INDIAN GAMES. 141 



Powers"*^ descril)es a game among the children of the 

 Nishinams which consisted in tossing hnnches of clover 

 from one to another, and another in which the boys placed 

 themselves upon three bases and tossed a ball across from 

 one to the other. Points were won as in base ball by run- 

 ning bases, if possible, without being put out by the one 

 who at the time had the ball. The Choctaw^** boys made 

 use of a cane stalk, eight or nine feet in length, from 

 which the obstructions at the joints had been removed, 

 much as boys use what is called a putty blower. The Zufii 

 children are said to play checkers with fragments of pcjt- 

 tery on flat stones. ^^ 



Kunning matches, swimming, wrestling, the simple 

 ball-games which are hinted at rather than described, 

 practice in archery and hurling the spear or javelin, fur- 

 nished the Indian youth with such amusements as could 

 be derived outside the contests in which his eiders partic- 

 ipated. Most of these latter were so simple as to be 

 easily understood by the very young, and we can readily 

 comprehend how deeply the vice of gambling must have 

 been instilled in their minds, when they saw it inaugu- 

 rated with such solemn ceremonials and participated in 

 with such furor l)y their elders. 



Our information concerning the hal)its of the Indians 

 comes from a variety of sources. Some of it is of very 

 recent date, especially that which deals with the Indians 

 of the Pacific coast. The early Relations of the French 

 Fathers were faithful, and, as a rule, intelligent records 

 of events which the priests themselves witnessed. The 

 accounts of the French and Indian traders and travellers 



'•" Contributions to Ncrtli Anieiicon Ethnology, Vol. ui p, 331. 

 '" Romjins, p. 7!); Boesu, Vol. I, p. 306. 

 "wThc Century, Vol. xxvi, p. 28, Cubhing. 



