238 GAMES OF THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS _ [eru. ann. 24 
material. He then called out, “ My daughter, roast by the fireside something 
to eat for your husband; he must be hungry.” Hearing which, the gambler, 
who had thought himself alone with Ne-yer-hwolluz, was much surprised to see 
a beautiful virgin @ emerge from one of the corner provision and goods stores and 
proceed to prepare a repast for him. 
Meanwhile the old man was digging a hole in the ashes, whence he brought 
out a whole black bear cooked under the fire with skin and hair on. Pressing 
with his fingers the brim of the hole made by the arrow, he took the bear up to 
his guest’s lips, saying, ‘* Suck out the grease, my son-in-law.” The latter was 
so exhausted by fatigue that he could drink but a little of the warm liquid, 
which caused his host to exclaim, “How small bellied my son-in-law is!” 
Then the old man went to the second fireplace, likewise dug out therefrom a 
whole bear, and made his guest drink in the same way with the same result, 
accompanied by a similar remark. 
After they had eaten, Ne-yoer-hwolluz showed the gambler to his resting 
place and cautioned him not to go out during the night. As for himself, he was 
soon noticed to leave the lodge that and every other night; and as he came 
back in the morning he invariably seemed to be quite heated and looked as one 
who had traveled a very great distance. 
The gambler lived there happily with his new wife for some months. But his 
former passion soon revived. As spring came back he would take some alté in 
an absent-minded way and set out to play therewith all alone. Which seeing his 
father-in-law said to him, ‘“ If you feel lonesome here, my son-in-law, return for 
a while to your own folks and gamble with them.” Then, handing him a set of 
alté and four tetquh,? he added: “* When you have won all that is worth win- 
ning throw your tetquh up over the roof of the house and come back immedi- 
ately. Also, remember not to speak to your former wife.” 
The gambler then made his departure, and was soon again among the people 
who had abandoned him. He was now a handsome and well-dressed young man, 
and soon finding partners for his game he stripped them of all their belongings, 
after which he threw his tatquh over the roof of the lodge. He also met his 
former wife as she was coming from drawing water, and though she entreated 
him to take her back to wife again he hardened his heart and did not know her. 
Yet, instead of returning immediately after he had thrown his tetquh over 
the roof, as he had been directed to do, his passion for atlih betrayed him into 
playing again, when he lost all he had won. He was thus reduced to his first 
state of wretched nakedness. He then thought of Ne-yer-hwolluz, of his new 
wife, and his new home, and attempted to return to them, but he could never 
find them. 
Tievtprnc. South fork, Trinity river, California. 
Mr Stephen Powers says: ¢ 
The Kailtas are inveterate gamblers, either with the game of guessing the 
sticks or with cords, and they have a curious way of punishing or mortifying 
themselves for failure therein. When one has been unsuccessful in gaming he 
‘requently scarifies himself with flints or glass on the outside of the leg from the 
knee down to the ankle, scratching the skin all up crisscross until it bleeds freely. 
“He does this for luck, believing that it will appease some bad spirit who is 
against him. The Siahs, on Hel river, have the same custom. 
“Sak-esta, “She sits apart.” 
*A long throwing rod which serves to play another game. 
¢ The Overland Monthly, v. 9, p. 163, San Francisco, 1872. 
