350 Observations on the Language of Signs. 
communication with each other by spoken language, but this 
difficulty is overcome by their having adopted a language 
of signs, which they all understand, and by means of a 
the different tribes hold converse without speaking. 
This circumstance may be considered as something 
novel in the history of man ; for although temporary signs” 
have been occasionally resorted to by travellers and voy- 
agers, where spoken language was inadequate, yet we 
know of no nation, tribe, or class of human beings, posses- 
sed of the faculty of speech, besides the Indians of this 
country, who have adopted any thing like a system of signs, 
by which they could freely express their ideas. 
During the last autumn and winter Mr. John D. Hun- 
ter, the white Indian who has been restored to civilized 
society, frequently visited the school for the Deaf and 
Dumb in New-York. I was unable to account for the 
interest he appeared to take*in that Institution, not being 
aware at the time, that a sign language was used as a me- 
dium of communication between the tribes west of the 
Mississippi, among whom he had resided from his infancy ; 
and it was not until I had read the account of the expedi- 
tion of Major Long and his party to the Rocky mountains, 
that | could explain his frequent visits. He observed every 
thing with that apparent indifference peculiar to the In- 
dians of this country and yet his repeated calls at the 
school were the indications of a more than common inter- 
est, excited by seeing instruction imparted through the 
medium of signs, to those who could not hear. 
Philosophers have discussed the subject of a universal 
language, but have failed to invent one, while the savages 
of America have adopted the only one which can possibly 
become universal. The language of signs is so true to 
nature, that the deaf and dumb, from different parts of the 
globe, will immediately on meeting, understand each other. 
Their language, however, in an uncultivated state, is lim- 
ited to the expression of their immediate wants, and the 
few ideas which they have acquired by their silent inter- 
course with their fellow-beings. As this manner of ex- 
pressing their thoughts has arisen from necessity, it 1s sur- 
prising to me how the Indians have adopted a similar lan- 
guage, when the intercourse between nations of different 
tongues is most usually carried on by interpreters of spo- 
ken language. 
