Page:Lacrosse- The National Game of Canada (New Edition).djvu/47

 30 the goal, when they do wriggle considerably." The Lac La Pluie Indians, 225 miles west of Lake Superior, occasionally hold their grand fetes and medicine ceremonies near Fort Francis, at which 6,000 natives assemble. In the report on the Exploration of the country between Lake Superior and the Red River settlement, it is stated, that the Indians "do not scruple to jump over the fences and run through the ground crops if their ball in the game of ––––– is driven in that direction." The blank may be interpreted "Lacrosse." The game is also played at the different establishments of the Hudson Bay Company in Rupert's Land, &c, by the savage tribes of Lower Winnipeg. Several hundreds played before Fort Garry, the capital of the Red River country, a couple of years ago. The Rocky Mountain Indians still play and use the original stick.

On the Saskatchewan, the Prairie, Crees, Blackfeet and Assinniboines still celebrate their returns from the buffalo hunt by grand contests of the original game.

When Charlevoix and his party were ascending the St. Lawrence at some point between Quebec and