The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-09-08
INDIAN PICTURE WRITING.
Translation of Inscriptions Carved by Red Men. q .f !

| w aSnlnRIOn IlIneS. Nefs-ls~1f The subject of the picture writing of
 the Indians of this country is becoming | one of expressing interest to government scientists whose work lies along the lines
 with many. a matter ofsdepIorable con
 cern that Colonel Scott. who is, accord
 ing to Prof. w. J. McGee, of the Bureau
 on the subject of the Indian sIgn lan- guage is at present serving with ms regiment Tn Cuba and is not enabled to
 be would otherwise be assigned by the Bureau of which he is a member. It 10
 further to be lamepted that Colonel
 Scott. n3twithstandirk his vast store os
 language. has thus far written nothing
 upon that subject although 1t is De-
 lieved he Is contemplating an exhaustive
 treatise. Before Colonel Scott went to
 Cuba he offered a prize to any ane who
 coul~ pose him on any sign in the
 Indian vocabulary. and :t is said that
 though many efforts were made to pug
 gle the colonel by indians and others
 The study of the sign language of the
 red man Is a fascinating one. Perhaps
 the simplest form of thelr picture writ.
 ing is that or the grave-head memorials
 of their chiefs. These are boards, or
 posts, set up and inscribed with certain
 side down denotes death and return to
 earth, and figures thus inscribed are of-
 ten seen in Indian epitaphs. In other CdSe5 the lueu Ol uedLn lB lnQlCaIeu DY
 cross with two spaces filled in, mak- ing figure somewhat of the hour-glass shape. On post set up aOout hun
 dred years ago unique inscription is to be read. A reindeer at the top is the
 totem mark of the deceased and his fam
 fly. and Is depicted upside dowr for the
 reasons explained. To the left of this figure are seven transverse marks, mean ing that the dead chief had led seven war parties. Three vertical marks below mean three wounds received in battle. A gle with an infurIated animal of that sort and hatchet and pipe indicate great influence in peace and war. An other post. simply inscribed with the fE- ure of bear with three horizontal lines below it, shows that the departed hun. ter was of the bear clan or family, and tfst he had attended three war parties.
 An interestinc example of Indian pie ture writing was found some time ago In the Comanche country in Texas. Tbe inscription. which dates back to the times. when Spain was still engaged ia American conquest IS upon tie shouI- der blade of I buffalo. 1t tells of the competition between the white and red races for the hunting of the buffalo with 9 spear Spaniard armed with a gun, the tragedy being enacted in the presence of tfe disputed buffalo itself who, in a piebald or semi i-skinned cond.r lower part of the picture. An elegant scroll line by the side of the evidently doomeu Spanlaru expresses the circuttouS route by which the Indian followed his enemy. The length of the body and shortnOss' of legs of the horse would seem to denote that 1t belonged to dachshund variey of equines, while to the uninitiated observer the buffalo somewhat resem- bles a cOckroacn
 Several examples of what appear to he the artistic efforts of a very Juvenile scholar in the absence of his teachers observation have been interpreted by an expert. One picture contains two flg. ures remotely in the likeness cf hum ,1,. ity. One holds. or Is supposed to hold for the members of that body capahle oF that operation are represented by two straight lines-something not accurately defined The purpose of the renainInS actor in the scene represented is rather clearer. He is depicted In the act Gf
 letting on" an antique freiock aimed direct at the other. By the side of inc individual with the firelock are a bundle and a tree. The whole is a trespass no- tee, and very strong hint to the passer- Dy or what he may expect from the prop erty owner should he attempt to flch any of the latter's goods.
 Concerning another curious production. an interesting story Is told Schoolcraft the hist oriographer nf the Indians ac- companled by party and guided by two indians. made journey m t99". The party lost it's way in a forest, and. after camp Ing Tor the night. were about to start again. when 1t was perceived that the