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82 P.15 84 times, wah, wah, wah, wah, They all started in single file towards the hall ground. - proceeded about half a mile, and then waited for the company behind, on this approach, the players started as before, and proceeded about the same distance, & halted. The conjurers then took them to a creek in which they plunged seven times, and then returned to the place of halting, and ate their breakfast, consisting as ugal? of cold bread and parched corn meal. After eating, they arose and stood in a cluster, with their faces toward their ball ground. The whoop being raised, & the response given as on first starting, they proceeded in single file, till with in half a mile of the hall ground After halting a short time, the whoop and response were given as before, and all proceed to the poles. Then the conjurer laid down his deer skin & conjuring apparatus, and the players laid down the articles they had bet, and again partook of their bread & parched corn meal. After this they stripped off all their clothes except the fla[p?], took a root given them by the conjurer, and chewing it rubbed themselves with the juice, they then took the feathers from the conjurers deer skin, (having been painted red), put them in their hair, & the conjurers right hand man tied or fastened them. They painted their faces red. Being thus equipped, the leading player, who gave the challenge, took the ball, kept it till the play commenced, & was the first who threw it (See on ball play hereafter)

All things being ready?, some very influential speaker came forward & addressed the players exhorting them to exert themselves to the utmost, telling them that if they fall they will rise again, yet even if guns were pointed at them, & they were about to fall in death, he would still urge them to go forward, &c. This address being concluded, and the whoop & response given as at the first, all started, single file, in a slow walk to the middle ground, where they were met by their antagonists, each having brought the articles bet, these were now delivered into the hands of trusty persons, for those who should prove suitors. Four men were now selected to keep proper order, & see that the play was conducted daily, and two others were chosen as tally's men, each of these had twelve sticks, one of which was stuck in the ground whenever the ball was carried through. Twelve