Sign talk

by Ernest Thompson Seton

Unfair. See Excessive.

United. Sign Alliance or With.

Fr. uni; Ger. vereinigt.

United States of America. There is no well-established sign, but the Indian of a hundred years ago referred to the United States as the “Thirteen Fires,” i.e., Council Fires. So that Thirteen and Fires would answer. The Blackfeet indicate the Boundary Line running east and west, then all south of it.

So, also, for the individual States, in the absence of established signs, we may use their nicknames. These, however, are mere suggestions.

Fr. les États-Unis d’Amérique; Ger. die Vereinigten Staaten von Nordamerika.

Alabama (Cotton State). Country and Cotton. The latter by pointing to something by cotton.

Arizona (Cactus State). Country, Trees, and Sharp, as in Porcupine.

Arkansas (Bear State). Country and Bear Black, to distinguish from Russia.

California (Golden State). Country and Gold; for gold pinch the lobe of the ear, or point to any gold or yellow thing in sight; if it is near, take an imaginary pinch of it, to exclude the object that is made of it.