GREETING BY GESTURE. 633 



It is the opposite of the transverse motion which shows negation, 

 discordance, enmity, crossness. A lower inclination, either of 

 head or hand, is emphatic, and often shows respect, not necessarily 

 fear, as made to the older and wiser as also to the more powerful 

 by rank or physical prowess. Forms of kindred expressions are 

 still so common as to be classed as natural or involuntary. The 

 head erect 01 thrown back with the eyes fixed to meet those of 

 others shows haughtiness, defiance, or impudence. Casting down 

 the eyes with an assisting inclination of the head is the evidence 

 of modesty, yielding, gentleness, or subservience, according to 

 the degree of action. Hanging the head may, however, exhibit 

 dissent accompanied by shame. Le Page du Pratz gives an ac- 

 count of the gesture as observed by him among the Natchez at 

 about 1718 : " In the war-songs the great chief recites his exploits. 

 Those who know them to be true respond with a long ( hou ! ' and 

 certify their truth. Applause in the councils is also by the sound 

 ' hou ! ' Their want of satisfaction is given by lowering the head 

 and maintaining silence." 



A more poetical and rather metaphorical variation sometimes 

 occurs from the pretense of the unsupportable glory and brill- 

 iance of the dignitary approached, where the eyelids must be 

 partially closed, a bow of the head assisting in their shading, 

 and the hands sometimes advanced as an additional screen, in 

 which motion the salami has a supposable origin. Curiously 

 enough, this gesture, regarded as purely Oriental, was observed 

 by Marquette on his visit to the Illinois in 1G73, where " the Host 

 stood before the Cabin, having both his Hands lifted up to Heav- 

 en, opposite to the Sun, insomuch that it darted its rays thro' his 

 Fingers, upon his Face ; and when we came near him, he told us, 

 What a fair Day this is since thou comest to visit us ! " Adair 

 tells that the Southern tribes in the United States never bowed 

 to one another, but did in their religious ceremonies, which per- 

 haps was with reference to the effulgent rays of the sun, the 

 object of their special adoration. Such instances tend to show 

 that the origin of the bow was not always in the abjectness of 

 physical fear. 



Touching the ground in connection with salutation, though 

 asserted to be derived from kneeling or prostration, does not 

 necessarily arise from fear, or indicate any more than the relative 

 higher and lower station. For instance, at Amorgos in the Cycla- 

 des the priest, on entering his father's house, touched the ground 

 with his fingers, as a token of respect, before embracing him. 

 His sisters touched the ground with their fingers before kissing 

 the proffered hand of their brother. In each case there was ex- 

 pressed affection while the rank was recognized by the lowering 

 reference to the ground. In the second dispatch of Cortes he 

 vol. xxsvin. 43 



