708 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1896. 



All tbo sticks are placed in a pile. The disks are put in the dish without order; 

 each contestant can play while he wins, but, on his missing', the other takes the dish. 

 Turning all the disks but one, the player takes three small sticks; twice in succes- 

 sion, nine sticlvs; three time>< in succession, one big stick or twelve small ones. 

 Turning all alike once, he takes a big stick; twice in succession three big ones, or 

 two, and lays a small one out to show what is done; three times in succession he 

 stands a big stick uji — equal to sixteen small ones from the opponent — the notch<^d 

 one to be tlie last taken of the small ones, it being eciual to three. 



When all the small sticks ai'c drawn and there are large ones left in the pile, 

 instead of taking three from the opponent the players lay one out to show that the 

 other owes three sticks, and so on until the large ones are avou. Then, unless the 

 game is a draw, the second and more interesting stage begins, and the sticks have 

 different value. Tnrning all the disks but one, the player lays ont one, equal to four 

 from an opponent. Turning all the disks but one, twice in succession, he lays three 



out, equal to twelve from 

 the other — three times in 

 succession — stands one up, 

 e»inal to one large or sixteen 

 small ones. Turning all 

 alike, he sets up one large 

 one, twice in succession; 

 then three large ones or, 

 lacking these, three small 

 ones for each large one. 

 This would end the game 

 if the opponent had none 

 standing, as there wonld l)e 

 no sticks to pay the points. 

 But a run of three times of 

 one kind in succession is 

 unusual. When one has not 

 enough sticks to jjay points 

 Avon by the other, comes 

 the real test of skill, 

 although the former has 

 still several superior 

 chances to win the game. 

 If he has five sticks, he has 

 three chances ; if seven or 

 nine sticks, he has live 

 chances — that is, he places the disks in position, all one side up, for each of the 

 tosses; the other contestant takes his turn at playing, bnt can not place the disks. 

 Then giving the dish a peculiar slide, which they call la Ink, or "running down 

 hill like Avater," and at the same time striking it down on the cushion, he may, 

 unless the luck is sadly against him, win twice out of three times trying. 



To this day it is played Avith great animation, with incantations for good luck 

 and exorcising of evil spirits, by Avaving of hands and crying yon-tel-eg-ica-wiich . 

 At a run of ill luck there are peculiar passes made over the dish and a muttering 

 of 3Iic-mac-s({us uk w'me lia-ook ("I knoAv there is a Micmac squaw around"). 



One of their legends tells of a game played by Youth against Old Age. The old 

 man had much m'ta-ou-Un (magic power). He had regained his youth several times 

 by inhaling the breath of youthful opponents. He had again grown old and sought 

 another victim. When he found one Avhom he thought suited to his purpose, he 

 invited him to a game of AU-tes-teg-enuk. The young man was also a m'ta-oti-lin, 

 and for a, pn-lic-gan had K'che-hal-lock (spirit of the air) and, conseciuently, know the 

 old man's intention, yet he consented to a game. The old man's wdl-tah-ha-mo'(j'n 



^^ 



Fig. 31. 



SET OF COUNTINO STICKS FOR WER-LAB-DA-HAB MUN GUN. 



Penobscot Iiidiaus, Maine. 



Cat. No. 16651, Museum of Archicology, University of Pennsylvauia. 



