"Armies don't use bows in England any more. I've certainly never used one. I think the last time bows were issued for battle was back around the time of the Spanish Armada, about thirty years ago. Some of the local forces in Devonshire equipped eight hundred men with longbows."
Jadar paused uncertainly. "What do you mean by 'longbow'?"
"It's a bow about five feet in length. The best ones are made of yew, but they're also made from ash and elm."
"You mean your bows are made entirely from wood?" Jadar's voice betrayed his skepticism. "What weight did they pull?"
"I don't know exactly, but they were powerful enough. You can draw a longbow all the way back to your ear. During the time of King Harry it was forbidden to practice with a longbow using a range less than a full furlong. The English longbow drove the crossbow right out of Europe. I've heard it said a longbow can pierce a four-inch-thick oak door."
"But you don't use them now?"
"We prefer muskets."
He seemed to ponder the answer as he led them back into his carpeted reception area. He took his place beneath the canopy, then turned to Hawksworth.
"We use muskets too. But frankly they're often more trouble than they're worth. They're cumbersome and inaccurate, and while you're reloading and priming your matchlock a Rajput archer will put half a dozen arrows through you. Infantry here normally is one-third matchlock men and two-thirds archers. If you're going to be any help to us, Captain, you'll need to learn to use a bow."
Jadar stopped and turned to look at Shirin. Her eyes were fluttering with fatigue. "But I forget my manners. You must have some rest while we teach the feringhi how to fight. Perhaps the best thing would be to clear a tent for you at the rear of the gulal bar, near the workshops. And the English captain can stay there too," Jadar laughed. "So I can watch him practice his bow." He glanced back at Hawksworth and his eyes froze on the pearl earring. "I see you're a khan now, as well as an ambassador. Congratulations. If Arangbar can make you a khan, I can surely make you an archer."