( t 14 ) 



and even fometimes one village plays againft ano* 

 ther ; each fide chufe their own marker who re- 

 tires when he pleafes, which happens only "when 

 things do not go fo well on his fide. At each 

 throw that is played, efpecially if it be a decifive 

 one, they make a prodigious fhouting ; the play- 

 ers feem poffefled, and the fpe&ators are fcarce 

 more matters of themfelves ; both malfe a thoufand 

 contortions, addrefs themfelves to the bones, load 

 the genii of the adverfe party with imprecations, 

 and the whole village rings with their howling ; if 

 all this is ineffectual to retrieve their ill-luck the 

 lofers are ac liberty to put off the party till to- 

 morrow, at the expence of a very (lender repaft 

 to the afliftants. 



They then prepare to return to the combat, 

 each invoking his tutelary genius and throwing in 

 honour of him fome tobacco into the fire ; they 

 implore of him above all things happy dreams; 

 the moment day appears they fall to play, when 

 if the lofers take it into their head that the furni- 

 ture of their cabbin is the caufe of their ill-luck, 

 they begin with changing it intirely ; great parties 

 generally laft five or fix days, and oftentimes the 

 night occations no interruption ; however as all 

 the fpe&ators, at leaft fuch as are concerned in 

 the game, are in fuch an agitation as to be tranf- 

 ported out of themfelves to fuch a degree that 

 they quarrel and fight, which never happens to 

 the Hurons except on thefe occafions, or when 

 they are drunk ; we may eafily guefs whether 

 when the party is ended, both do not ftand furti- 

 ciently in need of reft. 



It happens fometimes that thefe parties at play 

 are prefcribed by fome of their phyficians, or at 

 i the 



