"If I had not seen it done, I could not have believed it." "It is merely a matter of practice," Roger said.

"My people are famous for their dexterity with the bow, and I have seen men hit a mark no bigger than the palm of my hand, ten times in succession, at that distance." The next time they halted, Bathalda made the rest of the bamboos into arrows and, making a quiver of the bark of a tree, hung them over his shoulder.

Roger left his spear behind; using the bow, which he had unstrung, as a walking staff.

Bathalda offered to carry the spear, in addition to his own weapon, but Roger told him that he did not care about it.
"If it should come to a hand-to-hand fight," he said, "I would rather rely on my ax.

Besides, the bow, now it is unstrung, makes an excellent quarterstaff, a weapon with which I have practiced a great deal.