Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1894-11-16

Whole illsI - Are Sometimes Paupcrized
by the Result of "A single Game How the
Bone Game l. riayed-The Indian Has
Great Faith In Luck and Charms.
The Indian is an invetcratc gambler
There Is nothing in his possession that he
viii not wager on a game of chance This
characteristic arises from perfectly nat
ural cause. The Indian is a firm believer
in the supernatural. and consequently has
great faith in luck If il may be so termed
Each Indian is the possessor of an indi-
vidual charm, or fetch, that gives him
ability To do things that other Indians
cannot do. This fetch is something that
belongs especially 10 the individuals pos
sessing it, and according To their belief
would be of no use or advantage TO any
other Indian.
No person besides the possessor knows
what this fetch Is, and were it 10 become
known it would Immediately lose its pow
er for good. Having full faith in the abil-
ity of his charm TO bring luck to him, the
Indian never fails TO place all his posses
sions in the balance when there is bet on.
II he loses, he takes it philosophically and
attributes his bad luck TO the greater pow
er of his adversary's charm. If he wins, he
has added faith in the power of his own
charm. have known an Indian TO wager
all Of his earthly possessions, even TO his
squaw and children, on the fall of a stick
in one Of their games.
have known one village 10 become alb
solute paupers and be dependent upon
charity for months because the members
bet everything they had on the result of a
game participated in by two villages.
such occurrences were common several
years ago, and were il not for the restric-
tions of governmental regulations would
be still.
One popularity of Indian gambling
games is their intricacy. In several tribes
have seen Indians playing a game with
sticks and stones for hours at q time. Not
withstanding the closest attention have
been unable 10 discover the system used,
nor have l ever met white man who
could explain the game TO me. The In
dams would sit for many hours throwing
the stones and sticks and losing or win
ming large amounts, but the whole game
was a mystery that seemed impossible of
solution TO white men.
There are several games of this charac-
ter, and among the Pacific coast tribes they
are common. In addition 70 his faith in
his charm the average Indian places great
dependence upon his ability TO cheat. The
best cheat is accorded the highest honors
when gambling is INDUCED in. There is
never thought of getting angry over deft
tricks or unfair methods SO long as the per
petrator is not caught in the act. If he is
caught, he simply refunds his gains and is
laughed at for his clumsiness. Ii is proba-
bic that no gambling game among Indians
ever goes TO an ending without what a
white man would call outrageous cheat
ing. From simple games with sticks 10
horse racing. the acme of Indian gambling,
the man who can do the most dishonest
things with the least danger Of exposure is
the man who obtains the most money and
the highest praises
The players never get angry, and there
is never any quarreling over the games.
Indians lose and win with "A stoicism that
Is the emulation of gentlemen gamblers
among the whites. / knew of an Indian
who lost all his belongings, even his wife
and children and yet he got up with a
smile on his face and started out TO steal
enough from some unfortunate white man
or other tribe of Indians TO make up for
his lost fortune Indians will sit all night
over game, and sometimes three or four
games are going at the same time, the ox
cited onloOkers passing from one TO the
other and betting on two or three games
at once.
Two principals choose sides. or two viii
lagos are arrayed against each other, and
then the fun begins. The opposing sides
sit opposite each other in a long double
row. Between the rows are spread blan-
kets upon which the stakes are placed.
The prclminaries of the game consist OF
the decision Of stakes, values and amounts
As in the game mentioned above, the OBJ
iect of every Indian IL TO get something
the best of his opponent in the matter of
value of the article bet, and in the settle
ment Of this there is much dispute and
wrangling. l must say, however, that the
wrangling never results in anger or fight
ing. 1t frequently takes an hour 10 settle
all the points of stakes, and then the game
proper begins.
A toss is made TO see which side shall hold
the bone, which being settled all is atten-
ton. The center player takes a small bone
in his hands and begins a series Of frantic
jugglings 10 deceive his opponents, and
then rapidly passes his hands 20 the person
on right and then TO his left, as if placing
the bone in their hands. Immediately the
two go through similar motions and APP
parently pass the bone on TO their next
neighbor This is continued until the
whole line, sometimes composed Of 100 In
dians, is maze Of waving hands and
arms each Indian trying to make the 9th.
er side believe that he holds the bone.
Should one Of the watchers have reason TO
believe that he can locate the bone he
points, and Immediately the hand is held
out. II he wins, the bone is passed across
the line and a point is scored for the side
holding the bone, and the whole thing be
gins over again.
Should the bone be accidentally dropped
itcounts "a point for the opposite side, where
the bone also goes. The game consists Of
81 points ana sometimes lasts awhole day
before il is decided. ! knew of one game
that continued for two days and one night
without cessation. In n game between a
band of Utes and a band of Navaioes near
the southern Ute agency in 1879 the Nav
Rjoes lost their entire possessions, consist
ing OF horses, arms, robes, tents. clothing
and a large sum of money They left with
out murmur, but an Apache raid on a
New Mexican town was reported soon aft
or, and that same band of Navajoes showed
up at Los Pinos agency within a month
4 IN. u.