Sign talk

by Ernest Thompson Seton

Safe. Hand raised as in “Easy.”

Bashful. See Ashamed.

Basin or Hollow (A spread out circle). Hold the L hands low in front, backs up, forming an incomplete horizontal circle, not touching, the index fingers nearer each other than thumbs; swing the hands apart by wrist action so the index fingers point nearly forward.

Fr. le bassin; Ger. die Vertiefung, die Grube.

Basket. Sign Kettle, then interlock fingers as in House of logs, to show structure. The Cheyennes understand this, though usually they sign Kettle and Sew.

Basket. Lock the fingers of the hollowed hands, backs down, join the thumbs as for a handle, then with the right hand grasp left thumb and raise the hand a few inches. (Sioux.) Compare Corral.

Fr. le panier; Ger. der Korb.