Fig. 113.—Alaskan notice of a hunt; from Mallery, after Hoffman.
- 1. The speaker, with the right hand indicating himself, and with the left pointing in the direction to be taken.
- 2. Holding a boat paddle—going by boat.
- 3. The right hand to the side of the head, to denote sleep, and the left elevated with one finger, to signify one—one night.
- 4. A circle with two marks in the middle, signifying an island with huts upon it.
- 5. Same as No. 1.
- 6. A circle to denote another island.
- 7. Same as No. 3, with an additional finger elevated, signifying two—two nights.
- 8. The speaker with his harpoon, making the sign of a sea-lion with the left hand. The flat hand is held edgewise with the thumb elevated, then pushed outward from the body in a slightly downward curve.
- 9. A sea-lion.
- 10. Shooting with bow and arrow.
- 11. The boat with two persons in it, the paddles projecting downward.
- 12. The winter, a permanent habitation of the speaker.
The following is a translation of the native account:—“I there go that island, one sleep there; then I go another that island, there two sleeps; I catch one sea-lion, then return place mine.”
“Hunters who have been unfortunate, and are suffering from hunger, scratch or draw upon a piece of wood characters similar to those figured (Fig. [114]), and place the lower end of the stick in the ground on the trail where the greatest chance of its discovery occurs. The stick is inclined toward the locality of the habitation.
Fig. 114.—Pictograph of starving hunters, Alaska; after Mallery.
- “1. A horizontal line, denoting a canoe, showing the persons to be fishermen.
- “2. An individual with both arms extended, signifying nothing, corresponding with the gesture for negation.
- “3. A person with the right hand to the mouth, signifying to eat, the left hand pointing to the house occupied by the hunters.
- “4. The habitation.
“The whole signifies that there is nothing to eat in the house. This is used by natives of Southern Alaska.”