Observations on the Language of Signs. 357 
plicable to the general habits of the natives west of the 
Mississippi.” 
“Squaw.—The hands are passed from the top down 
each side of the head, indicating the parting of the hair on 
ithe top, and its flowing down each side.” Pew da 
Perhaps the characteristic of long hair peculiar to wo- 
men, would form as universal a sign for a female as any 
that could be adopted; or the other sign, extracted from 
Mr. Dunbar’s essay, viz. 3 : 
“* Woman.—The finger and thumb of the right hand 
partly open, and placed as if laying hold of the breast.” 
The Abbé Sicard, however, has a sign for a woman ta- 
ken from the hat string as it passes from the hat to the 
chin where it is tied. This sign is simplified and the 
hand is drawn on one side of the face only, and then ele- 
vated to a proper size for a woman, and a less for a girl. 
A man is designated by touching the fore part of the 
hat, and then placing the hand at the proper height. 
The same sign is used for a boy with the hand less eleva- 
ted. 
The sign for brother is compounded of the sign for a 
man, and that of equality or the same. 
Sister is also compounded of the sign for a woman and 
the sign for the same. The latter sign is natural and uni- 
versal, and is employed alike by the Indians and the deaf 
and dumb. | It is described as follows : ; : 
‘The same, or similar to what went before—Place the 
two fore-fingers parallel to each other, and push them for- 
ward a little.” 
The definition of a brother in the language of the deaf 
and dumb would then be, a man or boy the same, or equal 
to myself or of the same parents; and a sister, a woman or 
girl the same as myself, or of the same parents.”’ 
The Indians have expressed these relations to one an- 
other by signs, in a manner equally as natural and intelligi- 
ble, viz. Bist 
“ Brother.—The sign for a man, succeeded by placing 
the ends of the fore and middle fingers of one hand togeth- 
er in the mouth.” 
“ Sister-—The sign for a:squaw, after which place the 
two fingers in the mouth as for brother.” 
These signs evidently mean the man or woman, the boy 
