G48 ANTHROPOLOGICAL PAPERS. 



Other with a long pole in front of each. There are from one to six 

 l)]ayed on 'each side, but rarely more. Then one person takes one or both 

 of these bones and rapildly changes them from one hand to the other. 

 One person on the opposite side guesses in which hand it is, or if both 

 bones are used he guesses in which hand a certain marked one is. If 

 he guesses aright he wins, and he or some one on his side plays next; 

 but if not, he loses, and the other side continues to play. While one 

 man is playing the rest of his party beat with a small stick upon the 

 pole in front of them, and keep up a continuous sing-song noise in reg- 

 ular time. The sums bet on this game are generally small, say from 

 50 cents to $1.50, but sometimes the stakes are much larger. 



Some grow so expert at this game that even if the guess of the oppo- 

 nent is right the player can afterward change the bone to the other 

 hand without its being detected. 



The tally is usually kept by two of the players, one for each side, 

 with sticks 8 or 10 inches long, sharpened at one end and stuck in the 

 ground. Tliese sticks are moved according to the success of either 

 party. A modified form of this game is played by using two larger 

 bones or pieces of wood. One of these is marked in some way, either 

 with a string tied arountl the middle of it, a carved circle, or if it be of 

 wood the bark may be removed except in the middle, where a zone is 

 left. When the small bones are used, it is optional whether one or two 

 be employed, but when they play with the larger ones it is necessary 

 that both be used, for if the player has but one it would plainly be 

 seen in which hand it was. 



(2) With round disks. This is the men's game, as a general thing, 

 but sometimes all engage in it. There are ten of tliet<e disks in a set. 

 All bat one have a white or black and white rim. Five of them are 

 kept under one hand of the player on a mat, and five underneath the 

 other band, covered with cedar bark, beaten fine. After being shufded 

 round and round for a short time, one of the opposite party guesses 

 under which hand the disk with the black rim is. He tells this without 

 a word, but with a peculiar motion of one hand. If he guesses right, he 

 wins and plays next ; but if his conjecture is incorrect, he loses, and 

 the other side continues to play. The two rows of players are 10 or 

 12 feet apart. Generally they have six or more sets of these blocks, so 

 that if, as they sup[)ose, luck does not attend one set they can try an- 

 other. These different sets are marked on the edges to distinguish 

 them from other sets. Another way of distinguishing them is by hav- 

 ing them of slightly different sizes. They are made very smooth of 

 hard wood, sand-papered, and then by use are worn still smoother. In 

 this game they keep tally with a number of sticks, used as checks, 

 about 3 inches long. The number of these varies according to the 

 amount bet, twelve of them being used, it is said, when $20 is wagered. 

 I have never seen more than forty used. They begin with an equal 

 number of checks for each party, and then each side tries to win all, 



