Hold the right fist, palm down, knuckles forward, and make a thrust
forward and downward. (_Arapaho_ II; _Cheyenne_ V; _Dakota_ VI, VII,
VIII; _Hidatsa_ I; _Ponka_ II; _Arikara_ I; _Pani_ I.) Fig. 268.
[Illustration: Fig. 268.]
Right hand clinched, thumb lying along the finger tips, elevated to
near the shoulder, strike downward and out vaguely in the direction
of the object to be killed. The abstract sign for _kill_ is simply to
clinch the right hand in the manner described and strike it down and
out from the right side. (_Cheyenne_ II.)
Close the right hand, extending the forefinger alone; point toward
the breast, then throw from you forward, bringing the hand toward the
ground. (_Ojibwa_ V; _Omaha_ I.)
Both hands clinched, with the thumbs resting against the middle joints
of the forefingers, hold the left transversely in front of and as high
as the breast, then push the right, palm down, quickly over and down
in front of the left. (_Absaroka_ I; _Shoshoni and Banak_ I.) "To
force under--literally."
With the dexter fist carried to the front of the body at the right
side, strike downward and outward several times, with back of hand
upward, thumb toward the left, several times. (_Dakota_ I.) "Strike
down."
With the first and second joints of the fingers of the right hand
bent, end of thumb against the middle of the index, palm downward,
move the hand energetically forward and downward from a foot in
front of the right breast. Striking with a stone--man's first weapon.
(_Dakota_, IV.)
The left hand, thumb up, back forward, not very rigidly extended, is
held before the chest and struck in the palm with the outer edge of
the right hand. (_Mandan and Hidatsa_ I.) "To kill with a blow; to
deal the death blow." Fig. 269.
Right hand, fingers open but slightly curved, palm to the left; move
downward, describing a curve. (_Omaha_ I.)
[Illustration: Fig. 269.]
Another: Similar to the last, but the index finger is extended,
pointing in front of you, the other fingers but half open. (_Omaha_
I.)
Place the flat right hand, palm down, at arm's length to the right,
bring it quickly, horizontally, to the side of the head, then make
the sign for DEAD. (_Ojibwa_ V; _Wyandot_ I.) "To strike with a club,
dead."
Both hands, in positions (AA), with arms semiflexed toward the body,
make the forward rotary sign with the clinched fists as in fighting;
the right hand is then raised from the left outward, as clutching
a knife with the blade pointing downward and inward toward the left
fist; the left fist, being held _in situ_, is struck now by the right,
edgewise as above described, and both suddenly fall together. (_Oto
and Missouri_ I.) "To strike down in battle with a knife. Indians
seldom disagree or kill another in times of tribal peace."
_Deaf-mute natural signs_:
Strike a blow in the air with the clinched fist, and then incline the
head to one side, and lower the open hand, palm upward. (_Ballard_.)
Strike the other hand with the fist, or point a gun, and, having shot,
suddenly point to your breast with the finger, and hold your head
sidewise on the hand. (_Cross_.)
Use the closed hand as if to strike, and then move back the head with
the eyes shut and the mouth opened. (_Hasenstab_.)
Put the head down over the breast, and then move down the stretched
hand along the neck. (_Larson_.)
_Turkish sign_: