File:The Americana; a universal reference library, comprising the arts and sciences, literature, history, biography, geography, commerce, etc., of the world (1908) (14598080957).jpg

Identifier: americanaunivers03newy (find matches)
Title: The Americana; a universal reference library, comprising the arts and sciences, literature, history, biography, geography, commerce, etc., of the world
Year: 1908 (1900s)
Authors:
Subjects: Encyclopedias and dictionaries
Publisher: New York : Scientific American Compiling Dept.
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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nders,Ml the Jacobite rising of 1715, carried bowsand arrows; and at the capture of Paris, in1814, Bashkirs and Circassians, in the serviceof Russia, were seen in the streets of that city,armed in chain-mail, with bow-cases and quiv-ers, Some of the North American Indians,especially the Comanches and the Apaches werevery expert with the bow. Whatever the sub-stance of which the bow is made, whether ofwood, horn or steel, its figure is nearly thesame in all countries, having generally twoinflexions, between which, in the place wherethe arrow is fixed, is a right line. The Grecianbow was somewhat in the form of the letter S:in drawing it, the hand was brought back tothe right breast, and not to the ear. The Scyth-ian bow was distinguished for its remarkablecurvature, which was nearly semi-circular; thatof the modern Tartars is similar to it. Thematerials of bows have been different in differ-ent countries. The Persians and Indians madethem of reeds. The Lvcian bows were made of BOVIDAE.
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I. Celebes Wild Ox or Anoa. 2. North American Bison or Buffalo. 3. Indian Domestic Buffalo. BOW BELLS —BOWDICH the cornel-tree; those of the Ethiopians of thepalm-tree. That of Pandarus was made fromthe horn of a mountain goat, i6 palms in length:the string was an oxhide thong. The horn ofthe antelope is still used for the same purpose inthe East. The long-bow was the favoritenational weapon in England. The battles ofCrecy (1346), Poitiers (1356), and Agincourt(1415) were won by this weapon. It was madeof yew, ash, etc., of the height of the archer.The arrow being usually half the length of thebow. the clothyard was onlj^ employed by a mansi.x feet high. The arbalist, or cross-bow, was apopular weapon with the Italians, and wasintroduced into England in the 13th century.The arrows shot from it were called quarrels. Of the power of the bow, and the distanceto which it will carry, some remarkable anec-dotes are related. Xenophon mentions an Ar-cadian whose head was shot through by a Camericanaunivers03newy

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