738 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1896. 



NATCHESAN STOCK. 



Natchez. Louisiaua. 



Le Vuge du Piatz' says, lefeniug to the -women's game of the 

 Natcliez: 



These pieces with which they play nre three little bits of cane from 8 to 9 inches 

 hinji. split in two eiinal parts and pointi-d at the ends. Each piece is distinguished 

 by the designs which are engraved on the convex side. They play three at a time 

 and each woman has her piece. To play this game they hold two of these pieces of 

 cane on the open left hand, and the third in the right hand, the round side npper- 

 most, with which they strike upon the others, taking care to only touch the end. 

 The three pieces fall, and when there are two of them which have the convex side 

 uppermost, the player marks one point. If there is only one, she marks nothing. 

 After the first, the two others play in their turn. 



PIMAN STOCK. 



Pap AGO. Pima County, Arizona. (Cat. No. 17451G, U.S.N.M.) 



Set of four sticks of seluiara cactus, about 9^ iuclies in length, f inch 

 iu width and I inch thick (tig. 59). Section ellipsoidal. Painted solid 



^P 



¥iS 59. 



SET OF STAVES FOR GHING-PKOOT, 



Lfn;;;tli, OJ indies. 



Pai>.agi) Indiau.s, Piiiia County, Arizona. 



C:d. N... 174oIti, I'.S.N.M. 



red ou one side, " which is ilat and marked with black lines of numerical 

 aud sex significauce."' Collected by Mr. W J McGee and Mr. ^Villiam 

 Dinwiddle. 



The game is described by the collectors under the uame of Ghing- 

 sloot. The four marked faces receive the following names: 



(a) "Old man." 

 ((■) "Young man." 

 (/)) "Old woman." 

 ((■/) "Young woman." 



In the play the sticks are held vertically, bunched in the right hand, 

 and struck from underneath on their lower ends by a stone grasi)ed in 

 the left hand, the blow shooting them vertically into the air (Plate 8). 



'Histoire de la Louisiaue, Paris, 1768, III, p. 4. 



