154 



PICTOGRAPHS OF THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS. 



Fig. 56. — Ammunition 

 wanted. Alaska. 



7. "Shaman stick "or grave stick, erected to the memory of a recently 

 deceased person, the cause of which has necessitated the journey of the 

 recorder. 



8. Winter habitation. This, together with Xo. 0, indicates a settle- 

 ment. 



Fig. 56, also drawn by Naumoff, means " ammunition wanted." 



When a hunter is tracking game, and exhausts 

 his ammunition, be returns to the nearest and most 

 conspicuous part of the trail and sticks his ihiV'uk 

 in the ground, the top leaning in the. direction taken. 

 The ilnV'uk is the pair of sticks arranged like the 

 letter A, used as a gun-rest. This method of 

 transmitting the request to the first passer is re- 

 sorted to by the greater number of coast natives of 

 Southern Alaska. 



Fig. 57, also drawn by Naumoff, means "discovery of bear; assist- 

 ance wanted." 



When a hunter discovers a bear, and requires assist- 

 ance, he ties together a bunch of grass, or other fibrous 

 matter, in the form of an animal with legs, and places it 

 upon a long stick or pole which is erected at a conspicuous 

 point to attract attention. The head of the effigy is directed 

 toward the locality where the animal was last seen. 



This device is also used at times by most of the South- 

 ern Alaskan Indians. 



Figure 58 was also drawn by Naumoff, and signifies 

 "starving hunters." 



Fig. 57.— As- 

 sistance 

 ■wanted i n 

 hunt. Al- 

 aska. 



1 2 3 4 



Fig. 58.— Starving banters. Alaska. 



Hunters who have been unfortunate, and are suffering from hunger, 

 scratch or draw upon a piece of wood characters similar to those figured, 

 and place the lower end of the stick in the ground on the trail where 

 the greatest chauce of its discovery occurs. The stick is inclined toward 

 the locality of the habitation. The accompanying explanation will 

 serve to illustrate more fully the information contained in the drawing. 



1. A horizontal line denoting a canoe, showing the persons to be 

 fishermen. 



2. An individual with both arms extended signifying nothing, corre- 

 sponding with the gesture for negation. 



3. A person with the right hand to the mouth, signifying to eat, the 

 left hand pointing to the house occupied by the hunters. 



4. The habitation. 



