_THE THUMB-RING._
The Turk pulled his bow-string with a ring of ivory, or of other hard
material, fitted on his right thumb. (Fig 9, p. 113.) Its manipulation
is shown on p. 114.
It might be supposed that the strain of the bow-string on the ivory
ring would cause the edges of the latter to injure the flesh and sinews
of the thumb; this is not, however, the case in the least.
I find I can bend a strong bow much easier and draw it a great deal
farther with the Turkish thumb-ring than I can with the ordinary
European finger-grip.
The release to the bow-string which is bestowed by the small and smooth
point [in Turkish “lip”] of the thumb-ring, is as quick and clean as
the snap of a gunlock when a trigger is pulled, and very different in
feeling and effect from the comparatively slow and dragging action
that occurs when the release takes place in the modern way from the
leather-covered tips of three fingers.
[Page 113]
The range of a flight arrow when shot from a bow by means of a
thumb-ring is always much beyond that of an arrow shot with the three
fingers in the usual manner.
With the thumb-ring the feathers of an arrow can be placed close to
its nock, as the usual space of about 1½ in. need not be left on the
shaft at the butt-end lest the fingers holding the bow-string should
crush the feathers of the arrow--a precaution that is necessary in all
European archery.
There is no doubt that the closer to the nock the feathers of an arrow
can be fixed, the farther and steadier it will travel.
The handle of an English bow, or of any other bow that is loosed with
the fingers, is placed below its centre so that the arrow can be fitted
to the middle of the bow-string, a point which is just above the hand
of the archer as he grasps the bow.
A bow held below its centre can never be pulled really true, the limb
below the handle being shorter than the one above it.
[Illustration: FIG. 9.--THE TURKISH THUMB-RING. (Scale, half full size.)]
In a Turkish bow the handle is in its exact centre of length, and the
projecting point, or lip, of the thumb-ring engages the bow-string
close to its centre.
For these reasons the bow is equally strained, each of its limbs doing
its proper share of work in driving the arrow, an advantage that is
very noticeable in flight-shooting, and would probably also be at the
target. In the method of loosing used in modern times the bow-string
lies across the three middle fingers, its outline, where the arrow is
nocked on the string, taking the form of two angles connected by a
straight line 2½ to 3 in. in length.
With the thumb-ring the bow-string is drawn back to one sharp angle
close to the apex of which the nock of the arrow is fitted, so that
every part of the string is utilised in driving the arrow. (Fig. 12, p.
114.)
The ease with which a strong bow can be drawn with the thumb-ring,
and the entire absence of any unpleasant strain on the thumb, is
remarkable. This proves how effective the Oriental style of loosing a
bow-string was, compared with the one now practised by European archers.
The ring was usually of ivory, its edges being round and smooth where
they came in contact with the skin of the thumb.
A covering of soft leather was sometimes glued all over the sloping
outer surface of the projecting lip of the ring.
[Page 114]
The leather assisted the archer to hold the ring firmly with his
forefinger, so that it could not slip under the strain of pulling back
the bow-string. The projecting lip of the ring bestowed the leverage
which enabled the archer to draw the bow-string of a powerful bow.
Thumb-rings of silver or of agate were often permanently worn by
Turkish archers of position, both for ornament and for use.
These rings were finely polished and frequently inlaid with gold.
[Illustration: FIG. 10.]
[Illustration: FIG. 11.]
[Illustration: FIG. 12.
THE TURKISH THUMB-RING AND ITS MANIPULATION.]
Fig. 10. The position of the hand when the arrow is first fitted to the
bow-string, the latter being hitched behind the lip of the thumb-ring.
The nock of the arrow should be close against the lip of the ring, and
hence within about an eighth of an inch of the angle formed in the
bow-string when it is fully drawn, as shown in fig. 12.
Fig. 11. View of the thumb, with the ring, A, in position preparatory
to closing the forefinger and thumb.
[B. Section of the bow-string as hitched behind the projecting lip of
the ring.
C. The base of the forefinger, or the part of it which presses
tightly over the sloping surface of the lip of the ring, in front
of the bow-string, when the bow is being bent.]
[Page 115]
Fig. 12. The base of the forefinger pressed against the ring, the hand
closed, and the bow-string and arrow being drawn back by the thumb-ring.
It should be noted that no part of the hand is utilised in holding the
ring and in drawing the bow-string, except the thumb and the base of
the forefinger.
When the pressure of the forefinger is taken off the ring (by
separating this finger and the thumb) the bow-string instantly pulls
the lip of the ring slightly forward, and at the same moment slips off
it with a sharp ‘click.’
The archers of other Oriental nations besides the Turks employed
thumb-rings of various shapes and dimensions to suit the construction
of their bows, bow-strings and arrows. All thumb-rings were, however,
more or less similar, and were all used in the manner I have described.
It is, indeed, impossible to shoot an arrow by means of a thumb-ring
except as I have shown, and as a very short practical trial will prove.
If the ring is applied in any other way it either flies off the
hand when the bow-string is released; the thumb is injured; or the
bow-string escapes from its hold when only partially drawn.
* * * * *
In one of the Turkish manuals on Archery translated by Baron Purgstall,
many illustrations are given of the construction of the Turkish
composite bow, but, unfortunately, minor details are omitted, though
doubtless they were common knowledge when the Ottoman author wrote.
Without these details the correct formation of the bow cannot be
ascertained. The chief omissions are (1) the composition of the very
strong and elastic glue with which the parts of the bow were so
securely joined, (2) the treatment of the flexible sinew which formed
the back of the bow--whether, for instance, it was glued on in short
shredded lengths or was attached in one solid strip.
All we know is that the sinew was taken from the _Ligamentum Colli_ of
an ox or stag, a very powerful and elastic tendon which contracts or
expands as the animal raises or lowers its head to feed or drink.
When the sinew which comprises the back, or outside when it is strung,
of a Turkish bow--however old it be--is dissolved in hot water, it
disintegrates into hundreds of short pieces of from 2 to 3 in. long
and about ⅛ in. in diameter, each as ductile as indiarubber and almost
unbreakable by hand.
The component parts of a Turkish bow, consisting of a thin strip of
horn, one of wood and another of sinew (fig. 3, p. 106), are so pliable
when separated that they can almost be coiled round the fingers, though
if the same pieces are glued together they form a bow of unrivalled
strength and elasticity.
[Page 116]
[Illustration:
TARTAR, UNSTRUNG.
CHINESE, UNSTRUNG.
CHINESE, STRUNG.
Scale: One inch = one foot.
FIG. 13.]
FIGS. 13, 14. THE COMPARATIVE DIMENSIONS OF THE REFLEX COMPOSITE BOWS
OF VARIOUS NATIONS.--The structure of all these bows is similar in that
they are composed of sinew, wood and horn, _i.e._ sinew on the back of
the bow, naturally curved horn on its inner face, and a thin core of
wood between the horn and sinew.
[Page 117]
[Illustration:
PERSIAN, UNSTRUNG.
PERSIAN, STRUNG.
INDIAN, UNSTRUNG.
INDIAN, STRUNG.
TURKISH, UNSTRUNG.
TURKISH, STRUNG.
Scale: One inch = one foot.
FIG. 14.]
[Page 118]
Though the range of the Turkish bow--whether with a flighting or with
a war arrow--far exceeds that of the other bows depicted, yet the
Persian and Indian weapons are capable of shooting to a long distance,
certainly much farther than any European longbow.
The great Chinese or Tartar bow requires a very long arrow, which from
its length is, of necessity, a heavy one with a thick shaft. It cannot
be propelled, as a result, farther than from 250 to 260 yards. One
distinctive feature of Chinese, Tartar, Persian or Indian bows is the
formation of their bow-strings. These are invariably from ¼ to 5/16 in.
in thickness, and are always closely wrapped round, from end to end,
with soft cord or coloured silk of about the substance of worsted.
The Turkish bow-string is ⅛ in. thick, and is merely served round with
fine silk for 3 in. at its centre of length, with three or four shorter
lashings at intermediate points.
THE LENGTHS OF THE ARROWS FORMERLY USED IN WARFARE WITH THE BOWS GIVEN
IN FIGS. 13 AND 14.
Chinese or Tartar bow 3 ft.
Persian 2 ft. 8 in.
Indian 2 ft. 6 in.
Turkish[47] 2 ft. 4½ in.
[47] The long Turkish war arrow was drawn to the head as in
an ordinary bow. The grooved horn was only used with the
short and light flight-arrow.
[Page 119]