cULIN] DICE GAMES: HURON 107 
dreamt of which they think lucky, and they make a collection of all and put 
them into little bags, which they carry about with them, and if anyone has the 
reputation of being lucky—that is, in the opinion of these people of having a 
familiar spirit more powerful or more inclined to do good—they never fail to 
make him keep near the one who holds the dish. They even go a great way 
sometimes to fetch him, and if through age or any infirmity he can not walk 
they will carry him on their shoulders. 
They have often pressed the missionaries to be present at these games, as 
they believe their guardian genii are the most powerful. 
Nicolas Perrot “ says: 
The savages have also a sort of game of dice, the box of which is a wooden 
plate, well rounded and well polished on both sides. The dice are made of six 
small flat pieces of bone, about the size of a plum stone. They are all alike, 
having one of the faces colored black, red, green, or blue, and the other gen- 
erally painted white or any different color from the first-mentioned face. They 
throw these dice in the plate, holding the two edges, and on lifting it they make 
them jump and turn therein. After haying struck the dish on the cloth they 
strike themselves at the same time heavy blows on the chest and shoulders 
while the dice turn about, crying “ Dice, dice, dice” until the dice have stopped 
moving. When they find five or six showing the same color they take the 
gains which have been agreed upon with the opposite party. If the loser and 
his comrades have nothing more to play with, the winner takes all that is on the 
game. Entire villages have been seen gambling away their possessions, one 
against the other, on this game. and ruining themselves thereat. They also 
challenge to a decision by one throw of the die, and when it happens that a 
party throws 6 all those of the tribe that bet on him get up and dance in 
cadence to the noise of gourd rattles. All passes without dispute. The women 
and girls also play this game, but they often use eight dice and do not use a 
dice box like the men. They only use a blanket, and throw them on with the 
hand. 
Gabriel Sagard Theodat” says: 
The men are addicted not only to the game of reeds, which they call aescara, 
with three or four hundred small white reeds cut equally to the length of a foot, 
but are also addicted to other kinds of games, as for instance, taking a large 
wooden platter with five or six plum stones or small balls somewhat flattened, 
about the size of the end of the little finger, and painted black on one side and 
white or yellow on the other. They squat all around in a circle and take each 
his turn in taking hold of the platter with both hands, which they keep at a little 
distance from the floor, and bring the platter down somewhat roughly, so as to 
make the balls move about; they take it as in a game of dice, observing on which 
side the stones He, whether it goes against them or for them. The one who holds 
the platter says continually while striking it, “ Tet, tet. tet.” thinking that this 
may excite and influence the game in his favor. 
For the ordinary game of women and girls, at times joined by men and boys, 
five or six stones are used; for instance, those of apricots, black on one side and 
yellow on the other, which they hold in their hands as we do dice, throwing the 
stones a little upward, and after they have fallen on the skin which serves them 
as a carpet they see what the result is, and continue to play for the necklaces, 
ear ornaments, and other small articles of their companions, but never for gold 
“4 Mémoire sur les Moeurs, Coustumes et Relligion des Sauvages de Amérique Septen- 
trionale, p. 50, Leipzig, 1864. 
> Histoire du Canada, p. 243, Paris, 1866. 
