352 PICTURE-WRITING OF THE AMERICAN INDIANS. 
Naumoff gave the following explanation: a, a native making the 
gesture of indicating self with the right hand and with the left indi- 
cating direction of going; b, the native’s habitation; ¢, scaffold used 
for drying fish; upon the top of a pole is placed a piece of wood tied 
so that the longest end points in the direction to be taken by the re- 
lief party; d, the baidarka conveying it; ¢, a native of the settlement 
to be visited; f, summer habitation; g, ““shaman stick,” or grave stick, 
erected to the memory of a recently deceased person, the cause which 
has necessitated the journey; h, winter habitation. This, together with 
J, indicates a settlement. 
Fig. 462, also drawn by Naumoff, means “ammunition wanted.” 
When a hunter is tracking game and exhausts his 
abil ene ammunition, he returns to the nearest and most con- 
esis Sap = i spicuous part of the trail and sticks his ihv"tk in the 
4-1 — ground, the top leaning in the direction taken. The 
pia na ihwuk is the pair of sticks arranged like the letter 
wie anted, Alaska" A, used as a gun-rest. This method of transmitting 
the request to the first passer is resorted to by the coast people of 
Southern Alaska. 
Fig. 465, 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 the animal and places it upon a 
= long stick or pole which is erected at a conspicuous 
Zé point. The head of the effigy is directed toward the 
ty ; locality where the animal was last seen. 
Fic. 463.— Assistance ~ 
wantedinhunt. Alaska. This device is used by most of the Alaskan Indians. 
Fig. 464 was also drawn by Naumoff, and signifies ‘starving hunt- 
ers.” 
Hunters who have been unfortunate, and are suffering from hunger, 
scratch or draw on a piece of wood characters similar to those figured, 
and place the lower end of the stick in the ground on the trail where 
there is the greatest chance of its discovery. The stick is inclined 
Fic. 464.—Starving hunters. Alaska. 
toward their shelter. The following are the details of the information 
contained in the drawing: ; 
a, A horizontal line denoting a canoe, showing the persons to be 
fishermen; b, a man with both arms extended signifying nothing, corre- 
sponding with the gesture for negation; ¢, a person with the right hand 
to the mouth, signifying to eat, the left hand pointing to the house 
occupied by the hunters; d, the shelter. 
