Indian Tribes of the Upper Missouri: Edited with Notes and Biographical SketchDenig, Edwin Thompson
History
Indian Tribes of the Upper Missouri: Edited with Notes and Biographical Sketch
Denig, Edwin Thompson
Assiniboine Indians; Indians of North America -- Missouri River Valley
A wins, he retains only the horse, and the gun and everything else
reverts again to B, he being obliged to stake them again against the
horse in A’s possession. If A wins this time, he keeps the whole; but
if B wins, he only gets back the horse and gun, and all the rest of the
property goes to A. Supposing B again loses and continues losing until
all his personal property has passed into the hands of A, then B, as a
last resort, stakes his wife and lodge against all his property in the
hands of A. If A wins he only keeps the woman; the horse, gun, and all
other property returns again to B with the understanding, however, that
he stakes it all to get back his wife. Now if B loses he is ruined; but
if A loses he gives up only the woman and the horse, continuing the
play with the rest of the articles against the horse until one or the
other is broke.
At this stage of the game the excitement is very great, the
spectators crowd around and intense fierceness prevails, few words
are exchanged, and no remarks made by those looking on. If the loser
be completely ruined and a desperate man, it is more than likely he
will by quarrel endeavor to repossess himself of some of his property,
but they are generally well matched in this respect, though bloody
struggles are often the consequence. We have known Indians to lose
everything—horses, dogs, cooking utensils, lodge, wife, even to
his wearing apparel, and be obliged to beg an old skin from some
one to cover himself, and seek a shelter in the lodge of one of his
relations. It is, however, considered a mark of manliness to suffer
no discomposure to be perceptible on account of the loss, but in most
cases we imagine this is a restraint forced upon the loser by the
character of his adversary.
Suicide is never committed on these occasions. His vengeance seeks
some other outlet, in war expeditions, or some way to acquire property
that he may again play and retrieve his losses. There are some who
invariably lose and are poor all their lives. A man may with honor stop
playing with the loss of his gun; he has also a second opportunity
to retire on losing his horse, and when this is so understood at the
commencement they do, but when a regular set-to takes place between two
soldiers, it generally ends as above described.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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