69 
CULIN] RACKET: MISSISAUGA A 9) 
Miami. St Joseph river, Michigan. 
Charlevoix “ says, referring to lacrosse: 
It is played with a ball, and with two staffs recurved and terminated by a 
sort of racket. Two posts are set up, which serve as bounds, and which are dis- 
tant from each other in proportion to the number of players. For instance, if 
there are eighty of these, there will be a half league between the posts. The 
players are divided into two bands, each having its own post; and it is a question 
of driving the ball as far as the post of the opposing party without falling upon 
the ground or being touched with the hand. If either of these happens the game 
is lost, unless he who has committed the mistake repairs it by driving the ball 
with one stroke to the bound, which is often impossible. These savages are so 
adroit in catching the ball with their crosses that these games sometimes last 
several days in succession. 
Sault de Ste Marie, Michigan. 
Mr Alexander McFarland Davis” says: 
In 1667, Nicolas Perrot, then acting as agent of the French Government, was 
received near Saut Sainte Marie with stately courtesy and formal ceremony 
by the Miamis, to whom he was deputed. A few days after his arrival, the chief 
cf that nation gave him, as an entertainment, a game of lacrosse.c “ More than 
two thousand persons assembled ina great plain each with his cross. A wooden 
ball about the size of a tennis ball was tossed in the air. From that moment 
there was a constant movement of all these crosses which made a noise like that 
of arms which one hears during a battle. Half of the savages tried to send the 
ball to the northwest the length of the field, the others wished to make it go to 
the southeast. The contest which lasted for a half hour, was doubtful.” 
Missisauca. New Credit, Ontario. 
Rey. Peter Jones @ says: 
Ball playing is another favorite amusement. 
Rice lake, Ontario. 
G. Copway © says: 
One of the most popular games is that of ball-playing, which oftimes engages 
an entire village. Parties are formed of from ten to several hundred. Before 
they commence those who are to take part in the play must provide each his 
share of stakings, or things which are set apart; and one leader for each party. 
Each leader appoints one of each company to be stake-holder. 
Each man and each woman (women sometimes engage in the sport) is armed 
with a stick, one end of which bends somewhat like a small hoop, about 4 inches 
in circumference, to which is attached a net work of raw-hide, 2 inches deep, 
just large enough to admit the ball which is used on the oceasion. Two poles 
are driven in the ground at a distance of four hundred paces from each other, 
which serves as goals for the two parties. It is the endeavor of each to take the 
ball to his hole. The party which carries the ball and strikes its pole wins the 
game. 
“Journal d'un Voyage dans l’Amérique Septentrionnale, v. 3, p. 319, Paris, 1744. 
> Indian Games. Bulletin of the Essex Institute, vy. 17, p. 90, Salem, 1886. 
© Histoire de Amérique Septentrionale par M. de Bacqueville de la Potherie, v. 2, p. 
124, Paris, 1722. 
¢ History of the Ojebway Indians, p. 184, London, 1861. 
¢The Traditional History and Characteristic Sketches of the Ojibway Nation, p. 49, 
Boston, 1851. 
