"r r
vj-.
WKWJ'
iwCTJswraa
5
;r
THE jmBW AGB,POBTLA.NT, OREGON.
TjBvt"-" 'V-jy:7'
t
'TALKING BY SIGN8j"';'?llb!"'L!f.h'
UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE 18 ONE
OF MOTIONS.
Coafnclua, Rnmeaea and Sitting Ball
Might Carry on a Conversation
Though Not Speaking Batue Tongue,
I Indiana Can Understand Each Other.
There Is an old story of the man who
was too boahf ul to UUk In coinpuuy and
ftho received from a friend the rude
advice, "If you can't talk, make signs."
There was more, to this remark than
might at llrst appear. It points back
to the Infancy of human Intelligence.
The language of signs Is as old as the
tills, or at least as old as humanity;
It Is old as any form of animal life
-wherein thought or emotion has re
quired oxpresHlou.
The American Indians arc the great
st sign talkers now left In the world;
or, pcrhnps more properly, It might bo
aid that they were such until the nil
vauce of whlto civilization chuuged
many of the requirements of their lives
and thus altered many of their cus
toms, this among them. The average
whlto man never learned the sign Inn
sun go of the Indians, perhaps having
contempt for It, perhaps Ignorant that
such a thing existed. It was only the
half savage trapper or hunter, the voy
ageur or plainsman whonc life was
pent among tho tribes and who thus
pcrforco must learn some manner of
speech, who came to understand fully
and practice habitually tho sign Ian
gunge. Not all white men can learn
rr f it
-Vr
OF
Jr4
1
-
J ,'iBMM&JSMtliTSMMMMMWKMkmKr
i mfmmM&Lt 'T
ii ttH.iwtffttfcmm f r
STICKS 3H0
IHBITTIOH
m ijTfT ' smmmmmMswsmm
the sign language, though some pick It
up readily, Just as certain persons learn
foreign languages more readily thuu
ethers. The sign talk was lu all caseH
femst used by whites who had beeu
among the tribes from early youth. lu
BOine cases It was ho habitual that It
was employed, us It often In by the
Iudluns, as a regular menus of dally
conversation Instead of spokeu speech.
To the "tenderfoot" who Arst went
upon the plains lu the old days there
were some signs or marks which were
early net-opted as obvious or generally
understood. Thus, he saw a slim pile
of roeks upon the edgo of hoiuo coulee
or ravine. He did not know what that
iucaut at Arst, and tho older plalusmeu
told hlin It was tho sign for water. Not
even the plainsmen could tell who Arst
luveuted that sign or who was the Arst
to employ It. It was "always there."
The beginner on tho plains learned
other things, among thene tho fact that
the plains were capable of vast dis
tances, which could bo traversed better
by the eye than by the horse or by the
weary human foot. A inllo away he
aaw a horbcmau riding In a circle a
circle which would npiear tho same
when seeu from any direction. He did
not kuow what this meant, but when
he was told It said "Come ahead," he
did uot bother about riding over to the
man he wanted to have come uhead.
He simply rode his circle, Just as had
the Italians from whom the whlto meu
got this plains Blgu. If tho man were
on foot and wanted his friends to come
ahead he Blgultled It by squatting down
and rising up a number of times In suc
cession u slgu which looks pretty
much the same from any direction. You
can ice such a slgu n mllo or more, nnd
it Is easier to talk that way than to
try to shout over vacuut mile of
prairie.
The Indians used yet nuother sign to
ay "come ahead" when Becrecy was
necessary. This was made by taktug
hold of tho lower part of tho blanket
or robe which one was wearing and
holding It out from the body, theu mo
tioning with It lu toward tho legs-a
Ign as obvious as tho bockoulug hand,
and vlslblo at a greater dlstanco. A
blauket fastened to n long nole and
thrust up Into the air meant to a mov
ing and scattered party: "do Into
Scamp here." Yet other signals, as for
"Attention," or "llo careful." wer
uado by tho rolled or folded blauket.
-, l Bsuoko Hlunuta.
a I Tha traveler upon tho plains in the
'arly days soon learned the slgulUcanca
it tha spires of smoke which he hum
tilfBM mw rising from a distant rldg
S.
MUOtTVlVVS SaJU ( UIUVIV1U I1IV.UUU A
was the signal talk of the Indians,
across miles of Intervening ground, a
Blgnal used In rallying the warriors for
an attack or warning them for a re
treat when that seemed advisable. The
Indian had a way of sending up the
smoke lu rings or pun's, knowing that
such a smoke column would nt once be
noticed and understood as n signal and
not taken for the smoke of some camp
Are. He liable the rings by covering his
little flro with his blanket for a mo
ment, then suddenly removing the blnn
kct and nllowlng the smoke to ascend,
when he Instantly covered up the lire
again. The columns of ascending
smoke rings said to every Indian with
in a circle of perhaps twenty or thirty
miles, "Look out. There Is an enemy
near." Three smokes bullt closo to
gether meant "Danger." One smoke
merely said "Attention." Two smokes
meant "Camp at this place." Travel
the plains and the usefulness of this
long dlstanco telephone will quickly
become apparent.
(Sometimes at night tho settler or
traveler saw llery lines crossing the
sky, shooting up and falling, perhaps
taking a direction diagonal to the Hue
of vision. He might guess that these
were the signals of tho Indians, but
unless he were an old-timer he might
not be able to Interpret the signals. The
old-timer and the squaw man knew
that one Are arrow (an arrow prepared
by treating the head or the shaft with
gunpowder and Hue bark) meant the
same ob one column of smoke puffs
viz.: "An enemy Is near." Two Are
arrows meant "Danger." Three nrrows
said Imperatively, "This danger Is
great." Several arrows said, "Tho one-
wmawr mjtk vm.tJjfK
hWtff "Uol&s
wwmwmwwmmw:
THE AMERICAN INDIAN
9f
I r fKMM aims
Of TM JJH-
TkiMoow
W.a
&mr -
uurmo Found
my are too many for us." Two nrrowH
shot up Into tho air nt once meant, "YV
shall attack." Three at once said, "V
attack soon" Four nrrows at once said
"We nttack now." An arrow shot off lu
a diagonal direction said as plainly as a
pointing Anger, "That way." Thus It
seems that the untutored savage could
telephone falrly'well at night as well
as In the daytime.
In tho forests as well as upon the
plains it wns sometimes necessary for
one man to commuulcatu with nuother
while tho two were separated by days
of time or miles of dlstnnce. What boy
has uot left n slanting stick to tell his
companion which path ho has taken lu
tho woods? The boy does without In
struction precisely whnt tho savago
does. When one party of Indians wish
es to tell another imrty where It has
gone tho leader places a stick, stuck
slantwise lu the ground, pointing lu the
direction taken by the departing party.
This Is an Index Auger, snylng plainly,
"That way." Hut If tho newly arriving
party saw a cross stick stuck Into the
earth at right angles to the Index It
was known, In tho language of tho
signs, that the Arst party Intended to
travel ono day. Two cross sticks meant
two days, and so ou. These (tcoplc
could not write a letter to pin uku the
stick, but their message was none the
less plain to those who rend It.
HIku Talk 1'roper.
Such were some of the long distance
signals of tho tribes, simple and easily
understood by all. This Is something
Interesting to study, but It has properly
no connection with tho slgu lauguage
used as a common vehicle of commuut
cattou In conversation, The slgu lan
guage proper was executed by tho
movements, gestures and positions of
tho hands and arms, sometimes of oth
er members of the body. To learn the
simple signals of tho plains was easy
to any ouo who cared to do so, but tho
mastery of tho sign talk was a matter
far more complex and dlttlcult and for
some whlto meu tho task was too much.
Iudecd, It seems that there were de
grees of proAclency In tho slgu talk
even atuoug tho Indians themselves.
Some of tho Indian signs are stmplo
and readily understood. When the sign
talker straddled his left haud with tho
two split Angers of the right you caught
tho Idea of "horso" almost at once.
When he held the hands thus and ad
vanced them with a serlea of short,
choppy, forward movemeuts, you saw
that tho horso was going, that it was
galloping. When tho talker hooked his
two forefingers and held hit hauds up
at tha sklea of hU head you mw the
1 )
-OHL.
aW 'A4 -aVfOll p 'ill m '
r"at.
asra
hooked horns of the buffalo, atm you
knew 'what he meant. If he thrust
both arms above bis head, spread out,
and with the Angers spread out, you
saw the branching antlers of the elk
unmistakably. Tho wolf sign, tle Arsl
two Angers of each hand held close to
gether and upright at each side of the
head, Indicated the erect cars of that
animal plainly. Not quite so plain, yet
plain enough If you arc a hunter, wnt
the sign for the mountain bighorn
sheep the two hands, one at each side
of the head, describing the outward
and forwnrd curve of tho horns. The
Anger and thumb slightly approached
and held nt the side of the head Indi
cated less obviously the pronghoru of
the antelope. The sign for snake was
simple, and any one would understand
It tho extended forellngcr thrust out
before the body In a waving line, like
the course of the snake lu traveling.
Not quite so obvious Is the sign for "lie,
liar, he lies." Here we get back to the
ancient Bymbol of the serpent, which
seems to be the synonym for duplicity
among all peoples and for all times.
The liar sign Is mndo everywhere by
the forked Angers thrust out In front
of the mouthfor ncross the body "He
speaks with a forked tongue." This Is
ancient Indian rhetoric for you, but It
Is correct. The sign for "truth, It Is
true," would obviously bo the single
Anger used lu a similar manner "He
speaks with a single tongue."
Yet others of the simpler signs are
easy of comprehension by the man who
Is capable of casting off his customary
habits of thought and trying to be n
child again. Thus, we say a man Is In
doubt, he wavers mentally, he Is
shaken In his mind, he hesltntcs. When
tho Indian sees something strange to
rfc TSmimi,Gm5
OirilI5DIl!B10illllOI!lllOII!i!l)iDl!SilWraifilllDl!l!l!l!Oi!lX
s ".
It- m
(BRWE
V
HMjF I l TcLtAB s. I
-.jumn ..eL rrr
OANOZ
him, whoso unme ho does not know,
nbout which he Is lu doubt, he points
to it, then shakes his loosely extended
Augers In front of him. "What Is that?"
I don't kuow whnt that Is," he bays,
plainly, when you come to think of It.
Now, stop to think what you do with
your hand when you say "No!" and say
It emphatically. What does the heroine
do ou the stage when she spurns the
villain's suit? Haud palm out, swept
sharply down nnd to tho right. It Is
"No" as plain ns can be. Upon the
other hand, we all kuow the Implica
tion of tho extended haud when It Is
held lu front of the body, as when one
shakes hands or Is pleased, or suys It
Is all right the gesture of asseut or of
concurrence. When the Indian would
sny "Good; It Is all right," ho throws
out his right haud lu front of him, palm
down, tho edgo of the hand away from
him. When ho says "Yes" ho snaps his
forollngor down upon the, hand as he
brings tho hnud quickly down lu front
of hlin. It Is hard to explain, but when
you see him do It you know he means
"I've got you."
One will uot see so much of the old
slgu talk amoug the tribes to-day If ho
travels amoug tho reservations of tho
West, for the Iudlau Is nothing If not
practical, and he does anything lu the
easiest possible way. The changes lu
his life have rendered It unnecessary
for him to rely much upon the slgu lan
guage. There are halfhreeds and Car
lisle graduates to Interpret for him, and
he likes to stand up before the Great
Father aud make a speech in that way,
beiug always au orator, an actor, and
an Individual well aware of the full
value of stage effect aud dramatic ac
tion. He does not use the sign lau
guage because he does not have to use
it. Hence It Is now passing away.
Scientists arc beginning to study It, and
are maklug minute records regarding
tho old speech of the plains. The Uul
ted States government and the Smith
sonian Institution are doing all they
can to learn the old forms. The few
trappers and hunters of tbo past who
were once familiar with the sign talk,
and who still live to tell us about It nre
sought out and Interviewed carefully.
Once a common fuct, because It arose
from a common necessity, It Is now
disappearing to join the ancient and
soon to be forgotten story of one of the
most Interesting aud most dramatic re
glous ever known In all the history of
tho world.
Somo of tho unhapplest people on
earth havo more money than they kcow
what to do with.
UPON A CATARACT'S BRINK.
Thrtltlnsr Experience of a Voyager
the Ottawa Hirer.
The horrible experiences of one who
has been swept away by somo merci
less current nud Auds himself at last
at the brink of u cataract may possibly
be Imagined, but there are few who
survive to relate to us the particulars of
such an ordeal. Yet there Is one in
stance where a man was saved at tho
very edgo of the fulls.
There aro few uiorc Imposing bits of
scenery lu Canada than where tho Ot
tawa Klvcr pours thundering and foam
ing over the Chuudlere Kails. When
the water In the river Is low, .ns it Is
lu autumn, there Is a fall of about forty
feet, but when the river Is swollen by
melting snows In the spring the ap
parent depth of the fall Is lessened. At
any time the rush nud swirl of the
great river over this ledge of rock is a
sight worth seeing.
in some places the water pours over
In a dense and Irresistible volume, wlillo
nt other points a shallow stream will
spray Itself over n higher table of rock.
On tho upper Ottawa aro Aoatcd
booms of logs which feed tho largo
lumber Industries of thnt region. Han
dling these wet logs Is a trencherous
busIucsA, nnd It Is easy to loso one's
foothold and fall Into the swift stream.
Accidents of this klud occur frequent
ly. The only case that did not havo a
fatal termination Is the one referred to
here.
The mnn wns busy forking these logs
with those sharp tongs used to swing
them nbout nnd draw them In, when
he missed his footing nud fell Into tho
river. Though a strong swimmer, ho
could not withstand the current nnd
was swept out Into the stream and on
toward tho falls. Ncurlng the falls, he
found himself still conscious, and It
happened that he was being Aoatcd
over one of those tables of rock where
the water was so shallow that ho felt
himself touch. He struggled to regain
his feet, nnd wns successful In so do
lug, so thnt he found himself standing
lu, perhaps, a foot of rushing water, at
tho brink of the cataract, n great cur
rent surging by him on every hnnd.
Hut It seemed hopeless. Ho saw no
way of ccttlmr to shore, and no one
from the. shore could get to him. Many
people on tho banks of the river word
watching him nud trying to study out
somo plan to save him. Finally a largo
derrick was brought to bear, such as It
used In building operations. A great
arm with ropes was swung out over
tho current, and when the mnn had
fastened himself securely with tho
ropes ho wns raised up high and swung
In, Just ns n large stone would bo raised
lu constructing a building.
WALES SETS A NEW' STYLE.
Heir to Knitlnnd'a Throne Kachewa
Created Trouncr. '
This Is tho new photograph of the
Prince of Wnloa, which hna caused
conutcrnntlon among tho chappies of
Now York. It Is tho proof Indlnputublo
of tho fact thnt his roynl highness Is
weitrlng his trousers without crcnaca
and hnx been wearing them so for some
little time. Tho Prince's trousers aro
pressed "even nil around" so ns to give
tho leg n perfectly cylindrical "set." A.
Chicago exquisite was asked what ef
fect this change of fashion on tho part
of the I'rlnco would have on swelldom
la America, lie said: "There Is no
WALKS NKW l'lCTltltK.
uoubt thnt tho Prince of Wales seta
the fashion for London and that we
follow the I-onilon fashions lu general
It Is hard to sny, however, whether tha
crease wll go or not We are largely
elastic In our modes. Tho crease la
without question desirable and pretty.
I should say that If we wish to we can
have creases In our trousers without
the consent of any other nation. Hut
if the business once gets a good start
It Is more than probable that the round
leg will come Into vogue again. Mean
whllo I would advise my friends In tha
words of Popo:
"Ue not the llrat by whom the new art
tried,
Nor yet the last to lay the old aside."
An Army Guards) the Sultan.
When the Sultan of Turkey attenda
tho Friday midday prayer at tha
mosque lu Constantinople the garrison
of 30,000 men are stntloued along tha
route In such a way that he shall ba
Barely guarded from the moment ba
leaves his palace until ho Is on his car
pet In the cacred cdltlcc.
Heer Glaaaca llcgutatetl Iiy Iaw.
The ordinary beer glass Is regulated
by law In Itavarla aud must hold ex
actly half a litre, or nearly ulne-tentha
of a plut
Plenty or Coal in India. '
India la rich In coal, though little min
ing has as yet been done In that coun
try. The needle you hunt for In a bay
stack never pricks your ringer.
The rich roan travels whea be will
the poor man when he can.
,LsrsmmmmmmmmmmwtSssf9S f
THE METROPOLITAN BANK
CAPITAL
BLOCK,
FRENCH
flllLIP V. CAE8AR, Frcildentj TRUMAN W. EJCOP, Vice-President J O,
JACOB II. VANDKRllIIr, Anltlant Cualilcr.
GENERAL BANKING IN ALL ITS BRANCHES
Intercut allowed on depmltR In Snvlng Department. Circular letters of Credit Issued on
Hone Kong, China, nnd Yokolioma, jHpan: also Drafts and Hills of Kxcliange Issued on China
and Japan, and the principal cities of Europe. Foreign moneys exchanged.
WK HAVKBI'KCIAI. FAOIMTIK8 FOU IIANIH.INO OOI.l 11)ST AND IUU.I.ION
FURS! FURS! FURS!
The Correct Styles In Fur Garments Can Be Seen At
G. P. RUMMELIN & SONS
120 SECOND STREET, Near Washington
Alaska Seal Skins Our Specialty
Full line of Cluster Boas. Animal Pearls, Storm Collars, Collarettes, Victorias, Capes, Etons
Jackets and Novelties of Kery Description. Complete Assortment of ,
Hobes and Hugs. Alaska Indian Baskets.
CALL OR SEND FOR ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE
Kifabllihml 1870.
OrAgoii Phono Mnln 491.
WOLF & ZWIGKER Iron Works
PORTLAND, OREGON.
Steel and. Wood Ship Builders.
Manufacturers of Saw and Shlnglo Mill Machinery, Boilers, Engines, Head
llloclcs, Logging Engines nnd Loggers' Supplies. Steel Riveted Pipes for Flumes
and Dry Kilns. Iron, Semi-Steel and Brass Castings for all purposes. Special
attention given to all kinds of repairs. Agents for Magnolia Anti-Friction Metal.
ACOB HUBTH
President
I. IIIILME
Manager
THE VULCAN IRON WORKS CO.
IRON AND BRASS FOUNDERS MACHINISTS & BLACKSMITHS
MANUFACTUKERR OF ALL CLA8BKS OF MACHINERY.
Fifth Arenas South and Lane St. Tel. Main 123. P. 0. Box 03
E. FUINK, Bee. and Treas. J. H. FRINK. Tres. and Supt.
WASHINGTON IRON WORKS CO.
Eighteen Year. Under Same Management.
FOUNDERS, MACHINISTS AND BOILER MAKERS
WAOItKB: ORANT.STREKT BRIDQE. Telephone Main S3.
SEATTLE
RUSSELL & COMPANY
UUII.DEHS OF
Engines, Boiler; Saw Mills, Thrashers
K you contemplate buying machinery, write us for catalogue and prices.
RUSSELL & CO.
A. II. AVKRlLf.. Manager. PORTLAND. OREGON.
ff
CHIRADELLIS"
-THE BEST
Chocolate and Breakfast Cocoa
ASK YOUR GROCER FOR IT
SPENCER-CLARKE CO.. Agents
FRENCH & COMPANY, BANKERS
TRANSACT A GENERAL BANKING BUSINESS.
tetters of Credit Issued arallable In tha Eastern 8tates. Bttht Exchanse snd Telegraph!
Transfers sold on New York, Chicago, St. Louis, Ban Franctsoo, Portland, Ore.. Seattle, Wash,
and various points In Oregon and Washington. Collections made at V. points on favorable ttrau
Land aud Immigration Agents Loan and Insurance Ageau
M. L. CAUSEY, General Manager.
The Causey Real Estate Co.
Farm, Fruit and Timber Lands, Stock Ranches,
Mining Properties. j j j j j
Office: Foley-Roche Building.
DRINK THE FAMOUS
FOR SALE AT ALL THE
BREWERY AND OFFICE,
vveixilxstrcaL's Beer
THE FARMERS AND TRADERS NATIONAL BANK
La Grand, Oregon.
CAPITAL, 160,000.00; SURPLU8, 8,600.00.
DIRECTORS: J. H. Rtaebart, Geonp Acklea, J. D. McKeaaoa. JompW
Palmar. P. 8. 8taaler. J. II. Robbins, j. V. 8criber.
OFFICERS: J. H. RInebaxt. president; Jomi.a Palmar, t'tt rrtfHwtl JL
W. S'jriUu-. caabiar.
800,000
TACOMA, WASH.
B. HELVIQ, CMblert
Incurjxirntrd 1RB0
II, IVbTMCKLAND
R. V. ANKENY
Treasurer
Secretary
WASH.
AND PUKEST-
LA GRANDE, OR.
PRINCIPAL SALOONS
" TT.riV,Peh.'RurlfK?,7,5.
i
V
t;ia
a JL-iL
kx ' i , it Ji-Al