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REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1896. 



Fig. 49. 

 GA-JIH, OR BOWL FOR GAME. 



Seneca Indians, New Tork. 



After Morgan. 



had ceased rolling in tlie disb. It was played in the public council-bouse by a suc- 

 cession of players— two at a time— under tbe supervision of managers appointed to 

 represent tbe two parties and to conduct tbe contest. Its length depended some- 

 what upon tbe number of beans which made the bank— usually one hundred— tbe 

 victory beiug gained by tbe side which iinally won them all. 

 A platform was erected a few feet from the lioor and spread with blankets. "When 



tbe betting was ended, 

 and the articles bad 

 been delivered into tbe 

 custody of the mana- 

 gers, they seated them- 

 selves upon the plat- 

 form m the midst of 

 the throng of specta- 

 tors, and two persons 

 sat down to the game 

 between tbe two divi- 

 sions into which they 

 arranged themselves. 

 The beans, in tbe tirst 

 instance, were placed 

 together in a bauk. 

 Five of them were 

 given each player, 

 with which they commenced. Each player, by tbe rules of the game, was allowed 

 to keep his seat until be bad lost this outfit, after wbicli he surrendered it to another 

 player on his own side selected by the managers of his own party. And this was 

 the case, notbwitbstanding any number be might have won of his adversary. Those 

 which he won Avere delivered to bis party managers. Tbe six peach-stones were 

 placed in tbe bowl and shaken by the 

 player ; if five of them came up of one 

 color, cither white or black, it counted 

 one, and bis adversary paid to him the 

 forfeit, which was one bean ; the bean 

 simply representing a unit in counting 

 the game. On tbe next throw, which 

 the player having won retained, if less 

 than five came up of tbe same color it 

 counted nothing, and be passed tbe bowl 

 to his adversary. Tbe second player 

 then shook tbe bowl ; u]>on which, if they 

 all came up of one color, either white or 

 black, it Cf)unted iive. To pay this for- 

 feit required the whole outfit of the first 

 player, after which, having nothing to pay 

 with, be vacated his seat and was suc- 

 ceeded bj'anotber of bis ownside, wbore- 

 ceived from the bank the same number ot 

 beans the first bad. Tbe other player fol- 

 lowed bis throw as long as he continued 



to win; after which he repassed tbe bowl to bis adversary. If a player chanced to 

 win five and his opponent bad but one left, this was all hecould gain. In this manner 

 the game continued, with varying fortune, until the beans were divided between 

 the two sides in proportion to their success. After this tbe game continued in tbe 

 same manner as before, tbe outfit of each new player being advanced by the man- 

 agers of bis own party; but as the beans or counters were now out of sight, none 



rig. 50. 

 PEACH STONE BOWL GAME. 



Greatest diameter of bowl, 9§ inches. 

 Seneca Indians, New York. 



Collected by J. N. B. Hewitt. 



