640 GAMES OF THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS [hTH. Ann. 24 
with loud shouts the players run to the ball, and commence knocking it to and 
fro with their crooked sticks. The ball is about the size of a large orange, and 
each party tries to prevent its coming toward their stakes. No warrior must 
touch the ball with his hands; but if it lies in a hole, he may push it out with 
his foot and then hit it with his stick. 
In the game which I am telling you about, Ma-to-sac’s party reached and 
struck the ball first, lifting it clear over our heads, and sending it far to our 
rear and close to our stakes. Then we all ran, and Ma-to-sac’s and A-ke-che-ta’s 
warriors fell over one another, and rapped each other on the shins with their 
clubs, and there was great confusion and excitement, but at length one of the 
party succeeded in hitting the ball, and sent it to Ma-to-sac’s stakes. hither 
we ran, but no one could find the ball. After much search I discovered it in a 
tuft of grass, and, bidding one of our men run quickly to the stakes, I hit it 
and drove the ball to him. Unfortunately it fell in a hole, and before our 
watrior could get it out and hit it, a dense crowd of Ma-to-sac’s men were 
around the spot and in front of the stakes. The contest was violent, so much 
so, indeed, that no one could hit the ball, though it was continually tramped 
over. At length some one called out, “ There it goes,” and the warriors scat- 
tered in all directions, looking to see where it was; but one of Ma-to-sac’s men, 
who had called out, stood fast, and when the crowd had scattered, I saw him 
attempting to conceal the ball beneath his foot. Running against him from 
behind with such force as to throw him on his face, before he could recover his 
feet I hit the ball, and, seeing all Ma-to-sac’s men off their guard, with the aid 
of a young man, easily drove it between their stakes, only a few yards distant. 
The judges at once declared the game was ours, and many and loud were the 
cheers sent up by our party, in token of the victory, while Ma-to-sac’s men 
retired sullen and disappointed. I was declared the winner, and A-ke-che-ta 
thanked me for my services, while the young warriors gathered around and 
congratulated me on my success. Then we all smoked, and went over to the 
stakes to receive our shares. As winner I was entitled to a general share of the 
spoils; but I declined in favor of the young Indian who had helped me drive 
the ball, saying that, as he had last hit it, and actually forced it between the 
stakes, he was, in reality, the most deserving. This argument was loudly ap- 
plauded by the old men, and the young warrior, who had not been friendly for 
some time with me, was so touched by my generosity that he came and thanked 
me, saying, frankly, ‘You, and not I, won the game.” However, I forced the 
general stakes upon him, at which he was much pleased. I found that the 
stakes had won a saddle, half 2 pound of powder, 6 yards of wampum beads, 
and «a handsomely braided knife-scabbard. When the judges had awarded 
all the winnings, among which were fourteen ponies, each took up his trophies 
and returned to the village, where for the remainder of the day the game was 
fought over again and again in the tepees. 
Daxora (Yankton). Fort Peck, Montana. (Free Museum of 
Science and Art, University of Pennsylvania.) 
Cat. no. 37609. Ball, tapa, covered with buckskin, slightly flattened, 
with median seam; diameter, 24 inches. 
«In this game everyone must keep his temper, and any stratagem is allowed, so the ball 
is not touched with the hands. It is not suffered, however, for anyone to hit another 
over the head, or on the body with sticks or the hands, but if you can upset a gamester 
by running against him it is esteemed fair. When either party cheats, foul is called by 
the opposite party, when the game ceases until the judges decide the matter. If it is a 
foul play the play is given to the other side. No one thinks of disputing the judges’ 
decision, and from it there is no appeal. 
