HURON FESTIVITIES. XXXvii 



Sometimes a village challenged a neighboiing village. 

 The game was played in one of the houses. Strong 

 poles were extended from side to side, and on these sat 

 or perched the company, party facing party, while two 

 players struck the bowl on the ground between. Bets 

 ran high ; and Brebeuf relates, that once, in midwinter, 

 with the snow nearly three feet deep, the men of his vil- 

 lage returned from a gambling visit, bereft of their leg- 

 gins, and barefoot, yet in excellent humor.^ Ludicrous 

 as it may appear, these' games were often medical pre- 

 scriptions, and designed as a cure of the sick. 



Their feasts and dances were of various character, 

 social, medical, and mystical or religious. Some of 

 their feasts were on a scale of extravagant profusion. 

 A vain or ambitious host threw all his substance into one 

 entertainment, inviting the whole village, and perhaps 

 several neighboring villages also. In the winter of 1635 

 there was a feast at the village of Contarrea, where 

 thirty kettles were on the fires, and twenty deer and 

 four bears were served up.^ The invitation was simple. 

 The messenger addressed the desired guest with the con- 

 cise summons, " Come and eat " ; and to refuse was a 

 grave offence. He took his dish and spoon, and repaired 

 to the scene of festivity. Each, as he entered, greeted 

 his host with the guttural ejaculation, Ho ! and ranged 

 himself with the rest, squatted on the earthen floor or on 

 the platform along the sides of the house. The kettles 

 were slung over the fires in the midst. First, there was 

 a long prelude of lugubrious singing. Then the host, who 



1 Brebeuf, Relation des Hurons, 1636, 113, — This game is still a favor- 

 ite among the Iroquois, some of whom hold to the behef tliat they will 

 play it after death in the realms of bliss. In all their important games 

 of chance, they employed charms, incantations, and all the resources of 

 their magical art, to gain good luck. 



( Brebpuf, Relation des Hurons, 1636, 111. 



d 



