AMUSEMENTS. 331 



This, with the leg holding the cantle, gives him firm sup- 

 port, and leaves both arms free. He can, however, use 

 only the right side of the horse. In pistol practice, the 

 loop is not necessary, and, needing only one hand with 

 the weapon, he can shelter himself on either side, holding 

 on to the pommel with the left hand. 



Compared with the white hunter of the plains, the 

 Indian is a wretched shot. He is about equal to the 

 United States soldier, being deficient for the same reason 

 lack of practice. The Government and the Indian are 

 each too poor to afford to waste more than ten cartridges 

 a month on drill, and no man ever became an expert 

 marksman on that allowance. The Indian is really much 

 more dangerous with the bow than with the pistol ; but 

 the latter gives a longer range, and the Indian does not 

 like close fighting any better than other people. 



With all his power of endurance, his life in the open 

 air, and his constant and violent exercise, the Indian is 

 not physically a powerful man. He has not the slightest 

 knowledge of the use of his fists, and the poorest member 

 of the prize ring could carry off the belt from the whole 

 red race. 



The boys wrestle a good deal, but without rule or 

 science a mere scuffle. An average white man will ' get 

 away' with the strongest and most active Indian either in 

 a wrestling match or in a foot race for short distances. 

 In a race for miles the Indian endurance will win. 



All Indians swim, as it were, by instinct, and evince 

 great courage and skill in the passage of the plains rivers, 

 dangerous from their swift currents and terrible from 

 their treacherous quicksands. 



There are no games of ball, nor any approach to the 

 civilised games of children, except the sort of game of 

 tag mentioned. 



The women ride astride, mount on the right side, use 

 the same saddle, and are almost as much at home in it as 

 the men. 



