OANNl MAYA INDIANS OF YUCATAN AND BRITISH HONDURAS 39 



Qnimbombo. — The wild okra is .^neatly esteemed as an external application in 

 eases of snake hite. 



Sidm. — An infusion made from the leaves is used as a sudorific in cases of malarial 

 fever. 



Sirilpuz. — A yellowish fruit sometimes used as a purgative. 



Cabalvixoy. — The fruit of this tree is given in cases of diarrhea, and an infusion 

 made from the hark is used in diarrhea and dj-sentery. 



Claudiosa Xiu. — An infusion made from the whole lush i.s greatly esteemed as 

 a bath and lotion in all uterine and ovarian, complaints. 



Chalche. — The spinous leaf of this plant is used as a local application to relieve 

 neuralgic pains, and an infusion made from the leaves is given for rheumatism. 



Chamico. — An infusion made from the leaves of the convolvulus mixed with other 

 leaves is given to relieve asthma and bronchial catarrh. 



Chaac. — The arrowroot, eaten raw, is regarded as a useful remedy in all 1 ladder 

 and urethral complaints. 



Clique. — The wood, gi-ound into a paste, is applied to the heads of small children 

 suffering from fever and convulsions. 



Ruda. — The leaves of this plant are universally used as an external application 

 for children suffering from convulsions, and frequently in the same manner for the 

 relief of almost any nervous complaint in adults. 



Pica pica — \ sort of cowhage which, mixed with atol or some corn beverage, is 

 largely used as a vermifuge for children. 



Games 



Both children and adults play many games, most of which have 

 probably been introduced since the conquest. A favorite among 

 these is a game known as talc in Jcul, in which a number of players 

 stand m a row with their hands behind their backs while one, who 

 holds a small pottery disk in his hand, stands behind the row, another 

 standing in front. The one holding the disk places it in the hands of 

 one of those m the line, who in turn passes it to his neighbor, so that 

 it travels rapidly up and down the line. The player in front has to 

 guess in whose hand the disk is at the moment of guessing. If he is 

 right, the holder of the disk has to come in front while the one who 

 guessed correctly joins the line. 



Chac is a sort of "knucklebones," played with pottery disks, which 

 are tossed from the palm to the back of the hand and back again; 

 the one who drops fewest disks in a given number of double throws 

 wins the game. 



The boys make little bows (pohoche) and arrows (hul) tipped with 

 black wax, with which they play war and hunting games. 



A seesaw made from a small tree balanced on a stump is popular, 

 as is also a sort of merry-go-round constructed from a cross of poles 

 fixed on top of a stump by means of a wooden pin, which rotates 

 freely. The children sit at the extreme ends of the poles and make 

 the contrivance rotate by kickmg against the ground vigorously at 



