It was only 56 inches long though.....
Alaskan bow, probably Eskimo (pl. 3, fig. 9). A well made, powerful bow of the elementary composite type. The wood is Douglas fir, a square-cut, straight-grained piece such as we commonly see in a building joist. It is backed with a strip of bone 22 inches long, ¼ inch wide, and ¼ inch thick. This is lashed in position with twisted sinew arranged in an ingenious network, constituting a continuous backing from nock to nock, with circular bindings about the limbs at intervals of an inch. On cross- section the wood is flat on the back with beveled flat sloping surfaces on the belly. Length, 56 inches; diameters: at handgrip, 1½ by ¾, circumference 5 inches; at nock 1 by ⅝, circumference, 3¼ inches. It has short bilateral nocks, a thick sinew composed of many twisted strands, and served loops at the ends. The upper end of the string has an extension loop to keep it in position when the bow is unbraced. There is serving of some weed-like material on the string at the center.
This is the first aboriginal bowstring under our observation that has any serving at the nocking point of the arrow. The whole bow is by far the best made of any aboriginal weapon in the group. It is well balanced, rigid in its draw, is exceedingly strong, and has a musical twang to the plucked string. The action is sharp and there is no kick in the hand. When drawn 26 inches it weighs 80 pounds and shoots 180 yards. It seemed such a good bow in spite of the brash quality of the wood employed that Mr. Compton, who was making the test, was urged to draw an arrow the full 28 inches, whereupon the bow fractured at the center with a loud report.
