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Show i By JOHN DICKINSON SHERMAN A SIOUX cannot talk Comnnche V find a Comanche cannot talk i Cheyenne. But all three Indians . sit down on a blanket and chat all the afternoon about any old JL-j im, thing from a pony race to Lib- erty bonds and from a circus to T P William Hohenzollern. It will j : not be what you would call a VI )lt noisy conversation exactly, be-cause be-cause these three Indians will use the Sign Language of the American Ameri-can Plains Indian. On the other hand it will not te like three deaf and dumb persons making letters let-ters with their fingers. For this Sign Language Is a real language. And there is one paleface who can join the talkfest and outtalk all three Los, for he has a larger vocabulary than any Poor Indian on the Plains. The white man, you know, can always beat the Indian at his own game, when he sets his mind to it. And that's saying a good deal, for the American Indian Is the best natural fighter fight-er this world has ever seen. If you doubt that, hrush up your history by reading about Braddock and St. Clair and Custer. Yet Daniel Boone, George Rogers Clark, Kit Carson, Old Jim Brldger, John Colter and other heroes of our frontier days out-Indianed the Indian that's why they survived and achieved immortality. This one white man who can outtalk any Indian In-dian in the Sign Language is known to all Indians In-dians as Mole Tequoi) He-Talks-With-His-Hands. !n "Who's Who" you can read a lot about Mole Tequop from the viewpoint of the paleface by turning to "Maj. Gen. Hugh Lenox Scott, U. S. A-" The Indians will tell you as "Who's Who" does not that Mole Tequop knows more than a thousand signs which represent several thousand American words. And he should know considerable consider-able about the Sign Language, for he was graduated gradu-ated from West Point a second lieutenant in the United States army eleven days after Custer and 2o0 of his troopers were wiped out in 1876 by Sitting Bull on the Little Big Horn and has been studying the universal language of the Plains ever since. He knows so much about it in fact that Uncle Sam relieved him from active duty In 1S97 for a year and set him down in the bureau bu-reau of ethnology of the Smithsonian institution to write a work on the subject. And has Mole Tequop's study of the Sign Language Lan-guage been worth while? It has Indeed. For this veteran has also brains and character and Personality and the archives of the War department depart-ment show that many an impending outbreak of trbe all over the West was headed off by MIe Tequop and much bloody frontier fighting thereby there-by averted. General Scott was born in Kentucky ln 1S53 and should have been retired by law in But he was then chief of staff of the Uniled States army and the nation needed him in that Jear of emergency. So he was kept on active duty until 1919. Now, at seventy-one, he is a niemher of the Board of Indian Commissioners. Tl'is board, created in 1SG0, is a body of unpaid c'tlzens nppointed by the President. It i not a bureau or division of any department, but Is Purposely kept Independent and is afforded opportunity op-portunity of investigation that it may freely excess ex-cess an impartial and intelligent opinion regard-ln2 regard-ln2 the much-vexed Indian legislation and administration. admin-istration. General, Scott, as a member of this board and a friend of the Indian, paid a visit the other day to the Blackfeet on their reservation along the pastern boundary of Glacier National park in JbMana. The photograph reproduced shows Molt Tequop and Chief Under Bears starting in on a long confab ln the Sign Language. "Feeling strong?" is what the white man's hands are saying. say-ing. "Yes," say the Indian's hands. Back of them rises the shadowy form of the Plains Indian of the old days, holding his right arm aloft with his palm open in the peace sign. A full length photograph of General Scott at the present time-shows time-shows what a soldierly figure is this veteran, even ln his old age. Another photograph shows a group at Browning, where Supt. F. C. Campbell has his office. The sketch shows General Scott making the sign for bighorn, the picturesque Rocky Mountain sheep, whose most striking characteristic char-acteristic is his large horns, curving down and in. This bighorn sign illustrates a basic fact of the Sign Language: The Indian almost invariably invari-ably takes the most salient feature of anything In making a sign for it. "Takes?" Oh, yes; the Sign Language is a growing language or else it could not survive. . If it did not adapt Itself to the times, how could up-to-date matters be discussed? dis-cussed? When an Indian wants to make the sign of the former kaiser of the German empire, now hiding in exile, he simply interlocks six fingers and two thumbs, puts his hands across his mouth and sticks up his two index fingers toward his eyes in other words, to the Indian the big thing about the German kaiser is his mustache. Remember, Re-member, please, that about 12,000 American Indians In-dians responded to the call to the colors ln the World war and they are talking about It yet. Some of the signs, however, are not so obvious. This is to be expected, since the Sign Language is an old, old language. It probably had its beginning be-ginning when the tribes, each with a language of its own, met on the Plains ln their hunting expeditions. ex-peditions. So some of its signs long antedate the advent of Europeans. One of the very old signs, of course, is that for buffalo. Mole Tequop says that for many years he inquired about it and Invariably the answer as "My father told me that was the sign for buffalo" Now, the buffalo sign Is this: ou make a fist of the left hand, small finger down. You dnnv the index finger of the right hand back from the hollow made between the thumb and index finger of the fist. Mole Tequop, sand-in? sand-in? on a bluff and looking down on Indians shoot- ; TJZ realized that the outstanding feature of a Buffalo was his hump, suggesting the formation forma-tion between index finger and thumb of the fist. The index finger of the right hand s the arrow U wi KlrawaT the drawing of the bo, and the hole action is that of shooting the buffalo A e you skeptical over Indians talking about Libertbonds in the Sign Language? I en.emben nlease that Indians bought over $2o,00O,O0 ot Liberty bonds and that Indians nowadays are very rich from oil lands, many of them. So na -ura I, they have to talk about dollars cash ere ?7nd interest Moreover, the Indian mind Is delight'u y d r 'ct and logical on these subjects The s gn for the dollar in the Sign Language is exactly as you yourself would make it- he is i"'J (le by curving the fndofflnU nn he thumb. The sign for cash paling of this dollar sign In the P m of the oter n-ey n h an h On , dicated by making a v. mm 1 -the Ai u, int re ? W .v. the Indian just narur-,1Uin- vi n e dollar sign, then the credit s.gn .us ?hr.r i .. the clllul of invested TC m of With his e J'"- ' IlT jelightfully direct everything the Indian "s ,he whIte in the bign L. inuafce gn he rrJ Tte man the passing of the index line on the forehead where the brim of the hat comes. The sign for a man on horseback is made by straddling strad-dling the index and middle finger over two closed fingers of the other hand. Once an Indian told Mole Tequop that he had been to Washington Washing-ton and seen a circus in which a white man rode a horse that jumped over five other horses. First he made the sign for a white man and then for a man on a horse-Then horse-Then he placed five horses in a row and had his white man on a horse run down an J incline and make the leap. WX&X&SOair m telling about the elephant he had to improvise, so to speak. He stretched out his arm in front, with the hand curved in and down. Then he reached down and picked up an apple and curved his arm and hand up to his mouth, ln excellent Imitation of an elephant's trunk. Signs often have more than one meaning. An Indian says "I am a Pawnee," by making a V of his first and second fingers and extending his arm. In conversation the same sign means wolf, the fingers fin-gers Indicating the ears. The same sign also means wisdom, inasmuch as the wolf is considered consid-ered a pretty wise sort of animal and he is or he would have been exterminated long ago. The same two fingers pointed to the ground say, "I have considered." It Is a pleasure to watch an Indian talking fluently flu-ently In the Sign Language. He makes his signs ln graceful movements in a small space In front of him. There Is a surface line about three feet from the ground. Lieutenant Scott and by the way he is a great-great-grandson of Benjamin Franklin began his study of the Sign Language early ln his career. He was assigned to active duty in the Seventh cavalry at Bismarck, Dakota, the fall of 1876, and took part in the Sioux campaign of that year. The next year he was in the Nez Perce expedition. In fact, from 1876 to 1879 he was busy fighting various vari-ous tribes in Indian Territory, Kansas, Wyoming, Idaho, Dakota, Nebraska and Montana. Then for ten years or so he was on routine duty, principally with the Plains Indians. MV 1 H H ! f-'ly l i HT- n MftT I I l-' horseback is made by strad- 5ilS'L i ViX? 14 X2 vL h Hllfflun .,, u ..li .yfW dHng the index and middle m , ;Tr SiP Vfcjlfej 11 "jy-y Jj. - febf'Oo finger over two closed fingers U A' li, IV t' of the other hand. Once an ptff ty' fl fhJ Y I in. Indi"n told Mole Tequop flfff f&t I I WjM ' ff ' VWWWt1jA horses- First he made the f ltPM $W (f1 i U U tl 7 then for a man on a horse, r 4 t VV i ' 4 SJSrf7'' '&' ' man on a horse run down an .' Hit fi I 'Wl J l H'l W - 7V Ai J Incline a make the leap. f W H AW Vl V V V 'MrxX&mair In teUing a5ont tne elephanpt 1 1 lit )V Wf H ? M M J H X I Vr- n 6 had t0 lu0- o to speak. He stretched ' " X'Cr i , UJsJiM I K jS s H! 1 ' yTTsf I 0Ut hls arm in front- wlth the hand curved in and I ' Tiff v V 1 V 1 H ml." rX " .1 d0WD- Then he reached down aQd Picked up an C '4 $U Jk 3, i ki h I' I apple flnd curved his arm and hand up to his ji ,1 J j , 3 smK-S s i ,) .ft llV ' " S Signs often have more than one meaning. An ; I h'H i t I t U V . . -v " Indian says "I am a Pawnee," by making a V of I M tiPa lp " 1! j hls first and second fingers and extending his arm. '. WIC-t if tJy- VAll' l lsi HYiJ m conversation the same sign means wolf, the fln- lij'K 'i MV tI'M t4l . V V gers Indlc"ng the ears. The same sign also Fl'itf W"il&.p" () Hi i V means wlsdom' inasmuch as the wolf Is consid- ,f M Li'itfi 8 W "F t , ' I J v f7J 1 ered a pretty wise sort of animal and he is or he I J mWi $J! ,) X j U i would have been exterminated long ago. The ') i I i ' L 1 1 I Bame two fingers pointed to the ground say, "I 1 S i V V ' U h H' V -I - ' I W have considered." lilt & lK!l , t VOr I1 It Is a pleasure to watch an Indian talking flu- ' tyf f r t l; , ifgV ' ently In the Sign Language. He makes his signs Wi'llKtii! WStbX si 7 V-'V "f7 in graceful movements in a small space in front i A H V-l t k ,M , i 4 X of Mm. There Is a surface line about three feet v m P 'w 1 y I froTT the ground- ?' 1 U v'l VM' f i!? V I Lieutenant Scott and by the way he is a greatly great-ly HI Hr: " K ' ( h1 , w'jil great-grandson of Benjamin Franklin began his ' ' I ' W Pnl 4 0A 1 V 1V ! 6tudy of the SigQ Lage early In his career. '" t li - ) , f fe-f 1 h l M l'1" I He was assigned to active duty in the Seventh HJ t )SJ 1 t L i 1 cavalry at Bismarck, Dakota, the fall of 1876, and it iHiflii t lf1. I 3 ' took part in the Sioux campaign of that year. The ljfl 'Ml "nV X2 "I next year he was in the Nez Perce expedition. In wtlfi ?$:'': I I 'SSte-':l r fact, from 1876 to 1879 he was busy fighting varl- " Z 'Id if T Hjas? f j,(m?8!& ous tribes in Indian Territory, Kansas, AVyomlng, fj Lw'iK" m I f ' i'lfs I Idaho, Dakota, Nebraska and Montana Then for VV i t T ) fiY h-. . im feiVM' ten years or so he was on routine duty, principally Sf ts L, I A 14 f I vMth the Plains Indians fcfe'"1' 1 c M-tJ twfim rmi?l m I p.4iwy riLiJl S 'yl4?A ILwipl jl His -Hands," Visits h&fTS ' PntfOoH i5?3Cmcrv-l BJ- Always the young lieutenant was interested in uiUV,f)Cg. xoT-? the Sign Language. He recognized in it a medium Always the young lieutenant was interested in the Sign Language. He recognized in it a medium of successful diplomacy with the Indians. As a rule the Indian scouts employed by the cavalry were useless as Interpreters, tie saw that the first step to gaining the confidence of the various tribes was to be able to talk with them. Lluteiiant Scott was fortunate In early gaining gain-ing the friendship of a remarkable Indian, I-See-O, a Kiowa. The Kiowas have probably killed more white men, In proportion to their numbers, than any other tribe. Yet I-See-0 is the most famous peacemaker the Plains have ever seen. He had a deep love for the Indian, and the Intelligence to see that in the long run their resistance to the white man was hopeless. He has proved his soldier sol-dier courage many times under fire. He has also had the moral courage to stand up at the council fire and tell the assembled warriors the exact truth of the situation. I-See-0 became the guide, philosopher and friend of the young cavalry lieutenant, lieu-tenant, taught him the refinements of the Sign Language and gave him a deep Insight into the Indian mind. Together they headed off many a bloody outbreak. Today a tepee stands on the reservation at Fort Sill, Okla., isolated from the rest of the post. In It lives I-See-O, seventy years of age and sole survivor of the Kiowa scout detachment. He Is still a sergeant on full pay and allowance and he Is unique in the army of the United States in that he is never to be retired or demoted until the post bugler blows "taps" over his soldier's grave. It was General Scott who secured for his friend nnd fellow peacemaker and clever scout this unique reward for his services. The army lias built him a comfortable shack, nicely furnished. But I-See-O will have none of It, except to use It as a storehouse store-house the range he uses as a sort of chiffonier. General Scott's long and enviable Indian record contains many notations like this: "Settled by diplomacy ." In fact, he seems to have been the federal government's main reliance in many times of threatened trouble. From 1S94 to 1897 he was In charge of Geronimo's band of Chirlcahua Apaches. In 1908 after he had served in Cuba as adjutant and in the Philippines as governor of the Sulu archipelago and had been four years superintendent of the United States Military academy acad-emy with the rank of colonel he was sent to settle the troubles of Navajos in New Mexico and Kickaptros in Arizona. In 1911 he was smoothing over matters with the Hop! Indians in New Mexico. Mex-ico. In 1912 he took charge of the settlement In Oklahoma and New Mexico of the Apache prisoners pris-oners of war. In 1913 he settled by diplomacy the Navajo Indian trouble at Beautiful Mountain, Ariz. In 1915 he settled the Piute trouble nt Bluff, Utah when he was a major general and chief of staff. And Mole Tequop certainly possessed the respect re-spect of the fighting Indians of the Plains as a soldier, for In 1892 he enlisted and commanded Troop L, Seventh cavalry, made up of Kiowa, Comanche Co-manche and Apache Indians. He held tliem to the service through five years of enlistment. The great war staged a fitting climax to Major General Scott's career as a soldier by putting him on the front line at Arras and Chalon in command of the Seventy-eighth division, A. E. F., where he won his D. S. M. Perhaps, however. Hugh Lenox Sn.it Is doing light now as Mole Tequop the best work of bis long career in the service of his country. Certain Cer-tain it Is that when He-Tnlks-With-His-HHiids lifts his rk:ht band with open palm and spreads his blan-""t on tiie ground thereliy saying in the Sign Language. "I come in peace nnd friendship. Come and sit down; I want to talk" the wildest Plains Indian will accept th invitation and listen with open mind. And these days of new riches nnd new citizenship and a new federal policy In the making are days when the Indian needs a tried and proved friend who undi-rn:cnils him. |