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By Dan Beard
Figs. 334-339.
To make the target, hunt up an old wooden hoop; one from a barrel will do (Fig. 334). Take a piece of a sheet, or some similar cloth, dampen it thoroughly and lay the hoop over it (Fig. 335), and with a pair of shears trim the cloth in the form of a circle around the hoop to fold over. From your mother's work-basket borrow a large darning-needle; thread it with cotton string, and sew the cloth to the hoop by a stitch running over and over the hoop (Fig. 336).
A good piece of strong paper is the next thing required. Place the cloth-covered hoop over the paper, and with the shears trim off the paper, as is shown in Fig. 337. Cover the paper with flour paste, and paste the paper on the damp cloth, turning the edges of paper over the hoop as in Fig. 338. Allow it to dry. When it is perfectly dry it will be as tight as a drumhead. Fig. 339 shows the front of the target as it should now appear. Fig. 340 shows how to fasten the legs on. Fig. 341 shows the hind leg, which must top by a piece of flexible leather for a hinge. In Fig. 342 can be seen all three legs attached.
Fig. 340.
With a pot of marking paint, or with common ink, paint a center bull's-eye and a couple of circles on the paper covering the target and you have the finished butt. Split pieces of bamboo, or an old fishing-pole, into small pieces of about the thickness of a match and twice as long, sharpen one end of each piece and roll a bit of cotton very loosely around be fastened only at the the blunt end of the arrow. Fasten the cotton at the point nearest the point of the arrow with a bit of thread or chewing-gum. Do not put too much cotton on the blunt ends of your arrows, only sufficient to make the bamboo fit loosely in your blow-gun.
With a long cane or bamboo blow-pipe from Java I sent such an arrow through a heavy curtain in my studio. Arrows that can be sent with such force are dangerous and should only be used in target practice.
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