Sign Language Among North American Indians Compared With That Among Other Peoples Part 41

(48) Sign for _camp_, as before (No. 10)--_camp_.

(49) Pointing to speaker--_I_.

(50) Fingers of right hand extended and joined and pointed forward from mouth, left hand lowered horizontally to a foot from the ground--_fox_.

(51) Left hand raised height of eye, back to the left, fingers closed, with exception of middle finger held upright; then middle finger suddenly closed--_trap_.

(52) Both hands lifted height of eye, palm inward, fingers spread--_many_.

(53) Right hand pointing to speaker--_I_.

(54) Sign for _trap_ (No. 51), as above--_trap_.

(55) Right hand lowered to within a few inches of the ground and moved from left to right about two feet. Motions of both hands descriptive of playful jumping of marten around a tree or stump--_marten_.

(56) Holding up the fingers of both hands three times until aggregating thirty--_thirty_.

(57) Left forearm held up vertically, palm to front, fingers spread--_tree_.

(58) Motion of chopping with hatchet--_cut_.

(59) Driving invisible wedge around small circle--_peeling birch bark_.

(60) Right hand, fingers extended and joined, moved slowly from left to right horizontally while blowing upon it with mouth--_pitching seams of canoe_.

(61) Motions of using paddle very vigorously--_paddle up stream_.

(62) Lifting both arms above head on respective sides, hands closed as if grasping something and lifting the body--_poling canoe_.

(63) Sign for _moon_ (No. 4), (crescent and ring) once--_one month_.

(64) Right hand vertically, height of chest, palm to left, fingers extended, closed. Left hand horizontally, palm downward, pushed against right--_stopped_.

(65) Right hand, index extended, drawing outline of mountains, one above other--_high mountains_.

(66) Left hand lifted to left shoulder, back to front, fingers bent and closed. Right hand, fingers bent and closed, placed over left and then slowly drawn across chest to right shoulder. Motion with both hands as if adjusting pack--_pack, knapsack_.

(67) Sign for _water_ as before (No. 8). Both hands brought forward, palms down, arms pa.s.sed outward horizontally to respective sides, palms down--_lake_. Both hands describing circular line backward until touching collar bone--_big and deep_.

(68) Left hand raised slightly about height of nipple, three fingers closed; index and thumb holding tip of index of right hand. Both hands moved across chest from left to right--_beaver_.[1]

(69) Previous sign for _many_ (No. 52) repeated several times--_very plentiful_.

(70) Both hands held up with fingers spread, palm forward, twice and left hand once--height of eye--_twenty-five_.

(71) Pointing to himself--_I_.

(72) Sign for _trap_ as before (No. 51)--_trapped_.

(73) Sign for temporary _shelter_ (No. 10)--_camped_.

(74) Sign for new and full moon (No. 4), once--_one month_.

(75) Right hand pa.s.sed slowly over the hair and chin. Left hand touching a pendant of white beads--_old man_.

(76) Index of right hand held up--_one_.

(77) Both hands partially closed and placed against breast, back of hands to front, a few inches apart--_women_.

(78) Index and middle finger of right hand held up, palm forward; eyes directed as if counting--_two_.

(79) Sign for _trap_ as before (No. 51)--_trapping_.

(80) Left forearm vertically in front of chest, palm of hand to front, fingers spread, elbow resting upon the back of the right hand--_tree_.

(81) Arms and hands spanning imaginary tree of some size--_big_.

(82) Sign for _tree_ as before (No. 57), left forearm suddenly brought down across extended right hand--_fell_.

(83) Right hand laid on top of head, then pa.s.sed over the hair and chin, left hand touching white beads--_on the head of the old man_.

(84) Sign for _old man_ as before (No. 75)--_old man_.

(85) Closing both eyes with fore and middle finger of right hand; both hands placed side by side, horizontally, palms downward, fingers extended and united, hands separated by slow horizontal movement to right and left--_dead_.

(86) Sign for women as before (No. 77)--women.

(87) Fingers of both hands interlaced at right angles several times--_built_.

(88) Sign for _lodge_ as before (No. 10)--_lodge_.[2]

(89) Right index describing circle around the head, height of eye (cutting hair). Right hand pa.s.sed over forehead and face. Left index pointing to black scabbard (blacking faces)--_mourning_.

(90) Index and middle finger of right hand pa.s.sed from eyes downward across cheeks--_weeping_.

(91) Pointing to himself--_I_.

(92) Make the signs for _shoot_ (Nos. 33, 34), and _moose_ (No.

37)--_shot a moose_.

(93) Left hand extended horizontally, palm upward, right hand placed across left vertically, about the middle--_divided in two_.

(94) Right hand closed, palm downward, moved forward from right breast the length of the arm and then opened--_I gave_.

(95) Sign for _women_, (No. 77)--_to women_.

(96) Right hand, palm down, pointing to left, placed horizontally before heart and slightly raised several times--_good and glad_.

(97) Pointing to his companion--_he_.