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Show 130 THE CITY OF THE SAINTS. CHAP. II A Wagon-road.-Make the wagon sign, and then wave the hand along the ground. Grass.-Point to the ground with the index, and then turn the fingers upward to denote growth. If the grass be long, raise the hand high; and if yellow, point out that color. The pantomime, as may be seen, is capable of expressing detailed narratives. For instance, supposing an Indian would tell the following tale-" Early this morning I mounted my horse, rode off at a gallop, traversed a kanyon or ravine, then over a mountain to a plain where there was no water, sighted bison, followed them, killed three of them, skinned them, packed the flesh upon my pony, remounted, and returned home"-he would symbolize it thus: Touches nose-"I." Opens out the palms of his hand-" this morning." Points to east-" early." Places two dexter forefingers astraddle over sinister index- " mounted my horse." Moves both hands upward and rocking-horse fashion toward the left-"galloped." Passes the dexter hand right through thumb and forefinger of the sinister, which are widely extended-" traversed a kanyon." Closes the finger-tips high over the head, and waves both palms outward-" over a mountain to a plain." Scoops up with the hand imaginary water into the mouth, and then waves the hand from the face to denote " no"'-" where there was no water." Touches eye-" sighted." Raises the forefingers crooked inward on both sides of the head- " bison." Smites the sinister palm downward with the dexter fist-^-" killed." Shows three fingers-" three of them." Scrapes the left palm with the edge of the right hand-" skinned them." Places the dexter on the sinister palm, and then the dexter palm on the sinister dorsum-"packed the flesh upon my pony\" Straddles the two forefingers on the index of the left-" remounted;" and, finally, Beckons toward self-" returned home." To conclude, I can hardly flatter myself that these descriptions have been made quite intelligible to the reader. They may, however, serve to prepare his mind for a vivd voce lesson upon the prairies, should fate have such thing in store for him. After this digression I return to my prosaic Diary. |
