Page:The Red Man and the White Man in North America.djvu/203

Rh images, phrases, and descriptions for everything — admirably sets it forth: —

Indians of most widely separated tribes can understand each other and amuse each other, in perfect silence, without a single word, — though with an occasional grunt, — in giving long and minute relations and descriptions, and in telling funny tales. They will impart the length of a journey, on horse or foot; the number of days and nights; describe the route, and countless particulars. A semicircular motion of the hand from horizon to horizon marks a day; the head reclined on the hand, a night; the finger pointed to space in the sky on either side of the zenith, the hour in the day; fingers astride and galloping signify riding, another motion walking rapidly or slowly; the palm of the hand passed smoothly down the face and body describes one of the fair sex; one finger straightly pointed means a true speech; two fingers forked means a snake-tongue, or a lie; a fore-finger raised to the ear means, “I have heard,” or “I approve;” the back of the hand on the ear, “I did not hear,” or “I believe;” the hand laid flat on the lips and then raised, means a prayer or an oath. And this sign-language served as a basis or a guide for such symbolic or hieroglyphic writing as the Indians had.

When General Custer was in retirement for a season at Fort Leavenworth, he made a study of the sign-language and became a great proficient in it, so as at times afterward to dispense with an interpreter. Professor J. W. Powell, under the auspices of the Smithsonian Institute, has for several years been engaged on the most systematic attempt and method that have as yet been devised for the study of Indian languages, in their affinities and variances of