FOOTNOTES:
[270] In the original German edition, the first paragraph and its accompanying note (270) form the only introduction to Maximilian's account of the Indian sign language. As this account had already been Englished by an expert in this field, the late Colonel Garrick Mallery, I have adopted the latter's version, found in his "Sign Language of the Indians of the Upper Missouri in 1832," in American Antiquarian, ii (Chicago, 1879-80), pp. 218-228. Mallery's version was also incorporated in his "Collection of Gesture-Signs and Signals of the North American Indians with some Comparisons" (Washington: Bureau of Ethnology, 1880). A few of the descriptions are also referred to in his "Introduction to the Study of Sign Language among the North American Indians, as illustrating the Gesture Speech of Mankind," published in the same year by the Bureau of Ethnology. The opinion of Maximilian's work entertained by so eminent an authority as Colonel Mallery is of course interesting and valuable, and it has seemed proper to reprint here the pertinent part of his introduction to the American Antiquarian article. This introduction will also be found in substance in his "Gesture-Signs" and "Sign Language," cited above. Reference to the pages in the "Gesture-Signs" (G. S.) and in the "Sign Language" (S. L.), where each description is given, are here indicated in parentheses.—Trans.
[271] Dr. Mitchell (Warden, American Antiquities, p. 179) has a very incorrect conception of the Indians, if he believes that they ordinarily communicate by means of signs. The signs are used only when a person does not wish to be heard, or when he is addressing people of other nations. According to Dunbar (ibid., p. 176) this sign language agrees with the Chinese letters; but I do not understand what is meant by this statement.—Maximilian.
Comment by Ed. For Warden, see our volume xxii, p. 149, note 63. Samuel L. Mitchell (1764-1831) was known as the "Nestor of American Science." His learning was encyclopædic; he belonged to many scientific societies both in America and Europe. For Sir William Dunbar, see our volume iv, p. 325, note 209.
[272] The first two lists mentioned by Mallery are: that of William Dunbar, American Philosophical Society, Transactions, vi; and the one, probably by T. Say, in James's Long's Expedition, in our volume xvii, pp. 289-308.—Ed.
[273] Mallery (G. S. 11) says that from the time and attention which Maximilian gave to the Mandans and Hidatsa, it may be safe to conclude that all these signs were actually obtained from them.—Ed.
II. ON THE ORIGIN OF THE OTOS, JOWAYS, AND MISSOURIS: A TRADITION COMMUNICATED BY AN OLD CHIEF TO MAJOR BEAN, THE INDIAN AGENT
Some time in the year (it was before the arrival of the Whites in America) a large band of Indians, who call themselves Fish-eaters (Hoton-ga), who inhabit the lakes, being discontented, concluded that they would migrate to the southwest in pursuit of the buffalo, and accordingly did so. At Lake Puant they divided, and that part which remained, still continued their original name in Indian, but from some cause or other the Whites called them Winnebagos. The rest, more enterprising, still continued on the journey, until they reached the Mississippi and the mouth of the Joway River, where they encamped on the sand-beach and again divided, one band concluding not to go farther, and those who still wished to go on called this band, which still remained encamped on the sand-beach, Pa-ho-dje, or Dust-noses; but the Whites, who first discovered them on the Joway River, called them Joways (Ayowäs). The rest of them continued on their direction, and struck the Missouri at the mouth of the Grand River. Having only two principal chiefs left, they here gave themselves the name of Neu-ta-che, which means "those that arrive at the mouth," but were called by the Whites the Missouris. One of their chiefs had an only son, the other chief had a beautiful daughter, and, having both a gentle blood, thought no harm to absent themselves for a night or two together, which raised the anger of the unfortunate girl's father to such a pitch, that he marshalled his band and prepared for battle. They however settled it so far as not to come to blows, but the father of the unfortunate son separated from the others, and continued still farther up the Missouri, whereupon they called themselves Wagh-toch-tat-ta, and by what means I know not they have got the name Otos. The Fish-eaters, or the Winnebagos as we call them, still continued east of the Mississippi in the State of Illinois. The Joways, having ceded to the United States all their title to the lands they first settled, have moved West of the State of Missouri, between the waters of the Missouri and the Little Platte. The Missouris, having been unfortunate at war with the Osages, here again separated, and a part of them live now with the Joways, and a part with the Otos. The Otos continued still up the Missouri until they arrived at the Big Platte, which empties into the Missouri, when they crossed and lived some time a little above its mouth, but of late years have resided about 80 miles (by water) from the Missouri, on the Platte River.