410 GAMES OF THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS  [eTH. Ann. 24 
Seneca. New York. 
Morgan ¢ describes the game of gawasa, or snow-snake, as follows: 
Among the amusements of the winter season in Indian life was the game with 
snow-snakes [figure 530]. It was primarily designed as a diversion for the 
young; but it was occasionally made a public game between the tribes like the 
other, and aroused a great degree of spirit and the usual amount of betting. 
The snake was thrown with the hand, by placing the forefinger against its 
foot and supporting it with the thumb and remaining fingers. It was thus 
made to run upon the snow crust with the speed of an arrow, and to a much 
greater distance, sometimes running 60 or 80 rods. The success of the player 
depended upon his dexterity and muscular strength. 
The snakes were made of hickory, and with the most perfect precision and 
finishe They were from 5 to 7 feet in length, about a fourth of an inch in 
thickness, and gradually diminishing from about an inch in width at the head 
to about half an inch at the foot. The head was round, turned up slightly, 
and pointed with lead to increase the momentum of the snake. This game, 
like that of ball, was divided into a number of separate contests; and was 
determined when either party had gained the number of points agreed upon, 
which was generally from 7 to 10. The players were limited and select, usu- 
ally not more than six. A station was determined upon, with the line, or gen- 
eral direction in which the snake was to be thrown. After they had all been 
SS 
Fra. 530. Snow-snake; Seneca Indians, New York; from Morgan. 
thrown by the players on both sides, the next question was to determine the 
count. The snake which ran the greatest distance was a point for the side 
to which it belonged. Other points might be won on the same side, if a second 
or third snake was found to be ahead of all the snakes upon the adverse side. 
One count was made for each snake which outstripped all upon the adverse side. 
These contests were repeated until one of the parties had made the requisite 
number of points to determine the game. 
With the snow boat | da-ya-no-tii-yen-da-qui] was played one of the 
winter games of the Iroquois, in which the object was to discover which 
boat would run the farthest in an iced trench or path. The boat 
was about 15 inches in length, and made of beech or other hard wood, 
something in the fashion of a canoe. It was solid, with the exception 
of an oblong cavity in the center, designed to suspend bells or other 
rattles upon. In the stern of this little vessel a white feather was 
inserted for a flag, by which to follow it in its descent. On the 
bottom the boat was rounded, but with a slight wind lengthwise, as 
shown in the figure [531], to give it a true direction. A side hill, 
with an open plain below, was the kind of place selected to try the 
speed of the boats. Trenches in a straight line down the hill, and 
about a foot wide, were made by treading down the snow; after 
«Teague of the Iroquois, p. 303, Rochester, 1851. 
