KEEN-SIGHTED PLAINSMEN. 197 



language, can hold a conversation in dumb show, is 

 naturally on most occasions used when parties meet 

 each other on the prairie, and desire to ascertain whether 

 the approaching strangers are friends or foes, or to 

 talk upon any subject of interest after they have met; 

 this is done almost entirely by manual signs impossible 

 to give an idea of here, the nearest approach to which 

 in European experience is the act of beckoning to a 

 friend, by which sign you tell him, " Come here, I 

 want you ; " and the deaf and dumb alphabet, by which 

 people can talk to each other on their fingers, by 

 spelling out the words with the sign for each letter; 

 of which method naval signalling by flags and flash 

 lights is only another form of that by which the sign 

 language signals are conveyed under a different code. 



The wonderful development of the visual organs 

 attained by practice, whereby objects and details can 

 be deciphered at amazing distances, is a faculty which 

 it is highly important that the traveller over wide plains 

 should endeavour to study, and develop in his own 

 person as far as he can, and there can be no doubt 

 that an immense deal can be done in this way where 

 the sight is naturally good and after a time the in- 

 telligent traveller will find himself readily taking in at 

 a glance details in the landscape which would certainly 

 escape the eyes of careless or inexperienced observers. 

 A good illustration of this may be found upon oc- 

 casions when the trained eyesight of guides detects 

 some object in the far distance, which is invisible to 

 your own eyes, yet when it is pointed out and you 

 catch sight of it at last, you find it is then visible 

 without difficulty, showing that it was want of practice 

 alone which rendered your eyes unable to see it from 



