We will look at a few examples of Indian signs. Try and make them from the
description, and see whether you think they are natural or not. The signs
for animal names usually describe or picture some peculiarity of the
animal.
_Badger_.—The right hand is held with the back up, fingers
extended, touching and pointing to the front, in front and to the
right of the body. This shows the height of the animal. Then the
first and second fingers are slightly separated (the rest of the
hand being closed) and drawn from the nose upward over the top of
the head. This shows the striped face. The two hands are then held
in front of the body, with fingers curved, the backs up, and drawn
as if pawing or scratching. This has reference to the digging of
the animal. The complete sign thus gives the size, the most
striking mark, and the habit of the animal.
_Beaver_.—Hold out the left hand, with the back up, pointing to
the right and front, in front of the body, with the lower part of
the arm horizontal; cross the right hand under it so that the back
of the _right hand_ is _against_ the _left palm_. Then leaving the
right wrist _all the time against_ the _left palm_, briskly move
the right hand up and down so it shall _slap_ against the left
palm. The beaver has a broad, flat tail, with which he strikes mud
or water. The sign imitates this action.
_Buffalo_.—Close the hands except the forefingers; curve these;
place the hands then against the sides of the head, near the top
and fairly forward. These curved forefingers resemble the horns of
the buffalo and so suggest that animal.
_Dog_.—Place the right hand, with the back up, in front of and a
little lower than the left breast: the first and second fingers
are extended, separated, and point to the left. The hand is then
drawn several inches to the right, horizontally. I am sure you
never would guess how this came to mean dog. You remember how the
tent poles are dragged by ponies when camp is moved? Well, before
the Indians had horses as now, the dogs used to have to drag the
poles. This sign represents the dragging of the poles.
_Skunk_.—The skunk is a little animal, but it has rather a
complicated sign. (_a_) The height is indicated as in the case of
the badger. (_b_) Raise the right hand, with the back backward, a
little to the right of the right shoulder; all the fingers are
closed except the forefinger, which is curved; the hand is then
moved forward several inches by gentle jerks. This represents the
curious way in which the broad, bushy tail is carried and the
movement of the animal in walking. (_c_) Raise right hand toward
the face, with the two first fingers somewhat separated, to about
the chin. Then move it upward until the nose passes between the
separated finger tips. This means smell. (_d_) Hold both hands,
closed with backs up, in front of the body, the two being at the
same height. Move them down and outward, at the same time opening
them. This is done rather briskly and vigorously. It means bad.
Thus in the sign for skunk we give size, character of tail and
movement, and bad smell.
There are of course signs for the various Indian tribes, and some of these
are interesting because they usually present some striking characteristic
of the tribe named.
_Crow_.—Make with the arms the motion of flapping wings.
_Arapaho_.—The fingers of one hand touch the breast in different
parts to indicate the tattooing of that part in points.
_Arikara_.—often called “corn-eaters,” are represented by
imitating the shelling of corn, by holding the left hand still,
the shelling being done with the right.
_Blackfeet_.—Pass the flat hand over the outer edge of the right
foot from the heel to beyond the toe, as if brushing off dust.
_Comanche_ and _Shoshone_.—Imitate with the hand or forefinger the
crawling motion of the snake.
_Flathead_.—The hand is raised and placed against the forehead.