Left-hand thumb and forefinger straightened out, held to the level of
and in front of the breast; right-hand forefinger separated from the
middle finger and thrown across the left hand to imitate the act of
bestriding. They appear to have no other conception of a horse, and
have thus indicated that they have known it only as an animal to be
ridden. (_Creel_; _Cheyenne_ II.)
Draw the right hand from left to right across the body about the
heart, the fingers all closed except the index. This is abbreviated
by making a circular sweep of the right open hand from about the left
elbow to the front of the body, probably indicating the mane. A Pani
sign. (_Cheyenne_ IV.)
Place the first two fingers of the right hand, thumb extended (N 1),
downward, astraddle the first two joined and straight fingers of the
left hand (T 1), sidewise to the right. Many Sioux Indians use only
the forefinger straightened. (_Dakota_ I.) "Horse mounted."
The first and second fingers extended and separated, remaining fingers
and thumb closed; left forefinger extended, horizontal, remaining
fingers and thumb closed; place the right-hand fingers astride of the
forefinger of the left, and both hands jerked together, up and down,
to represent the motion of a horse. (_Dakota_ III.)
The two hands being clinched and near together, palms downward, thumbs
against the forefingers, throw them, each alternately, forward and
backward about a foot, through an ellipsis two or three times, from
about six inches in front of the chest, to imitate the galloping of a
horse, or the hands may be held forward and not moved. (_Dakota_ IV.)
[Illustration: Fig. 260.]
Place the extended and separated index and second fingers of the
right hand astraddle of the extended forefinger of the left. Fig. 260.
Sometimes all the fingers of the left hand are extended in making this
sign, as in Fig. 261, though this may be the result of carelessness.
(_Dakota_ VI, VII, VIII; _Hidatsa_ I; _Ponka_ II; _Arikara_ I; _Pani_
I.)
[Illustration: Fig. 261.]
The left hand is before the chest, back upward in the position of an
index-hand pointing forward; then the first and second fingers of the
right hand only being extended, separated and pointing downward, are
set one on each side of the left forefinger, the interdigital space
resting on the forefinger. The palm faces downward and backward. This
represents a rider astride of a horse. (_Mandan and Hidatsa_ I.)
Close hands, except forefingers, which are curved downward; move them
forward in rotation, imitating the fore feet of the horse, and make
puffing sound of "Uh, uh"! (_Omaha_ I.) "This sign represents the
horse racing off to a safe distance, and puffing as he tosses his
head."
The arm is flexed and the hand extended is brought on a level with
the mouth. The hand then assumes the position (W 1), modified by being
held edges up and down, palm toward the chest, instead of flat. The
arm and hand being held thus about the usual height of a horse are
made to pass in an undulating manner across the face or body about one
foot distant from contact. The latter movements are to resemble the
animal's gait. (_Oto_ I.) "Height of animal and movement of same."
The index and second fingers of the right hand are placed astraddle
the extended forefinger of the left. (_Wyandot_ I.)
[Illustration: Fig. 262.]
Place the flat right hand, thumb down, edgewise before the right side
of the shoulder, pointing toward the right. (_Kaiowa_ I; _Comanche_
III; _Apache_ II; _Wichita_ II.) Fig. 262.
[Illustration: Fig. 263.]
Another: Hold the right hand flat, extended, with fingers joined, the
thumb extended upward, then pass the hand at arm's length before the
face from left to right. This is said by the authorities cited
below to be also the Caddo sign, and that the other tribes mentioned
originally obtained it from that tribe. (_Kaiowa_ I; _Comanche_ I,
III; _Apache_ II; _Wichita_ II.) Fig. 263.
Another: Place the extended and separated index and second fingers
astraddle the extended and horizontal forefinger of the left hand.
This sign is only used when communicating with uninstructed white men,
or with other Indians whose sign for horse is specifically distinct.
(_Kaiowa_ I; _Comanche_ III; _Apache_ II; _Wichita_ II.).
[Illustration: Fig. 264.]
Place the extended index and second fingers of the right hand across
the extended first two fingers of the left. Fig. 264. Size of the
animal is indicated by passing the right hand, palm down, with fingers
loosely separated, forward from the right side, at any height as the
case may necessitate, after which the sign for HORSE may be made.
(_Pima and Papago_ I.)
[Illustration: Fig. 265.]
Place the right hand, palm down, before the right side of the chest;
place the tips of the second and third fingers against the ball of the
thumb, allowing the index and little fingers to project to represent
the ears. Fig. 265. Frequently the middle fingers extend equally with
and against the thumb, forming the head of the animal, the ears always
being represented by the two outer fingers, viz, the index and little
finger. Fig. 266. (_Ute_ I.) A similar sign is reported by Colonel
Dodge as used by the Utes.
[Illustration: Fig. 266.]
Elevate the right hand, extended, with fingers joined, outer edge
toward the ground, in front of the body or right shoulder, and
pointing forward, resting the curved thumb against the palmar side
of the index. This sign appears also to signify _animal_ generically,
being frequently employed as a preliminary sign when denoting other
species. (_Apache_ I.)
_Deaf-mute natural signs_: