148 



finger straightened) and straiglit first finger of tlie left (T 1), tben 

 malje several short arched movements forward with hands so joined. 

 {Dakota I.) " The horse monnted and in motion." 



Double the fists and make a succession of i)lnnging motions, alter- 

 nately with either hand, forward and downward in imitation of the 

 motion of a horse's forefeet in trotting or galloping. The sign of strad- 

 dling the fingers for ridinc/ is also in nse among the Sioux, but is not 

 so common as the above. {Dakota II.) 



Extend and spread the right fore and middle fingers and place them, 

 their ends i)ointing directly downward, astride the fingers of the left 

 hand; the little and ring fingers of the right hand to be semi-flexed, 

 thumb against index; the radial side of the left hand to be upward, fin- 

 gers extended and joined, pointing forward, thumb in palm, then 

 raise and lower the end of the left hand several times. This sign is 

 also used for Horse when the hands are kept still. ( Dakota IV.) 



Extend the first two fingers of the left hand before the body, then 

 straddle the fore and second Angers of the right hand across those of 

 the left; in tliis position, make a series of short jumps or jerks from left 

 to I'ight, imitating the gallop of a horse. {Dakota V.) 



Make the sign for Horfne, and as the hands are retained in this 

 position, move them forward in short cnrves to i-epreseut motion of 

 riding. {Dakota VI ; Hhlatsa I ; Arikara I.) 



The hands are arranged as in the sign for Hoi'f^e, and then moved 

 forward. {Hitlatsa I.) This indicates in a general way a jonrney on 

 liorseback ; l)ut ditt'erent modes of riding may be shown by appropriate 

 modifications of this sign, thus : a slow journey is sliown by moving the 

 hands slowly forward, a race by moving them rapidly, a galloj) by mov- 

 ing them in a series of small arcs whose convexity is upward, a jog-trot 

 by moving them in a series of small angles with a slight arrest of motion 

 between each angle, etc. 



Left haiul represents the horse, forefinger held np a little from the 

 other fingers. Bight forefinger and middle finger astride left forefinger ; 

 right thnmb curved upward on left of left forefinger. {Omaha I.) 



Place the first two fingers of the right hand astride the left hand, and 

 move both forward. {Iroquois I.) 



Place the hands as in the sign for IIoi*!!ie, and move them forward 

 in short interrupted arched curves. ( Wyandot I.) 



Throw the index and middle fingers of the right hand astraddle the 

 forefinger of the left. {Sahaptm I.) 



1 



