| Which way? | The forefinger is held erect (the other fingers of the hand
being closed) and several times moved downwards or away from the
face (No. 1). |
| Big! | The hand is held supine while the fingers are first extended
and then closed in again upon the palm. The thumb is kept more
or less erect (No. 2). |
| Little! | The hand is held with its palm upwards, and the fingers moved
towards the thumb, the middle one touching it (No. 3). |
| To rest (“I am going to sit down”) | The hand is held semi-prone, with the fingers extended and
lying closely together, the thumb resting at the top. It is
jerked downwards two or three times (No. 4). |
| To camp (“I am going to camp”) | With the hand in the same position as in No. 4, the middle,
fourth, and fifth fingers are closed in upon the palm, while
the index is made to touch the thumb (No. 5). |
| To camp (collectively) | The hand remains in semi-prone position, but with the
forefinger pointing towards the ground at half a right angle,
and the same three fingers as mentioned in No. 5 remaining
closed (No. 6). |
| To walk | The hand is held supine with only the forefinger extended;
it is moved from side to side (No. 8).
|
| Come this way quickly! | Holding the hand nearly horizontal and semi-prone, the
fingers are closed in upon the palm and the thumb placed
over them; in that position the hand is jerked sideways (No. 7).
|
| Listen! | The hand, with fingers fully extended, is held with its palm
turned towards the face and moved to and from the face a number
of times (No. 9). |
| Hear him! | The hand is kept prone, with the middle and fourth fingers
closed and the remaining three digits extended. Thus it is
several times jerked towards an ear of the man who is
“speaking” (No. 10). |
| What did you say? | The hand is held erect, with the palm towards the face;
the thumb and forefinger are kept straight, but the other
fingers flexed; the forefinger is jerked to and fro (No. 11). |
| Fighting | With the hand in an erect position, but the palm turned
away from the face, all digits except the index are closed;
the last-named, moreover, is jerked with a circular motion
(No. 12). |
| On the summit of a Hill | The sign-maker extends his hand and with the small finger
border of it taps the crest of his head (No. 13). |
| Running up the Hill | He extends the index and middle fingers upwards, while the
hand is more or less prone, and jerks them up and down (No. 14). |
| It is no good! | The hand in a prone position (with the index and small fingers
extended, the fourth finger closed in, and the tips of the thumb
and middle finger touching) is moved in a circle from the wrist
(No. 15). |
| He is dead | Change the position of hand from that of No. 7 to that of
No. 16. |
| Moving up the Valley | The hand is held partly extended in a prone position and
moved horizontally, from side to side, at the side of the man’s
head (No. 17). |
| Behold the ears (of a Kangaroo) | He holds the hand in a vertical position with the index and
middle lingers extended, moving them in imitation of an animal’s
ears (No. 18). |
| Steady! | Hold the hand in position indicated in No. 7 and move it
vertically with a striking action.
|
| A Euro | Much the same position as shown in No. 18, but the index and
middle fingers are only semi-extended; the other fingers are made
to touch the thumb (No. 19). |
| An Echidna or Native Porcupine | The hand is held prone and horizontally, with only the forefinger
extended, which is moved regularly from side to side (No. 20). |
| An Opossum | Hand semi-prone and horizontal; thumb extended and forefinger
bent in second joint from the tip; the remaining fingers closed
in upon palm. The hand is moved downwards (No. 21). |
| An Iguana | Hand semi-prone and horizontal. The tip of forefinger is brought
nearly into contact with that of thumb, the remaining fingers being
fully extended. The hand is moved vertically up and down (No. 22). |
| A Carpet Snake | Hand semi-prone and horizontal. The points of the fingers are
bunched against the thumb, and circular movements made with the
hand (No. 23). |
| A Tiger Snake | Hand semi-prone. The forefinger extended and directed downwards
at about half a right angle; thumb extended; the remaining three
fingers are moved alternately away from and towards the palm of
the hand (No. 24). |
| A Black Snake | Hand semi-prone and horizontal. All fingers closed in upon palm,
thumb extended upwards. Slight downward movements (No. 25). |
| The Evil Spirit | Hand in prone position and directed downwards. Thumb, index and
small fingers extended, the remaining fingers closed. Frequent
down and up movements (No. 26). |
| Native Pear (Marsdenia) | Hand held erect; forefinger flexed to touch the tip of thumb;
the remaining fingers closed (No. 27). |
| Native Orange (Capparis Mitchelli) | Hand prone; index and middle fingers flexed; thumb, fourth
and fifth fingers extended. Forward and slightly upward jerks (No. 28).
|
| Marsupial Mice | The hand is held in a supine position, while the points of the
fingers are grouped around the thumb and jerked towards the
sign-maker’s mouth (No. 29). |
| Native Plum (Santalum) | With all fingers semi-extended, the hand is held in a supine
position and jerked towards the face (No. 30). |
| A Dingo or Wild Dog | The hand is held in a vertical position, with the forefinger
extended; the other digits are flexed, the tips of the middle
finger and thumb touching. Side movements are made with the
forefinger (No. 31). |
| A Bustard or Wild Turkey | Hand prone; thumb, middle, fourth, and fifth fingers bunched
together, the forefinger bent downwards. Vertical movements
(No. 32). |
| A Lizard | Hand semi-prone; forefinger and thumb fully extended, the
remaining fingers flexed. Upward and downward movements from
the wrist (No. 33). |
| A Crow | The thumb, index and middle fingers extended, the remaining
fingers flexed. The two extended fingers are moved against each
other (No. 34). |
| Wild Bee Honey | The tip of the forefinger is repeatedly flicked from the thumb,
while the three remaining fingers are kept in a flexed position
(No. 35). |
| A Wallaby | Hand semi-prone; the forefinger and thumb are extended while
the remaining fingers lie against the palm. Small, jerking, upward
movements are made with the forefinger, in which the hand also
takes part (No. 36). |
| My Son | The sign-maker taps his chin with the extended forefinger of
his hand. |
| My Sister’s Daughter | He holds his right nipple between the thumb and forefinger
of his right hand. |
| My Sister’s Daughter’s Daughter | He surrounds his right nipple with the tips of his fingers
and alternately opens and closes them with a scratching action. |
“When using the ‘trumpet,’ the operator blows into the end having the smaller diameter, with a vibratory motion of the lips....”
In the course of conversation, an aboriginal aids his speech by gesticulation. When inclined to be cheerful, he smiles and laughs in a decidedly refreshing sort of way, and often smacks his lips out of sheer pleasure, but when his feelings have been ruffled and he is angry, he pouts out his lips and does not hesitate to let you know how he feels. He betrays his feelings by most apparent tone inflections in his voice. He frequently nods his head to indicate assent, but rarely shakes his head to betoken dissent. When in doubt over any matter, especially in answer to a question, he shrugs his shoulders. His hands are used a great deal during conversation. If he wishes to give one an idea of nearness, the finger is directed to the ground a short way off, and if distance is implied the finger points to the horizon.
In reply to a question concerned with the location of a thing, he does not point, as a European would, but turns his face in the direction he wants to indicate and thrusts out his lips. When beckoning with his hand, an aboriginal does not move his hand upwards towards his face as we do, but passes it downwards with a scooping action. The course a traveller has taken, or an animal decamped in, is indicated by extending an arm in the direction and snapping the fingers.
A native has a very good idea of time. The hour at which a past event has happened, or at which a coming event is to happen, is indicated by pointing at the assumed altitude of the sun. To fix a time definitely for a contemplated or proposed action, a stone is placed upon a cliff, or in the fork of a tree, at the hour decided upon, a day or two in advance, in such a position that a sunbeam just strikes it at the moment. When the correct day arrives, the stone is watched until it is again illumined in the same way; and the natives then know that it is time to act. This method is employed when, say, the men have left camp early, and they order the women to follow them at a later hour.
