The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1890-04-24
SAVAGE sign LANGUAGE
The Long Distance Talk Of Tho Is.
quimauI.
The System O1 Signals Of the In.
dIanS Almost as Perfect ~
. military COds.

writer In the Cosmopolitan, l was once
standing upon the top Of 4 rocky hill,
about two days journey inland from the
north shore Of HudSon's bay. We had
been booking for reindeer, but had seen
none. Already We had walked q long
distance and crossed many hills en- route,
for il is the custom with the EsQuinlaux.
as with the Indians, to go over the top Of
Of hill rather than around It. This is
not only to have q fine lookout from an
elevation, but because ii is impossible to
convince u savage that II Is not the shorter
route. It was about noon, and We were
tired, SO We stopped to rest few minutes
and to smoke pipe. We had not been
In the enjoyment Of these luxuries long
before heard the faint sound Of human
voice borne upon the stiff wind that was
blowing from the northward. Icalled the
attention Of my companions to this sound,
and, brushing their long black locks from
over their ears, they threw themselves
down In the lee Of a great rock and lis
tened. They, too, heard the voice, and
said the person calling was so far of thai
they could not understand what be said.
In the meantime swept the crest Of n
range Of hills In the direction Of the voice
with my field glass, and finally made ont
the figure Of some one who was waving
what looked like huge piece Of cleth.
| passed the glass to Sebeeucktalee, one
Of my guides, and he at once recognizeds
hunter named Aluktay, and said lie sig.
nailed us to come over where he was that
there were reindeer there. The hills did
not appear far of, but It was a full hOuI
before we reached the man who had sig
nailed US TO come. He then told Us thai
there were plenty Of reindeer beyond that
line Of hill, and that his tent and that oi
two other hunters were pitched within
easy reach Of the hunting grounds. He
gave my two friends some raw venison,
and to me, as an especial favor, q nice
raw tongue, from which ne first, very
politely, bit of the hard outside skin. Il
was the first raw meat had eaten; but,
having tasted since the previous moon,
had too keen an appetite to he particular
about triAes. During this little luncheon
Aluktay told Of the quantity Of reindeer
near his camp and invited US TO 20 over
there with him. It was nearly dark when
We reached the camp and during the walk
| had ample time to wonder how he had
succeeded In informing my companion
that they were reindeer around when tor
far away to be heard. Icould understand
that he might beckon 10 them to come u
him, but the more thought about It tn,
more | was puzzled over the method Of
communicating the fact Of there beinL
good hunting grounds where he was.
The following day my guides sebeeuck.
talee and KOOmana went back 10 brinI
their tent and the old folks up to the new
camp, and went out to hunt with Aluk-
tay. During that day he explained to mt
the Esquimau signal code. Hound It very
interesting at the time, and later on It,
usefulness was demonstrated almost dali,
during my residence with these people.
Aluktay described to me that when an
Esquimau wished to talk with those at q
distance he would take position on an
eminence where his body could be plainl,
seen against the sky or q Snow-coyered
hillside. With his body placed 30 as I"
directly face those with whom he wisheA
to communicate. he extends his right arm
and moves 1t up and down like q pump
handle. This signals means Come here" 4"
When 20 far away that the motion Of the
arm could not be distinctly seen, he would
take of his coat, and using that as q Gag,
make the. same motion, which would thus
be more conspicuous. It was with his
coat that he made the signal when COM
municating with us the previous day.
II after this he moved his left arm or the
coat in q similar manner, but on the left
side, he meant Bring dogs" Then, by
pointing both arms nearly straight up from
the shoulder, as q rude symbol Of the
antlers Of q reindeer, he would indicate
thSt he had killed reindeer, and the num-
Der Of times the arms were raised would
denote the number killed, 90 that his
friends would know how many dogs to
bring. The reply to the message Is made
by the receiver turning his right side To-
ward the sender and bending his boiy
forward, making q right angle at the waist.