developed a sign language by which tribes of
different tongues could communicate with one another. At first these
signs were like pictographs, for the speaker pointed as nearly as
possible to the thing that he desired to indicate, but later they became
more and more conventional. For example, man, the erect animal, was
indicated by throwing up the hand, with its back outward and the index
finger extending upward. Woman was indicated by a sweeping downward
movement of the hand at the side of the head with fingers extended to
denote long hair or the combing of flowing locks.

Among the plains Indians, the Dakotas, the main tribe of the Sioux
family, are universally considered to have stood highest not only
physically but mentally, and probably morally. Their bravery was never
questioned, and they conquered or drove out every rival except the
Chippewas. Their superiority was clearly seen in their system of
government. Personal fitness and popularity determined chieftainship
more than did heredity. The authority of the chief was limited by the
Band Council, without whose approbation little or nothing could be
accomplished. In one of the Dakota tribes, the Tetons, the policing of a
village was confided to two or three officers who were appointed by the
chief and who remained in power until their successors were appointed.
Day and night they were always on the watch, and so arduous were their
labors that their term of service was necessarily short. The brevity of
their term, however, was atoned for by the greatness of their authority,
for in the suppression of disturbances no resistance was suffered. Their
persons were sacred, and if in the execution of their duty they struck
even a chief of the second class they could not be punished.

The Dakotas, who lived in the region where their name is still
preserved, inhabited that part of the great plain which is climatically
most favorable to great activity. It is perhaps because of their
response to the influence of this factor of geographical environment
that they and their neighbors are the best known of the plains tribes.
Their activity in later times is evident from the fact that the Tetons
were called "the plundering Arabs of America." If their activities
had been more wisely directed, they might have made a great name for
themselves in Indian history. In the arts they stood as high as could
be expected in view of the wandering life which they led and the limited
materials w