LOUISIANA. 30^ 



fee them run naked, painted with various co- 

 lours, having ?. tyger's tail f aliened be-hind, and 

 feathers on their heads and arms, which move 

 as they run, and have a very odd ef?*t^6t : they 

 pufh and throw each other H. .wn ; he that has 

 been expert enough to get the ball, fends it to 

 his party ; thole of the oppofite party run at 

 him who has feized the ball, and fend it back to 

 their fide ; and thus they ar.pute it to each 

 other reciprocally, with fuch an ardour, that 

 they fometimcs dillocate their Ihoulders by it. 

 The players are never difpleafed ; fome old men, 

 who afijfl at the play, become mediators, and 

 determine, that the play is only intended as a 

 recreation, and not as an opportunity of quar- 

 relling. The wagers are confiderable j the wo- 

 men bet among themfelves. 



When the players have given over, the wo- 

 men affemble among themfelves to revenge their 

 hufbands who have loll the game. The battle- 

 door they make ufe of, differs from that of the 

 men, in being bent j they all are very adtive, 

 and run againlt each other with extreme fwift- 

 nefs, pulhing each other like the men, they hav- 

 ing the fame drefs, except on thofe parts which 

 modelly teaches them to cover. They only put 



Vol. L X rouge 



