C ON THE GOSHA-G1R.
I am indebted to my husband's examination of two Persian MSS. on archery for an explanation of the word gosha-glr, in its technical sense in archery. The works consulted are the Cyclopaedia of Archery (Kulliyatu'r-rdml I. O. 2771) and the Archer's Guide (Hiddyatu'r-rdml I. O. 2768).
It should be premised that in archery, the word gosha describes, in the arrow, the notch by which it grips and can be carried on the string, and, in the bow, both the tip (horn) and the notch near the tip in which the string catches. It is explained by Vullers as cornu et crena arcus cut immititur nervus.
Two passages in the Cyclopaedia of Archery (f. 9 and f. 366) shew gosha as the bow-tip. One says that to bend the bow, two men must grasp the two gosha; the other reports a tradition that the Archangel Gabriel brought a bow having its two gosha (tips) made of ruby. The same book directs that the gosha be made of seasoned ivory, the Archer's Guide prescribing seasoned mulberry wood.
The C. of A. (f. 1256) says that a bowman should never be without two things, his arrows and his gosha-glr. The gosha-glr may be called an item of the repairing kit; it is an implement (f. 53) for making good a warped bow-tip and for holding the string into a displaced notch. It is known also as the chaprds, brooch or buckle, and the karddng; and is said to bear these names because it fastens in the string. Its shape is that of the upper part of the Ar. letter jim, two converging lines of which the lower curves slightly outward. It serves to make good a warped bow, without the use of fire and it should be kept upon the bow-tip till this has reverted to its original state. Until the warp has been straightened by the gosha-glr, the bow must be kept from the action of fire because it, (composite of sinew and glutinous substance,) is of the nature of wax.
The same implement can be used to straighten the middle of the bow, the kamdn khdna. It is then called kar-ddng. It can
