t of his breast. For special courtesy, after the
foregoing gesture, they place the hand which had been the actor in it
on the stomach of its owner, not on that part of the interlocutor, the
whole proceeding being subjective, but perhaps a relic of objective
performance." In Miss Bird's _Unbeaten Trades in Japan, London_, 1880,
the following is given as the salutatory etiquette of that empire: "As
acquaintances come in sight of each other they slacken their pace
and approach with downcast eyes and averted faces as if neither were
worthy of beholding each other; then they bow low, so low as to bring
the face, still kept carefully averted, on a level with the knees,
on which the palms of the hands are pressed. Afterwards, during the
friendly strife of each to give the _pas_ to the other, the palms of
the hands are diligently rubbed against each other."

[Illustration: Fig. 231.]

The interlocking of the fingers of both hands above given as an Indian
sign (other instances being mentioned under the head of SIGNALS,
_infra_) is also reported by R. Brough Smyth, _Aborigines of
Victoria_, _loc. cit._, Vol. II, p. 308, as made by the natives
of Cooper's Creek, Australia, to express the highest degree of
friendship, including a special form of hospitality in which the wives
of the entertainer performed a part. Fig. 231 is reproduced from a cut
in the work referred to.

But besides this interlocked form of signifying the union of
friendship the hands are frequently grasped together. Sometimes the
sign is abbreviated by simply extending the hand as if about to grasp
that of another, and sometimes the two forefingers are laid side by
side, which last sign also means, _same, brother_ and _companion_. For
description and illustration of these three signs, see respectively
pages 521, 527, and 317. A different execution of the same conception
of union or linking to signify _friend_ is often made as follows: Hook
the curved index over the curved forefinger of the left hand, the
palm of the latter pointing forward, the palm of the right hand being
turned toward the face; remaining fingers and thumbs being closed.
(_Dakota_ VIII.) Fig. 232.

[Illustration: Fig. 232.]

Wied's sign for medicine is "Stir with the right hand into the left,
and afterward blow into the latter." All persons familiar with the
Indians will understand that the term "medicine," foolishly enough
adopted by both French and English to express the aboriginal magic