Of course there is a sign for every weapon. The knife—scalp or other—is shown by cutting the sinister palm with the dexter ferient downward and towards oneself: if the cuts be made upward with the palm downwards, meat is understood. The tomahawk, hatchet, or axe, is denoted by chopping the left hand with the right; the sword by the motion of drawing it: the bow by the movement of bending it, and a spear or lance by an imitation of darting it. For the gun the dexter thumb or fingers are flashed or scattered, i.e. thrown outwards and upwards, to denote fire. The same movement made lower down expresses a pistol. The arrow is expressed by knocking it upon an imaginary bow, and by snapping with the index and medius. The shield is shown by pointing with the index over the left shoulder where it is slung ready to be brought over the breast when required.
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 ravine, then over a mountain to a plain where there was no water, sighted bisons, 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 upwards and rocking-horse fashion towards the left—“galloped.”
Passes the dexter hand right through thumb and forefinger of the sinister, which are widely extended—“traversed a ravine.”
Closes the finger-tips high over the head and waves both palms outwards—“over a mountain to a plain.”
Scoops up with the hand imaginary water into the mouth, and waves the hand from the face to denote no—“where there was no water.”