152 THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 



darts his right hand under each, dropping a little stone, the size of a hazelnut, under 

 one of the moccasins, leaving his adversary to hit upon one or the other, and to take 

 the counter and the chance if he chooses the one under which the stone is dropped. 

 This is, perhaps, one of the silliest-looking games to the spectator, but it all goes to 

 music, and in perfect time, and often for hours together without intermission, and 

 forms one of the principal gambling games of these gambling people. 



Kon-tho-gra (Game of the Platter). — This is the fascinating game of the 

 women, and exclusively their own, played with a number of little blocks of wood the 

 size of a half-crown piece, marked with certain points for counting the game, to be 

 decided by throws, as they are shaken in a bowl and turned out on a sort of pillow. 

 The bets are made after the bowl is turned, and decided by the number of points and 

 colors turned. 



War Song. — War songs are numerous in each tribe, and always consist of vaunts 

 and self-eulogiums, undervaluing their enemies, and taunting them with threats and 

 reminiscences of victories gained over them, &c. And, besides these, each tribe has 

 one war-song which is purely national and patriotic, as much so as " God Save the 

 Queen" or "Yankee Doodle." 



War-Whoop. — The frightful war-whoop is sounded at the instant when Indians 

 are rushing into battle, as the signal of attack, and thus gets its terror from association, 

 rather than from anything so terrifying in the sound or yell itself. The war-whoop 

 is a shrill-sounded note, on a high key, given out with a gradual swell, and shaken by 

 a rapid vibration of the four fingers of the right hand over the mouth. This note is 

 not allowed to be given in the Indian countries unless in battle, or in the war or 

 other dances, where they are privileged to give it, as it will be sounded in various 

 parts of the war-dance. 



Death Song. — The death song is strictly national, belonging to every tribe, and is 

 sung by any one in the tribe resolved or condemned to die. It is generally sung during 

 the night previous to an execution, by the criminal, or by a suicide, and repeated to 

 the last moment of his existence. It has generally a most doleful effect, having as 

 one has in that country a knowledge of the certainty of death decreed by a council, 

 or by a suicide. In this song, which is always addressed to the Great Spirit, there is 

 an offer back to the Great Spirit of the soul, which "entered in at the breast and is 

 now going out at the toe." 



Wolf Song. — This amusing song, which I believe to be peculiar to theloways, seems 

 to come strictly under the province of the medicine or mystery man. I will venture to say 

 that this ingenious adaptation will excite a smile, if not some degree of real amuse- 

 ment, as well as applause, whenever it is fairly heard and understood by an English 

 audience. The occasion that calls for this song in the Ioway country is when a party 

 of young men who are preparing to start on a war excursion against their enemy 

 (after having fatigued the whole village for several days with the war-dance, making 

 their boasts how they are going to slay their enemies, &c.) have retired to rest at a 

 late hour in the night, to start the next morning at break of day on their intended 

 expedition. In the dead of that night, and after the vaunting war party have got 

 into a sound sleep, the serenading party to sing this song, made up of a number of 

 young fellows who care at that time much less about taking scalps than they do for 

 a little good fun, appear back of the wigwams of these "men of war," and commence 

 serenading them with this curious song which they have ingeniously taken from the 

 howling of a gang of wolves, and so admirably adapted it to music as to form it into 

 a most amusing duet, quartet, or whatever it may be better termed; and with this 

 song, with its barking and howling chorus, they are sure to annoy the party until 

 they get up, light the tire, get out their tobacco and other little luxuries they may 

 have prepared for their excursion, which they will smoke and partake with them 

 until daylight, if they last so long, when they will take leave of their morning friends 

 who are for the "death," thanking them for their liberality and kindness in starting, 



