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While at the rendezvous of trappers, Miller had frequent opportunities to observe "trials of skill," one of the Indians' chief amusements. Of course, they bet on the results - beaver pelts against blankets, beads against wampum, pipes against tobacco. "This proceeds," Miller wrote, "until at last the very dresses they have on are placed in the scale of chances, sometimes reducing the poor devils almost to the condition of Adam, gambling being one of their strong passions."The contests themselves - marksmanship with the elk-horn bow - were usually conducted on a calm day over a distance of thirty to forty yards. The arrows, shown being made by the figure at the left, were tipped with flint or iron, with a neat and balanced feather on the end. With the elk-horn bow they could "drive an arrow completely through a buffalo," Miller claimed. The targets shown in this sketch were circles two or three inches in circumference.

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Page
1
Source index
0
Type
photo
Media ID
34b1967160a207af
Size
unknown

Document data

ID
10440
Core
obj
Type
drawing
DTO data
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    "title": "Trial of Skill - with the Bow and Arrow",
    "description": "While at the rendezvous of trappers, Miller had frequent opportunities to observe \"trials of skill,\" one of the Indians' chief amusements. Of course, they bet on the results - beaver pelts against blankets, beads against wampum, pipes against tobacco. \"This proceeds,\" Miller wrote, \"until at last the very dresses they have on are placed in the scale of chances, sometimes reducing the poor devils almost to the condition of Adam, gambling being one of their strong passions.\"The contests themselves - marksmanship with the elk-horn bow - were usually conducted on a calm day over a distance of thirty to forty yards. The arrows, shown being made by the figure at the left, were tipped with flint or iron, with a neat and balanced feather on the end. With the elk-horn bow they could \"drive an arrow completely through a buffalo,\" Miller claimed. The targets shown in this sketch were circles two or three inches in circumference.",
    "provenance": "Bonamy Mansell Power; Edward Power [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Major G. H. Power, Great Yarmouth, England; Power Sale, Parke-Bernet Galleries, Inc., New York, May 6, 1966, no. 74; Walters Art Museum, May 6, 1966, by purchase.",
    "date": "ca. 1837",
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Document identity
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Document source metadata
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    "contentType": "drawing",
    "stage": "normalized",
    "title": "Trial of Skill - with the Bow and Arrow",
    "description": "While at the rendezvous of trappers, Miller had frequent opportunities to observe \"trials of skill,\" one of the Indians' chief amusements. Of course, they bet on the results - beaver pelts against blankets, beads against wampum, pipes against tobacco. \"This proceeds,\" Miller wrote, \"until at last the very dresses they have on are placed in the scale of chances, sometimes reducing the poor devils almost to the condition of Adam, gambling being one of their strong passions.\"The contests themselves - marksmanship with the elk-horn bow - were usually conducted on a calm day over a distance of thirty to forty yards. The arrows, shown being made by the figure at the left, were tipped with flint or iron, with a neat and balanced feather on the end. With the elk-horn bow they could \"drive an arrow completely through a buffalo,\" Miller claimed. The targets shown in this sketch were circles two or three inches in circumference.",
    "provenance": "Bonamy Mansell Power; Edward Power [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Major G. H. Power, Great Yarmouth, England; Power Sale, Parke-Bernet Galleries, Inc., New York, May 6, 1966, no. 74; Walters Art Museum, May 6, 1966, by purchase.",
    "date": "ca. 1837",
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Document source extras
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Page context
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