1SS6. 1 



303 



[Lesley. 



Absa'roka.. 

 This tribe is generally known as the Crows, a word originating no doubt 

 from the gesture-sign used to designate themselves, which is made by 

 placing the flat hands, palms down, in front of and outward from the 

 shoulders, then imitating the movement of a bird's wings when flying. 

 The first portion of the word absaroka is from abita, ab, an arrow-point, i 

 mouth and 'ta to kill, i. e., to kill with an arrow -pointed mouth, clearly signi- 

 fying the habit of an accipitrine bird. The Indians stated to the writer that 

 the true Absa'roka was a white, or nearly white, bird, exactly resembling 

 the sparrow-hawk — Falco spariverius. No specimen of the true absa'roka 

 has been seen for many years, and it appears probable that the bird is a 

 mythic one, particularly as it is described as white, or partly white. 

 Animals and birds held as sacred are invariably white, and albinos, proba- 

 bly on account of their rarity, being deemed as endowed with supernatu- 

 ral and mystic powers. A partial synonomy is herewith added : 



Absa'roka. 



Absoroka. 



Absarakos. 



Upsaraukas. 



Apsaruka. 



Atsharoke. 



Gens des Corbeau. 



Kee-kat-sa. 



Keeheet-sas. 



Kiqatsa. 

 Crows, 



Tribal designation. 



Drake. Book of Indians. 1818. p. v. 

 Warren. Nebraska and Arizona (1855-7) 1875. 

 Brown (J. M.). Beach's Ind. Miscellany. 1877. 



50. 



83. 



Travels. 1843. p. 174. "Their own 



41. "So-called by 



Liverpool. 1817. 



1842. i. 



Maximilian. 



name." 

 De Smet, Letters. 1843. p. 51. 

 Lewis and Clark. Disc. 1806. p 



the French." 

 Bradbury. Travels in America. 



p. 19. 

 M'Vickar. Hist. Exp. Lewis and Clark 



Map. 

 Am. Naturalist, Oct. 1882. p. 829. 

 By authors generally. 



On the Hebreio Word ShDl (Shaddai), translated " The Almighty." By 



J. P. Lesley. 



{Bead before the American Philosopliical Society, January 15, 1S86.) 



Several years ago I was led to examine all the Hebrew texts containing 

 this word, and was surprised to see that they lend no countenance to the 

 common translation of it ; and that they teach a derivation of it from 

 sources foreign to the Hebrew theology. 



In the seven centuries which elapsed between the Seventy translators 

 in Egypt and St. Jerome's Latin translation Christianity effected a 

 great change in the view men took of things, both sacred and profane. 

 The TzavroKpaTwp of the LXX had a very different meaning from the 



