This instrument was devised by Col. James Bowie, an American, and a
man of desperate valor. He considered, and apparently with justice,
too, that, in close fighting, a much shorter weapon than the sword
ordinarily in use, but still _heavy_ enough to give it sufficient
force, and, at the same time, contrive to cut and thrust, would be far
preferable, and more advantageous to the wearer. He accordingly
invented the short sword, or knife, which has since gone under his
name. It is made of various sizes; but the best, I may say, is about
the length of a carving knife--case perfectly straight in the first
instance, but greatly rounded at the end on the edge side; the upper
edge at the end, for the length of about two inches, is ground into
the small segment of a circle and rendered sharp; thus leaving an
apparent curve of the knife, although in reality the upturned point is
not higher than the line of the back. The back itself gradually
increases in weight of metal as it approaches the hilt, on which a
small guard is placed. The Bowie knife, therefore, has a curved, keen
point; is double edged for the space of about a couple of inches of
its length; and when in use, falls with the weight of a bill
hook.--Bowie went to Texas during the troubles which preceded the
independence of that country,--and was lying sick in bed at the
fortress of the Alamo, when, on the 6th of March, 1836, it was stormed
by Santa Anna and taken. Bowie was murdered there upon his pillow. The
hand that formed the dreadful knife could no longer wield it.
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