209 



downward a short distance tow ward their respective sides, tlius describ- 

 ing: the npper half of a circle. ( Wyandot I.) "A heap." 



Sweep out both bauds as if inclosing a large object ; wave the hands 

 forward and somewhat upward. {Apache III.) " Suggestiug immensity." 



And heavy. 



Similar to ]TIan, except when hands are raised close the fists, backs 

 of hands down, as if lifting soniething jieavy ; then move a short dis- 

 tance up and down several times. [Omaha 1.) 



Plenty. 



liaise the arms above the head, fingers interlaced to represent the 

 lodge poles, separate and bring together again. (Omaha I.) " You see 

 how I sit in a large lodge and how comfortable I am." 



Another: Same as the preceding, then bring open hands together in 

 front, palms down, extended ; separate the hands to their respective 

 sides. {Omaha I.) " I am sittiug in a good lodge, or have a good teut- 

 fire here." 



Another: Eight arm curved horizontally, with tlie tips of the fingers 

 toward the breast; then slightly extend the arm and describe a circle 

 by returning the hand and i)assing it inward past the breast toward the 

 right shoulder. {Omaha I.) "x^ man has plenty in his tent ; or I have 

 plenty around here." 



Deaf-mute natural .si<jn. — Stretch the left arm at full length, and move 

 the forefinger of the right hand along it to the shoulder. {Balhird.) 



Qiie!«tion; inquiry; iiilerrog^atioii. (Compare Foo! ; lii- 

 deciiiiioii. 



The palm of the hand upward and carried circularly outward, and 

 depressed. {Dunbar.) 



The hand held up with the thumb near the face, and the palm directed 

 toward the person of whom the inquiry is uuide ; then rotated upon 

 the wrist two or three times edgewise, to denote uncertainty. (Long.) 

 The motion might be mistaken for the derisive, vulgar gesture called 

 " taking a sight," " donuer un pied de nez," descending to our small boys 

 from antiquity. The separate motion of the fingers in the vulgar gest- 

 ure as used in our eastern cities is, however, more nearly correlated with 

 some of the Indian signs for Fool. It may be noted tluit the Latin 

 " sagax," from which is derived " sagacity," was chiefly used to denote 

 the keen scent of dogs, so there is a relation established between the 

 nasal organ and wisdom or its absence, and that " suspendere naso " 

 was a classic phrase for hoaxing. The Italian exjiressions " restare con 

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