Page:Researches in the Central Portion of the Usumatsintla Valley.djvu/44

36 the ends. Each end is firmly wound with a small cord, which is covered with resin, but the horns themselves are left free to receive the end loops of the bow-string, which is made of an agave cord, the windings of the small cord preventing the string from slipping when the bow is drawn. The bows are apparently straight, but on closer examination they are found to be very slightly curved. In using one of these bows, the rule must be followed of drawing the bow not — as one would be inclined to do — in the direction of the curve, in which case it would very easily break, but always in the opposite direction, that is to say, on the side of the outward curve (convex side). The Indians usually hold the bow horizontally before shooting, and only at the moment of aiming and of shooting is it placed in a perpendicular position. The arrows are only a little shorter than the bow. They are of different kinds, according to the game to be shot, but all, excepting the bird bolts, have this in common: the forward part, corresponding to about a third of the length of the arrow, consists of a cylindrical or a square rod of hard wood, which is deeply inserted in the reed shaft, carrizo or caña brava, and firmly lashed at the place of insertion and also at the invisible lower end. The reed shaft, which forms two-thirds of the length of the arrow, has at its butt the notch for receiving the string, and on both sides of the notch there is a feather, which is firmly bound at its upper and lower ends to the shaft, with twine smeared with black resin. If too broad, the feathers are cut out about the centre. The little hard-wood rods simply end in sharp points, which suffice for killing fish and small birds, or else flint-heads, varying in size, are inserted, and these are also firmly lashed at the place of insertion with cords covered as usual with black gum. The arrows, which are intended for killing monkeys, have the forward piece of hard wood deeply barbed, so that the animal cannot shake off or pull out the arrow. Lastly, the arrows which are intended to stun a bird only for the time being, so that it can be caught unhurt, have a little conical piece of wood in place of a flint head.

The bow is bound up with the arrows, and the