The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-05-08

pllut 10 TIE DAYS WnSn L COOlQ TlQe
bareback as well as the Indians.
Question Box-No. 8.
Boys, did you ever play a game
where the first is last, and the last
is first?
When 1 was a boy in the Dakota
territory, the Sioux Indian boys with
whom 1 played, enjoyed this peculiar
sport in 81 mining races. Four or.
five of we boys would take our ponies
the race, each of US would trade pom
les, I will explain here that the
ponies were part of the race.
How would you like to hold on to
a horses tail while it swan across
turbulent river?
grabbed a firm hold on the horses tail
and urged it at top speed thru the
water. The pony that finished last
won the race. Figure it out, boys,
You see, by trading ponies 1 would
naturally urge the other boys pony to
top speed so that he would come in
first, thereby winning the race for my
own little horse.
Foot racing is one of the most pop
ular sports of the American Indians.
In fact, Indians are the greatest long
distance runners in the world. Many
of them can out-run horses in long
distances. 1 have known Indians who
could run all day, at their tireless dog
trot. Twenty-Five miles is the usual
distance of an Indian race. At foot
racing in shorter distances, say from
fifty PAGES to a mile two, / could
hold my own with the Sioux boys, but,
of course, l never mastered the Indian
knack of running all day.
Naturally, the Indian boys were
wonders in racing their ponies, riding
bareback. l had little horse that
could keep up with any of them. and
hod
open western plains that were just as
fast and just as exciting as the pro-
fessional horse-races of today.
Among the Sioux Indians, horse-r cling
and foot-racing, were the most pop
ular sports.
Swimming, wrestling and sham
fights, too. had their place in the In
dams games. 1 could more than hold
my own in wrestling with the Indian
youths because of my great strength
and equal agility.
Other Indian tribes. of course,
played different games. The Cana
dian Indians and certain American
| tribes played lacrosse. which is per-
haps the best known Indian game, be-
cause white men have taken up the
| sport in many parts of the United
States and Canada today.
1 have described in the Campfire
! Story how we used to contest. with
| the bow and arrow, riding a pony
| bareback at top speed. And 1 also
related how we enjoyed primitive ice
boating on the Missouri river. This
| reminds me that we also used barre
| slaves as a sort of primitive skis. We
| would strap these slaves on our fee
| with buckskin thongs. And how We
| took chances by skiing down hillsides
at incredible speed. We used bigger
slaves for coasters, just as you boy.
| coast with sleds.
And we put these barrel slaves t
i still another use. Taking a blank ct
we would hold it in front of us on the
! ice and the sharp winter winds would
| carry us across the river much tht
| same as it did our ice-boats.
In the summer we fought shan
! fights with mud balls. which We threw
! with willow sticks. This was a rather
rough sport A much milder and more
exciting game was spinning tops. Or
| a stick about foot long, we had Ions
buckskin thongs which we used t.
| whip the tops. thus keeping then
spinning. 1t took considerable skill t
guide these tops with a whip acros.
all sorts of obstacles such as rock.
and logs. You have all played duel
on a rock" which means simply hurl
| ing rocks at a rock on a rock. anC
| running to a goal.
Indian sports require the creates
| endurance and best craftsmanship
The native American Indian in tbs
| physical prime of his free life was th'
greatest athlete in the world. Ever
today such American Indians as the
! marvellous Jim Thorpe, who won th'