feet apart, according to Romans. In Bossu's account it is "between" the
two great poles which distinguish the mark or aim, that "the ball is to
pass." On the other hand, Bartram, describing what he saw in North
Carolina, speaks of the ball "being hurled into the air, midway between
the two high pillars which are the goals, and the party who bears off
the ball to their pillar wins the game."

In some parts of the south each player had two rackets between which
the ball was caught. For this purpose they were necessarily shorter
than the cross of the northern Indians. Adair says, "The ball sticks
are about two feet long, the lower end somewhat resembling the palm of
a hand, and which are worked with deer-skin thongs. Between these they
catch the ball, and throw it a great distance." [Footnote: Adair, p.
400; A Narrative of the Military Adventures of Colonel Marinus Willett,
p. 109.]

That this was not universal throughout the south would appear from
Bossu's account who says, "Every one has a battle-door in his hand
about two feet and a half long, made very nearly in the form of ours,
of walnut, or chestnut wood, and covered with roe-skins." Bartram also
says that each person has "a racquet or hurl, which is an implement of
a very curious construction somewhat resembling a ladle or little hoop
net, with a handle near three feet in length, the hoop and handle of
wood and the netting of thongs of raw-hide or tendons of an animal."

Catlin [Footnote: Letters and Notes on the Manners, Customs and
Condition of the North American Indians, by George Catlin, Vol. II, p.
123 _et seq._] saw the game played by the Choctaws, on their Western
Reservation. They used two rackets. In this game the old men acted as
judges.