Page:Lacrosse- The National Game of Canada (New Edition).djvu/71

54 created new ranges of thought and experiment; new theories and principles were laid down, and new modes of practice developed, and more method given to any madness in the game.

Science in Lacrosse is brought out by the netting on the stick used, which is not possible in shinty, or games played differently with a different instrument. The various feats with the ball on the crosse are not possible in any other game.

The development of science in Lacrosse, has been brought about, too, by the smallness of the fields, or the short distances from goal to goal; bringing the players to close contests, and necessitating quick feats, and entirely different play from that formerly practised on large fields. The whites have only ever beaten the Indians because they played on smaller fields than the latter are accustomed to; and there is no doubt but that if the red skins had goals half a mile apart, the whites would seldom, if ever, get a chance to touch the ball. The white game differs from the red, in being restricted by that mark of civilization and trespass, the fence, and by the difference of the constitutions of the two people.

The mistake some white players make, and which