198 PICTOGRAPHS OF THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS. 



The following is the text in Aigahxxamut: 



Nu-na-mu-quk' a-x'1-xik' ai-ba-li to-qgu-qlu gu nii-hu tcuk nac-qui 



Place two quarrel (with) one an- (one) killed him (the large knife took head 



other, othei > (with a) 



qlu-gu,i-no-qtelu-gu; Ka-sa-ha-lik'ua-bou'ca-gu-luka-gu-nu-qua-qlu-hu'. 



oft", laid him down ; Shaman atick bird to set (or place) on the 



(buried) (offering) (wooden) top of (over). 



That portion of the Kauvnya tribe of Indians in Southern California 

 known as the Playsanos, or loiclanders, formerly inscribed characters 

 upon the gravestones of their dead, relating to the pursuits or good 

 qualities of the deceased. Dr. W. J. Hoffman obtained several pieces 

 or slabs of finely-grained sandstone near Los Angeles, California, during 

 the summer of 1884, which had been used for this purpose. Upon these 

 were the drawings, in iucised lines, of the Fiu-back whale, with figures 

 of men pursuing them with harpoons. Around the etchings were close 

 parallel lines with cross lines similar to the drawings made on ivory by 

 the southern Iunuit of Alaska. 



GBATE-POSTS. 



Figures 113 and 114 were procured from a native Alaskan by Dr. 

 Hoffman in 1882, and explained to him to be drawings made upon 

 grave-posts. 



Drawings similar to these are made on slabs of wood by devoted 



friends, or relatives, to present and perpetuate the good qualities of a 



deceased native. The occupation is usually referred to, 



• *, x as well as articles of importance of which the departed 



0f one was the possessor. 



Figure 113 refers to a hunter, as land animals are 

 shown as the chief pursuit. The following is the expla- 

 nation of the characters: 



1. The baidarka, or boat, holding two persons; the 

 occupants are shown, as are also the paddles, which 

 project below the horizontal body of the vessel. 

 /Jiff 2. A rack for drying skins and fish. A pole is added 



above it, from which are seen Moating streamers of calico 

 or cloth. 

 ^fff « 3. A fox. 



4. A land otter. 



5. The hunter's summer habitations. These are tem- 

 porary dwellings and usually constructed at a distance 

 from home. This also indicates the profession of a skiu- 



^p'ost. 13 Alaska 6 hunter, as the permanent lodges, indicated as winter 

 houses, i. e., with round or dome-like roof, are located 

 near the sea-shore, and summer houses are only needed when at some 

 distance from home, where a considerable length of time is spent. 



