Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/412

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hardy and expert race of people, like themfelves, and the ancient Spartans. The ball is made of a piece of fcraped deer- (kin, moiftened, and fluffed hard with deer's hair, and (trongly fewed with deer's fmews. The ball-flrcks are about two feet long, the lower end fomewhat refembling the palm of a hand, and wkich are worked with deer-fkin thongs. Between thefe, they catch the ball, and throw it a great diftance, when not prevented by fome of the oppofite party, who fly to intercept them. The goal is about five hundred yards in length : at each end of it, they fix two long bending poles into the ground, three yards apart below, but flanting a confiderable way outwards. The party that happens to throw the ball over thefe, counts one i but, if it be thrown underneath, ic is caft back, and played for as ufual. The gamefters are equal in number on each fide j and, at the beginning of every courfe of the ball, they throw it up high in the center of the ground, and in a direct line between the two goals. When the crowd of players prevents the one who catched the ball, from throwing it off" with a long direction, he commonly fends it the right courfe, by an artful fharp twirl. They are fo exceedingly expert in this manly exercife, that, between the goals, the ball is moftly flying the differ ent ways, by the force of the playing (ticks, without falling to the ground, for they are not allowed to catch it with their hands. It is furprifing to fee how fwiftly they fly, when clofely chafed by a nimble footed purfuer; when they are intercepted by one of the oppofite party, his fear of being cut by the ball (ticks, commonly gives them an opportunity of throwing it perhaps a hundred yards ; but the antagonift fometimes runs np behind, and by a fudden (troke dames down the ball. It is a very unufual thing to fee them act fpitefully in any fort of game, not even in this fevere and tempting exercife.

Once, indeed, I faw fome break the legs and arms of their opponents, by hurling them down, when on a defcent, and running at full fpeed. But I afterward underftood, there was a family difpute of long continuance between them : that might have raifed their fpleen, as much as the high bets they had then at (take, which was almoft all they were worth. The Choktah are exceedingly addicted to gaming, and frequently on the flighteft and mod hazardous occafions, will lay their all, and as much as their credit can procure.

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