These
he chewed until soft, then twisted them tightly into a cord having a
permanent loop at one end and a buckskin strand at the other. While wet
the string was tied between two twigs and rubbed smooth with spittle.
Its diameter was one-eighth of an inch, its length about forty-eight
inches. When dry the loop was applied to the upper nock of his bow
while he bent the bow over his knee and wound the opposite end of the
string about the lower nock. The buckskin thong terminating this
portion of the string made it easier to tie in several half hitches.
When braced properly the bowstring was about five inches from the belly
of the bow. And when not in use and unstrung the upper loop was slipped
entirely off the nock, but held from falling away from the bow by a
second small loop of buckskin.
Drawn to the full length of an arrow, which was about twenty-six
inches, exclusive of the foreshaft, his bow bent in a perfect arc
slightly flattened at the handle. Its pull was about forty-five pounds,
and it could shoot an arrow about two hundred yards.
This is not the most powerful type of weapon known to Indians, and even
Ishi did make stronger bows when he pleased; but this seemed to be the
ideal weight for hunting, and it certainly was adequate in his hands.
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