THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 303 



the tail, which I have before described ; and in these desperate struggles for the ball, 

 when it is up (Plate 225), where hundreds are running and leaping, actually over each 

 other's heads, and darting between their adversaries' legs, tripping and throwing, 

 and foiling each other in every possible manner, and every voice raised to the highest 

 key, in shrill yelps and barks), there are rapid successions of feats and of incidents 

 that astonished and amuse far beyond the conception of any one who has not had the 

 singular good luck to witness them. In these struggles every mode is used that can 

 be devised to oppose the progress of the foremost, who is likely to get the ball ; and 

 these obstructions often meet desperate individual resistance, which terminates in a 

 violent scuffle, and sometimes in fisticuffs, when their sticks are dropped, and the 

 parties are unmolested whilst they are settling it between themselves, unless it be 

 by a general slampedo, to which they are subject who are down, if the ball happens 

 to pass in their direction. Every weapon, by a rule of all ball-plays, is laid by in 

 their respective encampments, and no man allowed to go for one ; so that the sudden 

 broils that take place on the ground are presumed to be as suddenly settled without 

 any probability of much personal injury ; and no one is allowed to interfere in any way 

 with the contentious individuals. 



" There are times when the ball gets to the ground (Plate 226), and such a confused 

 mass rushing together around it, and knocking their sticks together, without the 

 possibility of any one getting or seeing it for the dust that they raise, that the spec- 

 tator loses his strength and everything else but his senses ; when the condensed 

 mass of ball-sticks and shins and bloody noses is carried around the different parts 

 of the ground, for a quarter of an hour at a time, without any one of the mass being 

 able to see the ball ; and which they are often thus scuffling for, several minutes 

 after it has been thrown off and played over another part of the ground. 



" For each time that the ball was passed between the stakes of either party one was 

 counted for their game, and a halt of about one minute, when it was again started 

 by the judges of the play, and a similar struggle ensued ; and so on until the suc- 

 cessful party arrived to one hundred, which was the limit of the game, and accom- 

 plished at an hour's sun, when they took the stakes ; and then, by a previous agree- 

 ment, produced a number of jugs of whisky, which gave all a wholesome drink, and 

 sent them all off merry and in good humor, but not drunk." — G. C. 



430. Ball-play of the Sioux Women, Prairie du Chien. Calicoes and other pres- 

 ents are placed on a pole by the men ; the women choose sides, and play 

 for them, to the great amusement of the men. Painted in 1836, at Prairie 

 du Chien, Wisconsin. 



(Plate No. 252, page 145, vol. 2, Catliu's Eight Years.) 



In this play there are two balls attached to the ends of a string 18 inches in length ; 

 the women have a stick in each hand, on which they catch the string and throw it. 



With Wa-le-shalCs band of Sioux, who were receiving annuities. 



After the men (Sioux) had enjoyed their surfeit of whisky, and wanted a little 

 more amusement, and felt disposed to indulge the weaker sex in a little recreation 

 also, it was announced amongst them and through the village that the women were 

 going to have a ball-play. 



For this purpose the men, in the very liberal trades they were making, and fill- 

 ing their canoes with goods delivered to them on a year's credit, laid out a great 

 quantity of ribbons and calicoes, with other presents well adapted to the wants and 

 desires of the women, which were hung on a pole resting on crotches, and guarded by 

 an old man, who was to be judge and umpire of the play which was to take place 

 amongst the women, who were divided into two equal parties, and were to play a des- 

 perate game of ball for the valuable stakes that were hung before them. 



Iu the ball-play of the women, they have two balls attached to the ends of a 

 string about a foot and a half long, and each woman has a short stick in each hand 

 on which she catches the string with the two balls aud throws them, endeavoring to 



