The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-05-20

tanned great proficiency. 1t may be possible that
| these Southern tribes, meeting white unsh
often in the earlier DAYS, came 10 perez .nrni-
selves in the most feasible form oi 'oHihu"-
cation which then seemed possible;
There was however. but little difference
between the sign talk Of the southern lrlo"s ~
those II the northern ATTITUDES fNen VI tne
same tribe there we're often TWO OF thr'r 9'el'
for the aame word. vet So keenly was the oo-
servation Of the red races cultivated Una. INV,
seems TO have been no difficulty LOT lnr u,pHt
remote tribes in talking with eaCh other WI Ihlr
way when they met. The common or universal
signs seem to have been added 10 ny HlanS w
less obvious significance, wllCh were hn,r ,he
loss of general aCUPptanCe, IhuS among az ~
plains people the sign names 81 Inc uilct,L'
tribe, were generally understood. FROM tnr ST.
kinks 10 the Gulf an Indian would hnow k"Id
meant II Grow Indian iAh-Grakaln yoh " erirr
out your arm- and ~ii1ppndthem as 2 ORC nylng,
The ancient sign tor Sioux was the hanu uIaMn
across the throat saylng ~ slgh lalRuaG' wv
Cut throw, which Sa~ the unCie, sernc wa WA,
nomen of The SiOuE. The -lgn Tor 'hcNenh' va,
the right land drawn on edge aero tU' nrt
arm. This pane. cut arm Soes hack = lons
way and though H. hrHt 'ignlil'ah'' a. a.
easy 10 get al it, general acceptance i ,nus-
putahlr. Thq sign for BlaCkfOOt was sollrl me
made by dueting of the right foo, WIN lme
right hand TIE more common ana 10 - ri "rp
rrehcn~ibir form Of the sign wa 10 run uUe rlshi
cheek with PIE hand, luraulng me phln''u
cheek. Whrg the \rapahpe wanted Z" t'!I Iu@
nationality he yolChed the breast -everal Times
with the point of his finger. meaning, perhap>
The breast-mHrked people. Sometiine- the
Arapahop. Call,si them,elve~ the good hearts,
using almost the same sign touching the breast
with the foreiuger. The Gros Nentre sign was
simple the two hands run ont and forward IA
front Of the boCt. saying The folk OF large ah-
dompn." The Ga-os Nentrp' lived much upon
roots. whose consumption tended To dls'endthe
abdomen The r,ign for Me- Percc was cay,
the right foretnger passed across below me
nose, ns II In the act of piercing IA" nose
The tribe received the name from the early
French because of their habit OF piercing
tho nose for the purpose Of wearing a bone
ornament.
one will not see so much Of the old sign
talk among the tribes to-day il he travels among
the reservations Of the West. for the indian
j. nothing if not practical and 10 does any
thing In the easiest possible way. The changesln
his life have rendepd IL unnecessary Tor nm
TO rely much upon the sign language. lh"r"
terprp' for him, and he likes ~ stand up be-
fore the Great Fatler and max" Il speech in
that way. being Away an orator. an actor
and an individual well aware Of the full value
of stage effect and dranatic action. he does
not use the -lln language bpcal-" Nr doe
NOT have 10 ne il. Hence il l. low passing
away. Scientists are beginring 10 study II
and are making minut" records regarding III"
old speech Of the plains. The nitnd states
Government and ia" Smithsonian Institution ar"
doing all they can. to learn the old forms. The
few trappers and hunters OF the past who were
once familiar with the -iCl talk, and who still
i've 10 tell u- about il. ar, sought ont and inter
viewed carefully. Once "A common fact, be-
cause IL arose from a OinInOn necessity " l.
now disappearing to ION the ancient and soon
to he forgotten story of one Of the most IN
terc-iing and most dramatic regions ever
known in all the history Of the world,