The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-09-16

ana c0nfuSlon, /" Charming the witches
away" advance again to the centre in
one solid column, with sticks tossed
high in air, shouting the war whoop,
which isan unearthly, diabolical sound.
This is termed boasting or defying their
opponents. At the centre the ball Is
thrown up by the Indian i'm charge; all
make a rush for 1t, pell NELL, tumbling
one over the other, and the play is fair
ly opened, The bah must not be touch
ed by hand or foot, only sticks have a
right to it. The successful one runs for
his side with all possible speed, throw
ing it with great force towards the three
planks. lift hits and falls inside of a
small trench, dug al right angles with
the plank, it counts one; If it goes
beyond this trench nothing; and if it
passes through between the plank,
without touching, counts two. The
game is twelve, and anything is fair but
touching the ball with hand or foot /;
fighting is frequent. If one gets disa-
bled his opponent must also stand
aside. In every instance when over
powered by want of breath, or by mum:
bers, and obliged to fall, the ball would
be thrown with great accuracy, often
hitting the mark, but never found with
the fallen, showing great presence of
mind. Whenever the ball approached
the mark the crowd set up their, up
roarious noise, and when it hits so as
to count, there are shouts, yells, clap
ping of hands, jumping up and down,
throwing up of hats, firing of pistols
the whites and blacks foremost in all
this confusion. Each time the ball is
thrown from the center with the same
ceremony, friends of the players run
hither and thither with them, carrying
water for their use. When the game
has reached six recess of few mo-
mentS is taken, when water is thrown
upon the players backs and rubbed.
Up to this time the play has been quite
even. The Six Towns have been beat.
en- the two last years, taking nearly ev-
erything they possessed, and sympathy
Is strongly in their favor. Still the
prevailing opinion is that they will be
beaten yet another year. At seven tits
eight and nine, when the Six Towns
throw the ball through the crack in the
plank, counting two; for the twelfth
tits ruleable to throw the ball up at the
plank, making it easy work to hit the
mark, when victory Is declared In favor
of the Six Towns, in game of perhaps
two hours. Some fine playing was
done, showing great strength, GOODNESS
and bravery. Two of the best players
are sons of chief, putting to the blush,
/ am thinking, some of your base ball
clubs at the north.
The beaten party leaves the ground
at once, throwing up the sticks, balls
and everything pertaining to the game,
believing success will never attend
these implements again. The victors
remain over night, get DRINK and end
with grand carousal. This much /
can say: not an Indian or black was
seen in any way intoxicated the whole
day, but three fourths of the whites
there if not drunk were next door to it..
They bet heavily, drank heavily and
swore heavily, drawing knives and pis-
tolls on each other generally. AS we
drove from the ground we passed the
Muchalasua chief sitting on the ground,
handing over his last trinkets, hamil-
lated in dust and ashes, weeping like a
child. E. s.