The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-06-18

Iegtiyities began Saturday. and lasted |
until Monday morning. when they |
leased, and procession Of the most |
ircd Indians that the people along the !
route have seen In many n day started
oack to the Puyallup reservation. They
borO 40 Iaureis. Il is true. but then
they had their ponies and blankets.
which at one time during the gambling
they came dlsqsirously near losing.
The sport took place at a gambling
house kept by Jim" Dlmrood, MIS-
qually Indian. and located In a clear
Ing Eve acres In extent on the right
bank OF the Nlsqually river. four miles
above Max1eld station. where the
Northern Pacific crosses the river The
game played by the Indians Is called
'sla-hael" and neutrality-suspicious.
In by thirty Puyallups. Ave White
River Indians and thirty NisquallIos.
the White River Indians. playing With
the Puyallups The stakes put up by
each side we're seventeen ponies. one
COW and ten Figs.
Il was In this gambling house last
Saturday afternoon that Jack" Ska
menke. the leader OF the Nlsqually
gamblers. stood up and began singing
the low dirge-like song which forms
part OF the ceremony and then handed
the bones to one OF his men. The In
dian took the bones. fumbled and
changed them. and then. holding n
bone tightly concealed In either hand.
began swinging them for a wary
Puyallup TO guess which hand contain
ed the white one. The gambling was
In full progress. The scene was a
strange one. well worthy the brush OF
Frederick Remington or any who
indulge a liking for the wild and fan
lastic. The bright wood fires were
burning In either end OF the room. Ten
| Zee, from the walls two rows OF In
ilan men we're kneellng down. facing
each other, leaving a space OF ten feet
between them. In one row were
Puyallup and White River Indians and
In the other were Inequalities. In the
,cnter OF the kneellng rows Of Indians
were the leaders. Tommy" Lane for
the Puyallups and shamenke for the
inequalities.
Back OF the kneeling bucks were
benches running the entire length OF the
room. On these sat the Indian women
Il the respective tribes. who watched
the varying fortunes Of the players
with most intent interest.
Stuck In the ground In semiclreular
form. In front OF both Lane and ska
menke. were thlrty-aye small wooden
pegs about three inches In length and
one-fourth OF an inch In diameter.
These were the beans" and when one
side won the thirty-fve belonging to
the other. the game and pot was also
won.
Suspended from the neck Of each In
dian player and hanging In front OF
ais breast was handkerchief, beneath
which he deity concealed his hands
when the bones we're given him TO
swing.
The bones mentioned are three In
shes In length and one inch In diane
ter One OF them is perfectly white,
the other one has two black rings
around e. Each Of the leaders has
two sets OF bones. but only one set Is
Used At a time. The game proceeds as
follows: The leader OF the side whose
turn Il Is to play chants a sing-song
Incarnation to bring tuck. the squaws
Joining In this musical 90 effort and
the bucks also. II they wish. Two Of
his men are then designated by the
leader to shake the bones. which are
grasped by the player one In either
|, hand and both hands are placed be-
meath the handkerchief hanging oveI
sis breast. where he fumbles the bones
shifts them about from hand TO hand
o confuse those who ara keenly watch
Ing him from the other side
and then. suddenly drawing them from
beneath the handkerchief, beglni
iwinging them to the right and left IL
front OF him. The leader OF the oppo
slte side then guesses or names one o.
bis men, whom he thinks may be The
more lucky. TO guess which swinging
hand contains the white bone, II th'
guess Is correct the leader OF the sid
which IA playlne-not guessing pull
one Of the beans from the ground II
front Of him. and losses Il over TO th'
leader Of the side which has made th
,orreot guess The bean Is taken b!
hewlnnerand stuck In the ground Will
the other beans belonging to his side
The bones are also to be passed 10 I'M
guessing side, whose turn Il becomes 4
play.
Providing the guess In incorrect IN
side making Il tosses a bean over to m
side playing and the man who IA
] shaken the sticks has the right 4
e 'hake them again. while his opponent
3 make another guess. Both sets 0
q bones were guessed upon by the sam
d. man at the same time. II he gucsse
9, the white OF one and missed the othe
$ he won bean and one pair Of bones
b, but lost bean upon the other set whlol
: was shaken again for him TO make an
Q O,herSuA. In this manner the bone
and beans were constantly passing bacl