172 



THE PIMA INDIANS 



[ETH. ANN. 26 



throwing a double ball by means of a long stick, wliile he kept a kick- 

 ing ball before him. But the women seldom ran in foot races, though 

 their active outdoor life, engaged in the various tasks that fell to 

 them, kept them in fit condition. However, they had an athletic 

 game which corresponded in a measure to the races of the men and 

 developed skill in running. This game was played as follows: 



ALDU 



Two of tlie swiftest runners among the women acted as leaders 

 and chose alternately from the players until all were selected in two 

 groups. Two goals were fixed about 400 yards apart, one side say- 

 ing, "To the trail is where we can beat you," while the other jiarty 

 declared, "To that mesquite is where we can beat J'ou." Two lines 

 were formed about 25 yards apart, and the ball was put in jjlaj- by 



Fig. 86. o, Alder stick; ft. (ioublc ball. 



being tossed up and started toward tlic ojjponent's goal. It was 

 thrown with sticks imtil some one drove it beyond the goal and won 

 the game." To touch the ball with the hands debarred the person 

 from further play. This game was abandoned about 1S8.5. 



KICKING-BALL RACES 



These races were frequently intertribal, and in their contests with 

 the Papagos the Pimas nearly always won. The use of these balls 

 in foot races is very widespread in the Southwest, and even yet we 

 hear of races taking place that exceed 20 miles in length. 



The kicking ball, when of wood, resembles a croquet ball in size, 

 but it is usually covered with a coating of creosote gum. These balls 



» The stick in the collection is of willow, 1.230 m. long, with a niaximiun diameter of 18 mm. The balls 

 are in pairs, 15 cm. apart, connected by a 4-strand 2-ply leather thong, the balls being mere knotty 

 enlargements of the thong (fig. 86, a, 6). 



