MALLERY. ] GESTURE SIGNS IN PICTOGRAPHS. 639 
mon device to represent a dead body. The varying lengths of head 
ornaments denote different degrees of status as warriors or chiefs. 
e, fg, h, 7. Human forms of various shapes making gestures for nega- 
tion, or more specifically “nothing, nothing here,” a natural and uni- 
versal gesture made by throwing one or both hands outward toward 
either side of the body. The hands are extended, and, to make the 
action apparently more emphatic, the extended toes are also shown on 
e, J; g, and 7. The several lines upon the leg of 7 probably indicate 
trimmings upon the leggings. 
The character at j is strikingly similar to the Alaskan pictographs 
(see b of Fig. 460), indicating self with the right hand, and the left 
pointing away, signifying to go. 
k. An ornamented head with body and legs. It may refer to a Sha- 
man, the head being similar to the representations of such personages 
by the Ojibwa and Iroquois. 
Similar drawings occur at a distance of aboat 10 miles southeast of 
this locality as well as at other places toward the northwest, and it 
appears probable that the pictograph was mace by a portion of a tribe 
which had advanced for the purpose of selecting a new camping place, 
but failed to find the quantities of food nécessary for sustenance, and 
therefore erected this notice to inform their followers of their misfor- 
tune and determined departure toward the northwest. It is noticeable 
that the picture is so placed upon the rock that the extended arm of 
j points toward the north. 
The following examples are selected from a large number that could 
be used to illustrate those gesture signs known to be included in picto- 
graphs. Others not referred to in this place may readily be noticed 
in several parts of the present paper where they appear under other 
headings. 
Fig. 984.—Afraid-of-him. Red-Cloud’s Census. The following is the 
description of a common gesture sign used 
by the Dakotas for afraid, fear, coward: ee 
Crook the index, close the other fingers, pyc. 985.—Cowara. 
2 and, with its back upward, draw the right hand back- 
ward about a foot, from 18 inches in front of the right 
breast. Conception, “ Drawing back.” 
Fig. 985.—A fraid-of-him. Red-Cloud’s \ 
Census. This isobviously thesame device 
without clear depiction of the arm, which 
is explained by the preceding. 
Fig. 986.—Little-Chief. Red-Cloud’s 
Census. A typical gesture sign for chief _ a 
Fic. 984,—Cowara. 18 aS follows: cee 
Raise the forefinger, pointed upwards, in a vertical direction and 
then reverse both finger and motion; the greater the elevation the 
“bigger” the chief. In this case the elevation above the head is slight, 
so the chief is “little.” 
