44 SPEEOIIES AND STORIES DESIRED. 



By far the most satisfactory mode of securing accurate signs is to induce 

 the Indians to tell stories, make speeches, or hold talks in gesture, with one 

 of themselves as interpreter in his own oral language if the lattei is under- 

 stood by the observer, and if not, the words, not the signs, should be trans- 

 lated by an intermediary white interpreter. It will be easy afterward to 

 dissect and separate the particular signs used. This mode will determine 

 the genuine shade of meaning of each sign, and corresponds with the plan 

 now adopted by the Bureau of Ethnology for the study of the aboriginal 

 vocal languages, instead of that arising out of exclusively missionary pur- 

 poses, which was to force a translation of the Bible from a tongue not 

 adapted to its terms and ideas, and then to compile a grammar and die- 

 tionary from the artificial result. A little ingenuity will direct the more 

 intelligent or complaisant gesturers to the expression of the thoughts, signs 

 for which are specially sought ; and full orderly descriptions of such tales 

 and talks with or even without analysis and illustration are more desired 

 than any other form of contribution. No such descriptions of any value 

 have been found in print, and the best one thus far obtained through the 

 correspondence of the present writer is given below, with the hope that 

 emulation will be excited. It is the farewell address of Kin Che-ess 

 (Spectacles), medicine-man of the Wichitas, to Missionary A. J. Holt 

 on his departure from the Wichita Agency, in the words of the latter. 



A SPEECH IN SIGNS. 



He placed one hand on my breast, the other on his own, then clasped 

 his two hands together after the manner of our congratulations, — We are 

 friends. He placed one hand on me, the other on himself, then placed the 

 first two fingers of his right hand between his lips,— We are brothers. He 

 placed his right hand over my heart, his left hand over his own heart, then 

 linked the first fingers of his right and left hands, — Our hearts are linked 

 together. He laid his right hand on me lightly, then put it to his mouth, 

 with the knuckles lightly against his lips, and made the motion of flipping 

 water from the right-hand forefinger, each flip casting the hand and arm 

 from the mouth a foot or so, then bringing it back in the same position. 

 ( This repeated three or more times, signifying "talk" or talking.) He then 



