cULIN] HAND GAME: DIEGUENO 328 
Bach side has five counters, mé’-tém. The only signal is ha! and is directed to 
the opponent’s hand, which is supposed to hold the ték-ye’-e’-mi, or plain bone. 
Ta-tai’-i-ta, the male bone, is merely negative, being fumbled with the plain bone 
only to confuse the guesser. At the beginning both pairs of bones are held on 
one side, who begin to sing and slap sticks 
(their assistants and partners do the latter) 
on a board before them. Two only of the 
group manipulate the bones. The guessing — 
opponents are silent, intently regarding the —_ Se 
singers. At last one of the opponents 
stretches forth an arm and often with sey- ay 
. : a Fic. 425. Bones for hand game; length, 
eral frenzied gestures cries ha! at the same Shinches; Huchnom Indians, Kel river, 
time waving his hand to indicate the location California: cat. no.21394, United States 
of the plain bone. If successful, he takes the National Museum. 
bones, and if he guesses both opponents’ 
hands correctly, not only the pair of bones are given him, but counters also. If 
a guesser happens to guess both plain bones, he receives two counters, and if he 
guesses right on one only, the one he waves his hand at, he gets but one counter. 
If he misses both, he and his partner forfeit two counters. 
YUKIAN STOCK 
Hucunom. South fork of Eel river, California. (Cat. no. 21394, 
United States National Museum.) 
Four bones (figure 425), 32 inches in length, highly polished with 
use, two wrapped with cord about the middle and two plain. 
These were collected by Mr Stephen Powers, who describes them as 
tep and we; tep, marked ones; we, plain ones. 
These are rolled up in pellets of dry grass, and the adversary guesses in 
which hand is the marked one. They squat on opposite sides of a fire, and 
keep up a continual chanting, with strange hissing sounds, which confuse the 
beholder. All the spectators bet on the game if they wish; when one bets he 
lays down the article, and the one who accepts his bet covers it with articles of 
equal value, so when the game is done everyone in the victorious party has 
twice as much as he had at the beginning. ‘The same names exist for these 
pieces in many tribes [see page 289]. 
YUMAN STOCK 
DircuENo. San Diego, California. (Cat. no. 19757, United States 
National Museum.) 
Four hollow bones, 22 inches long, to which are attached a thick 
cord about 13 inches in length, terminating in a slip noose, and 
four wooden twigs, 24 inches in length, to which is tied a simi- 
lar noosed cord (figure 426). In the case of the bones the cord 
passes through a hole in one side and is secured with a knot. 
Also, fourteen counting sticks (figure 427) of grease wood, 
about 18 inches in length. 
