PART I

_THE TURKISH BOW--CONSTRUCTION AND DIMENSIONS_

Length of bow, measured, before it is strung, from end to end along its outer curve with a tape, 3 ft. 9 in. (AAAAA fig. 1, opposite page).

Span of bow, measured between its ends when strung, 3 ft. 2 in. (BB fig. 1.)

Length of bow-string, 2 ft. 11 in.

Greatest width of each arm of bow, 1⅛ in.

Thickness of each arm, at a distance of 6 in. from the centre of the handle of the bow, ½ in.[43]

[43] In the very powerful bows, such as the one shown in Fig. 15, p. 121, the thickness at these parts is from ⅝ to ¾ in.

Circumference of each arm, at a distance of 6 in. from the centre of the handle of the bow, 3 in.

(The arms of the Persian, Indian, and Chinese composite bows have a width of from 1½ to 2 in.; and though the span of these bows, when strung, is from 4 to 5 ft. and more, they do not shoot a light arrow nearly so far as the shorter, narrower, and in proportion far stronger and more elastic Turkish ones.)

The strength of the bow, or the weight that would be required on the centre of the bow-string to pull it down from the bow to the full length of the arrow, is 118 lbs. (This is without taking into account the additional two or three inches the point of the arrow should be drawn within the bow along the horn groove.)

Weight of bow, avoirdupois, 12½ oz.

Though I have carefully examined over fifty of these small Turkish bows, I have never seen one that exceeded 1¼ in. in width at its widest part, or if measured with a tape along its outer curve, when unstrung (AAAAA, fig. 1), was over 3 ft. 10 in. in length. Bows that are 4 or 5 in. longer than the dimensions here given are invariably of Persian or Indian manufacture, and are very inferior in the elasticity that is requisite for long-distance shooting, though in decoration and construction they often closely resemble Turkish bows.

[Page 104]

The bow is chiefly constructed of very flexible horn and sinew. These materials were softened by heat and water and then longitudinally glued to a slight lath of wood varying from ⅛ to ¼ in. in thickness (except where it formed the handle of the bow), and from ½ to 1 in. in width.

This strip of wood formed the core or mould of the bow, and extended at each of its ends for 3 in. beyond the strips of horn and sinew that were fixed on its opposite sides, and which slightly overlapped it. (Fig. 2, p. 105.) The projecting ends of the wooden strip were enlarged so as to form the solid extremities of the bow in which the nocks for the bow-string were cut. (CC fig. 3, p. 106.)

The two curved horn strips, which in part comprised the arms of the bow (on its inside face when it was bent), were cut from the horn of a buffalo or an antelope, and average about ¼ in. in thickness.

The thicker ends of these pieces meet at the middle of the handle of the bow and their tapered ends extend to within 3 in. of its wooden points. (EE fig. 3, p. 106.)

The sinew that represents the back of the bow is from the great neck tendon of an ox or stag. This was probably shredded longitudinally, and, after being soaked in elastic glue, compressed into a long flat strip about ¼ in. thick, which was first moulded in a pliable state to the wooden core and then glued to it. It thus formed the back of the bow when it was bent. (DDD fig. 3, p. 106.)

The bark of the cherry-tree, or thin leather or skin, was next glued over the sinew to preserve it from injury and damp. The horn parts, or inner face of the bow when it was strung, were not covered with bark or skin, a feature of the Turkish bow that, together with its small size, distinguishes it from the bows of India and other Oriental countries.[44]

[44] Though the horn strips which form the belly, or inner surface when it is strung, of a Chinese or a Tartar bow, are neither covered nor decorated, the great size of these weapons easily distinguishes them from those of Turkish manufacture. (Figs. 13, 14, pp. 116, 117.)

In the best Turkish bows this outer coating of bark, leather or skin was lacquered a brilliant crimson and elaborately decorated with gold tracery, the date of the bow being always placed at one of its ends and the name of its maker at the other.

The horn and sinew (the materials which really form the bow and give it its power and elasticity) may be likened to a tube, the small centre of which is filled with wood. (Sections, fig. 2, opposite page.)

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[Illustration: FIG. 2.--SECTIONS OF A TURKISH BOW

Half full size.]

I. Section of bow at 6 in. from one of its ends.

II. Section of bow at half-way between the centre of its handle and one of its ends.

III. Section of bow at the centre of its handle, which is here thickly covered with sinew.

IV. Longitudinal section of bow at half-way between the centre of its handle and one of its ends.

_Light shading_, AAAA. The compressed sinew forming the back of the bow when it is strung.

_Dark shading_, BBBB. The horn forming the inner surface of the bow when it is strung.

_Lined centres._ The thin lath of wood to which the horn and sinew parts of the bow are moulded and fixed.

The thin wooden lath, in places only ⅛ in. thick, bestowed no strength on the bow, as it was merely its heart or core to which the two curved strips of horn and the long band of sinew were glued. (Fig. 3, p. 106.)

As it would have been very difficult and tedious to shape so fragile a lath in one length to suit the outline of the finished bow, this lath was always made in three pieces, which were fitted together at their joints and then secured with glue. (Fig. 3.)

The middle piece formed the core of the handle of the bow and the other pieces the core of its limbs. (Fig. 3.)

The extremities of the two outer pieces of the core were enlarged to form the strong projecting points of the bow in which the nocks for the bow-string were cut. (CC fig. 3.)

[Page 106]

[Illustration: FIG. 3.--LONGITUDINAL PLANS OF THE PARTS OF A TURKISH BOW.]

AAA. The three pieces of thin wood that formed the core of the bow. Surface view. (The two outer lengths of the core were steamed into a curve as shown in CCC.)

BBB. The pieces glued together. Surface view.

CCC. The pieces glued together. Side view.

DDD. The strip of sinew that was glued to the core, and which formed the back or outer surface of the bow when it was reversed and strung.

EE. The two strips of naturally curved horn that were glued to the core, and which formed the belly or inner surface of the bow when it was reversed and strung.