MALLERY.] EXCHANGE—YES—A¥FFIRMATIVE. 455 
and when at the end of its course it seems gently to strike something, 
though with rather a slow and not suddenly accelerated motion. (Long.) 
Wave the hand straight forward from the face. (Burton.) ‘This may 
be compared with the forward nod common over most of the world for 
assent, but that gesture is not universal, as the New Zealanders elevate 
the head and chin, and the Turks are reported by several travelers to 
shake the head somewhat like our negative. Rev. H. N. Barnum denies 
that report, giving below the gesture observed by him. He, however, 
describes the Turkish gesture sign for truth to be “gently bowing with 
head inclined to the right.” This sidewise inclination may be what has 
been called the shake of the head in affirmation. 
Another: Wave the hand from the mouth, extending the thumb from 
the index and closing the other three fingers. (burton.) 
Gesticulate vertically downward and in front of the body with the ex- 
tended forefinger (right hand usually), the remaining fingers and thumb , 
closed, their nails down. (Creel; Arapaho 1.) 
Right hand elevated to the level and in front of the shoulder, two first 
fingers somewhat extended, thumb resting against the middle finger ; 
sudden motion ina curve forward anddownward. (Cheyenne Il.) It has 
been suggested that the correspondence between this gesture and the 
one given by the same gesturer for sitting (made by holding the right 
hand to one side, fingers and thumb drooping, and striking downward 
to the ground or object to be sat upon) seemingly indicates that the 
origin of the former is in connection with the idea of “resting,” or ‘“set- 
tling a question.” It is however at least equally probable that the for- 
ward and downward curve is an abbreviation of the sign for truth, 
true, a typical description of which follows given by (Dakota I). The 
sign for true can often be interchanged with that for yes, in the same 
manner as the several words. 
The index of the horizontal hand (M), other fingers closed, is carried 
straight outward from the mouth. This is also the sign for truth. 
(Dakota I.) ‘But one tongue.” : 
Extend the right index, the thumb against it, nearly close the other 
fingers, and holding it about a foot in front of the right breast, bend 
the hand from the wrist downward until the end of the index has passed 
about six inches through an are. Someat the same time move the hand 
forward a little. (Dakota IV.) “A nod; the hand representing the 
head and the index the nose.” 
Hold the naturally closed hand before the right side of the breast, or 
shoulder, leaving the index and thumb extended, then throw the hand 
