106 INDIAN GAMES. 



tory ill which it was domesticated, as additional evidence 

 of the extent of the intercourse which prevailed among 

 the native trihes of this country. 



PLATTER OR DICE. 



The second in the list of games given by Father Bre- 

 beuf is that which he calls "platter." Writers who des- 

 cribe the habits of the Indians at the north have much to 

 say concerning this game. According to Lescarbot, Jac- 

 ques Cartier saw it played, and recorded his observations. 36 



Sagard Theodat 37 devotes considerable space to it. 

 Both Father Brebeuf, in his Relation in 1636, and Father 

 Lalemant, in his Relation in 1639, give long accounts of 

 the game, the causes for its being played, the excesses in 

 gambling to which it leads, and the methods which pre- 

 vail in its practice. In Perrot's 38 work there is a good de- 

 scription of the game, although not so full as his account 

 of lacrosse, from which we have already quoted. La 

 Potherie and LaHontan barely mention it. Lafitau 39 in 

 his searching analysis of the manuscripts deposited at Que- 

 bec, while seeking for traces of his theory that a resem- 

 blance existed between the habits of the Indians and those 

 of the ancient dwellers in eastern Europe, found an un- 

 usual quantity of material bearing on this particular topic, 

 which he has reproduced in his book. Charlevoix 40 , in 

 a letter dated June 8, 1721, says, "As I was returning 

 through a quarter of the Huron village, I perceived a num- 

 ber of these Indians, who seemed much heated at play. I 



" Histoire de la Nouvelle France par Marc Lescarbot, Nouvelle Edition, Paris 

 1866, Vol. in, p. 754. 



7 Histoire du Canada, etc., par Gabriel Sagard Theodat; Nouvelle Edition, 

 Paris, 1866, Vol. I, pp. 243-244. 



p. 50. 



89 Moeurs des Sauvages Ameriquains, etc., parleP. Lafitau, Paris, 1724, Vol. 

 n, p. 339. 



Vol. m, pp. 260-1. 



