The Wadsworth dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1892-1899, 1894-06-09

o.. u...
''" me-
The Indian is an inyeterate gambler
There is nothing in his nosscssion tbot he
will not wager on n game of chance Tbis
characteristic arises from n nerfectlv nat
ural cause The Indian ia a firm beliover
in the supernatural and consequently has
great faith in luck. If it may be SO termed
Each Indian is the possessor of an indi-
yidual charm or feticb that Gives b;n,
ability to do things that other Indians
cannot do. This fetch Is something that
belongs especially to the individuals pos
sessing it. and according to their belief
would be of no use or ADVANTAGE to anv
other Indian.
No person besides the possessor knows
what this fetich is. and were Ii to become
known 1t would Immediately lose its now
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 Ia bet on.
If he loses he takes It philosopbicallv and
attributes his bad luck to the greater now
er of his adversary's charm. If he wins. he
has added faith in the mower of his oyvt,
charm. have known an Indian to wager
all of his earthly possessions. even to bis
R0uAw GhfIdrpn nj n N
in one of their games.
have known one village to become alb
solute paupers and be dependent upon
charity for months because tho members
bet everything they had on the result of a
game participated in by two villages.
Such occurrences were common SEVERAL
wears ago and were It not for the restric.
tions of governmental regulations would
One peculiarity of Indian gambling
games is their intricacy. In several tribes
have seen Indians playin9 n game with
sticks and stones for hours mt n time Not
withstandino the closest attention have
been unable to discover the system used.
nor have I ever met a 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 imnossibIe Of
solution to white men.
There are several games of this cbarao-
ter. and among the Pacific coast tribes thew
are common. In addition to 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 ia indulped in. There Ia
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
caupbt. he simnlv refunds his gains and ia
laughed at for his clumsiness. It ia proba-
BILE that no gambling game among Indians
ever goes to an ending without what a
white man would call outraqeous cheat
ing. From simple games with sticks to
horse racing. the acme of Indian gambling.
the man who can do the most dishonest
things with the least danger of exnosur, IA
the man who obtains the most money and
the highest praises.
The players never get angry. and there
is never any ouarrelinp over the games
Indians lose and win with a stoicism that
is the emulation of gentlemen gamblers
among tho whites knew Of an Indian
who lost all his belongings even his wife
and children. and vet he rot I'M with a
smile on his face and started out to steal
enough from some unfortunate white man
or other tribe of Indians to make ND for
his lost fortune. Indians will sit all night
over n game and sometimes three or four
games are going at the same time. the ex-
cited onlookers passing from one to the
other and betting on two or three games
at once.
Two PRINCIPALS choose sides. or two vii
lagos are arrayed against each other, and
then the fun begins. The opposinp sides
sit opposite each other in a long double
row. Between the rows are spread blan-
kets, upon which the stakes are placed.
The preliminaries Of the game consist of
the decision of stakes values and amounts.