grizzly bear or some other animal that is not easily killed. In speaking of a past state of existence, they invariably used the word which signifies to dream, which might imply that the pre-existence was imaginary rather than real.

The Dakotas had that instinctive dread of death that is common to all, but they had only the most vague and confused notions about a future state of retribution. Some current sayings proved that they thought some crimes committed in this world might be punished in the life to come. They had a common saying that whatever one stole in this world, he would be compelled to carry in the next; and they would sometimes say of a notorious thief that his ghost would have a heavy load to carry in the future state. They seemed to think that the suicide, who hung herself, would have to wear around her neck, in the world of spirits, the cord by which she was strangled.

These and other like sayings proved that they had some expectation of retribution after death, but it was difficult to learn how much they feared future punishment. They were no more free to converse on such subjects than are white persons, who, conscious of their guilt, can think of a day of righteous judgment only with apprehension. It is not probable that many of them had any very alarming apprehensions of being called to account hereafter for the deeds done in the body; but their thoughts and feelings concerning such subjects they kept mostly to themselves, and their fears of a coming judgment might have been greater than they appeared to be.

The public is familiar with many written compositions which have been published from time to time, purporting to set forth the ideas entertained by Indians concerning the beauties and delights. of the Spirit Land. These romances may contain beautiful sentiments and delightful descriptions of that happy world, but those who are well acquainted with Indians will hardly believe that the sentiments or descriptions originated with them. A foundation for the statements they contain may have been furnished by interpreters, who were often annoyed by questions to which they could give no satisfactory answers without inventing one themselves or repeating what they had read. When the half-breed interpreter was asked by an inquisitive visitor what the Indians thought about another world, he did not like to tell how little he knew about the

matter; but he chose rather to conceal his own ignorance, and to gratify the inquirer at the same time, by giving such an answer as he knew would be more satisfactory than the true one. The writer speaks from experience, having been himself thus imposed upon.

Fables furnished by interpreters and others to gratify the curious and inquisitive, and to save their own credit, when exaggerated and embellished by ingenious and unscrupulous writers, become agreeable romances and give delightful descriptions of that heaven to which the Indian is supposed to look forward with longing anticipations. But the Indian, himself, knew of no such abode of the blessed. The Spirit Land was full of terrors for him, and his death song was not a song of triumph.

RECREATIONS.

Some things which have been already mentioned, under the head of religion and worship, might perhaps with equal propriety be classed with diversions. Indeed they are so combined that it is difficult to draw a line between them. We can hardly tell whether Christmas and Thanksgiving partake more of a secular or of a religious character, whether they are times set apart for recreation or devotion; and so it was with many of the observances of the Dakotas. Solemn religious ceremonies might serve to introduce joyous festivals or sportive pastimes.

The Dakotas carried their religion into almost everything, for, unlike the Christian religion, it was of such a nature that it was never out of place. There was no incongruity between it and the most thoughtless levity or reckless dissipation.

Yet they had some recreations with which religious ceremonies were not mingled, and the most conspicuous and popular of these was the ball-play. When this game was played, sometimes all the active and able-bodied men were engaged in it, the middle-aged making up in skill and dexterity what they lacked in agility. If only the men of one village played, they divided into two equal parties; but often one band or subdivision of the tribe challenged another, or two small bands entered the lists against one large one.

With slight changes, this Dakota game is much played in Canada, and occasionally in England and the United States, under the name of lacrosse. Pike mentioned it as played by the Dakotas in 1805 on a beautiful prairie which became the site of the city of

La Crosse, Wisconsin. This city took its name from the ball game, which itself is so called from the peculiar ball-club and net, named by the French "la crosse."

The ball-club was made of hickory, bent at one end into a small hoop, about three inches in diameter, across which several strings were tied, crossing each other in the center of the hoop, and forming a little net with which they picked up the ball and threw it. The length of the club was proportioned to the height of the owner, but did not vary much from three feet. The ball was non-elastic, often made of wood, and not so large as that commonly used by ballplayers. The net in which the ball was held was only an inch or two in depth, so that a slight blow on the club caused the ball to fall out of it.

A smooth level place was selected on the prairie, and two parallel boundaries were fixed nearly half a mile apart. The aim of one of the parties was to throw the ball over one of these boundaries; and of the other, to throw it over the opposite one. The players wore no clothing save a breech-cloth and moccasins, but were gaily painted. Many wore bunches of ribbons or feathers, fastened to their belts behind, which fluttered like streamers when they ran, but which were often scattered in fragments on the field before the game was over.

The ball was first carried to the center of the playground and tossed into the air, and to whatever place it fell there was a general rush, followed by a clattering of clubs, each trying to pick it up himself, or to frustrate the attempts of others to get it. None might touch the ball with the hands, and there was generally a long struggle over it before any one could succeed in throwing it, for if one caught it on his club, some one of the opposite party was likely to knock it out before he could give it a toss. When it was finally thrown by one more adroit or more lucky than the rest, wherever it fell there was another rush for it, and another struggle over it.

If the ball fell, as it sometimes did, where there were few or no players, the one who first reached it had an opportunity to throw it far toward his own line, and if possible toward one of his own party; or, if he was a fleet runner and the way clear, he ran with it as far as possible, sometimes quite to the limit of the playground. But the players of both parties were so scat

tered over the ground that it was seldom possible for the swiftest runner to carry the ball far, without having it knocked out of his club by some active opponent; and if he failed to throw it soon enough, he had no chance to throw it at all. Thus the ball was carried, or thrown, back and forth across the playground, now almost to the limit on one side, then intercepted and thrown b again, until finally it passed over one of the boundaries, when the players might take breath, for one point of the game was lost and won. After resting a few minutes, the ball was again tossed up. and the game was resumed.

It is not strange that the Dakotas should have been fascinated with their ball plays. No such interest can be felt in any of our ball games as was excited by these Indian games. It was an animating sight to see a hundred men or more, painted with various colors, with their gay streamers floating in the breeze, and displaying all their muscular powers to the best advantage. True they were nearly naked, but they were quite as well clothed as the competitors in the old Grecian games. This would have been one of the most celebrated games in the world if it had been played by the ancient Greeks and described by Homer.

A great crowd of spectators, often nearly all the inhabitants. of two or three villages, hovered around the field, watching with deep anxiety the progress of the game, and were elated or depressed as the ball went this way or that across the playground. They had often more staked on the game than the players themselves had. It was a fair field for the display of all athletic qualities, of force, speed, skill and dexterity. Each actor was stimulated to do his best, because hundreds were watching to see who failed and who excelled, and each was anxious to save the property he had staked and to win that of his neighbor. Loud applause or sharp censure. was heard from the surrounding multitudes, as they witnessed some. skillful feat or awkward blunder; and the shouts of the eager contestants, as they surged back and forth or crowded together around the ball, were heard far away.

This favorite game was not only a test of the physical qualities of the actors, but was also a severe trial of their tempers. It was a rude game, and those engaged in such a strife could not be expected to deal gently with all around them. There was crowding. accidental blows from ball clubs were received, also collisions of men

running at full speed, and many other unavoidable accidents, so that frequently, as the game progressed and the excitement increased, one after another might be seen to leave the scene of action with a halting gait and take his place among the spectators. When there were many engaged in the play, seldom, perhaps never, all escaped unhurt. Complaints were sometimes made of carelessness or harshness, but generally injuries were borne good-naturedly. The game might be soon decided by the defeat of one of the parties, but it was more likely to continue till all were glad to have it end and indeed needed several days of rest.

The women had their ball-plays too, but in a different style from that of the men. They knocked the ball with clubs upon the ice of a frozen lake or river. Many of them were skillful players, and some were swift runners; but their motions were impeded by their dress, and their playing did not attract as much attention as that of the men. They commonly bet heavily on their games, and were too anxious to win to preserve an equanimity of temper. As they were not all remarkable for self-control, their games sometimes ended in disputes.

In the summer, girls sometimes amused themselves by playing little games with such clubs as were used by the men.

I have been particular in describing the ball-play, because it was the only athletic sport in which the Dakotas seemed to feel much interest, excepting foot-races. Some of their foot-races were very long, being designed to test the endurance as well as the speed of the runners.

Young men and boys amused themselves by shooting at targets with bows and arrows. Wrestling and boxing they did not practice. They very rarely struck each other with their fists on any occasion, but, instead of boxing, they had a fashion of hitting with the feet. It was done by running near another, and hitting him with the bottom of the foot while passing by him. To hit an enemy in this manner was counted the same as to touch him with the hand. Only the boys practiced this as a diversion.

The boys

The children had few games worth mentioning. amused themselves in the summer with bows and arrows, which they always carried with them. If they found no game to shoot, they shot at marks.