The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-03-13


 thirty miles and they were seldom con- founded with camp fires. The lookout or scout that was a necessary adjunct Of every war party. especially when in hostile neighboFho0d. rarely failed to see and report all signals occurring within the limit of his vision.
 Fire signals were used for the same purposes at night and with from ore to four bright fires in line, the same mean ings were expressed as with the smoke" signals during daylight In the vicinity of the section of country claimed as home, or where the larger number spent the winter months there
 was usually some high butte or moun- tain called signal hill," or in at least one Indian tongue. "We-was-tos-po.' g From this eminences fire signals were always made and any event of import ance was quickly communicated ito the people. Signals from this hill were all
 most invariably made by order of the chief, and their principal use was in calling the people together for Q cOGn- ell meeting, a dance or a feast. The Indian from whom this information was obtained stated that many of the more experienced among the old people could readily distinguish if is was to be war scalp, or sun dance.
 The same system of signaling was used at night by means of fire ar- rows" though they could not be seen at so great a distance, as the smoke or fire signals, yet clever operator could make his wishes known without diff culty. One, two or three fire arrows had the same significance as an equal number of smokes" or fire signals, with the addition that a number of ar rows shot rapidly into the air conveyed the information that they were greatly outnumbered and that help was iEl- peratively required. The Indians made these arrows very ingeniously by wrapping the head of the shaft in a variety of slow burning, soft bark. which made quite a bright flame and lasted some length of time. In reply ing to any of these signals it was the custom to make the same signal as had been received. In times of war no answer was ever returned for obvious reasons but if possible the requested aid was dispatched as soon as it could conveniently be done.
 In mountainous countries signals, or, more properly speaking, signs, were made by the use of stones A band of Indians traveling and wishing or eX- pecting others to follow would ire quently turn over stones, selecting those possessing comparatively rounded base, with the other extre- mity as sharply pointed as possible, placing the point in the direction they were travelling. By this simple proce- dure they easily and surely marked the course taken to any who might en- counter these signs. If they had found and were following the buffalo, three small stones were placed on the surface of that which had been overturned. Two small stones indicated that they were following party of the enemy, | while but one small stone in a similar position was given the same interpreta- ton that they required assistance. number of small sticks stuck in the ground near the large stone indicated l the number in the party, and a SUCK split in halves, was used by at least one i tribe to express the number 10. AS an illustration, an instance is recalled that occurred a number of years since. A party of white men, on hunting trip, met an Indian Inquiry was made as | to the probabaility of finding antelope at a butte distant some sixty miles. lie confidently replied in the affirmative and upon being questioned as to ms | reasons for supposing game existed there. answered that he had just seen an Indian sign so stating, and at a lt- tle distance he showed a pointed rock, weighing probably twenty pounds Wlth the point directly toward the butte in question. It was quite evident that It had ben recently turned over, and three small hobbies were lying on it's surface, with nine short sticks fixed in the earth | bv it's side. The information conveyed
 to the Indian by this sign was suose-
 ouently found to have been correct.
 Information corresponding to the
 above was also given by means of the boughs of trees. A large, low hanging
 branch was partially broken off, turned
 horizontally and fixed with the toe
 pointing in the direction taken by the | travellers. One, two, or three or us
 smaller branches. when broken so as tc
 hang perpendicularly had meanings identical with the small stones. Signs made in this manner were quite co!i.-
 ronly employed by the tribes lnhapl' ting heavily timbered country | esnecially the sign denoting the hndln'
 of game. The green boughs ot tree
 were also almost universally regarded
 as embems of peace. A party ap
 preaching a hostile camp bearing thes
 tokens were received with all the honor
 of war When their errand was finish
 al whether successful or not they Wer | eiven safe conduct out of the camp 0
 their enemies. Many years ago
 young brave, overcome by not ploo
 and personal enmity toward one mem l ber of a party who were seeking to our
 +he tomabavk under this aboriglna flag of truce wantonly shot an arrroS l through the heart of his enemy. Ill
 tribe was so incensed at this cfue breach of Indian etiquette that he wa
 completely ostracized, eventually
 banished, and is to-day an adopte | member of another and totally dlstlnc
 band of Indians.
 A number of other signals and sign were in everyday use in the happy halcyon. palmy days of the red mar the days before he was confined t
 certain metes and bounds by advancin | civilization. Many of these surviv even to-day. The sticks against tn ] lodge door, indicating "no one at home; | opa ,N ,,,ora rad willow sticks fixed i