al
number of stones ahead on the circle, using one of the rivers as a starting
point. If the throw is five, for instance, he lays his horse between the
fourth and fifth stones and hands the pa-tol sticks to the next man. If his
throw be ten, however, as the first man's throw is very certain to be, it
lands his horse in the second river, and he has another throw. The second
man may make his starting point the same or another river, and may elect to
run his horse around the circle in the same direction that the first is
going or in the opposite. If in the same direction, he will do his best to
make a throw which will bring his horse into the same notch as that of the
first man, in which case the first man is killed and has to take his horse
back to the starting point, to try over again when he gets another turn. In
case the second man starts in the opposite direction--which he will not do
unless an expert player--he has to calculate with a good deal of skill for
the meeting, to kill and to avoid being killed by the first player. When he
starts in the same direction he is behind and runs no chance of being
killed, while he has just as good a chance to kill. But if, even then, a
high throw carries him ahead of the first man--for jumping does not count
either way, the only killing being when two horses come in the same
notch--his rear is in danger, and he will try to run on out of the way of
his pursuer as fast as possible. The more players the more complicated the
game, for each horse is threatened alike by foes that chase from behind and
charge from before, and the most skilful player is liable to be sent back
to the starting point several times before the game is finished, which is
as soon as one horse has made the complete circuit. Sometimes the players,
when very young or unskilled, agree there shall be no killing; but unless
there is an explicit arrangement to that effect, killing is understood, and
it adds greatly to the interest of the game."

II

PLUM STONE GAME

This game belongs to the second and non-ceremonial class of the games of
hazard and is generally played by women. The Omaha type is here given, but
it is similar to the game as played by kindred tribes.

_Properties_.--Five plum stones; a basket or wooden bowl; one hundred
counters. The Omaha used stalks of the blue joint grass as counters, but
small twigs or sticks will serve.

The plum stones should be carefully cleaned and dried. Two of the sto