160
The Natural Hiſtory
conſiſts in Swooping or Bartering. Another Diverſion, which conſiſts in Swopping, or Buying and Selling.He that performs the Office of Drummer and Singer, expoſes one Thing or other to Sale, at any Rate he thinks fit; if any of the Company has a liking to it, he ſhews his Conſent by giving the Seller a Slap on his Breech, and the Bargain is done, and cannot be retrieved, whether good or bad. The Boys Play like that, in French, call'd Bilboquet, and in Engliſh, Catch me if you can.The Boys and Lads have alſo their Paſtimes and Plays, when they meet in the Evening. They take a ſmall Piece of Wood, with a Hole in it at one End, to that they tie a little pointed Stick with a Thread or String, and throwing the Piece with the Hole in it, up into the Air, The Catch-Play of the young Lads.they ſtrive to catch it upon the pointed Stick, through the Hole. He that does it twenty times ſucceſſively, and without failing, gains the Match, or Party, and he that miſſes gets a black Stroke on his Forehead, for every Time he miſſes. A Game of Chance, like Cards or Dice.Another Boy's Play is a Game of Chance, like Cards or Dice; they have a Piece of Wood pointed at one End, with a Pin or Peg in the midſt, upon which it turns; when the Boys are ſeated around, and every
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