Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1852-01-01
VOLUME TX. NO. l.
Indian Pastimes.
By GEORGE CONWAY.

dtlOHR tneW, Inose
OF the Prairie nations are different from those Of
the OJiOways, suitable to their wide, open
telds. The plays am about to describe ara
the principle games practised by the people of
my hatlon' There are others and chance
games are now considerably in vogue among
them.
One OF the most popular games is that of ball.
playing, which oftentimes engages an entire vii.
lage' Parties are formed of from ten to sever.
al hnndred. Before they commence, those who
are TO take part in the play must provide each
his snare OF stalking, OF things which are Sc
apart, and one leader for each party. Each lead.
e. l." po nt' Of each company to be
stakeholder.
Each man and each woman women sore.
IL 'es rr gage in the sport)is armed with stick.
one end OF which bends somewhat like a small
nooP' about four inches in circumference, to
which Is attached net work of rawhide, two
inches deep, just large enough to admit the ball
which is to be used on the occasion. Two poles
are driven In the ground at distance Of four
hundred PAGES from each othe, which serve
as goals for the two parties. 1t is the endeavor
Of each to take the ball to his pole. The party
which carries the ball and strik IS its pole wins
the G nc.
rfIors, verv scanty athred, young
an brav" fnntrstically painted-and women,
decora ed with feathers, assemble around their
commanders, who are generally men swift on
the race They are 10 take the ball either by
running with 1t or throwing it in the air. AS
the ball falls in the crowd the excitement begins.
The clubs swing and roll from side to side, the
players run and shout, fall upon and tread upon
each other, and in the struggle some get rather
rough treatment
When the ball is thrown some distance on
each side, the party standing near, instantly
picks 1t up, and runs at full speed with three or
four after hlm at full full speed. The others send
their shouts Of encouragement to their own par
". " Ha ha! yah " "A-ne cook !" and these
shouts are heard, even from the distant lodges,
for children and all are interested in the exciting
scene. The spos are not all on which their IN.
terest is fixed, but is directed to the falling and
rolling Of the crowds over and under each other
The loud and merry shouts Of the spectators,
who crowd the doors of the wigwams, go forth
in one continued peal, and testify to their happy
state of feeling.
1t is very seldom, if ever, that one is eeen to
be angry because he has been hurt. If he
should get 50, they would call him a coward"
which t1ruvos u sufieiout encoh 10 mnny evils
which might result from many seemingly intend
ed injuries.
, While was in La-po'nt, Lake Superior, in
the summer Of 1886, when the interior band of
Chippeways, with those of Sandy Lake, Lac
l CounterVille, Lac De Frambou, encamped in the
island, the interior bands proposed to play against
the Lake Indians. As it would be thought a
, cowardly act to refuse, the Lake Indians were
ready at an early hour the next day, when about
two hundred and fifty Of the best and swiftest
feet assembled on a level green, opposite the
house of the Rev. Mr.. Hall.
, On our side was thicket of thorns; on the
other, the lake shore, with sandy beach of
, half mile. Every kind of business was sug.
PENDED not only by the Indians, but by the
whites of all classes.
There were but two rivals in this group of
players. One of these was a small man from
Cedar Lake, on the Chippeway River, whose
name was " Nai.nah-aun-.gaib," adjusted
feathers,l who admitted no rival in bravery,
daring, or adventure, making tn contest more
interesting The name of the other competi-
tor was Mah-koonce," young bear) of the shore
bands
The first, as said before, was small man.
His body was model for sculpture we'll pro-
portoned. His hands and feet tapered with all
the grace and delicacy of lady's. His long
black hair flowed carelessly upon his shoulders.
On the top Of his raven locks, waved in profusicn
seventeen signals with their pointed fngers) of
the feathers THAT rare bird, the westets Eagle,
being the number of The enemy he had taken
with his own hand. A Roman nose with clas-
sic lip,whlch wore at all times pleasing smile.
Such was Mai nah-aun-gaib. That day he had
not the appearance of having used paint of any
kind Before and after the play | counted five
bullet marks around his breast. Three has pas.
sed through two were yet in his body. Besides
these, there we're innumerable marks of small
shot upon his shoulders, and the Craze Of bull
let on his temple,
His rival on the occasion was tall muscu-
lar man. His person was formed with perfect
symmetry He walked with ease and grace
On his arms were bracelets composed of the
claws of grizzly bears. He had been in the field
Of battle but five times; yet on his head were
three signals of ophies
The parties passed to the field beautiful
green, as even as floor. Here they exhibit
ed all their agility and graceful motions The
one was as stately as the proud Elk Of the
plains while the other possessed all the grace
fulness Of the Antelope of the western noun
tans.
Shout after shout arose from each party, and
from the crowd of spectators. " "Yah-hah-yah
hah," were all the words that could be dstln-
gulshed After short contest the Antelope
struck the post and at that Moment the applause
was absolutely deafening Thus ended the first
day of the play, which was continued for some
length of time.
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