760 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1806. 



the turtle, wliicli t.vi>ilics gcncijilly the earth. If 1 and 2 fall upwards, the game is 

 won. If hilt (>i:e of these fijinics lall upwards and at the same time 3 and 4 are 

 np, the game is also won. The other numbers, 5, 6, 7, and 8 are all blanks. B 

 denotes the reversed sides of A, which are all blanks. 



Set C shows ditterent characteristics, with a single chief figure (.5), which repre- 

 sents the Falco furcatiis. This throw indicates half a game, and. entitles the tl:rower 

 to repeat it. If the same figure (5) turns up, the game is won. If uo success attends 

 it by throwing up the chief figure, the throw passes to other hands. 1) is the 

 reverse of C and is a blank throw. 



In set E, No. .5 represents a ninskrat. The three dots (7) indicates two-thirds of a 

 throw and the thrower can throw again; but if he gets blank the second time, the 

 dish passes on to the next thrower. Set F is invested with difl'erent powers. No. I 

 represents a bulfalo, and 2 and 3 denote chickeu hawks, fluttering horizontally in 

 the air. The chief i)ieces (5, G, and 7) have the same powers and modifications as A. 



To play this game, a little orifice is made in the ground and a skin put in it. 

 Often it is also played on a robe. The women and young men plaj- this game. The 

 bowl is lifted with one hand about 3 or 4 inches and sud;lenly ]iushed down to its 

 ]dace. The plum-stones fly over several times. The stake is first put up by all who 

 wish to play. A dozen can play at ouce, if it be desirable. 



Dr. H, C. Yarrow' refers to the plum stone game, in liis paper on In- 

 dian mortuary customs, as described to bim by Dr. Charles E. jMcChes- 

 uey, IT, S. A., among the Walipeton and Sisseton (Dakota) Sioux. 



After the death of a wealthy Indian the near relatives take charge of the effects, 

 and at a stated time, usually at the time of the first feast held over the bimdle con- 

 taining the lock of hair, they are divided into many small piles, so as to give all 

 the Indians invited to play an opportunity to win something. One Indian is selected 

 to represent the ghost, and he plays against all the others, who are not required to 

 stake anythingon the result, but simply invited to take part in the ceremony. Which 

 is usually held in the lodge of the dead person, in whicli is contained the bundle 

 containing the lock of hair. In cases where the ghost himself is not wealthy the 

 stakes are furnished by his rich friends, should ha have any. The players are called 

 in one at ;i time, and play singly against the ghost's representative, the ganililing 

 being done in recent years by means of cards. If the invited player succeeds in 

 beating the ghost, lie takes one of the piles of goods and passes out, when another 

 is invited to play, etc., until all the piles of goods are won. In cases of men, only 

 the men play, and in cases of women, the women only take part in the ceremony. 

 Before white men came among these Indians and taught them many of his improved 

 vices, this game was played by means of figured iilum seeds, the men using eight 

 and the women seven seeds, figured as follows and as shown in plate 13. Two seeds 

 are simply blackened on one side (AA), the reverse {aa) containing nothing. Two 

 seeds are black on one side, with a small 8i)ot of the color of the seed left in the 

 center (BB), the reverse side (&&) having a black spot in the center, the body being 

 plain. Two seeds have a buffalo's head on one side (C) and the reverse (c) simply 

 two crossed black lines. There is but one seed of this kind in the set used by 

 women. Two seeds have the half of one side blackened and the rest left plain, so 

 as to represent a half moon (DD); the reverse {M) has a black longitudinal line 

 crossed at right angles by six small ones. There are six throws whereby the player 

 can win, and five that entitle him to anoth<'r throw. The winning throws are as 

 follows, each winner taking a i»ile of the ghost's goods: 



Two plain ones up, two plain Avith black spots up, bufialo's head up, and two half 

 moons up wins a pile. Two plain black ones up, two black with natural spot up, 

 two longitudinally crossed ones up, and the transversely crossed one up wins a pile. 



' Mortuary Customs of the North American Indians, First Annual Report of the 

 Bureau of Ethnology, Washington, 1881, p. 19."). 



