114 



in play ; {he refolved merely to gratify her curiofity, by ohferving the 

 players, who had already fo far proceeded, that the intereft was become 

 lively ; fome of them having loft their girdles, broches, rings, and other 

 ornaments. Obferving that the game was familiar to her, flie deviated 

 from her refolution fo far as to ftake fome trinkets, which flie ftiU found 

 hanging about her, on the fuccefs of the female friends who had fo 

 kindly conduced her to the place : till, entering with warmth into the 

 paffions of the players, (he fat down in the circle, and became herfelf 

 one of the mofl: confpicuous.* She refolved however, to indulge her- 

 felf only for a moment ; but finding her firft attempt unfuccefsful, and 

 wifliing to repair it, as flie was preparing herfelf for a fecond difplay 

 with redoubled ardor, flie difengaged her mantle fo far as to difcover 

 the fatal head. All was now murmur and aftonilliment. She arofe in 

 confufion ; the head dropped from her bofom. She in vain attempted to 

 regain it. Down the declivity of the hill it defcended, rolling on with 

 an increafed rapidity, till it was received into the river that flowed below. 

 There again her frantic exertions to recover it, proved flill unavailing. 

 For by thofe who anxioufly contemplated the fpeftacle, the head was 

 obferved, as Ihe approached it, gradually to aflumethe form of a bird 

 fmce feldom feen, fave as the forerunner of calamity, whofe duiky plu- 

 mage is furmounted with a tufted crown of red feathers : while the 

 unfortunate purfuer became herfelf transformed into that fpecies of water- 

 fowl Cnce vulgarly denominated the black-duck ; a fpecies fo defpifed, 

 that it is never fought after but to be devoured as food,* and that 

 only in feafons of extreme famine. 



Section 



* The women have feven diiTerenf games of chance or fleight, which they praftice ; 

 among the fedentary games the moft common is a game of chance with peach or plumb- 

 ftones, party-coloured by art. 



f The beak, claws and feathers of the eagle, the hawk, the raren, and other birds, 

 furnifh the Indians with diftlndive badges, to which they attach their good fortune, their 

 infeparable companioDs in battle, and which they call Implements of war. The fpoils 



of 



