Dust-point A game in which boys placed their points in a heap, and threw at them with a stone. Weber and Nares give wrong explanations. It is alluded to in Cotton s Works, 1734, p. 184. I ll venter on their heads my brindled cow, With any boy at dust-point they shall play. --Peacham s _Thalia s Banquet_, 1620. Nares (_Glossary_) suggests that this game and blow-point resembled the game of Push-pin. See also Halliwell s _Dictionary_. Eller Tree A number of young men and women stand in a line, a tall girl at one end of the line representing the tree. They then begin to wrap round her, saying, The old eller tree grows thicker and thicker.
There are no partnerships; each plays for himself against the others. _=WHEN TWO PLAY=_, twelve cards are dealt to each player, and arranged face down; then twelve more, arranged face up, and then two down cards to each. It is usual to deal all the cards two at a time. _=SUGGESTIONS FOR GOOD PLAY.=_ Chinese Whist very closely resembles Dummy, and the chief element of success is the skilful use of tenace. Memory also plays an important part, it being especially necessary to remember what cards are still unplayed in each suit. While the down cards are held a player cannot be sure of taking a trick by leading a card higher than any his adversary has exposed, because one of the down cards may be better. If a player is short of trumps, but has as many and better than those of his adversary, it is often good play to lead and draw the weaker trumps before the adversary turns up higher ones to protect them. For instance: one player may have 10 8, and his adversary the 9 alone. If the 10 is led the 9 will probably be caught, unless one of the adverse down cards is better.
But this in a well-matched game is no easy achievement, and often requires much time, many doublings, detours, and exertions. I should have noticed, that if the holder of the ball be caught with the ball in his possession, he loses a _snotch_; if, therefore, he be hard pressed, he _throws_ it to a convenient friend, more free and in breath than himself. At the loss (or gain) of a _snotch_, a recommence takes place, arranging which gives the parties time to take breath. Seven or nine notches are the game--and these it will sometimes take two or three hours to win. Sometimes a large football was used--and the game was then called Kicking Camp --and if played with the shoes on, Savage Camp. --Moor s _Suffolk Words_. (_b_) The sport and name are very old. The Camping pightel occurs in a deed of the 30 Henry VI.--about 1486; Cullum s _Hawstead_, p. 113, where Tusser is quoted in proof, that not only was the exercise manly and salutary, but good also for the _pightel_ or meadow: In meadow or pasture (to grow the more fine) Let campers be camping in any of thine; Which if ye do suffer when low is the spring, You gain to yourself a commodious thing.