Notes on the Story of the Turquoises

p. 102

NOTES ON THE STORY OF THE TURQUOISES

Turquoises seem to have been regarded by all Arizona Indians as magical and lucky stones, and the Story of the Turquoises professes to give their origin.

Of the game, toe-coll, here spoken of, Whittemore gives this account in Cook's "Among the Pimas:" "One of the amusements of the women was that of tossing balls. They had two small ones, covered with buckskin, and tied about six inches apart. Young women and married, from thirty to seventy-five in a group, assembled as dressed for a ball, their hair carefully manipulated so as to be black and glossy. Each had a stick of willow six feet long. With these they dextrously tossed the balls high in the air, running after them until one party was so weary that they gave up the game from mere exhaustion.

In order to make the excitement a success they had certain active women, keen of wit and quick of action, practice weeks in advance."

Sometimes the balls were formed by two large knots in a short piece of rope.