CHAPTER XIIITHE FIRST BOW AND ARROWAmonga people whose whole life was spent in fighting, and in killing animals for food, weapons were the most important things. We have seen how the cave men used clubs and spears, and later stone axes and knives. But as the tribe increased in numbers, so that the whole valley was filled with them, it became harder and harder to get enough food.The cave men were very swift runners, and often pursued and overtook the smaller beasts, but there were many that they could not overtake. There were also great flocks of waterfowl that flew over the marshes. The hunters tried in every way to kill these, but it was hard work. Sometimes they would manage to hit one with a well-aimed pebble or stone, but even though they became skilful throwers, it was not easy to throw a stone far enough, or with enough force, to killan animal or a large bird. So they all tried to think of some way to kill birds and animals at a distance.One of the first things they did was to invent the sling. Some early hunter found out, that by placing a smooth round pebble in a leather thong, and whirling it about his head, he could throw the pebble much further and harder than he could by hand. It was not long before the cave men became very skilful in the use of the sling. They found out just the right moment to let go one end of the thong, so that the pebble would fly straight and hard toward the mark, and soon they were able to hit and kill the marsh birds, something like our ducks, or geese, without much trouble. But the sling, although useful against such small game, did very little harm to animals of larger size. A wolf or a bear paid no attention to the pebbles that hit him, and either ran away, or turned against the hunters and attacked them.Of course the cave men soon learned how to throw their spears, hurling them at the enemy with great force and skill. But they could not throw them very far, because they were so heavy,so they made smaller, lighter ones called javelins, which they could fling a great distance. The further they threw them, however, the less certain was their aim, so they often missed.On this account the early people tried in many ways to find out how to throw their sharp-pointed javelins a long distance, and at the same time with correct aim. One way was to use a throwing stick—a short piece of wood with a handle to it, and a groove along the top in which they laid the javelin or spear. With these throwing sticks they could hurl a spear a greater distance, than they could in the ordinary way. Some of these early peoples may have used the blow-gun, such as is used to-day by the savages of the forests in South America. These blow-guns are made of long, hollow tubes of wood, such as bamboo, and little poisoned darts are shot from them with great force by blowing through one end of the tube, just as boys to-day blow beans or bits of putty from a bean shooter. But it was not until man invented the bow and arrow that he found a really serviceable weapon for killing things at a distance.Just how the bow and arrow came to be invented we shall of course never know. Some people think it came from the use of bent saplings in making snares or traps. Such a sapling, springing back when released, would throw a small object a considerable distance. Some think the bow may have developed from the bow-drill. One of the first ways of making fire, as we have said, was by rubbing two sticks together. A simple way to do this was to twirl one stick between the palms of the hands, like a drill, while pressing it against a piece of softer wood. Later on, men found that by twisting a double cord between the ends of a bent stick, they could twirl the drill by moving the bent stick from side to side, and they used these bow-drills, as they are called, not only to make fire, but to drill holes in bone, or bits of wood, or even stone. But it is very likely that man discovered the bow for shooting with first, and later used the idea of the bent stick to make the bow-drill.BOWS AND ARROWS AND SLINGSWith the bow and arrow, early man could kill his enemies at a distance.Sometimes, when making and seasoning the long handles of their spears, the early men may have found that, if a spear shaft was crooked, it could be straightened by bending it like a bow in the opposite direction and tying the two ends together with a cord. This would have made a sort of bow, and it may be that in some such way as this man found that a string tied between the two ends of a bent piece of wood could be used to shoot a javelin or arrow a greater distance than it could be thrown by hand.But however the invention of the bow and arrow came about, it was one of the most important steps taken by early man. He was now able to kill his enemies, his game, at a distance. As he learned to use his new weapon, he slowly found out the best kinds of wood to make it from, picking out those which were tough, strong and elastic. Not being able to cut down large trees and saw them into strips, he was forced to make use of small saplings, cut in the forests. He soon found out that these saplings, when green, were not hard and elastic; he had learned this in making his spear shafts. But when such saplings had been dried for many days before the fire, they became fit to use. Then he would scrape off the bark with a stone knife, makenotches at each end, to hold the bow-string in place, and cut down the thicker end of the sapling until both ends of his bow were of the same size. For his arrows he used thin strong reeds at first, but later on made them of seasoned saplings too, using a smaller size. He knew, from making spears and javelins, how to fix at the end of the arrow a stone point, or a head of sharp bone, but he found out very soon that the arrows would not fly straight unless they had a bit of feather, or a tuft of grass fastened to their ends. It may be that these feathers were first fastened to the ends of the arrows as ornaments, just as they had been fastened to the shafts of spears, but when the cave men found that they would make their arrows fly straighter, they used them for that purpose.The bow and arrow made it much easier for the cave dwellers to get food, and in those days, the getting of food was the chief object of their lives. Always there stood before them the fear of hunger. They had not felt this fear, when the days were all pleasant and warm, and there was plenty of fruit and nuts and game, but whenthe cold came, and food was scarce, the hunter who could bring back the most food became a very important man in his tribe. So the cave men tried very hard to become skilful in the use of their new weapon. With fire to keep them warm, caves to keep out the cold and rain, and the bow and arrow to help them get food, they became stronger and more fearless all the time. But the tribe in the valley had grown so large that there was no longer food enough for all near at hand, and soon parties in search of game began to wander farther and farther away from the valley, building huts of brush in the forests beyond the hills, or digging caves in the earth to protect them from the storms.Mother Nature, who was watching the doings of her children very carefully, saw that the valley was getting too full, and began to make plans to find a new home for some of her people."How will you do it?" asked the Sun, to whom she had spoken of her plan."Watch carefully," Mother Nature replied, "and you will see."
CHAPTER XIIITHE FIRST BOW AND ARROWAmonga people whose whole life was spent in fighting, and in killing animals for food, weapons were the most important things. We have seen how the cave men used clubs and spears, and later stone axes and knives. But as the tribe increased in numbers, so that the whole valley was filled with them, it became harder and harder to get enough food.The cave men were very swift runners, and often pursued and overtook the smaller beasts, but there were many that they could not overtake. There were also great flocks of waterfowl that flew over the marshes. The hunters tried in every way to kill these, but it was hard work. Sometimes they would manage to hit one with a well-aimed pebble or stone, but even though they became skilful throwers, it was not easy to throw a stone far enough, or with enough force, to killan animal or a large bird. So they all tried to think of some way to kill birds and animals at a distance.One of the first things they did was to invent the sling. Some early hunter found out, that by placing a smooth round pebble in a leather thong, and whirling it about his head, he could throw the pebble much further and harder than he could by hand. It was not long before the cave men became very skilful in the use of the sling. They found out just the right moment to let go one end of the thong, so that the pebble would fly straight and hard toward the mark, and soon they were able to hit and kill the marsh birds, something like our ducks, or geese, without much trouble. But the sling, although useful against such small game, did very little harm to animals of larger size. A wolf or a bear paid no attention to the pebbles that hit him, and either ran away, or turned against the hunters and attacked them.Of course the cave men soon learned how to throw their spears, hurling them at the enemy with great force and skill. But they could not throw them very far, because they were so heavy,so they made smaller, lighter ones called javelins, which they could fling a great distance. The further they threw them, however, the less certain was their aim, so they often missed.On this account the early people tried in many ways to find out how to throw their sharp-pointed javelins a long distance, and at the same time with correct aim. One way was to use a throwing stick—a short piece of wood with a handle to it, and a groove along the top in which they laid the javelin or spear. With these throwing sticks they could hurl a spear a greater distance, than they could in the ordinary way. Some of these early peoples may have used the blow-gun, such as is used to-day by the savages of the forests in South America. These blow-guns are made of long, hollow tubes of wood, such as bamboo, and little poisoned darts are shot from them with great force by blowing through one end of the tube, just as boys to-day blow beans or bits of putty from a bean shooter. But it was not until man invented the bow and arrow that he found a really serviceable weapon for killing things at a distance.Just how the bow and arrow came to be invented we shall of course never know. Some people think it came from the use of bent saplings in making snares or traps. Such a sapling, springing back when released, would throw a small object a considerable distance. Some think the bow may have developed from the bow-drill. One of the first ways of making fire, as we have said, was by rubbing two sticks together. A simple way to do this was to twirl one stick between the palms of the hands, like a drill, while pressing it against a piece of softer wood. Later on, men found that by twisting a double cord between the ends of a bent stick, they could twirl the drill by moving the bent stick from side to side, and they used these bow-drills, as they are called, not only to make fire, but to drill holes in bone, or bits of wood, or even stone. But it is very likely that man discovered the bow for shooting with first, and later used the idea of the bent stick to make the bow-drill.BOWS AND ARROWS AND SLINGSWith the bow and arrow, early man could kill his enemies at a distance.Sometimes, when making and seasoning the long handles of their spears, the early men may have found that, if a spear shaft was crooked, it could be straightened by bending it like a bow in the opposite direction and tying the two ends together with a cord. This would have made a sort of bow, and it may be that in some such way as this man found that a string tied between the two ends of a bent piece of wood could be used to shoot a javelin or arrow a greater distance than it could be thrown by hand.But however the invention of the bow and arrow came about, it was one of the most important steps taken by early man. He was now able to kill his enemies, his game, at a distance. As he learned to use his new weapon, he slowly found out the best kinds of wood to make it from, picking out those which were tough, strong and elastic. Not being able to cut down large trees and saw them into strips, he was forced to make use of small saplings, cut in the forests. He soon found out that these saplings, when green, were not hard and elastic; he had learned this in making his spear shafts. But when such saplings had been dried for many days before the fire, they became fit to use. Then he would scrape off the bark with a stone knife, makenotches at each end, to hold the bow-string in place, and cut down the thicker end of the sapling until both ends of his bow were of the same size. For his arrows he used thin strong reeds at first, but later on made them of seasoned saplings too, using a smaller size. He knew, from making spears and javelins, how to fix at the end of the arrow a stone point, or a head of sharp bone, but he found out very soon that the arrows would not fly straight unless they had a bit of feather, or a tuft of grass fastened to their ends. It may be that these feathers were first fastened to the ends of the arrows as ornaments, just as they had been fastened to the shafts of spears, but when the cave men found that they would make their arrows fly straighter, they used them for that purpose.The bow and arrow made it much easier for the cave dwellers to get food, and in those days, the getting of food was the chief object of their lives. Always there stood before them the fear of hunger. They had not felt this fear, when the days were all pleasant and warm, and there was plenty of fruit and nuts and game, but whenthe cold came, and food was scarce, the hunter who could bring back the most food became a very important man in his tribe. So the cave men tried very hard to become skilful in the use of their new weapon. With fire to keep them warm, caves to keep out the cold and rain, and the bow and arrow to help them get food, they became stronger and more fearless all the time. But the tribe in the valley had grown so large that there was no longer food enough for all near at hand, and soon parties in search of game began to wander farther and farther away from the valley, building huts of brush in the forests beyond the hills, or digging caves in the earth to protect them from the storms.Mother Nature, who was watching the doings of her children very carefully, saw that the valley was getting too full, and began to make plans to find a new home for some of her people."How will you do it?" asked the Sun, to whom she had spoken of her plan."Watch carefully," Mother Nature replied, "and you will see."
THE FIRST BOW AND ARROW
Amonga people whose whole life was spent in fighting, and in killing animals for food, weapons were the most important things. We have seen how the cave men used clubs and spears, and later stone axes and knives. But as the tribe increased in numbers, so that the whole valley was filled with them, it became harder and harder to get enough food.
The cave men were very swift runners, and often pursued and overtook the smaller beasts, but there were many that they could not overtake. There were also great flocks of waterfowl that flew over the marshes. The hunters tried in every way to kill these, but it was hard work. Sometimes they would manage to hit one with a well-aimed pebble or stone, but even though they became skilful throwers, it was not easy to throw a stone far enough, or with enough force, to killan animal or a large bird. So they all tried to think of some way to kill birds and animals at a distance.
One of the first things they did was to invent the sling. Some early hunter found out, that by placing a smooth round pebble in a leather thong, and whirling it about his head, he could throw the pebble much further and harder than he could by hand. It was not long before the cave men became very skilful in the use of the sling. They found out just the right moment to let go one end of the thong, so that the pebble would fly straight and hard toward the mark, and soon they were able to hit and kill the marsh birds, something like our ducks, or geese, without much trouble. But the sling, although useful against such small game, did very little harm to animals of larger size. A wolf or a bear paid no attention to the pebbles that hit him, and either ran away, or turned against the hunters and attacked them.
Of course the cave men soon learned how to throw their spears, hurling them at the enemy with great force and skill. But they could not throw them very far, because they were so heavy,so they made smaller, lighter ones called javelins, which they could fling a great distance. The further they threw them, however, the less certain was their aim, so they often missed.
On this account the early people tried in many ways to find out how to throw their sharp-pointed javelins a long distance, and at the same time with correct aim. One way was to use a throwing stick—a short piece of wood with a handle to it, and a groove along the top in which they laid the javelin or spear. With these throwing sticks they could hurl a spear a greater distance, than they could in the ordinary way. Some of these early peoples may have used the blow-gun, such as is used to-day by the savages of the forests in South America. These blow-guns are made of long, hollow tubes of wood, such as bamboo, and little poisoned darts are shot from them with great force by blowing through one end of the tube, just as boys to-day blow beans or bits of putty from a bean shooter. But it was not until man invented the bow and arrow that he found a really serviceable weapon for killing things at a distance.
Just how the bow and arrow came to be invented we shall of course never know. Some people think it came from the use of bent saplings in making snares or traps. Such a sapling, springing back when released, would throw a small object a considerable distance. Some think the bow may have developed from the bow-drill. One of the first ways of making fire, as we have said, was by rubbing two sticks together. A simple way to do this was to twirl one stick between the palms of the hands, like a drill, while pressing it against a piece of softer wood. Later on, men found that by twisting a double cord between the ends of a bent stick, they could twirl the drill by moving the bent stick from side to side, and they used these bow-drills, as they are called, not only to make fire, but to drill holes in bone, or bits of wood, or even stone. But it is very likely that man discovered the bow for shooting with first, and later used the idea of the bent stick to make the bow-drill.
BOWS AND ARROWS AND SLINGSWith the bow and arrow, early man could kill his enemies at a distance.
BOWS AND ARROWS AND SLINGSWith the bow and arrow, early man could kill his enemies at a distance.
BOWS AND ARROWS AND SLINGS
With the bow and arrow, early man could kill his enemies at a distance.
Sometimes, when making and seasoning the long handles of their spears, the early men may have found that, if a spear shaft was crooked, it could be straightened by bending it like a bow in the opposite direction and tying the two ends together with a cord. This would have made a sort of bow, and it may be that in some such way as this man found that a string tied between the two ends of a bent piece of wood could be used to shoot a javelin or arrow a greater distance than it could be thrown by hand.
But however the invention of the bow and arrow came about, it was one of the most important steps taken by early man. He was now able to kill his enemies, his game, at a distance. As he learned to use his new weapon, he slowly found out the best kinds of wood to make it from, picking out those which were tough, strong and elastic. Not being able to cut down large trees and saw them into strips, he was forced to make use of small saplings, cut in the forests. He soon found out that these saplings, when green, were not hard and elastic; he had learned this in making his spear shafts. But when such saplings had been dried for many days before the fire, they became fit to use. Then he would scrape off the bark with a stone knife, makenotches at each end, to hold the bow-string in place, and cut down the thicker end of the sapling until both ends of his bow were of the same size. For his arrows he used thin strong reeds at first, but later on made them of seasoned saplings too, using a smaller size. He knew, from making spears and javelins, how to fix at the end of the arrow a stone point, or a head of sharp bone, but he found out very soon that the arrows would not fly straight unless they had a bit of feather, or a tuft of grass fastened to their ends. It may be that these feathers were first fastened to the ends of the arrows as ornaments, just as they had been fastened to the shafts of spears, but when the cave men found that they would make their arrows fly straighter, they used them for that purpose.
The bow and arrow made it much easier for the cave dwellers to get food, and in those days, the getting of food was the chief object of their lives. Always there stood before them the fear of hunger. They had not felt this fear, when the days were all pleasant and warm, and there was plenty of fruit and nuts and game, but whenthe cold came, and food was scarce, the hunter who could bring back the most food became a very important man in his tribe. So the cave men tried very hard to become skilful in the use of their new weapon. With fire to keep them warm, caves to keep out the cold and rain, and the bow and arrow to help them get food, they became stronger and more fearless all the time. But the tribe in the valley had grown so large that there was no longer food enough for all near at hand, and soon parties in search of game began to wander farther and farther away from the valley, building huts of brush in the forests beyond the hills, or digging caves in the earth to protect them from the storms.
Mother Nature, who was watching the doings of her children very carefully, saw that the valley was getting too full, and began to make plans to find a new home for some of her people.
"How will you do it?" asked the Sun, to whom she had spoken of her plan.
"Watch carefully," Mother Nature replied, "and you will see."