Arkansas intelligencer., 1845-06-19

AN INDIAN BALL PLAY.
Reported for the Arkansas InteiIisencer,
sYrosr SMALL.
(Coneluded.l ~
Day was inst heaving up in the east when awoke e
Every body was afoot and bustlng. Ponies were he
ing caught ard harnessed some cooking, eating
and the scene all life and animation, hope and ex
pectation.H
The ground selected for the play was 4 small leye
glade, sligtly inclined, containing. should judge
about $40 acres Sixty players were TO appear each
de- The game was the first thirty balls and
ling alowed under the forfeiture of ball for each at
tempt. This is esteemed a considerable forfeit and
established TO prevent wrestling which has uniform
ly I'D to fighting and blood-hed. Towards eleven
time the play commenced. ! imaginethere must have
been at least thousand ponies the ground, ny
OF them carrying double While not few of the spec
tators foot. There were no establishment Is
visible where thirsty fellow might be relieved, but
there such thing jug tsuern where gill Of
spirits might be had tor quarter, if we could be in
duced 10 GO it, after being told story ! once heard
concerning those self same Jug tdrerns These timer.
ent cafes generally kept by Squaws who vastly
resemble Macbeths Witch in appearance. and the
whskey 10 vended from jug and not unfrequent from
an old cofe. pot. |. often happens that when per.
son makes a purchase, particularly if he be white
man, he will offer the vender to drink of il. She in
varably refuses, but takes an immense quantity
in her mouth. yet, having eye more To personal in
ierest than sensual Qualifications, she will hide her
head in her shawl and whilst the lockers foolshiy
incy she 10 affected by the strength OF the fluid, she
back to the jug coffee pot, as the may
be. Whether the whskey is improved by this mouth
ing process, connoisscurs must determine and leave
it those Uho kno~ to affirm to the CORRECTNESS of hs
ind tment. -
grou nd in all the 'pride pomp and circumstance they
could command occasional yells arose from time to
time before their appearances. he Iauses were the
6r,t t,ac nkei y exec oFt
fla p and painted in the most shdeous manner They
advan red in the play ground in smart trot, cutting
up all manner OF si Ines, waoaPing and yelling hkea
pack of young deyiR have seen wild Indians dance
The War Dance, but never in my life have witnessed
sight st all comparable to this. The Ia lu-ses plant
ed their stakes, INDUCED the crowd with few m"re
yells and then sat down upon the turf quietly 10 await
the appearance Of their opponents, nor had they long
who ps fierce as they had uier.d
now arose from the opposite extremity OF the glade and
the advanced into the field IN the same manner
as their adversares As the Co-et abs continued 10
approach, The Talu.ses arose from their recumbent
ps,on and gave evident tokens of fast becoming ex.
cited and when the Co abs had reached the centre of
the play ground utterng their defiance in three long,
low and retera yer they rushed in and mingled in.
dscrminately, Dragging and bantering Now it was
that the gambling began Horses mules: cows and
calves hunting shirts shawls handkerchefsa and every
art Gle Of apparel from :urban to pair Of m"ccasns
we're offered I'd taken and noticed in particular one
Of the players alter having wagered every piece OF prop
crty he owned, drew from his head two black 'eathe
and waved them aIoft token that he would bet
them upon the success Of his party. .
mo excitement had previously been visible among
the players and spectators at all comparable with mat
which existed. Some twenty or thirty minutes
passed, when the police commenced Dispensing the
crowd beyond the limits Of the play ground AID when
this had been accom- psed (no easy tssk the ground
measured the polls 4OO yards and the men
in their respective positions, the first ball was cast up
and the play began.
As The game progressed the excitement waxed warm
er he friends OF either side would exhort and en-
courage them to greater and renewed excrtions Com
bned this, the y-s Of the players they succeeded
in catching and tossing the ball. created din il is i'm
possible 10 conceive. My feelings inclined to the
success of the and when Coetahs would
succeed in snatchne the ball from the very poles Of
the Taluses and cast it back to great distance
could not avoid giving to my feelings in loud aP
proving exclamation.
The two 6rst balls were scored to the Ta.lu.ses
The two 10 The Coet lbs and thep contnued one
and up tween ty two, ut which number they wor
lied. 1t was evident that the Coet abs played with
skill but il was equally evident the Tauses were
better kepng Success to the other side was as ye'
by no means certain.
10 make six balls succcs-ivey and the game stands ~
2o The friends Of the Co etshs are in dspa bu.
their hopes renewed for they scored two balls one
the other in quick and the game stands
- to ~ The fifty second ball 10 tossed up, struggle
ensued which baAes all description. The ball s even
,uaIy won by the Ta.lu and the hackers Of their
opponents would hedge but there is show for thai
they despair The game stands scored "a to ~ and
the fifty thrd bal is cast up and obstinaely contend
ed for In the first instance, it has been taken to the
very poles Of the Tauses. but it is snstched from
thence and borne off to the opposite extremity Of the
ground Now the contest is about the centre and now
The sl:uggIe the tanks, but skill at last yields 10
endurance aud the la Iu-ses again successful AZ
ter con,nus Of three hours and forty minutes ths
game Is ended and BY the Ia lu-ses who proclaim
| ed their triumph with yes. ~hooPs and wild haiioo'
that made the very weIkn trembe The skill strength
aeetness md endurance exhiDted were wonderful Il
ehod, aud 10 play, within the memory OF man ha
ever been more obstnstrly contested than this one
' There were l2O players on the ground Who 'o