swANr..N| IXDTAX TIMP.KS OP^ TIIH I.OWKR MTSSTSSIPPI VAI.I.KV 117 



(pici-ccil .'It du' tv 11(1' tlii-nii-,'li wliicli M Slick is pMsst'd, of wiiiiii lilt' idiijit'sl cud 

 serves .•!>; a ii.i' •. and in wiiidi soiiu" lilllc stones or dry l)e:iiis liavc !>eeii 

 liiaced. As tii >nieii turn from left (o riL'lil the men Inrn from rijihl t<) left 

 and all keep ti. with an accuracy which must he considered surprlsinp;. Tlio 

 inlervals whici (ht>.v leave betvA'ecn make it convenieid 1o leave the dance 

 when they are tired and reenter it without Ciiusini,' any ironhle. The circles 

 iniiiract and enlarge accordinf; to necessity, always keeiiinu; time, and the 

 dancers heint: able to rest and be replaced by others (for in ^reat families all 

 do not <lan( the same time) their dances ordinarily last all iuj,'ht. It may 



he nndersto without dilllculty that in this manner they misht be able to 

 dance forevi the actors beini; able to retire without interruptiuf,' it and re- 

 enter in the ..ame way wlien they iiave recovered their streu^th. I oufiht to 

 say besides that in this feast there is never any disorder or quarrel, not only 

 on accotmt of the presence of the fjreat Sun and tlie good custom th(>y have 

 of livint; in peace, but also because they eat only the sacred grain and drink 

 nothin,LC but water. 



1 >ay having come, no one appears in tlie ojien sjiace until the great Sun 

 comes out of his house toward '.) o'clock in tlie morning. He walks' some 

 moments a one witli the great war chief, and lias the drum, or the pot wlilch 

 serves in place of it, beaten against the post. Immediately the warriors liasten 

 to come out of their cabins, and form two troops which are distinguished by 

 the color of the Illumes with which their heads are adorned. The one has 

 white feathers and takes the side of the great Sun; the other has red feathers 

 and is for the great war chief. Tlien begins the game of the pclotte [ball], a 

 little ball of d(>erskin of the size of the fist tilled with Spanish beard. 



The two chiefs throw this ball back and fortli for some time from one to the 

 other. The two bands are extremely attentive to all their movements, for at 

 the moment when one least thinks of it the great Sun throws it in the very 

 thick of the warriors who are then mingled and confounded together. This 

 ball must never fall or be carried. It would be snatched forcibly from the one 

 who should seize it and no one would help him. The interdiction is express on 

 this point. As this ball game has two goals, to reach the cabin of the great Sun 

 and that of the great war chief, it is necessary that it be pressed and urged l)y 

 blows given with the palm of the hand to one of these two cabins. It is a real 

 pleasure to see this ball spring sometimes to one side of the open space, some- 

 times to the other, sometimes remaining in the middle, then appearing decided 

 fo touch one of the goals, and at the last moment be repelled by a hostile hand 

 into its first uncertainty. The movement of the warriors and the innocent 

 liassion in which the.v enter it for the honor of the game is not unaccompanied 

 by noise. Fear. dis(iuietnde, and vexation have their different cries. That of 

 joy rises above all others. Ordinarily the game lasts two hours, and the war- 

 riors sweat great drops. Finally, the ball touching one of the cabins, the 

 amusement is at an end. The band which behmged to this cabin having thus 

 won, receives from the chief of the opi»osite side a considerable pnsent and 

 the right as a mark of victory to wear distinguishing plumes until the following 

 year or until the next time they play ball. Following this game the warriors 

 dance the war dance to the sound of the i)ot. After this dance they go to bathe, 

 an exercise of which they are very fond, especially when they are a little 

 heated or fatigued. 



The i-est of the day is passed like the preceding, and the feast lasts as long 

 as there is corn to eat, for they do not bring any back to the village, and even 

 when there is no more to distribute, all the cabins are visited to know how 

 much remains to each family. Where a too lai'ge quantity is found a maize 

 tassel is suspended at the door, and those who do not have enough are informed 



