deceased.) At Washington Grove, Maryland, on July nth, 1890, before a large number of spectators, Mr. Maxson shot three exhibition rounds without stopping, which, as a whole, have never been beaten. ISt 2nd 3rd 60 30-186 30-204 30-210 So 30-202 30-210 30-216 40 30-242 30-234 30-240 90-630 90-648 90-666 Euclid D. Miller, Tennessee. Besides having killed "most every kind of game in this country," (see Forest IS Stream, October 25th, 1913), he adopted the Y-shaped pile from the Japanese and used it to de- capitate snakes. F. E. Perry, Battle Creek, Michigan. 30 arrows at 30 yards 30-260, with 16 successive golds. Dr. Saxton T. Pope, San Francisco, CaL "Strong of arm was Hiawatha; He could shoot ten arrows upward, Shoot them with such strength and swiftness, That the tenth had left the bow-string Ere the first to earth had fallen." (Hiawatha and Mudjekeewis, Lines 11-- 15.) In the past it has been supposed by archers who have tried to accomplish this feat that 142 American Archery it was possible only in the imagination of the poet. In recent times, however, Dr. Pope seems to have brought it so near fulfillment that it is no longer scoffed at. In a letter dated November 5th, 1916, he writes: "I made up seven shafts with V-nocks and grooved so I could catch them quickly and feel the right side. Then I practiced 15 minutes every day for one week; just nocking and releasing. Today I tried myself out and three times in succession I kept seven arrows in the air at once. Even with this I had time to fumble one or two and still had sixty feet leeway on the last arrow. With diligence I could easily shoot eight arrows. The first arrow I used was a flight arrow. It required eight seconds to complete its course, almost perpendicular." As other archers have been able to keep only three arrows in the air at once, Pope's explanation of his method will interest them. "By holding the arrows on the right side of the bow, drawing one after another over the thumb, using a release of my own inven- tion, where the thumb and first finger grasp the arrow yet stay on the right of the string, assisted by the other fingers, and shooting Dr. Pope's left hand, in keeping seven arrows in the air at once. Dr. Pope's right hand, in keeping seven arrows in the air at once. Best Scores of All Kinds 143 the first arrow as usual, I get away with this feat of dexterity, if not utility." If any man can equal Hiawatha it ought to be Pope, as he is a prestidigitator of the greatest skill, wonderfully quick of hand. The following quotation from an article called "What a Good Bow Has Done and Will Do," by Will H. Thompson, in Forest fcf Stream for March, 191 5, gives an idea of the difficulty of Pope's accomplishment. Mr. Thompson is the dean of American archers and, as he says himself, speaks ex cathedra. "No man of any age, race, time or with a record for previous condition of servitude, ever could perform or ever has performed the feat of shooting 'so far and so fast as to have six arrows in the air at once.' Seriously, after more than fifty years of the bow, and much experimentation, I have never been able to keep three arrows in the air at one time but have come so near it that I feel sure it might be done. I feel equally sure that no man ever has, ever will, or now can, A keep four in the air at one time. very slight increase of speed might be secured by having large open nocks in the arrows, so that one could quickly feel the arrow on to 144 American Archery the string, but the gain would not be sufficient to get an additional arrow (over three) into the air." Under the tutelage of Ishi and Compton, Dr. Pope has become a very good hunter, having killed a deer and a great many small animals. Professor E. J. Rendtorff, Lake Forest, Illinois. Without doubt Prof. Rendtorff is one of the greatest archers the world has ever seen He is the only American in the class of Horace Ford. On his private range and on the grounds of the Chicago Archery Associa- tion his shooting has been witnessed by a great many people who were thoroughly qualified to pass judgment and they unanimously say that his skill is .fully as great as his published scores would indicate. Unfortunately he has been able to appear in only one open contest, the Pre-Olympic Carnival at Grant Park, Chicago, July 3rd, 4th and 5th, 191 3. On that occasion the wind was so high that it blew up blinding clouds of dust and the targets had to be firmly moored with guy ropes. Under such conditions his scores, which were recorded by Best Scores of All Kinds H5 Homer S. Taylor, are are: Double York 42-146 37-H9 45-233 40-196 remarkable. They 23-141 22-124 110-520 99-469 Double American 29-169 30-160 30-212 30-194 30-218 30-216 209-989 89- 599 90- 570 Team 24-148 24-140 22-130 24-144 179-1169 94-562 The score by ends of his record breaking American Round are of interest to everybody. They are: 60 yards 6- 44 6- 44 6- 44 6- 46 6- 46 50 yards 6- 46 6- 50 6- 40 6- 40 6- 52 40 yards 6- 46 6- 48 6- 50 6- 44 6- 42 30-224 30-228 30-230 90-682 In a letter to Forest Ef? Stream he says: "I had distinctly seen no point of aim at 60 yards, but judged its location subconsciously. At 50 yards a small space of bare ground helped me, while at 40 yards a darker patch of grass proved of assistance. In every case I had my direct vision on the gold and the indirect or secondary vision on the point of aim, which I need for elevation purposes only and not for lateral alignment." 146 American Archery Dr. Henry B. Richardson, Boston, Mass. Dr. Richardson is the only American archer, of any consequence, who has ever competed in the great matches of England. It is therefore gratifying to his countrymen to know that he not only held his own, in every event, with the best of his opponents but even, in the one match whose records went back almost to the time when archery was the -- national sport, namely, the Scorton Arrow -- contest which began in 1673, made the best score ever recorded. He went abroad in the summer of 1908, at the age of 19, while he was champion of the United States. The following records of his performances were taken from "The Field," by Dr. Weston. Royal Toxophilite SocietyRegent's Park, July 9th H. B. Richardson H. P. Nesham Olympic Games, July 17-18 W. Dod Brooks-King Richardson Single York Round 34-150 36-148 23-121 31-197 26- 88 22-112 93-419 79-397 70-292 68-250 60-248 71-299 72-300 67-291 44-224 44-218 43-221 185-815 184-768 170-760 On the third day of the tournament a handicap York was shot in which Richardson, who was scratch, made the highest mark of Best Scores of All Kinds 147 105-453. Dod won the match with 82 given, his net being 99-453. Grand National. Trinity College Cricket Ground, Oxford, July 22, 23 and 24 Double York Round Richardson Brooks-King 88-362 75-335 38-174 77-3i9 72-342 43-209 Dod, who won the Olympic Games, was seventh. 201-871 192-870 After the shooting was all over and everybody thought Richardson had won, an old rule was dug up which said that the cham- pionship could be won only by a native of the British Isles. The match was therefore given to Brooks-King. Antient Scorton Arrow. 235th Annual Com- petition. July 2Qth. This competition is at 100 yards, two arrows being shot at an end. No specified number of arrows are shot, but the shooting takes two hours in the morning and two in the afternoon. At this meeting 178 arrows were shot. The Field says: "Mr. Richardson shot in great form, and made the highest score, in hits and score, that has ever been recorded." Richardson C. H. Coates T. T. S. Metcalfe 162-452 61-269 50-198 Golds 9 "5 "4 1 148 American Archery Grand-Western. Sherbourne, August 12, 13 and 14. Double York Round Brooks-King 190-824 T. Robinson 168-740 Richardson ISI-6SS Mid-Herefordshire Archery Society. August 18th. (96 arrows at 80 yards and 48 at 60 yards) Ingham 72-358 Backhouse Richardson 78-357 � 60-276 Herefordshire York Round Club. August 19th. Single York Round Richardson 77-359 Backhouse 72-334 Grand Northern. August 26, 27 and 28. Double York Round Keysworth 161-639 Hussey 158-628 Richardson 149-61 Homer S. Taylor, Greenfield, Mass. Until lately of Chicago. Mr. Taylor was present at the first National Tournament in 1879, though only as a spectator. The next year he began competitive shooting and from then till the present time, with a lapse of a few years in the late '80s, he has always been one of the best shots in the country. Before the National Tournament last year (1916) he had had almost no practice yet he won third place. The longer the shooting lasted the better he got. On the last day, shooting at a life sized silhouette 1 Best Scores of All Kinds 149 of a duck at 40 yards he put five arrows out of six in a space the size of a man's hand. It is an inspiration to every archer to see a man who is no longer young doing such splen- did work. From among many excellent performances the following twelve York Rounds, shot in succession, may be taken as a sample of his steadiness, although in 191 1 his scores, which are not at hand, were probably even better. 1908 Aug. 21 Aug. 28 Aug. 29 Sept. 7 Sept. 7 Sept. 20 Sept. 26 Sept. 27 Oct. 3 Oct. 4 Oct. 4 100 yards 46-216 53-225 52-212 51-235 39-137 49-213 50-220 39-165 52-228 49-207 53-207 80 yards 38-190 43-191 40-174 41-185 42-196 40-226 40-220 35-167 41-207 44-204 43-209 60 yards 24-152 24-136 24-128 22-116 23-127 22-120 21-111 22- 92 21-115 23-119 22- 86 Total 108-558 120-552 1 16-5 14 II4-S36 104-460 1 1 1-559 1 1 i-55 96-424 114-550 116-530 118-502 Muarice Thompson, Crawfordsville, Indiana. {Deceased.) Best 24 arrows at 60 yards " 30 " " 60 " " 30 " " 40 " 24-176 30-216 30-244 n (18 golds, reds, 1 blue) In October, 1878, he broke 35 out of 50 glass balls thrown into the air at 10 yards. (Reported in Chicago Field of that month.) He killed innumerable birds and animals, as related in " The Witchery of Archery" an 150 American Archery many other writings. Every archer should read his stories. Will H. Thompson, Seattle, Washington. Brother of Maurice Thompson and his companion on his hunting trips. Killed all kinds of birds and animals. Both men were invincible in off-hand shooting. Best 30 arrows at 60 yards " 30 " " 50 " " 30 " " 40 " 30-198 30-204 30-236 Best 30 arrows at 20 yards 90-638 30-268 (29 golds, 1 red) Colonel Robert Williams, Washington, D. C. (Deceased.) Up to 1888 had made 13 Double York Rounds of over 1000. Eleven were in 1883. Arthur Young, San Francisco. Pope wrote: "Young killed 17 ground squirrels in one afternoon with the bow, at distances of from 10 to 40 yards. Five of these he killed with five successive arrows." "He shot 15 carp, one morning, in a back- water of the Tuolumne River, a feat not known to have been equalled by a white man." Teams In the Ohio State Archery Association's Annual Tournament in 1883, the Men's Best Sports of All Kinds 151 Team of the Highland Archers, of Wyoming, Ohio, made the highest score ever recorded in this country. 90 arrows at 60 yards A. W. Houston W. A. Clark H. W. Pollock C. S. Woodruff 94- 604 95- 597 88- 478 82- 444 359-2123 A very good practice score was made by the Pittsburgh Archers in May, 1914. Holmes Sorber Hertig Jiles 92- 528 91- 505 91- 457 89- 423 363-1913 It is a pity that they did not make one point more to commemorate the year! The following is translated from "Le Tir a l'Arc;" "Finally, we mention for the sceptics who deny the possibility of shooting on the wing with the bow, that Maurice Thompson made the American record for it in 1894. He has, in fact, in a public tournament, broken 38 glass balls, and in a private match 48, out of 50 thrown into the air at a distance of about 12 metres." . 1 52 American Archery CHAPTER XIII The Reddendo Arrows By J. Mark Mauser IN 19 14 Mr. James Duff, of the ScottishAmerican Archers of Jersey City, made a trophy to be competed for by the various archery clubs, with the idea of bringing them into more frequent contact. It con- sists of a pair of arrows, beautifully inlaid with ebony, feathered with the finest of white goose feathers, tipped with barbed bronze points and laid parallel upon a finely polished oak board. These handsome shafts are copied from the arrows which the Royal Company of Archers, the King's bodyguard for Scotland, present to the monarch on his formal visits to that country, a feu-duty, or " Reddendo," by virtue of which they have held their charter since 1703 Duff's " Reddendo Arrows" are shot for under the following conditions: A challenge must be given at least thirty days before the match. The match may be the American Round, the Team Round or the York Round, but the round selected must be agreeable to both, or all, sides. The Reddendo Arrows 153 There is no maximum limit to the number of archers on a team, but not less than four may compete. One team may contain more archers than the other; in which case the best scores of the larger side shall be counted, equal to the number of those of the smaller team. The first challenge was sent by the ScottishAmerican Archers to the Wayne Archers, the match taking place at Jersey City on June 20th, 1 9 14, with the following scores: rne Archers Dr. R. P. Elmer J. M. Mauser A. C. Hale G. W. Watt E. E. Trout C. L. Lehman Scottish-American Archers 90- 530 77- 405 70- 376 47- 229 42- 212 49- 181 R. McNeil F. N. Clay J. McCrae J. Duff G. Milne J. Cleland 69- 323 58- 306 59- 283 61- 269 56- 256 60- 244 375-1933 363-1681 A challenge from the newly formed Walden Archers, of the Lehigh Valley, was almost immediately sent to the Wayne club and accepted, with this result: August 1st, 1914 Wayne, Pa. Wayne Archers Dr. Elmer T. T. Hare A. C. Hale E. E. Trout 90- 560 87- 453 66- 304 45" 211 288-1528 Walden Archers J. M. Mauser J. M. Ramsey H. J. Lentz Rutter 90- 522 51- 233 37" 183 27- 105 205-1043 154 American Archery The Walden Archers, although defeated, continued to put in a lot of practice and again challenged the Wayne club, this time with more success. Sept. 26th, 1914 Laurys Station, Pa. Walden Archers J. M. Mauser G. Mauser J. M. Ramsey H. J. Lerch Wayne Archers 85- 485 86- 474 65- 295 66- 294 Dr. Elmer A. C. Hale E. E. Trout C. L. Lehman 302-1548 86- 5i6 65- 34i 58- 264 45" 169 254- 1290 The next match, on a challenge from Wayne, ended the season. Oct. 24th, 1914 Wayne Walden Archers J. M. Mauser G. Mauser H. J. Lerch H. J. Lentz J. M. Ramsey 86- 500 86- 436 73- 293 66- 290 57" 259 Wayne Archers Dr. Elmer E. E. Trout A. C. Hale F. L. Bodine C. L. Lehman 348-1778 90- 584 75- 369 73" 347 57- 253 44- 156 339-1709 Next year the Jersey Scotchmen issued a challenge to the Walden Archers and once again the Lehigh men were victorious. The Reddendo Arrows 155 Oct. 23rd, 1915 Jersey City Walden Archers H. J. Lentz J. M. Mauser H. J. Lerch G. Mauser Scottish-Americans 84- 480 82- 422 80- 366 68- 322 J. Duff J. McCrae G. Milne Rev. E. I. Cole 80- 408 77- 38s 72- 340 67- 321 314-1590 296-1454 In 1916 the Jersey club turned the tables on the Walden Archers in a match held at Sheepshead Bay, N. Y., in connection with the Open Championship Archery Tourna- ment. May 24th, 1916 Sheepshead Bay, N. Y. Scottish-Americans Walden Archers J. Duff J. M. Cleland J. McCrae G. Milne 79- 413 60-316 63- 309 66- 306 J. M. Mauser H. J. Lerch H. J. Lentz G. Mauser 86- 484 63- 281 62- 240 43- H3 238-1344 254-1178 This trophy has added much to the interest in archery in the Middle Eastern States, for instance the idea of winning it was the direct means of creating the well known Walden Archers, of Laurys Station. As a rule a match has formed a nucleus for a much larger contest at the same time, many other archers, both men and women, participating in the shooting and sociability. It is to be hoped that challenges will soon be issued by Boston, Chicago, Pittsburgh and other clubs. 156 American Archery CHAPTER XIV Scoring by " Points" By Dr. Robert P. Elmer ARCHERS of the future may wonder what is meant when they read, in a "A list of winners, the expression, had the best score but B won on points." The fact is that when the National Archery Association was organized it was thought best to conform the methods of shooting and scoring with those in use in England, partly for the reason that the English were supposed to have found out from experience what the best things were and partly so that it would be more easy to compare the per- formances of the archers on both sides of the ocean. For some unknown reason the English were in the habit of keeping what might be called a score of the score. In other words, after adding up the actual values of the hits they gave to the figures a secondary or arbitrary value by awarding " points" on a purely factitious basis and thereby deciding Scoring by "Points" 157 the outcome of the match. The specific meaning of this can be understood by studying the following tables, which show how the "points" for the different events, were awarded. York Round Greatest Total Score 2 points " Hits 2 " " 100 yard Score 1 point " " " Hits 1 " 80 " Score 1 " " " Hits 1 11 60 " Score 1 " " " Hits 1 National Round Greatest Total Score 2 points " Hits 2 " 60 yard Score 1 point " " Hits 1 " 50 " Score 1 " ** " Hits 1 " The American and Columbia Rounds were decided in a similar manner. The second National Tournament, at Buffalo, was awarded on score, not on points, but in the following year the authorities decided to use the point system again and then for thirty years it remained, to be a bone of contention and a source of ill feeling at many a tournament. The unfairness of the method lay in the fact that it permitted an outsider to step in and rob the man who had done the best shooting of some of his points. While a great number of cases might be cited we will take 158 American Archery one that occurred in the Eastern Archery Association in 1914 and which may be found on page 7. Or again, in the National Tournament of 191 3 G. P. Bryant was nosed out of first place by Dr. J. W. Doughty in the following manner: Total Score Total Hits Score at ioo Hits at 100 Score at 80 Hits at 80 Score at 60 Hits at 60 Bryant 832 2 points 176 " 279 " 65 " 315 1 point 67 1 " 238 " 440 �� Doughty 802 points 178 2 " 282 1 66 1 point 254 " 66 " 266 1 " 46 " 4 6 This example is not like that taken from the Eastern A. A. because here no third party intervened. Still, the fact remained that the man whose arrows had totalled up the highest figure did not win the match. The only good argument for the point system was that at the ioo yard range it required skill to hit the target at all, for instance eight hits in the white, out of eight arrows, would show more skill than one hit in the gold with seven misses, and that the point system, by giving credit for the number of hits, recognized that fact. As this reasoning Scoring by "Points" 159 could not be held by anyone to apply to the American and Columbia Rounds the point system was abolished for them in 1913, two years before it was done away with altogether. It was not till 191 5 that the opinion became universal that the system was cumber- some, archaic and disagreeable. When the new constitution was adopted at the Annual Business Meeting of that year the opportunity was taken to adopt the present method which certainly seems, in its practical working, to be the simplest and best. 160 American Archery CHAPTER XV Flight Shooting By Dr. Robert P. Elmer TO THOSE who do not object to walking^ no branch of archery is more fascinating than flight-shooting. There is an exhilaration about it which is due partly to the greater physical effort required and partly to the esthetic enjoyment of the free flight of the shaft, which looks as though it would pierce the very clouds. Those archers who make their own tackle are apt to practice flight- shooting, because the problems arising in connection with it are almost impossible to solve and afford unending opportunity for experimentation in manufacturing flight bows and flight arrows. Few men are agreed on what is the best equipment, for instance one will claim that long arrows are the best, while another will argue for short ones and yet, when put to the practical test of shooting, We both will get good results. can only tell what our experience has found to be of value, hoping that others will continue to Flight Shooting 161 get pleasure and profit by trying out their original ideas. Bows The shorter the bow the farther it will cast. This is because a short bow will resume its original shape more quickly from a full draw than will a long weapon. The only reason for bows being as long as they usually are is the prevention of breaking. The Turkish and Persian bows are only about 30 inches long but they will shoot farther than any other bows in the world. In June, 191 3, Ingo Simon, an Englishman, at Le Touquet, France, shot 459 yards and 8 inches with a Turkish bow said to be 200 years old. Still longer shots are probably authentic. In 1795, Mahmoud EfTendi, Secretary of the Turkish Embassy at London, sent home for a bow, in order to show the superiority of the weapons of his country over those of England, and, in a carefully witnessed trial, made a shot of 482 yards. The Turkish bows can be so short because they are not made of wood only, but are composite bows with a belly of horn and a back of sinew laid on a thin, flat piece of wood which forms a central core. 1 62 American Archery The fact that short bows of the English pattern will cast far is borne out by experience. For instance, Mr. Duff made a bow, in 1910, of lemonwood back and washaba belly, which was only five feet long and weighed 87 pounds for a 21 inch draw. Three trial shots gave 241^ yards for the first two arrows, which landed together, and 276 yards 9 inches for the third. Mr. Duff was certain that the bow was good for many yards more than this, if he could have practiced with it but, on the fourth draw, the lemonwood back pulled apart, breaking the bow. If the back had been hickory, with its much greater tensile strength, the catastrophe might not have occurred. It seems probable that if one could so combine his materials as to make a five foot bow, with hickory back and hard wood belly, drawing 90 pounds for 21 inches and able to stand a still further draw to 25 inches, he would have a weapon that would do all that could be expected of a bow of the English type. For such a bow small blocks glued to the belly and nocked for the string are better than horns. Although the bow just described represents the choice of the writer, it must be stated Flight Shooting 163 that the majority of authorities flatly deny that the use of such a strong weapon is advis- able. In support of their view many cases like the following can be cited. Horace Ford made his best shot of 308 yards with a 68 pound yew. Mr. Muir, of Edinburgh, although a very skillful archer and a man of great strength, found that he could shoot farther with a 60 pound bow than with a heavier one. Mr. Troward, of England, in 1798, made 340 yards up and down wind with a self-bow pulling 63 pounds and 29 inch flight arrows. The bows used in all of these shots were presumably six feet long. On the other hand Sir Ralph P. Galway, in 1905, in the presence of James Duff, shot 376 yards with a Turkish bow weighing 100 pounds and the bow used by Ingo Simon in his record breaking shot weighed 80 pounds. Reflexion adds to the cast of a bow. The Turkish bows are reflexed to such an extreme degree that, when unstrung, they vary in form from a curve like the letter C to the shape of a pretzel. The only Turkish bows known to be in this country are in museums and there one usually sees them with the 164 American Archery string put on while they are still unbent. This is because it seems incredible to the curators that they could possibly be bent around as far as they should be in order to be strung, even though the situation of the nocks would clearly indicate such a fact to an archer. Such very great reflexion is only possible in a bow that is made of much more elastic materials than wood alone, and also in a bow that is broad and flat, because a half round bow, like those of the English would have a strong tendency to side twist if drawn out of line. However, a long bow reflected to a moderate angle is somewhat quickened thereby, because the fibres of the wood are already in a state of greater tension, and therefore greater resiliency, before the draw is begun. Arrows The success of a flight shot depends more on the arrow than on the bow. The Turks use a 21 inch arrow which is drawn back to 25 inches. This extra distance is made possible by the use of a bone guide fastened to the wrist, so that the arrow can A be drawn behind the bow. similar contriv- ance is necessary for the short bow which Flight Shooting 165 the writer has advocated above, if a short arrow is to be used for a long draw. It is objected that if the idea of a short shaft and long guide were carried to its logical extreme the result would be a crossbow. This, however, is only a theoretical objection, for experimentation will soon convince one that there is a practical limit in dimensions beyond which it is not advantageous to go, and that this limit is placed where the essential features of long bow shooting are in no sense lost. Ingo Simon and Sir Ralph Galway used guides fastened to the wrist in the Turkish fash'on. The writer uses one made of bone lyi inches wide and 6 inches long, which is wired to the bow at the arrow- plate. The arrow with which the writer won the Flight Shoot at the National Tournament in 191 1 was an ordinary Whitman target arrow, weighing about 300 grains, with the feathers cut down to mere nubbins. The bow was a 65 pound lemonwood, 5 feet 8 inches long, fitted with the guide just mentioned. On that occasion Mr. Homer Bishop had three barrelled flight arrows, one of which was made hollow, to obtain light weight with 1 66 American Archery stiffness. They were tried by the writer with the same bow but would not fly nearly so far, possibly because they had the ordinary balloon feathers of target arrows. The arrows with which Mr. and Mrs. Bryant, Mrs. Frentz and Mr. Jiles have won the flight shoot in recent years have all been similar. They have been about 28 or 29 inches long, weighing about 250 grains, somewhat barrelled, except in the case of bamboo, in order to have enough spine, with the center of gravity near the center of the shaft, with a small steel pile and with two little feathers about y^ inch long and y� inch high. Mrs. Frentz's was scraped down from a Japanese arrow of reed. The others were bamboo or footed spruce. Three flight arrows that Aldred, of England, made for the writer were 29 inches over all, weighed 298 grains, were barrelled and footed with lance. The greatest diameter was ex- A % actly inch. The piles were yg x inch. There were three triangular feathers, each 2$/i inches long and TV inch high. When one of these was scraped down to 260 grains it still seemed to be stiff enough but it would not fly as far as it had before, nor Flight Shooting 167 as far as its unaltered fellows. In fact it is not always the lightest arrow that flies farthest, even though it have a good spine. The only sure test is in the shooting. A very important influence on the carry of a flight arrow is exerted by the feathers. When one considers that the chief obstacle to a speeding arrow is the resistance of the air, it is obvious that the feathers should offer as little surface as is compatible with the maintenance of a straight flight. As has been said, American archers use two very tiny vanes. Aldred favors three trimmed turkey feathers of the dimensions given above. The ancient Turkish arrows had rather soft feathers with untrimmed edges. Most authorities agree that the best vanes are drawn off of the short side of a remex from a turkey or peacock and left uncut, except for length. In all cases the feathers should be set close to the nock. It is undoubtedly desirable that the pile should be very light but even here there is a limit. Experiment will show that the same flight arrow will often go farther with a light steel pile than without one. 1 68 American Archery Shooting Using the same artillery, an expert flight- shooter can do more than an archer who has not practiced this specialty. Much therefore depends on technique. An arrow will have the greatest possible trajectory when loosed from an elevation of 45 degrees. Nearly everyone is inclined to aim much lower than this and therefore, in order to become familiar with what the eleva- tion is really like, it is well to have a friend stand beside the archer while he is practicing, and hold up a right angled triangle with the hypotenuse parallel to the shaft. This need be done only once or twice, and the triangle can be made in a minute by simply taking a square piece of paper and folding two opposite corners together. The loose should be very snappy, even slashing, and done at the exact moment that the tip reaches the arrow plate, while the fingers are still drawing. There must be not even the suspicion of a pause before releasing. At the instant of loosing the left hand should feel as though it were pressing the bow away from the archer as strongly as possible. Flight Shooting 169 Mr. Will H. Thompson, whose great experience entitles him to a most respectful hearing, expressed his views on flight shooting in the following letter, dated September 13th, 191 1. "I wish to say a few words about flight shooting. About 24 years ago I gave very great study to that matter and broke bows by the dozen trying to reach 300 yards, but finally failed by two yards. I passed 290 yards in still weather, shooting back and forth, with a snakewood bow backed with lance, using a barrelled 4.3 arrow, 28 inches long with two feathers about like this: These were thin vanes from the narrow side of turkey feathers. The same bow would reach 235 yards with a 4.9 28 inch target arrow having ordinary feathers. The bow was six feet long. Of course a shorter bow will carry farther but will surely break. The Turkish horn bows are usually about 30 inches long, recurved, or 'set back,' so that a 28 inch draw gets a great deal out of them. The greatest distances made by them were 170 American Archery made upon the same principle used by you, i. e. the bow carried a 'pipe' for a short, very light arrow to be drawn inside the bow. Using a 25 inch arrow weighing less than 2.6, and of rigid material, such as bamboo, with a very light head, a flight of 350 to 400 yards is attainable. But with a 5' 10" yewbacked yew, with a perfect flight arrow, (bamboo being the best yet found), 28 inches in length, 300 yards can be made with a 58 pound bow. I really do not believe that any ordinary man can loose a stronger bow than 58 pounds, possibly 60 pounds, so as to shoot any further. What he gains in strength he loses in keenness of loose. I have tried so many trained athletic archers and found no exception, that I am satisfied that nothing can possibly be gained by going beyond 60 pounds for any purpose. Master a 55 pound yew-backed yew; get a perfect 4.0 barrelled arrow of 28 inches, with only two narrow, short feathers set close to the nock, and with a rather swift (no jerk) continuous draw, loose without stopping the draw, the left hand hard gripping the bow, and you may command 300 yards. I could never quite do it." Origin for Point of Aim 171 CHAPTER XVI An American Origin for the Point of Aim By Dr. Robert P. Elmer H ORACE FORD has always been given credit for being the first man to use the method of shooting by what he, himself, called a "Point of Aim." In other words he is supposed to have originated the idea of trying to hit the target by sighting over the tip of the arrow at some other object, no matter what, which was so placed that it would cause the arrow thus aimed to have the proper elevation. That he really was the first person who taught that better shooting could be done in this way than by centering the gaze fixedly on the bulls-eye, is undoubted. On the other hand it seems very likely that such a simple help to aiming should have been discovered and used by various individuals who, for unknown reasons, did not leave any record behind them. Last winter I unexpectedly obtained proof of this surmise in corresponding with Mr. Frederick Deming, of Litchfield, Connecticut, 172 American Archery an archer who still possesses enthusiasm for our sport and practices it successfully although well advanced in years. Knowing that they will be of interest to every American archer, I quote two letters from him which afford unquestionable evidence that he hit upon the idea of the "Point of Aim" quite independently of Ford or anyone else. Litchfield, Conn., Nov. 30th, 1916. Dr. Robert P. Elmer, Dear Sir: It was a disappointment to me that I was unable to attend the Archery Meeting in Jersey City, for I had promised myself the pleasure of a talk with you on Archery. At the age of eighty-four I cannot expect to shoot much longer. However, there is one point which has always remained a mystery to me, probably because in early life I received no instruction or advice from an expert archer, though I read Ascham, Roberts, Hansard and Ford. The point to which I refer is this : while at eighty yards I can get aim on the four ft. target, at sixty yards or under, my arrow my goes over the target, even if aim is at the Origin for Point of Aim 173 lowest edge of the target; so I have always dreaded the short distances. Can you kindly suggest any remedy for this ? My bow is 40 lbs., arrows about four shillings weight, although I have tried five shillings with no great success. Can it be that an exceedingly weak bow and exceedingly heavy arrows would help my sixty yard shooting? I enclose diagram giving approximately the makeshift to which I resort to hit at sixty yards. Pardon me for troubling you in this matter but I really am anxious to know what has impeded me all my archery life in this short distance shooting. Very truly yours, Frederick Deming. The way I have to get on the target by placing a golf ball on the ground about fifty feet in front of the target is not, I suppose, legitimate archery, but it is the only way I have ever succeeded in " getting there." \�(&Az2$.n- 174 American Archery On receipt of this letter I at once wrote to him a full explanation of the " Point of Aim" and all it had meant in the development of modern archery. As an illustration I spoke of how an artillery man, by sighting with relation to some known object, could fire over the top of a mountain and hit a mark in the valley beyond. Litchfield, Conn., Dec. 3rd, 1916. My dear Doctor Elmer: Your letter is a decided relief to me, for, my all archer life, I have furtively placed on the ground dandelion heads and the like, to get my point of aim. Twenty years before I read Ford I used to place a band box on the ground as a guide to the target, being careful to substitute something very small if there My were any spectators. own hard experience suggested this expedient for getting the " length." Long years afterward the following lines from Ford's book confirmed me in the belief that aiming at anything but the target was only a makeshift. Ford says, "One I knew, for sixty yard shooting, used actually to fix a bit of stick in the ground for that purpose;" but Ford does not tell what else to do, says it will "fail surely in matches on Origin for Points of Aim 175 strange ground," etc. Now, however, I shall mark the "point of aim" with a clear conscience. I was in the Crimea during the siege of Sebastopol in 1855. Your artillery illustration recalled to my mind the shot and shell that passed very far over our heads, from Forts Constantine and the Wasp battery. Our party, three Americans, had no business to be there, but it was just a boys' venture. Thanking you for your letter throwing light on the "point of aim." Most sincerely yours, Frederick Deming. 176 American Archery CHAPTER XVII Arrowhead, the Archer's Flower By Dr. Robert P. Elmer AT THE Annual Business Meeting of the N. A. A. in 1914 it was voted that the Arrowhead be accepted as the official flower of archery. The plant is an exquisitely beautiful one that grows along water courses where the current has been slowed by indentations of the bank. It owes its name to the shape of its leaves. These vary somewhat but, on the whole, bear an extraordinary resemblance to an old fashioned broad head arrow of giant size. The flower is pure white and shows well against the dark, rich green of the foliage. As a table decoration at an archery banquet nothing could be better or more appropriate than this plant. The principal varieties of Arrowhead, or Sagittaria, are: Sagittaria Variabilis. This is the common variety and gets its name from the fact that The Archer's Flower 177 the leaves vary greatly in size while preserving the characteristic arrowhead form. Sagittaria Montevidiensis (Giant Arrowhead). This attains gigantic proportions, growing 4 to 5 feet high with leaves 15 inches long. The flower scape towers above the foliage, bearing white flowers with a dark blotch at the base of each petal. Sagittaria Japonica. Double Flowered. Sagittaria Sinensis. The leaves are dark green, broad and strong. It grows freely and may be planted in an aquarium. Sagittaria Natans. This is raised primarily for an aquarium plant. It has long, almost strap-like leaves, that float in the water. 178 American Archery CHAPTER XVIII French and Belgian Archery By Dr. Robert P. Elmer ON SEPTEMBER 8th, 1913, the New York Sun printed a cable dispatch from Paris which must have caused a feeling of surprise in any native American archer who may have read it. It was as follows: "There were 1483 competitors in the annual archery match at Noyon, in the Department of the Oise, which was completed today. It was won by Prodean, who will hence forth have the proud title of Grand Archer of France. "The competition, which is keenly disputed by 700 clubs, has been in uninterrupted existence for 400 years. Today the archers with unerring precision split the targets with wonderful force." Most of us have heard, all our lives, of archery as a peculiarly English sport and I, for one, confess that I was amazed when I learned that the interest in the art is very much more widespread in Belgium and North- French and Belgian Archery 179 eastern France, and the number of bowmen vastly greater there than in England. In England it is a rich man's game, whereas on the Continent it is a pastime of the masses. A French viscount who is a member of the Wayne Archers says that he never heard of it in France although he lived in Paris, where some archery societies exist. Belgian archers whom I have talked with in Chicago said that it was a game for the workingman, in the long summer evenings after the day's task was done. The bows they use are beautiful instruments. They are all backed, sometimes of more than two laminae, and are made of hard wood, usually of a dark color. The handle does not shade off into the bow as ours do but ends in a wide topped metal ferrule, which sometimes is still further broadened by a little projection, on which the arrow rests instead of on the hand. Quite often the bow is made in two parts that screw together in the handle. They use much more powerful weapons than we do. The weakest that I have seen were about 60 pounds in weight while many are fully 80 pounds and some are said to be as much as 100. An artistic feature, 180 American Archery often introduced, is the carving of the top horn into the semblance of some animal, bird or reptile's head. The arrows are very much thicker than ours and of different appearance. They are strongly chested and have a large horn head which may be an inch thick at its base. The shaft swells out to make a smooth joint with the thick pile so that the whole end has a sort of bulbous look. The shaft is never painted and the feathers are fastened on, not by glue, but by bright colored silk thread. The archers that I have met had never heard of the "Point of Aim" as we understand the term, and seemed to scorn the idea. They shoot as the English did before the time of Ford, fixing the eye on the gold and drawing to the ear. The accompanying illustration is from a snap shot of a member of "La Compagnie de St. Sebastien" at Chantilly. It shows the draw to the ear, or at least in the line of that organ, and also shows the release by opening the fingers, as our Miss Wesson does, rather than by contracting them, as most of the rest of us do. The shooting is sometimes at a popinjay, or at several of them placed on iron branches at A Belgian Archer Note the loose and point of draw French and Belgian Archery 181 the top of a pole which may be, according to a Parisian paper of May 20th, 1913, which is in my possession, as much as 30 metres in height. One bird is higher than the rest and is called "Le Coq." Usually a target is set up for the mark, as with us, but the freedom of our ranges is lacking. Instead of a spacious green lawn the general arrangement is more that of a shooting gallery for practice with firearms. There are two sheds, fifty metres apart and open on the sides toward each other. In one the archer stands and in the other is a butt against which the target face is fastened. All the shooting is at the one distance of 50 metres. Each man shoots one arrow and A then gives place to his successor. marker, who is protected by a screen, draws forth the shaft after each shot and calls back the result. At Chicago, where I saw the Belgian archers, most of the men had brought only one arrow to the range with them. Mr. Wallace Bryant, of Boston, who has shot with the archers of Paris and who is especially well qualified to judge, says that the skill they display is extraordinary, nearly all the arrows hitting the center. 182 American Archery According to the French paper quoted above, the name of which is torn off, the chief prize in the grand annual tournament is five thousand francs. Early in the war some of the Belgian archers shot messages across the border into Holland and it was reported that one of these shafts hit a Dutchman in the neck. Of course the very territory that Continental archery flourished in is the one where the war is raging most fiercely. Let us hope that the great conflict will not wipe the sport out forever in a locality where its hold has been so popular and strong. Woods for Bowmaking 183 CHAPTER XIX Choice of Woods for Bowmaking By James Duff IT IS not our intention to mention in these pages any of the dozens of different kinds of wood that have been called into private use for bowmaking; but rather to confine the article to what may be termed standard woods in use by the craft, such as Yew, Lemonwood, Lancewood,Washaba and OsageOrange; these all having been tried and found suitable for the purpose. Yew This wood has long been known as the best of all bow woods, for, given a straight grained stave of suitable length, free from pins and damp-sap, one has the makings of as nearly a perfect bow as it is possible to obtain. The pins can easily be seen as black spots in the wood and the damp-sap as a bluish line just under the white sap, or back, and running its whole length. Wide, or coarse, grained yew is flabby and lifeless and unfit for bowmaking. It is also 184 American Archery rather liable to chrysal,or even fracture, without any apparent reason. Throughout almost the whole of the United States, usually on the hills and mountains, the wood grows in various quantities and qual- ities, but, unfortunately, it is generally of the shrub and bush variety and useless for the bowyer's purpose. It can be found in tree form on the western ranges of mountains, while in the East, on the Catskill hills, single yews can be seen growing in isolation; not in clumps as in the West. It is said by a well known woodsman, who has travelled the United States all over, that Georgia abounds in yew; and we know that in South America it is rather prolific, and that tons of it are shipped every year to the Swiss carvers, as can be seen in the well known cuckoo clocks. So it would seem that yew is not so scarce a domestic wood as one might im- agine. The Names "Spanish" and " Italian" can be taken in these days to be descriptive of any kind of yew that is of very fine growth, but not to indicate a product of Italy or Spain. It is very doubtful if one would be recompensed today for a tour of the once Woods for Bowmaking 185 famous yew belt; for example the Apennines were virtually depleted many years ago, so that the tasso nasso, or yew, has become almost unknown there. In selecting the wood, the bowyer will do well to avoid the female tree, if a choice be possible, as, in nearly every case, it will be of inferior grade when made into a bow. It takes nearly twice as much wood to make a A bow of a given weight as does the male. careful examination of the leaves of the tree will show at once if it be female, either by the presence of scarlet berries, or by the marks of where they have been when in seed; characteristics wholly lacking in the male tree. Bowyers have been taught by experience that it is immaterial whether they cut down the tree in the fall or in the spring, as the result is the same in the finished bow. The best trees are found on the hills and mountains, where the ground is dry, or where the water washes past the roots and does not lie soaking. One should mark carefully, before cutting down, the side of the tree which is exposed to the north, as therein lies the best part. 1 86 American Archery Lemonwood and Lancewood A common error among archers is that of confusing lemonwood with lancewood, for, as a matter of fact, they are entirely different. Let us consider the following statement by Mr. C. D. Mell, acting dendrologist to the Office of Forestry, Washington, D. C. "Lemonwood, botanically known as Psy- chetria eckloniana, a species of Rubiaceae, is native to Cape Colony and often grows to the height of 30 feet, and from 2 to 3 feet in diameter. The wood is very hard, tough and useful. Lancewood (Black), so much used for carriage shafts, bows, etc., is botanically known as Guatteria virgata Dun. There is, however, a related wood, Duguetia guitarensis, native to Cuba and Guiana, which is also called lancewood, and although this is light (yellow) and very elastic, it is seldom used for bows, but is principally imported for the use of coach builders." Lemonwood is the wood of which perhaps 75% �f the bows in use are made. There are several reasons why this kind of bow should hold a high place, chief among them being the fact that several bows may be had for the cost of one of yew. Were it not that Woods for Bowmaking 187 lemonwood has a tendency to follow the string, or take a set in the drawing direction, it would be considered as good as yew in every respect; but that set is inevitable, and, while it does not detract from the shooting quality of the bow, it certainly does not add to its appearance. That one need never hesitate to adopt lemonwood bows for shooting because of any supposed inferiority to those of yew, is now- adays generally accepted. We know that nearly all previous records have been broken by archers using them and that some of the most noted archers today use nothing else; getting as good results and as much satisfaction as though indulging in the most expensive yew! Lancewood, though somewhat similar in appearance to lemonwood, is of a different nature altogether and is much harder to work. As a guide to the buyer it is generally stained a rich, brown color with nitric acid. It has much more spring in it and is more likely to shiver into small pieces, even where the wood does not show a flaw. For target work it ranks low, as it jars the arm too much for accurate work, but it is certainly superior to yew and lemonwood for flight shooting. 1 88 American Archery Lancewood can be easily known by looking at the grain, which will be found to be shot, as in beechwood. Washaba Washaba is a wood that is native to South Africa, and was but little known, outside of the bowmaking craft, until within recent years. It grows to a great height, often reaching 80 feet, and* has been known to show a girth of 9 feet. Unfortunately there are two qualities of Washaba, one that is nearly perfect, straight grained and smooth, and one that is twisted in grain and very coarse. The difference between the two is caused entirely by the conditions of growth. The trees that are exposed to the great gales on the coast of Africa are all wind-twisted, that is, they are distorted in shape while growing and, as a result, become almost useless for bowmaking, the grain of the wood seldom running two inches alike. On the other hand the trees that are sheltered are all straight in grain and make almost ideal bows, especially where one seeks the sharp cast and long distance is desired. Bows made of this wood are not to be compared to those made of the woods already Woods for Bowmaking 189 mentioned, because they must be backed to be of any use, the best material for that purpose being straight grained second growth Hickory. They are rather more trying to the bow arm than either Yew or Lemonwood, and are, therefore, not recommended for the fine work of the shorter ranges. For the longer distances they are excellent weapons, inas- much as the sharper cast allows of a flatter trajectory and, as a result, the shooter has the advantage of a much lower point of aim. A Washaba bow of 54 pounds weight has been observed by the writer to carry an arrow 200 yards, flying almost flat, which, at the end of that distance, penetrated a steel A shield inch thick for four inches, without breaking. The value of this wood has been recognized within the last few years by the makers in the fishing tackle trade and today most of the best surf casting rods carry a top piece made from Washaba, or Bethabara as it is known to the rod maker. These top pieces are very slender and from six to ten feet in length and are required to carry very heavy game fish. They are also very costly. 190 American Archery Osage Orange This wood is native to North America and can be found throughout the United States, although most of it is of the shrub variety. Where it is long enough for the purpose of bow making it is apt to be too crooked to be of much value. However, even though they are not plentiful, yet quite a few good trees may be had, and, as the Osage Orange is not known to be marketed, probably the wood may be had for little or nothing. If given a piece of Osage Orange that is good enough for the purpose of making a bow, the maker will produce a fairly good weapon, inasmuch as the cast is superior to anything outside of Washaba. Besides, the bow will be found to always retain its shape and the recoil does not take so much out of the bow arm as does that of Washaba, although it is a little greater than in Lemonwood. For this reason it may be called into use as an all round bow for every distance. The weather does not affect this wood as it does the more famous kinds, therefore, when once his point of aim has been secured, the shooter need not fash about the heat or cold, as with yew. This wood may be backed with either Hickory Woods for Bowmaking 191 or Elm, as it is very tough, but the self bowgives the most satisfaction, if it can be pro- cured. Bow Woods and the Weather Of all the woods mentioned above, Yew is most affected by the weather. Sudden changes in the temperature, or in the baro- metric pressure, may cause well defined alterations in the cast. Yew is also more inclined to tire than other woods, yet, in spite of these drawbacks, the smooth feeling and easiness of draw, the almost unfelt recoil at the loose and the sharpness of cast all make the Yew the most valuable weapon. Lemonwood tires a little less than Yew but heat and cold affect its cast almost as much. Lancewood does not tire readily, has a better cast than either Yew or Lemonwood, and, with Osage Orange and Washaba, is not easily affected by the weather. 192 American Archery CHAPTER XX Bows and How to Make Them By J. M. Challiss THERE comes a time in the life of every archer, if he is of a mechanical turn, when he is not satisfied with the commercial bow which is available at moderate cost, nor is his proficiency sufficient to justify the expenditure necessary to procure a really good weapon, when he naturally inquires "Why cannot I make a bow?" and finding no serious opposition to his inquiry he proceeds to explore a very interesting field. If he is self taught and has never had the benefit of contact with real archers, or if he has only seen or used the imitation bows that are sold at curio shops as genuine Indian bows, his attempts at bow making are pathetic. And yet there is hardly any form of bow that the mind can conceive, or an amateur turn out that will not find its counterpart in the collection of Joseph Jessop, of San Diego, Cal., who has collected bows from all climes and all peoples. It is strange to note the fundamental Bows and How to Make Them 193 principles that will guide a savage race in the fashioning of their bows, or rather the fashions they will follow. Many of them are diametrically opposed to what has been selected as the last word in bow construction among civilized peoples, and what experience has shown to be the best form to be followed. Yet these people who rely upon the bow in many instances for their sustenance find that their odd and misshapen weapons shoot and shoot hard. To sum the whole matter up a bow is simply a piece of wood, horn or metal, bent by the aid of a string and which propells an arrow by its tendency to assume its original position. Any stick that will bend will cast an arrow, some better than others. If the