144 



this sign, laying one over tlie otiier crosswise, tlius +, covering the 

 month. One of these signs wonld be nsed as above if an Indian walk- 

 ing along should unexpectedly see the body of a dead person lying on 

 the gronnd, when the sign for ti\urpriiie would be made simultaneously 

 as expressing his emotions. One of the signs wonld also be used by a 

 person on hearing of an unexpected death; and I believe it was some 

 occurrence of this kind that misled the Prince of VVied-Neuwied and 

 caused him to give sul)stantially the second sign above as the one for 

 Dead, Death. (Dakota I.) 



Horse. 



The right hand with tlie edge downward, the tiiigers joined, the 

 thumb recumbent, extended forward. {Dunbar.) 



Place the index and third finger of the right hand astraddle the 

 index finger of the left. ( Wied.) By the "third" he means the "middle" 

 finger, as appears in another connection. He counts the thumb as the 

 first. — Ed. I ivave described this sign in words to the same effect. 

 {MattJiews.) The right arm is raised, and the hand, opened edgewise, 

 with fingers parallel and ainiroxinuited, is drawn from left to right before 

 the body at the supposed height of the animal. There is no conceiva- 

 al)le identity in the execution of this sign and iVied\s, but the sign for 

 Horse by the Prince of Wied is neai-ly identical with the sign for Ride 

 a Horse among the Otos. (Boteler.) 



Left-hand thumb and forefinger straightened out, held to the level of 

 ami in front of the breas-t; right-hand forefinger separated from the 

 middle finger and thrown across the left hand to imitate the act of 

 bestriding. They appear to have no other conception of a horse, and 

 have thus indicated that they have known it only as an animal to be 

 ridden. [Cheyenne I.) 



A hand passed across the forehead. (Macgowan.) 



Draw the right hand from left to right across the body about the 

 heart, the fingers all closed except the index. {Dodge.) This probably 

 refers to the girth. It has a resemblance to Burtoii's sign for DOS', and 

 is easily confounded with his sign for Think, Iwiiess. 



Place tlie first two fingers of the right liand, thumb extended (HT 1), 

 downward, astraddle the first two joined and straight fingers of the 

 left hand (T 1), sidewise to the right. Many Sioux Indians use only the 

 forefinger straightened. {Dakota I.) " Horse mounted." 



The first and second fingers extended and separated, remaining fingers 

 and thumb closed ; left forefinger extended, horizontal, remaining fingers 



