Page:Lacrosse- The National Game of Canada (New Edition).djvu/44

 Rh through the opening between the boughs at the end of the play-ground. Whenever this grand purpose of the game was accomplished, the successful party announced their right to count one by a fierce yell of triumph, which seemed to pierce the very depths of the wilderness. It was sometimes highly amusing to see the way in which the Indian, who got hold of the ball, contrived to elude his pursuers. It was not to be supposed he was allowed to proceed straight to the goal or wicket, or even to get near it; but on the contrary, he was obliged in most cases to make a circuit of many hundred yards amongst the trees, with thirty or forty swift-footed fellows stretching after or athwart him, with their fantastic tiger's tails streaming behind them, and he, in like manner, at full speed, and holding his stick as high over his head as possible, sometimes ducking to avoid a blow, or leaping to escape a trip, sometimes doubling like a hare, and sometimes tumbling at full length or breaking his shins on a fallen tree, but seldom losing hold of his treasure without a severe struggle. These parts of the game were exciting in the highest degree, and it almost made the spectators breathless to look at them."