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Show MALLBRT.] SUFFERING- WARNING AND GUIDANCE. 155 The whole signifies that there is nothing to eat in the house. This is used by natives of Southern Alaska. 1 2 3 4 Fio. 69.- Starving hunters. Alaska. Figure 59, with the same signification, and from the same hand, is similar to the preceding in general design. This is placed in the ground near the landing place of the canoemen, so that the top points toward the lodge. The following is the explanation of the characters: 1. Baidarka, showing double projections at bow, as well as the two individuals, owners, in the boat. 2. A man making the gesture for nothing. ( See in this connection Figure 155, page 235.) 3. Gesture drawn, denoting to eat, with the right hand, while the left points to the lodge. 4. A winter habitation. This is used by the Alaskan coast natives. WARNING AND GUIDANCE. An amusing instance of the notice or warning of u No thoroughfare " is given on page 383 of the present writer's paper, Sign Language among North American Indians, in the First Annual Eeportof the Bureau of, Ethnology. It was taken from a rock- etching in Canon de Ghelly, New Mexico. A graphic warning against trespass appears in Schoolcraft, Vol. I, Plate 48, Figure B, op. page 338. During his connection with the geographic surveys west of the one hundredth meridian under the direction of^ apt. G. H. Wheeler, IT. S. Army, Dr. Hoffman observed a practice which prevailed among the Tiv& tikai Shoshoni, of Nevada, in which heaps of stones were erected along or near trails to indicate the direction to be taken and followed to reach springs of water. Upon slight elevations of ground, or at points where a trail branched into two or more directions, or at the intersection of two trails, a heap of stones would be placed, varying from 1 to 2 or more feet in height, according to the necessity of the case, to attract attention. Upon the top of this would be fixed an elongated piece of rock so placed that the most conspicuous point projected and pointed in the course to be |
