Litchfield Enquirer

INDIAN GAMBLING.
From the St. Louis Beacon.

Indians are the most desperate gamblers in the world, considering their means.--One would be astonished to witness their stakes. I have seen them sit successively hours and sometimes days, at their games, alternately winning & losing, until one of them rose stript of all his wealth, horses, gun, and of every thing but the rag, as we might say, of modesty. This would be called ruin by the civilized world, but it causes no despair or suicide with them, and all that any observer would perceive is perhaps a little mortified pride at his defeat. The young squaws having more leisure, are more constant gamblers than the men. I have seen a young squaw pull ornament after ornament from her arm, beads after beads from her neck, and broach after broach from her bosom, until she had lost the whole, and then probably pawn her clothes for another game. The greatest game that ever I heard of, however, was between a Crow and a Chayenne. It was told me as a well known act by a man residing among the Crows, and confirmed by the Crows themselves through an interpreter. About four years since, the Crows and Chayennes were, as they have almost always been, at war. In fact, I do not know that they ever met peaceably except in the single instance I am about to relate. In a state of hostility, of course, war parties were continually roaming in search of favorable opportunities to strike with success, and with as little risk as possible. It happened that two hostile parties were encamped, without the knowledge of either, near each other. They had both been out a long time, and had seen no "signs" of an enemy, and of course became considerably discouraged. After a little reflection, and within a day or two of the same time, both parties resolved to return to their respective tribes. It happened also, that one of each party refused (pledged by an oath, or afraid of the ridicule of some favorite squaw) to return. This is common among them, and it excites no surprise; even after success, that one or two should separate from the main party and go forth alone, sometimes for a definite object, and sometimes not. These two men were left by their respective comrades in the mountains, near Powder river, and for the two following days they remained near where they were left. On the third, and near nightfall, they had selected their lodging places near each other, still ignorant of their vicinity. The Chayenne was going down, and the Crow up, a ravine that gradually descended, at the place, towards the river. The former laid himself down on the rocks in the bottom of the ravine, but the latter, thinking from the appearance of the sky that it would rain, and knowing how the water rushed in torrents down these ravines, crawled up on its side, and there, under the shelter of a friendly rock, arranged himself for repose. As the Crow expected, one of those sudden and tremendous showers common to the country came on; he however, lay unmolested by it. Not so with the Chayenne ;--hearing the roar of the coming torrent, he hastened to secure himself from being washed away or dashed to death against the rocks, by groping out a passage up the side, hardly knowing, in the dark, whether he was going to safety or destruction. After feeling around, and managing to get about one hundred yards from where the water had driven him, he came accidentally to the rock which sheltered the Crow. In endeavoring to ascertain its position with the ground, he placed his hand upon the bare shoulder of his enemy. As it may be expected, they both started, the one back, and the other up, with their usual exclamation of surprise--"Wha!" said they, as they stood gazing and lighting up their gaze with the fire of their own eye-balls. What is very unusual among Indians on a war party, they were both taken by surprise, both unprepared, and both, too, searching for enemies. The night was very dark, the ground precipitous and uneven, and both were hesitating what to do, not knowing but each had friends close at hand. At length the Chayenne made signs that he would lie down for the night, and that in the morning they should try their prowess. It was arranged, and two brave and mortal foes, until that instant, lay down side by side under the same rock. I question if either slept, still they continued in their recumbent posture until morning came, and both, assured of their novel situation, laughed at its singularity ; from a laugh, they began their signs, and at length determined, that, as either allowed the other's tribe to be the bravest in the world, they would not fight, but would try their strength or skill in gambling. They commenced, and the game continued fluctuating for some time, until, after about two hours, the Crow won all the arms, provisions and clothes of the Chayenne; to express it more fully, the Chayenne stood before him clothed only as by nature at his birth. After standing a few moments in thought he arrested the progress of the Crow in packing up his winnings, by saying, he would stake his scalp. The Crow, of course, eagerly engaged again, thinking probably, it was a cheap way to acquire such a trophy ; but fortune favored the brave, and from that instant the Chayenne commenced winning. He continued until he had not only won back all his own, but all the Crow had, leaving him as destitute as the Chayenne was a short time before. He could now do no less than his antagonist had done. The Crow's scalp was now at stake. Both were anxious, and both played cautiously. It would not do, the Crow lost his scalp, and the Chayenne proceeded very deliberately to take it off. The operation was completed, and the Crow was pronounced the greatest brave in existence. After some little conversation, praising each other, (all by signs) they separated, under the promise of again playing should they ever meet, at the same time assuring each other, that they would strive to bring the tribes, or parts of each together. In about three months, true to their promise, they met, the Indians consenting to the meeting for the purpose of witnessing such a game. Again they played, lost and won alternately for some time, both better guarded as to their scalps than before, the one having none, and the other having a large quantity of things to lose before his would come into the play. Luck, however, settled down in favor of the Crow, and as the scalp of the other became the stake, the anxiety of the Chayenne showed itself by the deepest and most silent attention, whilst, on the other hand, a murmur of encouragement passed along the line of Crows for their champion. The game drew to a close. Every eye was attention. Their very respiration was checked, and the dogs themselves hushed their barkings into low growls. It was but for an instant, for an exulting shout soon announced the success of the Crow. The same operation that he had performed on the Crow was submitted to by the Chayenne, and after a little feasting, the two tribes separated for the first and last time, in peace.