Vol. II, No. 7.} Anthropological Supplement. 333 
[N.S.] sis 
¢ ele el cps sed Ele re gl! amet ested or Sewn yo; Bly Owl 
we cyl le} — 2 gis awl yay wht Pp i ples crml glest | eyye yo 
# lay) dyae a com} JOS BMA ail& Gal y leeks as cmt 
D, C, PHILtorr. 
cial osetia 
4. A Note on the Mercantile Sign Langwage of India. 
n the open-air markets of India, where idle spectators are by 
ancient custom entitled to increase the noise and confusion of bar- 
aining, secrecy in dealing would be impossible were it not for some 
chants. The signs are simple and distinctive, and mistakes are hard- 
ly possible. Suppose, for instance, it is a horse that is to be bar- 
i i e unit 
his coat or pagri. The seller will, of course, at first indicate an 
exhorbitant figure ; the buyer, one much lower than he intends to 
ive. If the difference between the two sums is very great, it is 
two units or two sums of a hun rupees. He next doubles up 
the third finger to express half the unit, or rupees fift 
Rs. 250. The value of the fingers now drops from Rs. 
re, to add to 
the forefinger and makes the price Rs, 260. 
doubled up adds half, or Rs. 5, and makes the sum Ks. 
s from ten to one: he, therefore, 
grasps a forefinger and makes the price Rs. 261. 
he bystanders, though in complete ignorance of the sums 
asked and refused, take an active part in the proceedings and 
seller, “ why don’t you se 
ules are, in the Panjab, generally owned by Khatris ; so when 
it is a mule that is being bargained for, the proceedings are pro- 
i becomes excessive. The 
and pushed and shaken 
sbly brought back, 
sulky and frowning, 
# ons. When the bargain is concluded he breaks into 
the negotiati “ 
smiles. Apparently everybody has been acting a part and tho- 
roughly enjoying it. 1 
ee aS 
2 Dulagh T. “ stockings.” 
L Sarat, “face” (m.c.). 
