Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1888-05-03
QUEER LANGUAGES.
Curious Means of IntercOmmunica-
ton Between Savages.
fSt. James Gazette.

st. James Gazette.
At the last meeting of the Berlin Anthro-
biological Society, Lieutenant Quedenfeldt,
a German officer who has lived on Gomero
island, one of the Canary group, described
a whistling language which is used by the
inhabitants The language does not con-
sist OF any arbitrary series of. signals or
sounds; it is described as ordinary speech
translated into articulate whistling, each
syllable having its own appropriate tone.
The Gomero uses both fingers and lips
when whistliDg, and Lieutenant Queden-
feldt asserts that he can carry on conver-
sation with a neighbor a mile off, who
perfectly understands all he is saying.
The practice is confined to Gomero island
and is quite unknown in the other islands
of the archipelago. This adoption of the
whistlipg language is said to be due to the
peculiar Biological construction of GOmerO
island. 1t is traversed by numerous gullies
and deep ravines running out in all diTec-
tions from the central plateau. As they
are not bridged, they can only be crossed
with great difficulty hence man living
within stones throw of another in a
straight line has often to 60 round many
miles when he wishes to see or speak to
his neighbor. This, it is conjecture1, led
to the adoption of whistling as useful
means of communication, which has grad
ually assumed the proportions of true
substitute for speech. 1t is described as
being anything but unpleasant to the ear.
This reminds one of the drum language
of the natives Of the Cameroons, mentioned
in Buchholz's book on West Africa, by
means of which the most complicated
messages can be conveyed to villages at
distance when occasion necessitates it.
For this purpos e peculiarly shaped drum
is employed. By dividing the surface
into uneven halves the instrument on
being struck may be made to yield two dis
tinct notes. By these and shortening and
lengthening the intervals between each
note, code is established, with regular
sequence of taps, strokes, and intervals
capable of expressing every sy liable in the
language All the natives understand this
code aud 80 highly elaborated is it that a
chief can by its means summon to his
presence anv villager whom he desires to
see, intimating to the latter at the same
time the purpose for which he is required.
In this way, too, messages can be sent from
village to village over wide stretches OF
country the drummer in one hamlet
transmitting to the next the signals he
hears-and with extraordinary rapidity.
Buchloz had proof on one occasion of the
utility of this drum language and it's capa-
bilities as medium of COM
munication. The negro who had
charge of his canoe obtained leave
o le morning to attend to some private bus
mess of his own which took him to the
other side of the river. The man remained
away an unreasonable time, and Buchhoz
got very angry, as he was waiting TO leave
the place. Another negro suggested that
they should drum for him. The drummer
was sent for and instructed to inform the
missing servant that his master was very
angry with him, and that he wa to return
at once. In a few minutes the man
returned with the inevitable apologies for
the length of time he had been away. He
had perfectly understood the message
drummed out to him, as Buchholz ascer-
tanned by inquiring of him.
Equally curious is the so-called sign Ian
guage, or finger speech of Oriental traders,
ca, in the direction of Zanzibar Walking
through market-place in this region of
the world the traveller will often witness
strange sight. A couple of grave, long
bearded Arabs will step aside, each will
put his hand up the others sleeve, and the
pair will then begin apparently to pinch
each others fingers for few minutes.
Often the performance will be varied
One will unroll his long turban
cloth, or perhaps lift up his
long mantle and then cover his
hand, and concealed beneath this the
pinchiDg of the fingers will proceed as be-
fore. The initiated know that this is
method of bargaining by means of code
of finger speech understood by eastern
traders from Souther Arabia and Northern
Africa to the borders of Persia. 1t has
been adopted in the first instance for a
simple reason. In the east, especially along
the coast of the Red sea, Zanzibar and
Southern Arabia, all business is transacted
in the open air. And in all such
the by ISLANDERS, idlers,
riffIaff and meddlesome busibodies
cOntrive to have a
good deal to say, rendering their advice
to both buyer and seller. The unwritten
etiquette of the East requires that such
friendly counsel should not be resented.
But as the merchants and dealers find it
an unmitigated nuisance and great him
drance to business, they have adopted
certain code of finger signs, which they
exchange when bargaining, with their
hands concealed under their sleeves or
turban cloth. Each finger and each joint
of a finger represe ents certain figure. So
the pair can bargain by the hour-as they
often do-to their hearts content, and
none of the noisy and gaping busy ybodies
around them be any the wiser for it.