Rocky Mountains* 383 



as if it held one end of a strip of meat, the other end of 

 which was between the teeth, then pass the edge of the right 

 hand, as in the act of cutting, obliquing a little upwards from 

 right to left, between the other hand and mouth, so as to ap- 

 pear to divide the supposed meat. 



36. Awl — The left fore finger is extended, and the right, 

 also extended, is placed across it, and is then turned on its 

 axis, so as to imitate the action of the awl in making a hole. 



37, My offspring — If an Indian wishes to tell you that an 

 individual present is his offspring, he points to the person, 

 and then with the finger still extended, passes it forward from 

 his loins in a line curving downwards, then slightly upwards, 

 sometimes saying, " That is my child, ilium minxi" Da- 

 shinga-shinga-we-weet-tah-ohn-na-je. 



38- Strength — The hands are clenched, the left fore arm 

 is held almost perpendicularly near the breast, so that the fist 

 is nearly opposite to the throat; the right arm is then carri- 

 ed up between the left and the breast, and continued on over 

 the left fist to the outside of the latter ; the right arm is then 

 brought down so as to have the same direction with the 

 other, and the fists rest opposite to each other in a line from 

 the breast. This motion resembles the act of wringing a 

 thick towel. If he would say, " I am strong," he strikes him- 

 self upon the breast two or three times with his fist, previous- 

 ly to the motion above described. If he would say, u You 

 are strong," he previously points to you, &c. 



39. Fire — The act of striking fire with the flint and steel is re- 

 presented, after which, the ascent of the smoke is indicated, by 

 closing the fingers and thumb of the right hand, holding them 

 in a vertical position with the hand as low as convenient, the 

 hand is then gradually elevated, and the fingers and thumb 

 a little expanded, to show the ascent and expansion of the 

 volume of smoke. 



40. Rabbit — The fore and little finger of the right hand 

 are extended, representing the ears of the animal; the hand 



