Arkansas intelligencer., 1845-06-14
p IE>'r MEDIC INES.
AN lADlAN BAErfLa p
Reported FOX the Arkansas lntelligencer,
by TOBY sM ALL


Of all the pastmes and games peculiar to the Abo-
rgcn,s, that Of the Ball Play pre.emnetly inter
esIug TO the sprcator as exciting 10 the player.
have often srucd with interest to elaborate accounts
of great matches between rival towns or bands, but
though iOr many years resident among the Indians,
yet had witnessed one of their games, and IA
vorAble opportunity occurring few days since, de
1t appears that there has been Old rivalry exist
ing belwe,n the Go cals and Falu.ses, two towns Of
the Greek Nation in regud to their superiority in the
Ball Play The Coz abs have heretofore un crSa!ly
borne off the palm OF triumph, and after the lapse
Of than dozen years, the Talu-sGs 5aln desire
to match themselves against these Old rivals.
The Co-ct-ahs am told the largest band OF the
Nation and dwell PRINCIPALLY on the NerdgFis at and
It's junction with the Arkansas and upon the lat
ter river. The IA.lu-ses s'ttled upon the Mouth
and Deep Forks of he Canadian, aud though they de.
pend upon agriculture for sustcnance, yet they have
3t entirely Qb ndoncd their ancient customs or the
chase and are from their very mode of LIVING much
more Injured toll and fatigue than thc adversafIes,
who dwelling neghbors to and having had much more
intercourse with the Whites have naturally contracted
the habits of the white man and his mode OF living
and in proportion they have acquired the one, they
have nc q ctcd and abandoned the other.
The DalI Play is the great National game of the
Creeks Churokcrs and ChOc4w tribes OF lndians and
OF origin extending lar into antiquity. II Is dacI-
d,dy game of Skill but at the same time immense
strength and endurance are rcqust to well contest
ed match 1t is said that the Choctaws are the most
expert ball players OF the three Nations and Matches
| Il
okges but meeting has never yet taken place owing
TO the opposition Of The men, who fearful that
icues might arise during the progress oil the game
that would cndangcr the peace oil tue two Naton8 ior
such inconcCyaUic rivalry exists wren once the game
is begun, that men have often been known 10 i"se
there lives in the struggle for ball and in no play
heretofore any magnitude have there been less than
dozen crippled or severely injured
The game is played III the following manner A
match is made between the two parties the number
of ayers balls and time named; the ground Is select
cd with great care and marked. The night before the
play IS off, the opposing parties encainp oppo'
site each other from hall to three quarters ol ne
distant from the play ground; alter night TALL the pay
es ther around fire TO perform what Is termed the
Bull ay Dance; for il is customary with the Indians
to dance Oh the of any festival enterprise or ad-
The frcids oi either side meet at the'r re-
spectiye encampments 10 witness The dance and en-
courare them the coming contest. On rack near
the dance FIRE hung the balstieks and one slngu-
lar custom they have OF hanging apart from the rest
The sticks OF those whose wives, in that situation
&c" These sticks with which the game is played are
from twenty four to thirty inches in length with ca
pacious bowl at end in which the ball Is caught
AT given signal the players arise lr"In Their recuh
bent and utte!img one simultaneous yell, wneel
around the fire at fast ro every few minutes they
halt and after preliminary whoop, glv2 mouth 10
three yelIs, each startling and terrific enough 10
arouse the good old gentleman OF the Hudson from MS
ca i'm repose. This Kept up with short intervals ui
til few hours befure day, when completely exhausted
they fold themselves in their blankets and sleep I'll
morning dawns They then bathe and DRESS that is,
paint for they 90 into the field naked as when taey
entered the world. A, the appointed hour the conen
ding parties the field each bearing in front two
branches which to designate their respective
bounds They both advance the centre Of the ground
and ming c unfortunately with each other, yelling
Dragging ban,erng and cutting up as many antics and
di40s as would require week to enumeratr. Each
man then has his mate allotted him and his station
The ball IS cast up at the centre OF the ground and
then the great object of the player is to catch the ball
before IT drscends and cast it towards the bounds to
" ch he may belong. This Is often accompiI shed
huoh il rcGu res an immense degree OF skill aud pro
dg,ons st en- rth perform the ea against the CON
bH,d efforts Of score C! F1#e:!a! men Each bal
carried or thrown through he poles Isa ball won and
~ marked by the dIfccnt judges. The triumph is
Iain,nd by loud veil aud another asll is Instant
tossed up a, the ccnc and the contest Is renew