Draw the extended right hand across the throat. (_Arapaho_ I.) "The
cut-throats."
Pass the flat right hand, with palm down, from left to right across
the throat. (_Arapaho_ II; _Cheyenne_ V; _Dakota_ VI, VIII; _Ponka_
II; _Pani_ I.)
Draw the forefinger of the left hand from right to left across the
throat. (_Sac, Fox, and Kickapoo_ I.) "A cut-throat."
Forefinger and thumb of right hand extended (others closed) is drawn
from left to right across the throat as though cutting it. The Dakotas
have been named the "cut-throats" by some of the surrounding tribes.
(_Dakota_ I.) "Cut-throats."
Right hand horizontal, flat, palm downward (as in W), and drawn across
the throat as if cutting with a knife. (_Dakota_ II, III.)
Draw the open right hand, or the right index, from left to right
horizontally across the throat, back of hand upward, fingers pointing
toward the left. This sign is also made by the Arapahos. (_Dakota_
IV.) "It is said that after a battle the Utes took many Sioux
prisoners and cut their throats; hence the sign "cut-throats."
Draw the extended right hand, palm downward, across the throat from
left to right. (_Kaiowa_ I; _Comanche_ II, III; _Shoshoni and Banak_
I; _Ute_ I; _Apache_ II; _Wichita_ II.) "Cut-throats." Fig 290.
[Illustration: Fig. 290.]
----, Blackfoot (Sihasapa).
Pass the flat right hand along the outer edge of the foot from the
heel to beyond the toes. (_Dakota_ VIII; _Hidatsa_ I; _Ponka_ II;
_Arikara_ I; _Pani_ I.) Same as Fig. 286, above.
Pass the right hand quickly over the right foot from the great toe
outward, turn the heel as if brushing something therefrom. (_Dakota_
V.)
Pass the widely separated thumb and index of the right hand over the
lower leg, from just below the knee nearly down to the heel. (_Kaiowa_
I; _Comanche_ III; _Apache_ II; _Wichita_ II.)
----, Brule.
Rub the upper and outer part of the right thigh in a small circle with
the open right hand, fingers pointing downward. This sign is also made
by the Arapahos. (_Dakota_ IV.) "These Indians were once caught in a
prairie fire, many burned to death, and others badly burned about
the thighs; hence the name Si-ca[n]-gu 'burnt thigh' and the sign.
According to the Brule chronology, this fire occurred in 1763, which
they call 'The-People-were-burned-winter.'"
Pass the flat right hand quickly over the thigh from near the buttock
forward, as if brushing dust from that part. (_Dakota_ V, VI, VII,
VIII.)
Brush the palm of the right hand over the right thigh, from near the
buttock toward the front of the middle third of the thigh. (_Kaiowa_
I; _Comanche_ III; _Apache_ II; _Wichita_ II.)
----, Ogalala.
Fingers and thumb separated, straight (as in R), and dotted about over
the face to represent the marks made by the small-pox. (_Arapaho_ II;
_Cheyenne_ V; _Dakota_ III, VI, VII, VIII.) "This band suffered from
the disease many years ago."
With the thumb over the ends of the fingers, hold the right hand
upright, its back forward, about six inches in front of the face, or
on one side of the nose near the face, and suddenly extend and spread
all the fingers, thumb included. (_Dakota_ IV.) "The word _Ogalala_
means scattering or throwing at, and the name was given them, it is
said, after a row in which they threw ashes into one another's faces."