288 LARSON'S HISTORY 



differ at gaining, neither did I ever see a dispute, 

 about the legality thereof, so much as rise amongst 

 them. 



Their chiefest game is a sort of arithmetic, which 

 is managed by a parcel of small, split reeds, 

 the thickness of a small bent; these are made 

 very nicely, so that they part and are tractable in 

 their hands. They are fifty-one in number ; their 

 length about seven inches. When they play, 

 they throw part of them to their antagonist. The 

 art is, to discover upon sight, how many you have, 

 and what you throw to him that plays with yon. 

 Some are so expert at their numbers that they 

 will tell ten times together, what they throw out 

 of their hands. Although the whole play is car- 

 ried on with the quickest motion it is possible to 

 use, yet some are so expert at this game, as to win 

 great Indian estates by this play. A good set of 

 these reeds, fit to play withal, are valued and sold 

 for a dressed doe skin. 



They have several other plays and games, as 

 with the kernels or stones of persimmons, which 

 are in efiect the same as our dice, because win- 

 ning or losing depend on which side appear up- 

 permost, and how they happen to fall together. 



Another game is managed with a batoon and a 

 ball, and resembles our trap ball ; besides, seve- 

 ral nations have several games and past-times, 

 which are not used by others. 



These savages live in wigwams, or cabins, built 

 of bark, which are made round, like an oven, to 



