The rival sides assembled opposite each other and bet heavily.

All the stakes, under the law of the game, were laid upon the ground in heaps here, and they consisted of the articles most precious to the Iroquois.

In these heaps were rifles, tomahawks, scalping knives, wampum, strips of colored beads, blankets, swords, belts, moccasins, leggins, and a great many things taken as spoil in forays on the white settlements, such is small mirrors, brushes of various kinds, boots, shoes, and other things, the whole making a vast assortment.
These heaps represented great wealth to the Iroquois, and the older chiefs sat beside them in the capacity of stakeholders and judges.
The combatants, ranged in two long rows, numbered at least five hundred on each side, and already they began to show an excitement approaching that which animated them when they would go into battle.

Their eyes glowed, and the muscles on their naked backs and chests were tense for the spring.

In order to leave their limbs perfectly free for effort they wore no clothing at all, except a little apron reaching from the waist to the knee.
The extent of the playground was marked off by two pair of "byes" like those used in cricket, planted about thirty rods apart.