INDIAN GAMES. 120 



for a ])all ; and that the Florida Indians fixed a willow 

 cage upon a pole in such a way that it could revolve and 

 tried to hit it with a ball so as to make it turn several 

 times."* 



Joutel in his historical journal describes a curious game 

 as follows : " Taking a short stick, very smooth and 

 greased that it may be the harder to hold it fast, one of 

 the elders throws it as far as he can. The young men 

 run after it, snatch it from each other, and at last, he who 

 remains possessed of it has the first lot.""^ 



Football is found at the north. Ogilby"'^ says : " Their 

 goals are a mile long placed on the sands, which are as 

 even as a board ; their ball is no bigger than a hand ball, 

 which sometimes they mount in the air with their naked 

 feet, sometimes it is swayed by the multitude, sometimes 

 also it is two days before they get a goal, then they mark 

 the ground they win, and I)egin there the next day. Before 

 they come to this sport they paint themselves, even as 

 when they go to war." At the south it was " likewise 

 a favorite manly diversion with them.""' 



Certain forms of ball-pla}^ which were neither lacrosse 

 nor chunkee, but which resembled these games were found 

 in difierent localities. Such for instance is the game which 

 Catlin"** saw played by the Sioux women. Two balls were 

 connected with a string a foot and a half long. Each woman 

 was armed with a stick. They were divided into equal sides. 

 Goals were erected and the play was in some respects like 

 lacrosse. Stakes were wagered on the game. This game 

 is also described by Domenech,"^ who says the women 

 wore a special costume which left the limbs free and that 



>i* L:i(Uau, Vol. ii, p. 358. 



"'■' Fieiicli's Historical Collections of Louisiana, Vol. i, p. 188; .Saiiford's His- 

 tory of the United States before the Revolution, p. clxxxii. 



»'" Ogilby, Book II, Chap, ii, p. 156. See also Smith's Narrative, p. 77. 

 1" Bartraiu, p. 509. i>« Vol. il, p. 146. "' Vol.U, p. 196. 



ESSEX INST. BULLETIN VOL. XVII 17 



