The latter will send the arrow much farther, and so
swiftly does it leave the string that it baffles the eye. But
the cedar bow must be cared for like a delicate machine;
overstring it, and it breaks; twang it without an arrow, and it
sunders the cords; scratch it, and it may splinter; wet it, and
it is dead; let it lie on the ground, even, and it is weakened.
But guard it and it will serve you as a matchless servant, and as
can no other timber in these woods.
Just where the red heart and the white sap woods join is the
bowman's choice. A piece that reached from Rolf's chin to the
ground was shaved down till it was flat on the white side and
round on the red side, tapering from the middle, where it was one
inch wide and one inch thick to the ends, where it was three
fourths of an inch wide and five eighths of an inch thick, the
red and white wood equal in all parts.
The string was made of sinew from the back of a cow, split from
the long, broad sheath that lies on each side the spine, and the
bow strung for trial. Now, on drawing it (flat or white side in
front), it was found that one arm bent more than the other, so a
little more scraping was done on the strong side, till both bent
alike.
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