The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1901-08-18

results of the preceding days chase.
cooked Gas indicated by another fire.
and eaten. The guides. who are In
dams and represented in the second
row, have their race designated by the
absence of hats, which are to be seen
on all the other figures, denoting that
they are white men. 1t is to be noted
that the Indian artist has drawn the
figures of himself and his companion
at least twice as large as any of the
"palefaces."
Two pictures of great interest are the
records of the first crossing of Lake
Superior by very famous chief Of long
ago. He was reported to be greatly
skilled in magic and was of large in
fiuence among the tribes. In comment
Grafton of his exploit, ne set up two
inscriptions, the first on the south
shore of the lake, whence he started,
and the other on the north, where he
landed. In the first, the sole human
figure is intended to represent the re-
doubtable chief himself. An arch on
the left at the top represents his lodge,
or household, ana the odd creature it
contains is his totem. 1t is made to
fill the whole space, to denote that the
entire household bears the same mark.
Just below is a wolf-the personal
name of the chief. A horned thing in
a violent check pattern is a fabulous
horned panther, symbolizing power.
The cross lines, in which this monster
is depicted, mean night, and the SINH
lar creature without network denotes
power by day. Then there are lion,
and a black bear, and moose. all
going to show foresight, strength, sa-
gacity, and wariness on the part of the
chief In like manner, two horned
snakes, with legs, symbolic swiftness
and power to kill, and the whole men
agerie represents the various powers
the chief invokes to aid him in his en-
terprise. The companion picture to
this one inscribed on rock on the
north shore shows that he crossed with
five canoes, all duly depicted, of differ
ent sizes, carrying altogether fifty-one
men. represented Simply and ingen-
iously by so many little perpendicular
dashes along the sides of the canoes.
The fact that the first canoe was COM
manded by a chief named Kingfisher
is said to be Enthusiastically denoted by
a somewhat equivocal representation of
that bird lowering over the boat just
above the prov. The crossing Occu-
pied three days, as shown by three
suns under a shaky sort of rainbow,
representing the sky. Alongside of this
elegant conceit, which. it must be con-
fessed, is not at all clear except to
the expert, is drawn a land tortoise,
indicating triumph at reaching land at
last To the left of this again is a
portrait of the chief on horseback, the
upper portion of the warrior only be-
ing revealed, the rest of his body being
involved in the most inscrutable mys-
terry An eagle means courage, and be-
low, a comic horned panther and
snake (whose attributes We're noted in
the other picture) are here duly ac-
knowledged to have extended their pat
ronage.
Picture writing. or sign language,
was also employed by the Indians in
the transmission of news. An exam
pie in this wise was found recently,
inscribed on the Slue VI 1t DldZeu lIGe
At the top right-hand side was the
figure of that tabled animal. the cop
per- tailed bear. This was the totem
of the hunter, and thing beneath it,
curved up at each end. denoted the
canoe he Travelled in. Under this again
was the totem Ia CATFISH Of COM
panion hunter, with his canoe. AT the
top. to the left. was common black
bear. and below it six catfish. The
whole thing meant, it was explained,
that the two hunters in question. while
encamped at that particular spot, kill
ed a bear ard caught six catfish.
which exciting intelligence was left for
the edifcation of anybody passing that
way.
1t is interesting to observe that the
idea of those advertisements of soaps.
patent medicines. etc, in the shape of
puzzles, was probably derived from the
principles OF the Indian sign language,
as there is a noticeable similarity in
method. And IT is further TO be re-
marked that those persons who delight
in exercising their ingenuity over the
one. will find the greatest pleasure and
satisfaction in their efforts at unrav-
cling the mysteries of the other.