GRAPHIC ART OF THE ESKIMOS. 909 



The conventional gesture sign used by the Indians of the United 

 States is to throw the flat right hand outward to the right, the hand in 

 the first position being in front of the right side at the height of the 

 elbow. 



Some tribes and European nations who are still profuse and prolific 

 in gesture as an accompaniment to speech frequently employ both 

 hands, moving them outward from the front toward either side, bring 

 ing the palms uppermost, and at the same time giving the shoulders a 

 slight shrug, an unconscious though effective emphasis to the gesture. 



The accompanying figure (132) represents at Nos. 2, 3, and 4 the hab 

 itations of a village of which the author or owner of the record is a 

 member. No. 1 denotes a water fowl. No. 2 is a habitation, from the 

 roof of which project three shaman sticks, erected as votive offerings 

 to deceased members of the household. The owner is also apparent on 

 the roof, occupied by domestic duties. No. 3 is another house, from the 

 roof of which is seen the issuings of smoke. No. 4 is another long 

 house, from the right hand end of which is seen projecting a stick indi 

 cating the direction taken by the owner in his departure for another 

 locality. No. 5 represents a swan (the uppermost figure), which was 

 observed by the traveler on his journey, as also an animal, the specific 

 name of which could not be ascertained. No. (&amp;gt;, however, is the traveler 



1234 56 789 



Fig. 132. 

 NOTICE OF DEPARTURE TO VISIT NEIGHBORING VILLAGE. 



himself seated on his dog sledge, holding in his hand a whip, with which 

 he is urging the dog to hasten, as the end of the journey is near at 

 hand. He is preceded by another native (No. 7), whom he caught up 

 with, who was dragging home some game. No. 8 is the house of the 

 person whom the traveler is going to visit. The left-hand figure sees 

 him coming, and shows his pleasure by extending his arm horizontally, 

 to inform others of the village that he sees the stranger approaching. 

 The figure on the meat pole is said to be exceedingly pleased at the 

 news, and is seen performing some athletic feat on the horizontal pole 

 mentioned. Another of the household is occupied at the storehouse 

 (No. 9) in preparing for the storing of the game captured by No. 7. 



Smoke observed issuing from the roof of the habitation No. 8 is 

 similar to that in No. 3, and resembles also in graphic execution the 

 tail of the dog in No. 6. Upon comparison it will be found that the 

 water thrown up by a whale in blowing is represented in like manner. 



ABSTRACT IDEAS. 



But few instances denoting, or perhaps even suggesting, abstra 

 ideas have been met with. The following examples embrace also ges 

 ture language as well as an attempt at recording subjective ideas. 



