724 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1896. 



pieces of bone, about the size of a plum stone. They are all alike, baving one of the 

 faces colored black, red, green, or blue, and the other generally painted white or any 

 different color from the tirst-raentioued face. They throw these dice in the plate, 

 holding the two edges, and on lifting it they make them jump and turn therein. 

 After having struck the dish on the cloth, they strike themselves at the same time 

 heavy blows on the chest and shoulders while the dice turn about, crying "Dice! 

 Dice! Dice!" until the dice have stopped moving. When they find five or six 

 showing the same color, they take the grains which have been agreed upon with the 

 opposite party. If the loser and his comrades have nothing more to play with, the 

 winner takes all that is on the game. Entire villages have been seen gambling 

 away their possessions, one against the other, on this game, and ruining themselves 

 thereat. Tliey also challenge to a decision by one throw of the die, and when it 

 happens that a party throws six, all those of the tribe that bet on him get up 

 and dance- in cadence to the noise of gourd rattles. All passes without dispute. 

 The women and girls also play this game, but they often use eight dice and do not 

 use a dicebox like the men. They only use a blanket, and tlirow them on with the 

 hand. 



Sagard Tbeodat' says: 



The men are addicted not only to the game of reeds (which they call "Aefcara," 

 with three or four hundred small white reeds, cut equally to a length of a foot), but 

 also addicted to other kinds of game, as for instance, taking a large wooden platter 

 with five or six plum stones or small balls, somewhat flattened, about the size of the 

 end of the little finger, or painted black on one side and white on the other. They 

 8<iuat all around in a circle and take each his turn in taking hold of the platter 

 with both hands, which they keep at a little distance from the floor, and bring the 

 platter down somewhat roughly, so as to make the balls move about; they take it 

 as in a game of dice, observing on which side the stones lie, whether it goes against 

 them or for them. The one who holds the platter says, continually while strik- 

 ing it, "Tet, tet, tet," thinking that this may excite and influence the game in his 

 favor. 



For the ordinary game of women and girls (at times joined by men and boys) are 

 used five or six stones (as those of apricots) black on one side and yellow on the 

 other, which they hold in their hands as we do dice, throwing the stones a little 

 upward, and after they have fallen on the skin which serves them as a carpet, they 

 see w^hat the result is, and continue to play for the necklaces, ear ornaments, and 

 other small articles of their companions, but never for gold or silver coin, because 

 th(^,y do not know the use of it, so that in trade they barter one thing for another. 



I must not forget to mention that in some of their villages they play, which we 

 call in Franco, Porter les Momons (carry the challenge). They send a challenge to 

 other villages to come and play against them, winning their utensils, if they can, and 

 meanwhile the feasting does not stop, because at the least inducement the kettle 

 is on the fire, especially in winter time, at which time they especially feast and 

 amuse themselves in order to pass agreeably the hard season. 



Huron (Wyandot). 



Col. James Smith^ describes the Wyandot as "playing a game 

 resembling dice or hustle-cap. They put a number of plum-stones 

 in a small bowl; one side of each stone is black and the other white; 

 then they shake or hustle the bowl, calling hits, hits, hits, honesey, 



1 Histoire du Canada, Paris, 1866, p. 243. 



^ An account of the Remarkable Occurrences in the Life and Travels of Col. James 

 Smith during his Captivity with the Indians in the years 1755-1759, Cincinnati, 

 1870, p. 46. 



