The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-10-17
WHAT INDIAN
SIGNS IMPLY
To Inc Initiated, Nothing, But to
Those Who Know, Much.

Those Who Know, Much.
As time has passed and civiliza-
tioa has changed Indian conditions
was under the impression, says
writer in the San Francico Chroni-
Gle, that our red brothers had for
gotten the use of signs in their
travels, but as l was lettering a.
bout the hills in Siskiyou county
few weeks ago I came across a
geninue Indian sign" such as
had not seen for a dozen years or
more. 1t was a simple little sign in
appearance; but it was full of mean
ing to those who could read it.
A long stick with one end stuck in
the ground, the other learning and
pointing up the road. The stick
was elevated at an angle of only
about 10 degrees from the ground
and was supported on a stone. 1t
told some Indain that his friend
had been along there and had gone
ahead in the direction pointed out
by the stick.
l marveled at it, but on inve5ti-
CATION found that the Indians of
California still use signs to convey
intelligence to each other. l found
that amongthe Cocopahs, Cohuillas
Pimas and Yumas the sign is as
much in use as ever.
While travelling in San Bernan-
dino county some months ago |
came across peculiar grouping of
stones, and at once saw that some
Indians had left a sign, so that all
other Indians might know that wa
ter was TO be found in a certain
direction. The stones were lying
i'll a complete circle and in the cen
ter was a long triangular stone,
with a sharp point indicating
specific direction. The sign was
plain to one versed in such things,
and in order to see ifthe same sign
was universal for I had seen it
elsewhere, l followed the direction
pointed out by the long stone and
found a little spring
This arrangement of stones
had often seen in a dozen different
places in the Middle West and as
variant which was also found in
California I have seen a mound of
stones, similar to a miner monu-
ment, with a pointed stone resting
on top, pointing toward water. In
many parts of the country, especially
in the deepest parts of California
and Arizona, the question of wa
ter supply for travellers is one that
requires serious consideration, and
l have known men to pass within
a few hundred yards of water with
out knowing it, because they could
not read Indian signs. The sign
was in plain view, and was placed
there because the Indians recogniz-
ed the necessity of telling all who
came along that they could find
water. True, there was not a big
board set up with water" printed
on it, but to the initiated it was
equally plain. There is not trail
in all the Southwest that runs
near spring that does not have
the sign openly displayed l have
ever seen instances where the wa
ter was so far from the regular trail
that especial signs have been made
to show where it was. I remem-
Der one instance among the Sho-
shones where there was a large
monument of stones with an extra
long flat stone on top pointing to-
ward the spring. After going in
this direction for some distance
came upon another similar monu-
ment and before got to the spring
l found five distinct monuments
showing the way.
Sometimes, however, these cir
Giles may not mean water at all,
and then it is necessary to under
stand the intricacies Of the Indian
mind to understand just what he is
driving at. remember once when
i