GAMBLING DRINKING. 321 



and all. Turning over his property to the winner, the 

 loser started alone for Mexico, to recuperate his fallen 

 fortunes by thieving. 



There is no secrecy about the gambling. A blanket 

 spread on the ground, in the open air in good weather, 

 on the floor of the lodge in bad, serves as table. 

 Spectators crowd around, and if a man is losing heavily 

 the whole camp soon know's it. In such case the wives 

 generally put in an appearance, before things have pro- 

 ceeded to extremities, and break up the game, either by 

 bullying the husband, or informing the winner that they 

 will not live with him if won. 



DKINKIXG. 



The vice of all others most unhappy in its consequences 

 to the Indian is his love of strong drink. His passion for 

 intoxication amounts almost to madness. To drink liquor 

 as a beverage for the gratification of taste, or for the 

 sake of pleasurable conviviality, is something of which 

 he can form no conception. His idea of the pleasure and 

 the use of drink is to get drunk, and the quicker and 

 more complete that effect be obtained the better he likes 

 it. He is very easily affected, and what would be a very 

 ordinary intoxication without perceivable effect on a 

 white man will make him ' roaring drunk.' To gratify 

 this passion the Indian will go to any lengths, take any 

 risks, or do any dirty act. 



The laws of the United States are very stringent m 

 prohibiting the sale or gift of intoxicating liquor to 

 Indians, as well as its introduction into the Indian 

 territory. It is easy to make laws, but by no means 

 always easy to enforce them. When the laws were 

 made, Indian territory was every portion of the country 

 occupied by Indians. Much of that territory is now 

 within States, and the laws of those States protect its 



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