A piece of strong fish-line makes a good bowstring. A good one can be made of linen thread on the string machine shown on [Plate 34]. Tie knots as shown in [Fig. 2].
Fig. 2. — Timber-hitch knot and Bowline-knot
The timber-hitch should be kept in place on the bow, and the bowline-knot slipped back on the bow when it is unstrung. The best way to string a bow is to place the end having the timber-hitch on the ground against one's left foot, then to pull the middle of the bow with the left hand, and to push the upper part with the right hand, allowing this hand to slide upward so as to shove the bowline-knot into the upper notch. When finished the bow can be improved by rubbing it well with grease.
ARROW AND BOW — Plate 8