574 GAMES OF THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS  [eru. any, 24 
ested person casts up the ball, then the opposite parties all contend for it. If 
anyone gets it into his net, he runs with it the way he wishes it to go, and 
they all pursue him. If one of the opposite party overtakes the person with 
the ball, he gives the stay a stroke which causes the ball to fly out of the net; 
then they have another debate for it; and if the one that gets it can outrun 
all the opposite party, and can carry it quite out, or over the line at the end, the 
game is won; but this seldom happens. When anyone is running away with 
the ball and is like to be overtaken, he commonly throws it, and with this 
instrument can cast it 50 or 60 yards. Sometimes when the ball is almost at 
the one end matters will take a sudden turn, and the opposite party may quickly 
carry it out at the other end. Oftentimes they will work a long time back and 
forward before they can get the ball over the line, or win the game. 
Cueroker. Tennessee river, North Carolina. 
John Bartram ¢ describes a ball dance in the council house at the In- 
dian town of Cowe: 
This assembly was held principally to rehearse the ball-play dance, this town 
being challenged to play against another the next day. 
The people being assembled and seated in order, and the musicians haying 
taken their station, the ball opens, first with a long harangue or oration, spoken 
by an aged chief, in commendation of the manly exercise of the ball-play, re- 
counting the many and brilliant victories which the town of Cowe had gained 
over the other towns in the nation, not forgetting or neglecting to recite his 
own exploits, together with those of other aged men now present, coadjutors 
in the performance of these athletic games in their youthful days. This oration 
was delivered with great spirit and eloquence, and was meant to influence the 
passions of the young men present, excite them to emulation, and inspire them 
with ambition. 
This prologue being at an end, the musicians began, both vocal and instru- 
mental; when presently a company of girls, hand in hand, dressed in clean white 
robes and ornamented with beads, bracelets, and a profusion of gay ribbands, 
entering the door, immediately began to sing their responses in a gentle, low, 
and sweet voice, and formed themselves in a semicircular file or line, in two 
ranks, back to back, facing the spectators and musicians, moving slowly round 
and round; this continued about a quarter of an hour, when we were sur- 
prised by a sudden yery loud and shrill whoop, uttered at once by a company 
of young fellows, who came in briskly after one another, with rackets or hurls 
in one hand. These champions likewise were well dressed, painted, and orna- 
mented with silver bracelets, gorgets and wampum, neatly ornamented with 
moccasins and highwayving plumes in their diadems: they immediately formed 
themselves in a semicircular rank also, in front of the girls, when these changed 
their order, and formed a single rank parallel to the men, raising their voices in 
responses to the tunes of the young champions, the semicircles continually 
moving round. There was something singular and diverting in their step and 
motions, and I imagine not to be learned to exactness but with great attention 
and perseverance; the step, if it can be so termed, was performed after the 
following manner; i. e., first, the motion began at one end of the semicircle, 
gently rising up and down upon their toes and heels alternately, when the first 
was up on tip-toe, the next began to raise the heel, and by the time the first 
rested again on the heel, the second was on tip-toe, thus from one end of the 
«Travels through North and South Carolina, Georgia, East and West Florida, p. 369, 
Philadelphia, 1791. 
