d in their migrations, and wherever their lodges are
pitched there is their home. They are strangers to all cares, creating
for themselves no artificial wants, and are perfectly happy and
contented so long as the buffalo is found within the limits of their
wanderings. Every man is a soldier, and they generally exhibit great
confidence in their own military prowess.

MEETING INDIANS.

On approaching strangers these people put their horses at full speed,
and persons not familiar with their peculiarities and habits might
interpret this as an act of hostility; but it is their custom with
friends as well as enemies, and should not occasion groundless alarm.

When a party is discovered approaching thus, and are near enough to
distinguish signals, all that is necessary in order to ascertain their
disposition is to raise the right hand with the palm in front, and
gradually push it forward and back several times. They all understand
this to be a command to halt, and if they are not hostile it will at
once be obeyed.

After they have stopped the right hand is raised again as before, and
slowly moved to the right and left, which signifies "I do not know you.
Who are you?" As all the wild tribes have their peculiar pantomimic
signals by which they are known, they will then answer the inquiry by
giving their signal. If this should not be understood, they may be
asked if they are friends by raising both hands grasped in the manner
of shaking hands, or by locking the two fore-fingers firmly while the
hands are held up. If friendly, they will respond with the same signal;
but if enemies, they will probably disregard the command to halt, or
give the signal of anger by closing the hand, placing it against the
forehead, and turning it back and forth while in that position.

The pantomimic vocabulary is understood by all the Prairie Indians, and
when oral communication is impracticable it constitutes the court or
general council language of the Plains. The signs are exceedingly
graceful and significant; and, what was a fact of much astonishment to
me, I discovered they were very nearly the same as those practiced by
the mutes in our deaf and dumb schools, and were comprehended by them
with perfect facility.

The Comanche is represented by making with the hand a waving motion in
imitation of the crawling of a snake.

The Cheyenne, or "Cut-arm," by drawing the hand across the arm, to
imitate cutting it with a knife.

The Arapahoe