Sign Language Among North American Indians Compared With That Among Other Peoples Part 46

(64) Pushed downward perpendicularly and from same point the flat, extended hand--_sinking_, or _giving in_--and turning the hand upward at wrist, back downward, he flirted up the fingers several times quickly--_water--slush and water_.

(65) Pa.s.sed one hand over the other as in the act of pulling off mittens--_mittens_.

(66) Made the motion of wringing out a wet piece of cloth--_wringing wet_.

(67) Grasped a fold of his trowsers (below the knee) and wrung it--_trowsers also wet_.

(68) Placed palms of both hands upon legs, near to the ankles, and dragged them up to the knees--_up to the knees_.

(69) s.h.i.+vered--_feeling cold_.

(70) Pointed with thumb backward and toward the right (designating his companion) and repeated No. 2 (_hair gray_)--_my old companion_, i.e., _Ga-bi-wa-bi-ko-ke_.

(71) Repeated No. 69 (_feeling cold_) more emphatically--_more so_, i.e., _suffering worse from the cold._

(72) Repeated No. 59 (_cutting the ice_).

(73) Made sign for _tired--getting tired_, as follows: The left arm is partly extended forward, and is gently struck near the bend of the elbow, usually above it, with the palm of the right hand, at the same time the head is usually inclined to the left side, then in similar manner the right arm is extended and struck by the left hand, and the head in turn inclined to the right.

(74) Repeated No. 35--(_hatchet_).

(75) Turned the slightly closed left (thumb obliquely upward) over to its side, partially opening it in so doing, fingers pointing to left--_pa.s.sing it over to his companion at the left_, i.e., _Sabadis_.

(76) Flung forefingers of both hands, backs forward, thumbs upward, remaining fingers partially closed, toward their respective sides alternately--_by turns_.

(77) Repeated No. 59 (_cutting the ice_).

(78) Elevated the hand above head, thumb and first two fingers extended and directed toward the western meridian, and shook it emphatically and with a tremulous motion up and down while thus suspended--_at a late hour_.

(79) Followed with the sign for _done, finished_, as follows: Left hand, with forearm horizontally extended toward the right, is held naturally relaxed, back outward, a few inches in front of body and at a right angle with opposite hand, which is placed on a higher level, slightly arched, edge downward, fingers joined and extended forward.

Pa.s.s the right quickly and with a cutting motion downward and toward its side, at the same time withdraw the left a few inches toward the opposite direction--_finished our work_.

(80) Quickly threw up his arm, e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.n.g. "haw!"--_let us start_.

(81) Pa.s.sed both hands approximated in front of body, naturally relaxed, backs outward, forward and toward their respective sides, extending and widely separating the fingers during the movement, and again approximating them with quickly accelerated speed and arresting them, closed to fists, in front of body and with a jerk upward--_with united efforts_.

(82) Placing the fists, thumbs upward, pointing forward and placed upon side of forefingers, with their wrists against the breast, he pushed them forward and downward a few inches, head slightly partic.i.p.ating in the movement--_pus.h.i.+ng off_.

(83) Repeated No. 38 (_snow-shoe)--with snow-shoes_.

(84) Immediately rea.s.sumed the position of "pus.h.i.+ng off" as in No.

82, slowly pa.s.sing forward the fists further and further--_pus.h.i.+ng and gradually moving off_.

(85) Quickly pa.s.sed and turned the closed left forward, upward, and backward, opening and again closing the fingers in so doing, and executing at almost the same instant a similar, but smaller, revolution with the right--_turning over the snow-shoe, tail up_.

(86) With both hands closed to fists, left obliquely over the right and on the right side of the body, made motion as if paddling--_paddling_.

(87) Moved and pointed finger of left towards its side, i.e., northward--_toward the sh.o.r.e_.

(88) Moved both hands, flat and extended, backs upward, toward the left side, by an even and very slow movement--_moving along very slowly toward that direction_.

(89) Repeated No. 23--_southwest wind_.

(90) Repeated No. 30--_pus.h.i.+ng northeastward_.

(91) Turned the thumb of left over to the left--_Sabadis_.

(92) Repeated No. 32 (_winding up_), reversing the motion--_winding off the hook-line_.

(93) Approximated both hands with their tips horizontally in front of body, first two fingers with thumb collected to a point, and moving the fingers as in the act of twisting a cord, gradually receded the hands--_twisting_.

(94) Thrust forward three fingers of the right--_three_, i.e., _hook-lines_.

(95) Repeated No. 93, then rubbed palm of flat and extended right forward over the thigh repeatedly and with a slight pressure--_twisting them tightly_.

(96) Approximated both hands closed to fists, thumbs upward, in front of body and pulled them asunder repeatedly by short, quick, and sudden jerks--_proving strength of line_.

(97) Hooked the forefinger, hand turned downward at wrist, remaining fingers closed, thumb resting upon first--_fish-hook_.

(98) Raised and curved three fingers and thrust them forward a little separated, back to the front--_three_, i.e., _hooks_.

(99) Collecting fore and middle fingers of each hand to a point with thumb, he opposed tips of both hands, vertically describing with the upper hand several short circular movements around the tip of the lower--_tying together_.

(100) Hooked the separated fore and middle fingers of the right, pointing upward, back forward, and placed the hooked finger of the left, palm forward, in front and partially between the fork of the first--_in the shape of an anchor_.

(101) Thrust both hands, backs upward, fingers extended and separated, forward (i.e., northward), vigorously, left being foremost--_throwing toward the sh.o.r.e_.

(102) Thence elevating the right toward the head, he thrust it downward in an oblique direction, fore and middle fingers extended and joined with the thumb--_sinking_.

(103) Placing hands in the position attained last in No. 100 (_throwing out toward sh.o.r.e_), he closed the fingers, drawing the hands back toward the body and leaning backward simultaneously--_hauling in_.

(104) Elevated the naturally closed hand to side of head, fingers opening and separating during the movement--at the same time and with a slight jerk of the shoulders inclining the head sideward--and again closed and slowly dropped it upon knee--_in vain_.

(105) Dropped the finger perpendicularly downward, following the movement with the eye--_bottom_.

(106) Pa.s.sed the flat hand, palm down, from side to side in a smooth and horizontal movement--_smooth_.

(107) Made the sign for _stone, rock_, as follows: With the back of the arched right hand (H) strike repeatedly in the palm of the left, held horizontal, back outward, at the height of the breast and about a foot in front, the ends of the fingers pointing in opposite directions.

(108) Repeated No. 100--_anchor_.

(109) Dragged the curved fore and middle fingers over the back of the extended left--_dragging_.

(110) Waved the left--bent at the wrist, back outward--forward and upward from body, extending the arm to full length, at the same time inclining and pus.h.i.+ng forward the head, and repeated the gesture more emphatically--_trying again and again_.

(111) Waved both hands--backs outward, fingers slightly joined, tips facing each other and closely approximated in front of breast--forward and toward their respective sides a short distance, turning the palms upward during the movement, thumb and fingers being extended and widely separated toward the last. At the same time he inclined the head to one side, face expressing disappointment--_all in vain_.

(112) Repeated No. 80--_Let us start anew_!