MODERN ROBIN HOODS

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 4281, 22 September 1936, Page 2

MODERN ROBIN HOODS

BOWMEN OF OLD OUTCLASSED Archery, one of the world’s most ancient skills, is to-day resuming its popularity as a sport (writes trank Goulet, in the ‘ Christian Science Monitor’). From being regarded as a childhood game or a pastime at girls’ schools, it is being taken up seriously by men and women all over America.

I was shooting one day with a friend, a slight, fragile man, a musician in a symphony orchestra, when a big, strapping fellow strolled up. He watched us contemptuously for a while. Finally he said, “ 1 don’t see how grown-up men can get any fun out of that.”

“ Want to try it?” J said. “ It’s not as easy as it looks.” I handed him my bow. As it happened, it was a hunting bow that pulled about 901b. He took it, “ pinched ” the end of the arrow with bis thumb and forefinger, and tried to draw it About 4in was the best he could do. I suggested that he might do better if ho pulled correctly, and showed him how to pull on the string instead of the arrow. 'That way he finally drew the arrow halfway to the head. After that he stood practically goggle-eyed watching the little musician draw his shafts, with apparent ease, clear to the head. What he didn’t know was that all bows are not alike, and that the small man’s bow pulled only 401b. Accuracy is what we go in for these days, and the skill of the modern archer is truly amazing. 1 doubt if we of to-day would show up as well in a pitched battle as the archers of old, but as for pure accuracy modern archers could give points to Robin Hood and outshoot him, and as for Milliam Tell and the apple, there are any number of archers to-day who can shoot the eraser off a lead pencil. AIM TO GET CLOSE.

Fine shooting was not the aim of the old-timers. Their plan was to get close enough so they couldn’t miss. Probably no man ever “ notched ” an arrow at 100 yds, as Itobin Hood did in the story books, except accidentally. That would be almost impossible lor a modern rifleman using telescopic nights. They did shoot at willow wands, but they seldom hit them, 'today we have a regulation wand target, a slat-2in wide and 6ft high. At 100 yds it is merely a glimmering streak. And yet an archer of my acquaintance recently hit such a target at that distance with six arrows out of 00, tlie standard round,” and this was_ not considered an exceptional score. From all we can learn from reliable records, the ancient archer, like the ancient athlete, cannot be compared to the modern one.

The reason for the superior skill of modern archers is found in the mechanical and scientific precision of construction of equipment. The individual is “ fitted ” with a bow and arrow just as he is measured and fitted for a suit of clothes; bows are so constructed that the pull is exactly even; arrows are balanced to within onefourth inch of each other, and weigh the same to a fraction of an ounce; strings are perfectly rounded. In a word, everything is accurate, and the results are accurate. If an archer knows the distance of his target he can usually hit it. It is interesting to note here that there is not a single old English longbow in existence to-day, not even in the British Museum, the reason being probably that they were so common that nobody thought to preserve one Curiously enough, too, England to-day imports yew wood from the United .States, chiefly from Oregon. Lemonwood, from the tropics, is considered the next best material for bows. Hickory is also used, as is Osage orange; but these are inferior to yew or lemonwood, as they do not have the same quickness of recoil. Because it is difficult to find a single straight piece of yew long enough, yew bows are made of two pieces joined at the middle. One end of the bow must be made a bit lighter than the other to offset the difference in length caused by the hand grip. This re-

quires very delicate and accurate construction. 'l'he length and strength of the bow depend on the person lor whom it is made. .Naturally, a child or a woman cannot manage as strong a bow as a large man. Arrows likewise are made to suit the how they are to be shot from. A light arrow might literally be splintered by the recoil from a strong bow. The length depends on the arms of the bowman. The rule is, the distance from the outstretched hand to the chin. This may vary from 27in to ,32in The old English clothyard was 27! in. THE ARROWS. Arrows are made in sots ol six, all exactly alike. Each arrow is tested for balance and for “ spine ” or elasticity. Cedar is the most commonly used wood, but lir. spruce, and Norway pine are also utilised. At the point they are footed with beet wood, a hardwood from the tropics that is like iron, to protect them from wear. On the target arrow ordinarily a 30-calibre bullet shell is crimped on for the tip. These shafts, with their comparatively blunt ends, will pierce a lin pine board; with steel tips, a ElOin steel plate. Bowstrings are made of flax thread, twisted an e.v .ct number of turns Imperfect roundness, prestretched, and waxed. They arc strong enough to lilt a weight of 3001b. ARM GUARD.

Bows and arrows are not all an archer’s equipment. In addition he needs a leathern bracer, or arm guard, for protection - against the powerful whip of the bowstring. The finger tips that pull the arrow lie covers with the finest Cordovan leather. This takes on a hard, smooth finish with use, and will not creep. Some type of quiver for holding arrows completes his outfit.

Modern archcry is a fur cry from the bows and arrows ol our childhood days. It requires the utmost in muscular, nervous, and mental strength. The average man, unskilled in the use of the bow, cannot even draw an arrow to the head, even in a target bow, nor shoot the distance to a_ 100-yard target, much less hit it. Yet it is_a skill that can be fairly easily acquired by anyone. With very little expense and trouble archery can bo practised in any place, and there is no other sport which offers greater scope for skill, clean enjoyment and progressive satisfaction.