512 GAMES OF THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS  [ern. ann. 24 
the board. Two men fix themselves at one end, each provided with a stick, and 
one of them with a ring; then they run along the board, and about halfway 
slide the sticks after the ring. 
Catlin ¢ says: 
The game of tchung-kee, a beautiful athletic exercise, which they seem to be 
almost unceasingly practicing whilst the weather is fair and they have nothing 
else of moment to demand their attention. This game is decidedly their favorite 
amusement, and is played near to the village on a pavement of clay, which has 
been used for that purpose until it has become as smooth and hard as a floor. 
For this game two champions form their respective parties, by choosing alter- 
nately the most famous players, until their requisite numbers are made up. 
Vheir bettings are then made, and their stakes are held by some of the chiefs or 
others present. The play commences [figure 676] with two (one from each 
Fig. 676. The game of tchung-xee; Mandan Indians, Norta Dakota; from Catlin. 
party), who start off upon a trot, abreast of each other, and one of them rolls 
in advance of them, on the pavement, a little ring of 2 or 3 inches in diameter, 
cut out of a stone; and each one follows it up with his * tchung-kee” (a stick of 
6 feet in length, with little bits of leather projecting from its sides of an inch or 
more in length), which he throws before him as he runs, sliding it along upon 
the ground after the ring, endeavoring to place it in such a position when it stops, 
that the ring may fall upon it, and receive one of the little projections of leather 
through it. which counts for game 1, or 2, or 4, according to the position of the 
leather on which the ring is lodged. The last winner always has the rolling of 
the ring, and both start and throw the tchung-kee together; if either fails to 
receive the ring or to lie in a certain position, it is a forfeiture of the amount of 
the number he was nearest to, and he loses his throw; when another steps into 
his place. This game is a very difficult one to describe, so as to give an exact 
«The Manners, Customs, and Condition of the North American Indians, y. 1, p. 132, 
London, 1841. 
