Observations on the Language of Signs. 357 
plicable to the general habits of the natives west of the 
Mississippi. dy 
“Squaw.—The hands are passed from the top down 
each side of the tied, indicating 1 ater of the hair on 
the top, and its flowing down eac 
Perhaps the characteristic of eam hair peculiar to wo- 
men, would form as universal a sign for a female as any 
that could be sce or the other sign, extracted from 
unbar’s essay, V 
“ Woman.—The Caner and thumb of the right hand 
partly open, and placed as if laying hold of the aes ce 
he Abbé Sicard, however, has a sign for a woman ta- 
ken from the hat string as it passes from the hat to the 
chin where it is tied. This sign is simplified and the 
hand is drawn on one side of the face only, and then ele- 
vated toa proper size for a woman, and a less for a girl. 
A man is designated by touching the fore part of the 
hat, and then placing the hand at the proper height. 
The same sign is used for a boy with the hand less eleya- 
The sign for brother is companedigd of the ate for a 
man, and that of equality or the same. 
Sister is also compounded of the sign fora woman and 
the sign for the same. The latter sign is natural and uni- 
versal, and is employed alike by the Indians and the deaf 
and dumb. It is described as follows : 
_ “The same, or similar to what went before—Place the 
two ecpects parallel t to each other, and push them for- 
ward a little 
The definition of a Peather in the language of the deaf 
and dumb would then be, a man or boy the same, or equal 
to myself or of the same parents; and a sister, a woman or 
Oa the same as myself, or of the same parents.” 
The Indians have expressed these relations to one an- 
‘ ether by signs, in a manner equally as natural and i tellis a 
e, Viz. 
“ Brother-—The sign for a man, succeeded by pitting 
the ends of me yore and middle fingers of one hand togeth- 
er in the mou 
ons Sisters—-The sign for a squaw, after which place the 
Ey two “scp in the Aan as for brother 
s€ Signs evidently mean the man ‘or woman, the boy 
