686 BUREAU OP AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 137 



of convex and concave surfaces presented after they had come to 

 rest (Swan ton, 1928, pp. 468-469). Our anonymous French writer 

 mentions a Choctaw game played with four canes which was prob- 

 ably identical with this (Swanton, 1918, p. 68), and Du Pratz de- 

 scribes at considerable length a related game among the Natchez: 



The pieces with which they play are three bits of cane, 8 to 9 inches long, 

 split in two equal parts, and pointed at the ends. Each piece is distinguished 

 by designs cut into the convex side. Three play together and each has her 

 bit. In playing they hold two of these pieces of cane on the open left hand 

 and the third in the right hand, the rounded side above, with which they 

 strike on the two ethers, taking care to touch only the ends. The three pieces 

 fall, and when two of them have the convex side up the one who has played 

 scores a point. If there is only one she scores nothing. After the first the 

 two others play in their turn. (Le Page du Pratz, 1758, vol. 3, pp. 4-6.) 



They are said not to have used this in gambling (Du Pratz, 1758, 

 vol. 3, pp. 4-6 ; Swanton, 1911, p. 91) . 



According to Benjamin Paul, Chitimacha women also played a 

 game in which bits of cane were used (Swanton, 1911, p. 350), and 

 so did the Caddo (Swanton, 1942, p. 175). 



Among the Siouans Lawson noted a game played with dice made of 

 persimmon stones (Lawson, 1860, p. 288). The Cherokee played a 

 game in which 6 beans, made dark on one side and white on the other, 

 were put into a shallow basket, shaken and tossed into the air, the 

 score depending, of course, upon the number of black or white sides 

 shown when they came to rest. Twelve beans were kept as counters, 

 from which it appears that the game was for 12 points (Culin, 1907, p. 

 105). This must have been almost identical with the Creek game in 

 which grains of corn were used which had been blackened on one side. 

 According to Culin, the Choctaw played this with 8 grains of corn, but 

 Bushnell was told by the Choctaw of Bayou Lacomb that they used 5 

 or 7 (Swanton, 1928, p. 469; Culin, 1907, p. 146). 



Footraces are noted in some places, in Florida in the very earliest 

 accounts, and among the Caddo in particular. The Chitimacha are 

 said to have played a game in which a ball was thrown through a ring, 

 but it is by no means certain that this was pre-Columbian, and the 

 Alabama once had a bearskin marked off into compartments which 

 reminds one very much of the familiar parchesi board. The game 

 itself was similar (Swanton, 1928, pp. 468-469). A considerable 

 number of children's games were in imitation of those of their elders. 



WAR 



Offensive and defensive weapons have already been described as 

 well as stockades, but the following notes may be added bearing more 

 particularly on customs observed during hostilities between tribes. 



