The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-08-11

tuo celeDrateu lacrOSSe team VI Sah"ui"A
gentlemen and Iroquois Indians are again
on this side of the Atlantic and have ac-
cepted an invitation to exhibit the Canadian
national game Of lacrosse at Newport. The
days for playing are Wednesday and Satur-
day, and the grounds of the Polo Club have
been selected for the exhibitions. From
their first appearance in Ireland in May last,
through Scotland and in England, these Cana
dian amateurs and attending Iroquois met
with cordial receptions, and so much was the
game everywhere appreciated that thousands
turned out to witness every performance.
When these experts, who have mastered
every detail of the sport, made their appear
ance at Nottingham Park, the representa-
tives of the fashionable world of London
were present To the vast majority of the
spectators that greeted the team at their
public reunions the game was q great
novelty, but the Nottingham and subse-
quent performances SO favorably impressed
many with the sport they have since estab-
lished lacrosse clubs, and in all likeli-
hood matches will soon be played by the
new organizations. Following closely the
gratifying exhibitions about London the
palefaces and redmen, upon invitation,
played private match before the Prince
and Princess of Wales, and, lastly, they ap-
peared before the Queen and Court, who
were highly pleased, and the general opinion
of the company was strongly appreciative
of the merits of lacrosse.
The game is ancient among the Indians.
Under the care of the white man, however,
it has been transformed from a rough
pastime into skilful and scientific accom-
plishment, and those who saw it ten years
ago would hardly recognize it now. At each
end Of the ground on which the game is
played stands goal about six feet high.
Each Of the players has for his weapon of
action a 'crosse," which is over four feet
long. very light and made of tough ash or
hickory. 1t is curved like a. crozier, and
from the point of the curve or crock to about
half way Of the handle there is spread out
network OF catgut or thongs of moose skin.
On this piece of netting the ball is caught
in variety of ways and borne or thrown by
the player in the direction of the goal.
While player is making off with the ball
the members of the opposite team get in his
course and do their utmost to knock the ball
off his crosse; hence many exciting and stub
born contests. One standing rule is that
the netting must be perfectly fiat and not
bagged when the ball is on it, This increases
the difficulty of carrying the ball at q racing
Tho ha1 sc IF i'm h1,ov
and weighs about four ounces. No player
except the goal keeper can touch the ball
with the hand, and tho players cannot catch
hold Of one another, strike or trip, but they
are permitted to shoulder" when endeavor-
ing in scrimmage to get the ball. One
delightful feature of the game is its extreme
simplicity. There is no room for perplexity
as to the state of the match. Whether you
arrive early or late you can ut once become
interested in the sport. No telegraph has to
be watched and no score sedulously kept.
To enjoy the game you have only to watch
the players as they pass under your eye.
The Canadian team is composed of we'll
formed men, 1.-THE of limb and swift of foot,
and are an excellent match for their oppo-
nents. Some of the Indians are extraordi-
narily clever and marvellously slippery, and
when on their mettle give their pale-faced
brethren all they can do to escape defeat.
There are good reasons for believing that the
exhibitions of lacrosse at Newport will prove
as attractive as they did at Nottingham Park.
The Weather.
A. lad I.
advance of the storm centre from the
Northwest. The Mississippi, Lower Mis-
souri, and Ohio valleys share in this gen.
eral precipitation, and it is probable that
by tomorrow the western and northern por-
tions of the Middle States will feel its
in the region of the Big Horn Mountains and
the Upper Yellowstone River, violent alter
nations of temperature have occurred during
yesterday, the mercury falling in the morn
ing at Cheyenne to "a degrees, and at Bis
marck and North Platte to As and 40 degrees
respectively, and rising again as rapidly
toward evening. This sudden change will
act with very dangerous effect on the troops
operating against the Sioux, inducing
pneumonia, pleurisy and other infiammatory
diseases in weak constitutions. 1t must be
remembered that these poor fellows have left
their camp on a fifteen days hunt after the
Indians, and are therefore exposed in the
open country to this sudden inclemency of
the weather. 1t is to be hoped that the
commanding officers will take measures to
protect their men and horses against the
assaults of an enemy even more dangerous
than Sitting Bull. The weather in New
York to-day will be partly cloudy and
warmer, and we may BIO visited by another
thunder storm similar to that of last Monday.