l6 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 56 



SIGNS AND SYMBOLS 



3 



The Indians do not write, but make signs of one sort or another, 

 a few of which follow. The sign a drawn in the snow means a 



moose in the direction of the end of the 

 line to which the head is attached. The 

 sign b in the snow means caribou on the 

 mountain in the direction of the straight 

 line. 



Along a trail, where it divides, if one 

 sees a leaning pole with grass tied to the 

 -6 *•/ end, it means no "grub" in that direction, 



or a pole with willow tied to the end means plenty of "grub." 



GAMES 



The Indians had an outdoor game similar to volley-ball in which 

 several took part. A ball the size of a baseball, made of caribou- 

 skin stuffed with hair, with a marten tail attached, was used in this 

 game. A party of about ten Indians would take up their position 

 on each side of a line, batting the ball with bare hands from one 

 side over the line to the other, and every time the ball touched the 

 ground it counted against the side on which it fell. 



The boys had a game that not only furnished sport, but gave them 

 practice in throwing the spear as well. One person would roll a 

 hoop made of willow before a number of Indian boys standing in 

 a row, each with a long spear-Hke stick, which he threw at the hoop 

 as it rolled past him, and when one went through the hoop it counted 

 as a caribou killed. 



For an indoor game they had one which is not uncommon nowa- 

 days. In this game the men sit on the ground with their legs arched 

 in front of them and the women sit tailor fashion, each person 

 having a cloth similar to a handkerchief. Any small article is started 

 down the row ; the men pass it under the knees and the women pass 

 it behind their backs, the object being to conceal the article in the 

 cloth or stealthily pass it on without being caught. It was the duty 

 of one to catch a person with the article in his possession. Men 

 and women sit separate in rows opposite each other and watch the 

 other sex play the game. 



The nearest approach to gambling among the natives is an old 

 game, the rules of which are as follows: Two rows of men sit oppo- 

 site one another, each man iiolding in his hand a bone marked with a 



