Andamanese cutting 'Ridi', a kind of crooked bamboo, thin and with short joints, which is generally used for arrow shafts. It has to have the buds, etc, cut off with the Cyrena shell and is then smoothed and straightened over the fire, and with the teeth Photographer: Portman, Maurice Vidal
[Making arrows, South Andamans.] When the bark is off, the arrow shaft is roughly straightened between the teeth, thus. Photographer: Portman, Maurice Vidal
[Making arrows, South Andamans.] The shafts are then heated over a small fire, and straightened by hand. The straightness is judged by the eye, as in the picture, and when satisfactory the shafts are stood up round the fire as shown, to dry slowly. Photographer: Portman, Maurice Vidal
[The South Andaman bow: making the bow string.] Scraping the bark off. Photographer: Portman, Maurice Vidal
Scope & Content:
Genre: Ethnographical Photography Close-up view showing use of Cyrena shell to remove bark. Additional letterpress description gives a detailed account of the procedure.
[Making arrows, South Andamans. Attaching the arrow head to the shaft.] Photographer: Portman, Maurice Vidal
Scope & Content:
Genre: Ethnographical Photography Close-up view of head being attached to shaft with cord whipping. The letterpress gives a detailed description of the process.
[The South Andaman bow.] The bow string is made from 'Yolba' (Anadendron paniculatum) fibre, a low bush with long scandent shoots. The view shows an Andamanese cutting off with a Cyrena shell, the long shoots from which the fibre is to be scraped. Photographer: Portman, Maurice Vidal