The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-04-25
An Indian Winter Game.

The boys of the United States and
Canada are indebted to the Indians
for number of their most interest.
ing sports. But while many of their
games are well known, the Indians
still have others peculiar to them
selves, and with which even their
near neighbors are but slightly ac-
quainted. Throwing the snow snake
is one of the latter.
The snow snake. or ka-whant, as
it is called in the Onondaga dialect,
is made on the principle of a sleigh
runner, and consists of long hick-
ory pole or stick, with slight up
ward curve and point at one end,
while the other is provided with a
small notch. The under side is
made fiat and smooth, so as to slip
easy over the snow or ice. upon
which, when skillfully thrown, it
will slide for long distance. To
make it glide still more easily, the
under surface is waxed and rubbed
with piece of cloth until beautiful
ly smooth and polished. The point
ed end is furnished with a tip of
lead or solder, sometimes of a fancy
design.
The length and weight of the
snow snake varies in proportion to
the strength of the person for whose
use it is intended. Those made for
young boys are not more than four
or FIVE feet long, while for larger boys
and young men they range from six
to eight feet in length. They are
made somewhat tapering, being larg-
est nearer the curved end, where
they are usually about an inch or
an in inch and quarter in width !;
while they diminish gradually un-
til, at the notched end, the width is
not more than fve-eighth or three
quarters of an inch. In throwing,
the ka-whant is held at the smaller
end by the thumb and first and Sec
ond fingers.
AT the Indian Reservation in
Onondaga county, New York, where
the winters are long end usu-
ally severe, the snow snakeis great
favorite, and continuous source of
amusement. AS soon as the jingle
of the bells is heard along the frozen
highway, and the runners of the
heavy ''bobs" and wood sieighs have
furrowed the roads with deep, pol
ished grooves, the Indian boys are
out, following the sleigh tracks in
tsmall parties, throwing the ka-whant
in the deep ruts, which it follows
through every curve, skipping over
the Jumps of ice and other Unequal
tiles, more like living creature than
plain hickory stick, and suggest
ing at once the very appropriate
name of the snow snake. Although
the beaten roadway is usually pre-
ferred the snow snake may be thrown
in almost any situation where the
snow is firm.
The game, as generally played, is
merely a trial of skill between the
players. A line being drawn to
mark the starting point, the players
step back few PAGES. Each grasps
his snow snake, runs forward in his
turn to the mark. and, with vigor-
Gus sweep of his arm, sends it slid
ing and dancing over the snow with
the swiftness of an arrow. Each
snow snake bears its owners mark,
an arrow, cross or star, so that be
readily recognizes it, and he whose
missile is farthest in advance is de-
clared the winner. In this way a
regular champion is chosen. The
distance that these contrivances are
thrown is almost incredible, skillful
| players sometimes making casts OF
nearly quarter of mile.
Should any of our readers attempt
this game, they must not be surpris-
ed or discouraged if, at the first few
trials, their snow snakes stick their
heads through the crust and disap-
pear in the powdery snow beneath,
instead of sliding along the surface
in the proper way. By digging
along for a a distance of from twenty
to fifty feet, the sticks may usually
be discovered, while the slight diff
culties of the ar. can soon be over
come by little practice and expert
ence.-S. Nicholas.