Signaling and Indian Signs

Signalizace a indiánské značky.

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IX* Signaling and Indian Signs Sign Language DO YOU know the Sign Language? If not, do you realize that the Sign Language is an established mode of communication in all parts of the world without regard to native speech? Do you know that it is so refined and complete that ser- mons and lectures are given in it every day, to those who cannot hear? Do you know that it is as old as the hills and is largely used in all public schools? And yet when I ask boys this question, "Do you use the Sign Language?" they nearly always say "No." The first question of most persons is "What is it? " It is a simple method of asking questions and giving answers, that is talking, by means of the hands. It is used by all the Plains Indians, and by thousands of white people to-day, in cities, as well as in the western country, and to an extent that surprises all when first they come to think of it. Not long ago I asked a boy whether the policemen on the crowded streets used Sign Language. He said, "No!" at least he did not know if they did. I repHed: "When the officer on Fifth Avenue wishes to stop all vehicles, what does he do?" "He raises his hand, flat with palm forward," was the reply.Signaling and Indian Signs 229 "Yes, and when he means 'come on,' what does he do?" "He beckons this way," "And how does he say *go left, go right, go back, come, hurry up, you get out?' " Each of these signs I found was well known to the boy. The girls are equally adept and equally unconscious of it. One very shy Httle miss — so shy that she dared not speak — furnished a good illustration of this : "Do you use the Sign Language in your school? " I asked. She shook her head. "Do you learn any language but English?" She nodded. "What is the use of learning any other than English?" She raised her right shoulder in the faintest possible shrug. "Now," was my reply, "don't you see you have already given me three signs of the Sign Language, which you said you did not use?" After collecting popular signs for several years I found that I had about one hundred and fifty that are in estab- lished use in the schools of New York City. Here are some of the better known. Each boy will probably find that he has known and used them all his schooldays : You (pointing at the person); Me (pointing at one's self); Yes (nod); No (head shake); Go (move hand forward, palm first); Come (draw hand toward one's self, palm in) ; Hurry (same, but the hand quickly and energetically moved several times); Come for a moment (hand held out back down, fingers closed except first, which is hooked and straightened quickly several times);230 The Book of Woodcraft I Slop (one hand raised, flat; palm forward); Gently or Go easy (like stop," but hand gently waved from side to side); Good-bye (hand high, flat, palm down, fingers wagged all together); Up (forefinger pointed and moved upward); Down (ditto downward) ; Silence or hush (forefinger across lips) ; Listen (flat hand behind ear); Whisper (silently move lips, holding flat hand at one side of mouth); Friendship (hands clasped); Threatening (fist shaken at person); Warning (forefinger gently shaken at a slight angle toward person); He is cross (forefinger crossed level); Shame on you (right forefinger drawn across left toward person several times); Scorn (turning away and throwing an imaginary handful of sand toward person); Insolent defiance (thumb to nose tip, fingers fully spread) ; Surrender (both hands raised high and flat to show no weapons) ; Crazy (with forefinger make a Httle circle on forehead then point to person) ; Look there (pointing); Applause (silently make as though clapping hands); Victory (one hand high above head as though waving hat); Indifference (a shoulder shrug); Ignorance (a shrug and headshake combined) ; Pay (hand held out half open, forefinger and thumb r ibbed together) ;Signaling and Indian Signs 231 Poverty (both hands turned flat forward near trouser pockets) ; Bribe (hand held hollow up behind the back) ; Knife (first and second fingers of right hand used as to whittle first finger of left) ; / am thinking it over (forefinger on right brow and eyes raised) ;

forgot (touch forehead with all right finger tips, then 

draw flat hand past eyes once and shake head) ; / send you a kiss (kiss finger tips and move hand in graceful sweep toward person); The meal was good (pat stomach) ; I beg of you (flat hands tight together and upright) ; Upon my honor (with forefingers make a cross over heart) ; Bar up, fins, or I claim exemption (cross second finger of right hand on first finger and hold hand up) ; Give me (hold out open flat hand pulHng it back a httle to finish) ; / give you (the same, but push forward to finish) ; Give me my bill (same, then make motion of writing) ; Get up (raise flat hand sharply, palm upward) ; Sit down (drop flat hand sharply, palm down); Rub it out (quickly shake flat hand from side to side, palm forward); Thank you ( a sHght bow, smile and hand-salute, made by drawing flat hand a few inches forward and downward palm up); Do you think me simple? (forefinger laid on side of nose) ; Will you? or, is it so? (eyebrows raised and sHght bow made) ; Will you come swimming? (first and second fingers raised and spread, others closed); Also of course, the points of the compass, and the numer- als up to twenty or thirty.232 The Book of Woodcraft My attention was first directed to the Sign Language in 1882, when I went to live in western Manitoba. There I found it used among the Crees and Sioux, the latter especi- ally being expert sign-talkers. Later, I found it a daily necessity for travel among the natives of New Mexico and Montana. One of the best sign talkers I ever met was the Crow In- dian, White Swan, who had been one of Custer's Scouts. He was badly wounded by the Sioux, clubbed on the head, and left for dead. He recovered and escaped; but ever after was deaf and dumb. However sign talk was familiar to all his people and he was at little disadvantage in day- time. From him I received many lessons in Sign Language and thus in 1897 began to study it seriously. Now I wish to teach it to the Scouts. If each of them would learn to use with precision the one hundred and fifty schoolboy signs and then add twice as many more, they would become fairly good sign-talkers. These additional signs they can find in the "Dictionary of the Sign Language."* Why should you talk the Sign Language? There are many reasons: In this code you can talk to any other Scout, without a outsider knowing or understanding. It makes conversation easy in places when you must not speak aloud, as in school, during music, or by the bedside of the sick. It is a means of far-signaling much quicker than sema- phore or other spelling codes, for this gives one or more words in one sign. It will enable you to talk when there is too much noise to be heard, as across the noisy streets.

• To be issued by Doubleday, Page &• Co. ■Signaling and Indian Signs 233

It makes it possible to talk to a deaf person. It is a wonderful developer of observation. It is a simple means of talking to an Indian or a Scout of another nationality whose language you do not understand. This indeed is its great merit. It is universal. It deals not with words but with ideas that are common to all mankind. It is therefore a kind of Esperanto already established. So much for its advantages; what are its weaknesses? Let us frankly face them: It is useless in the dark; It will not serve on the telephone; It can scarcely be written; In its pure form it will not give new proper names. To meet the last two we have expedients, as will be seen, but the first two are insurmountable difhculties. Remember then you are to learn the Sign Language be- cause it is silent, far-reaching, and the one universal language. Since it deals fundamentally with ideas, we avoid words and letters, but for proper names it is very necessary to know the one-hand manual alphabet, For numbers we use the fingers, as probably did the ear- liest men who counted. Yes. The sign for "yes" is so natural that one can see it instinctively made if we offer food to a hungry baby. That is simply a nod. That is if you are near, but far off, make your right hand with all fingers closed except index and thumb which are straight and touching at top, advance, bend toward the left side as though bowing, then returned and straight again. No. This also is a natural sign, we can see it if we offer bitter medicine to a baby. The sign for "No," when near, is shake the head ; but, when too far for that to be seen, hold the closed right hand in front of the body, then sweep it234 The Book of WoodcraftSignaling and Indian Signs 235 One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Eleven Twenty Thirty One Hundred One Thousand236 The Book of Woodcraft outward and downward, at the same time turn the pahn up ; as though throwing something away. Query. The sign for Question — that is, "I am asking! you a question," I want to know " — is much used and important. Hold up the right hand toward the person, palm forward, fingers open, slightly curved and spread. Wave the hand gently by wrist action from side to side. It is used before, and sometimes after all questions. If you are very near, merely raise the eyebrows. The following are needed in asking questions: How Many? First the Question sign, then hold the left hand open, curved, palm up, finj^ers spread, then with right digit quickly tap each finger of left in sue- • cession, closing it back ; i toward the left palm, begin- ) ", ning with the little finger. How Much? Same as How many? What? What are you doing? What do you want? What is it? First give Question, then hold right hand palm down, fin- gers slightly bent and separated, and, pointing forward, throw it about a foot from right to left several times, describing an arc upward. When? If seeking a definite answer as to length of time, make signs for Question, How much, and then specify time by sign for hours, days, etc. When asking in general When" for a date, hold the left index extended and vertical, other and thumb closed, make a circle round left index tip with tip of extended right index, others and thumb closed; and QUERY SIGNSignaling and Indian Signs 237 when the index reaches the starting point, stop it and point at tip of left index (what point of shadow?). Where? (What direction) Question, then with forefinger sweep the horizon in a succession of bounds, a sHght pause at the bottom of each. Which? Question, then hold left hand in front of you with palm toward you, fingers to right and held apart; place the end of the right forefinger on that of left forefinger, and then draw it down across the other fingers. Why? Make the sign for Question, then repeat it very slowly. Who? Question, and then describe with the right fore- finger a small circle six inches in front of the mouth. Eat. Throw the flat hand several times past the mouth in a curve. Drink. Hold the right hand as though holding a cup near the mouth and tip it up. Sleep. Lay the right cheek on the right flat hand. My, mine, yours, possession, etc. Hold out the closed fist, thumb up, and swing it down a little so thumb points forward. House. Hold the flat hands together like a roof. Finished or done. Hold out the flat left hand palm to the right, then with flat right hand chop down past the ends of the left fingers. Thus "Will you eat?" would be a Question, you eat, but Have you eaten would be. Question, you eat, finished. Way or road. Hold both flat hands nearly side by side, palms up, but right one nearer the breast, then alternately Hf t them forward and draw them back to indicate track or feet traveling. The Indian had much use for certain signs in describing the white trader. The first was: Liar. Close the right hand except the first and second238 The Book of Woodcraft SIGN FOR VERY MUCH fingers; these are straight and spread; bring the knuckles of the first finger to the mouth, then pass it down forward to the left, meaning double or forked tongue. The second sign, meaning ^^very^^ or '■^very much," is made by striking the right fist down past the knuckles of the left Avithout quite touching them, the left being held still. Another useful sign is time. This is made by drawing a circle with the right forefinger on the back of the left wrist. It looks Hke a reference to the wrist watch, but it is certainly much older than that style of timepiece and probably refers to the shadow of a tree. Some prefer to draw the circle on the left palm as it is held up facing forward. If you wish to ask, "What time is it? You make the signs Question, then Time. If the answer is " Three o'clock," you would signal: Time and hold up three fingers of the right hand. Hours are shown by laying the right forefinger as a pointer on the flat palm of the left and carrying it once around; minutes by moving the pointer a very little to the left. If you wish to signal in answer 3:15. You give the signs for hours 3 and minutes 15. Holding all ten fingers up for 10, then those of one hand for 5. It takes a good-sized dictionary to give all the signs in use, and a dictionary you must have, if you would become an expert. I shall conclude with one pretty little Indian sign: First,Signaling and Indian Signs 239 give the Question sign, then make an incomplete ring of your right forefinger and thumb, raise them in a sweep until above your head, then bring the ring straight down to your heart. This is the Indian way of asking, "Is the sun shin- ing in your heart?" — that is, "Are you happy?" — your answer will, I hope, be made by the right hand and arm standing up straight, then bowing toward the left, followed by a sharp stroke of the right fist knuckles past those of the left fist without their touching, which means "Yes, the sun shines in my heart heap strong.'^ PICTURE-WRITING The written form of Sign Language is the picture-writing also called Pictography, and Ideography, because it repre- sents ideas and not words or letters. It is widely believed that Sign Language is the oldest of all languages; that in- deed it existed among animals before man appeared on earth. It is universally accepted that the ideography is the oldest of all writing. The Chinese writing for instance is merely picture-writing done with as few lines as possible. Thus, their curious character for "Hearing" was once a complete picture of a person listening behind a screen, but in time it was reduced by hasty hands to a few scratches; and "PFar," now a few spider marks, was origi- nally a sketch of "two women in one house." To come a little nearer home, our alphabet is said to be descended from hieroglyphic ideographs. "A" or "Ah," for example, was the sound of an ox repre- sented first by an outHne of an ox, then of the head, which in various modifications, through rapid writing, became our "A." "O" was a face saying "Oh," now simplified into the round shape of the mouth.240 The Book of Woodcraft "S" was a serpent hissing. It is but little changed to- day. We may also record our Sign Language in picture-writing, as was the custom of many Indian tribes, and we shall find it worth while for several reasons: It is the Indian special writing; it is picturesque and useful for decoration; and it can be read by any Indian no matter what language he Some Indian Scovt PicToaHAPH5 ^ ..••••*"■•••.. ^^si ^ A sJnr.-Je cnt j.-n or d», $vrl-^st Moon orm^B. ^^^^ speaks. Indeed, I think it probable that a pictograph inscription dug up 10,000 years from now would be read, whether our language was understood or not. When the French Government set up the Obelisk of Luxor in Paris and wished to inscribe it for all time, they made the record, not in French or Latin, but in pictographs. -!■ (^ .^ , f A lilt Nnlli St"» rhn«) »<'5i/nsc' Tnvon I (u(C TS ---==^^ u'^. L I ^ -<> -0 ^ ^ -0 of j iUtwIc-K) (y„c<.r^««.• "'dkY|^Kr S*dayU,,r<.. wt w.fK I made j to f iiU ^ ' *'^* »Jitrai(| r 7 f *e~ It is,moreover,part of my method to take the boy through the stages of our race development, just as the young bird must run for a send-off, before it flies, so pictography being its earliest form is the natural first step to writing.Signaling and Indian Signs

In general, picture writing aims to give on paper the idea of the Sign Language without first turning it into sounds. In the dictionary of Sign Language I give the written form after each of the signs that has a well established or pos- sible symbol. Many of these are drawn from the Indians who were among the best scouts and above all noted for their use of the picture-writing. A few of them will serve to illustrate. e I M Ml nil V yi V'l yi" ynn Qmtwj'-j; Numbers were originally fingers held up, and five was the whole hand, while ten was a double hand. We can see traces of this origin in the Roman style of numeration. A one-night camp, a more permanent camp, a village and a town are shown in legible symbols. An enemy, sometimes expressed as a ** snake," recalls our own "snake in the grass." A "friend," was a man with a The picture on the teepee lining, to record Guy's Exploit branch of a tree; because this was commonly used as a flag of truce and had indeed the same meaning as our olive branch. The "treaty" is easily read; it was a pair of figures like this done in Wampum that recorded Penn's Treaty.

• 'Good" is sometimes given as a circle full of lines all242

The Book of Woodcraft straight and level, and for bad" they are crooked and con- trary. The wavy lines stood for water, so good water is clearly indicated. The three arrows added mean that at three arrow flights in that direction, that is a quarter mile, there is good water. If there was but one arrow and it pointed straight down that meant good water here," if it pointed down and outward it meant "good water at a little distance." If the arrow was raised to carry far, it ■■ Level "^ Direction forward Direction backward Sun or day < Night Day back one, or yes- terday Day forward one, or to-morrow Jiloon, or month Rain Snow Year (or snow round to snow) Snow Moon or January Hunger Moon or Febru- ary March the Wakening or Crow Moon Grass Moon or April Planting Moon or May Rose Moon or June Thunder Moon or July Red, Moon or Green Corn, August Hunting Moon, Septem- ber ^3^ Mad Moon, November ^^^ Long Night Moon, De- cember. Leaf - Falling October Moon,Signaling and Indian Signs

^ Man ^ Woman Baby Scout D Scouting ? Question X Yes

No JS( Doubtful «<o' . ^ Peace >«o^ ^ War % Surrender f. Prisoner ^ Enemy Friend Is) Good ® Bad ^ Water y^ Good water Good water in 3 arrow flights One-night camp More permanent camp Village Town .^k Heap or many I have found Bear Grizzly bear Chipmunk Dead bear Treaty of peace meant good "water a long way off there." This sign wasof the greatest vaKie in the dry country of the southwest. Most Indian lodges were decorated with pictographs depicting in some cases the owner's adventures, at other times his prayers for good luck or happy dreams. The old Indian sign for peace, three angles all pointing one way that is "agreed," contrasts naturally with the "war" or "trouble" sign, in which they are going different ways or against each other.244 The Book of Woodcraft An animal was represented by a crude sketch in which its chief character was shown, thus chipmunk was a small animal with long tail and stripes. Bear was an outline bear, but grizzly bear, had the claws greatly exaggerated. When the animal was killed, it was represented on its back with legs up. Each chief, warrior and scout had a totem, a drawing of which stood for his name or for himself. t^4 ^/I^C^^ ja A man's name is expressed by his totem ; thus, the above means, To-day, 20th Sun Thunder Moon. After three days *'Deerfoot," Chief of the Flying Eagles, comes to our Standing Rock Camp. When a man was dead officially or actually, his totem was turned bottom up. Here is a copy of the inscription found by Schoolcraft on the grave post of Wabojeeg, or White Fisher, a famous Ojibwa chief. He was of the Caribou clan. On the top is his clan totem re- versed, and on the bottom the White Fisher; the seven marks on the left were war parties he led. The three marks in the middle are for wounds. The moose head is to record a desperate fight he had with a bull moose, while his success in war and in peace are also stated. This inscription could be read only by those knowing the story, and is rather as a memory help than an exact record.Signaling and Indian Signs 245 BLAZES AND INDIAN SIGNS — BLAZES First among the trail signs that are used by Scouts, Indians, and white hunters, and most likely to be of use to the traveler, are axe blazes on tree trunks. Among these some may vary greatly with locality, but there is one that I have found everywhere in use with scarcely any variation. That is the simple white spot meaning, ^'Here is the trails The Indian in making it may nick off an infinitesimal speck of bark with his knife, the trapper with his hatchet may make it as big as a dollar, or the settler with his heavy axe may slab off half the tree-side ; but the sign is the same in principle and in meaning, on trunk, log or branch from Atlantic to Pacific and from Hudson Strait to Rio Grande. "This is your trail," it clearly says in the universal language of the woods. There are two ways of employing it : one when it appears on back and front of the trunk, so that the trail can be run both ways; the other when it appears on but one side of each tree, making a blind trail, which can be run one way only, the blind trail is often used by trappers and pros- pectors, who do not wish any one to follow their back track. But there are treeless regions where the trail must be marked; regions of sage brush and sand, regions of rock, stretches of stone, and level wastes of grass or sedge. Here other methods must be employed. A well-known Indian device, in the brush, is to break a twig and leave it hanging. {Second line.) Among stones and rocks the recognized sign is one stone set on top of another {top line) and in places where there is nothing but grass the custom is to twist a tussock into a knot {third line). These signs also are used in the whole country from Maine to California.246 The Book of Woodcraft Hmmam Smms Signs r Stones ThiJ is the Trail Turn, to the Right Tura to the Left Important Varnlnj .i'ignj' in Twigs ThiJ is thcTrail Turn to the Rijht Turtt to the Left .Important VarninJ lyignj" in Gra^j* Ii4^^-'- -Oi^^y^/' v,._«lvV/^ . ■^^^^^/f/yVit) Thiji^ the Trail Tiirn. to the Ri^ht Turn to the Left ImportantVarning ^yignj in Blajej c-i/0m Thiji^ the Trail Turn to the Ri5ht' Turn to the Left Important Wartvinl Code for iTmolie •Signal J r

^! HI wr 

Camp is Here' 1 am lo^t. Help! Gooa Newj All come to Council Jbme Special Bla3e5 ujed by Hunters d^Survtyors A Trap to ATrapto Camp iy to Camp is fo i^pecial Adirondack Sxirvfyofs Right- Left Rigivt Left Special Line HereSignaling and Indian Signs 247 In running a trail one naturally looks straight ahead for the next sign; if the trail turned abruptly without notice one might easily be set wrong, but custom has provided against this. The tree blaze for turn "to the right" is shown in Number 2, fourth row; "to the left" in Number 3. The greater length of the turning blaze seems to be due to a desire for emphasis as the same mark set square on, is understood to mean "Look out, there is something of special importance here." Combined with a long side chip it means "very important; here turn aside." This is often used to mean "camp is close by," and a third sign that is variously combined but always with the general meaning of "warning" or "something of great importance" is a threefold blaze. (No. 4 on fourth line.) The com- bination (No. I on bottom row) would read "Look out now for something of great importance to the right." This blaze I have often seen used by trappers to mark the where- abouts of their trap or cache. Surveyors often use a similar mark — that is, three simple spots and a stripe to mean, "There is a stake close at hand," while a similar blaze on another tree near by means that the stake is on a line between. STONE SIGNS These signs done into stone-talk would be as in the top line of the cut. These are much used in the Rockies where the trail goes over stony places or along stretches of slide-rock. GRASS AND TWIG SIGNS In grass or sedge the top of the tuft is made to show the direction to be followed ; if it is a point of great importance248 The Book of Woodcraft three tufts are tied, their tops straight if the trail goes straight on; otherwise the tops are turned in the direction toward which the course turns. The Ojibways and other woodland tribes use twigs for a great many of these signs. (See second row.) The hang- ing broken twig Hke the simple blaze means "This is the trail." The twig clean broken off and laid on the ground across the line of march m^eans, "Here break from your straight course and go in the line of the butt end," and when an especial warning is meant, the butt is pointed toward the one following the trail and raised somewhat, in a forked twig. If the butt of the twig were raised and pointing to the left, it would mean "Look out, camp, or ourselves, or the enemy, or the game we have killed is out that way." With some, the elevation of the butt is made to show the distance of the object; if low the object is near, if raised very high the object is a long way off. These are the principal signs of the trail used by Scouts, Indians, and hunters in most parts of America. These are the standards — the ones sure to be seen by those who camp in the wilderness. SMOKE SIGNALS There is in addition a useful kind of sign that has been mentioned already in these papers — that is, the Smoke Signal. These were used chiefly by the Plains Indians, but the Ojibways seem to have employed them at times. A clear hot fire was made, then covered with green stuff or rotten wood so that it sent up a solid column of black smoke. By spreading and lifting a blanket over this smudge the column could be cut up into pieces long or short, and by a preconcerted code these could be made to convey tidings.Signaling and Indian Signs 249 But the simplest of all smoke codes and the one of chief use to the Western traveler is this: One steady smoke — "Here is camp." Two steady smokes — "I am lost, come and help me. I find two other smoke signals, namely: Three smokes in a row — "Good news." . Four smokes in a row — "All are summoned to council." These latter I find not of general use, nor are they so likely to be of service as the first two given. SIGNAL BY SHOTS The old buffalo hunters had an established signal that is yet used by the mountain guides. It is as follows : Two shots in rapid succession, an interval of five seconds by the watch, then one shot; this means, "where are you?" The answer given at once and exactly the same means "Here I am; what do you want?" The reply to this may be one shot, which means, "All right; I only wanted to know where you were." But if the reply repeats the first it means, "I am in serious trouble; come as fast as you can." SPECIAL SIGNS A sign much used among the Utes was three flocks of geese flying one way meaning, "All at Peace." But two one way and one the other meant, "Look out! there is a war afoot." Another Indian sign was a little heap of stones, meaning "We camped here because one of us was sick." This originated in the hot stones used for making steam250 The Book of Woodcraft in the vapor bath that is so much favored by Indian doctors. The Indians sometimes marked a spot of unusual im- portance by sinking the skull of a deer or a mountain sheep deep into a Uving tree, so that the horns hung out on each side. In time the wood and bark grew over the base of the horns and medicine tree" was created. Several of these trees have become of historic importance. A notable example of this was the big Ramtree that by common con- sent demarked the hunting grounds of the Blackfeet from those of the Nez Perces. It was held by these Indians in reUgious veneration until some white vandal deliberately destroyed it by way of a practical joke. It would be easy to record many other Indian signs; the sign for the "first crow" of spring; the sign for "buffalo in sight"; the sign for a "war party coming"; the sign that a certain man "wants the arrows," that another man owes him, and the sign that the owner of the teepee is "praying and must not be disturbed." But these are things that are quickly passing away and the Indians themselves are for- getting them.Signaling and Indian Signs 251 The most important of the signs used by men of the wil- derness are herein described. They are interesting as a crude begiiming of literature. The knowledge of such things appeals to most boys. They find pleasure in learning this crudest of writing. Furthermore, many a one in the past has owed his life to an inkling of this woodcraft knowledge, and there is no reason to doubt that many a wilderness traveler in the future will find it of equally vital service. WEATHER SIGNALS I (Adopted for general use by the United States Signal Service on and after March i, 1887.) No. I No. 2 No. 3 No. 4 No. s White Flag Blue Flag Black Triangular Flag White Flag Black Centre White and Blue p p ^ Clear or Fair Rain or Snow Temperature M Cold Wave Local Rain or Snow No. I, white flag, clear or fair weather, no rain. No. 2, blue flag, rain or snow. No. 3, black triangular flag, refers to temperature, and above Nos. I or 2, indicates warmer weather; below No. i or 2, colder weather, and when not displayed, station- ary weather. No. 4, white flag with black centre (cold wave flag), sudden fall in temperature; this signal is usually ordered at least twenty-four hours in advance of the cold wave. It is not displayed unless a temperature of forty-five degrees, or less is expected, nor is flag No. 3 ever displayed with it. No. 5, means local rain or snow; with 3 above it means with higher temperature; with 3 below it means lower temperature. A red flag with a black centre indicates that a storm of marked violence is expected.252 The Book of Woodcraft DISPLAY EXAMPLES P p Colder. Fair Weather Rain or Snow. Warmer Warmer. Fair Cold Wave. Fair Weather, followed by Weather Rain or Snow STORM AND HURRICANE WARNINGS ««» 1 E! N. E. S. E. N W S. W. Hurri Winds. Winds iWinds. Winds. cane. Storm Warnings. — A red flag with a black centre indicates a storm of marked violence. The pennants displayed with flags indicate direction of wind — red, easterly; white, westerly; pennant above flag indicates wind from northerly quadrants; below, from south- erly quadrants. By night a red light indicates easterly winds, white light below red, westerly winds. Two red flags with black centres indicate approach of tropical hurricane. No night hurricane signals are displayed. SIGNALS ON THE RAILWAY Most of US are familiar with some of the signals given by brakemen, conductors, or engineers, but not so many of us have sat right down to inspect the code, as officially fixed. A conductor on the Canadian Pacific Railway allowed me to copy it out from his "Trainman's Book," 1909, and since then I have been told that this is the code in universal use, so I give it in full. It consists of color signals, hand and lantern signals, toots, and cord-pulls. It will add a new interest to the journey, at least when you can read the "Signs of the Iron Trail," and the "Talk of the Iron Horse."Signaling and Indian Signs 253 THE CODE (From C. P. R. "Trainman's Book," 1909, No. 7563; but in general use.) Colors: Red = Stop. Green = Go ahead. Yellow = Go cautiously. Green and White =: Flag station, stop at night. Blue = Workmen busy under car. Hand, Flag and Lamp Signals: Swung across track Stop. Raised and lowered vertically Go ahead. Swung at half-arms' length, in small circle across track, train standing Back up. Swung vertically in a big circle, at arms' length across the track, when train is running Train broken in two. Swung horizontally above head, when train is standing Put on air-brakes. Held at arms' length above the head, when train is standing Release air-brakes. Other Hand Signals, modifications of the above: Hand (or hands) held out horizon- tally and waved up and down Go ahead. Hand (or hands) suddenly drawn flat and horizontal Stop. Sometimes hands raised and held palms forward All right. Arm thrust forward and swept back toward opposite shoulder, as in beckoning Come back. Signals by Engine Whistle: (o a short toot. — a long one) = Stop ; put on brakes. = Take off brakes; get ready to start.254 The Book of Woodcraft — ooo = Flagman go out to protect rear of train. — = Flagman return from west or south. — = Flagman return from east or north, — — — := (when running) Train broken in two. To be repeated till answered by the same from the trainman, i. e., No. 4 in hand, flag and lamp signals. Similarly, this is the answer to No. 4 of hand, flag and lamp signals. 00 z=. (all right) the answer to any signal not otherwise provided for. 000 ;= (when the train is standing) back up; also is the reply to signals to "back up." GOOD = Call for signals. — GO = Calls attention of other trains to signals. GG = The acknowledgment by other trains. — — GG = Approaching grade-crossings, and at whis- tle posts. — = Approaching stations, o — = (when double-heading) Air-brakes have failed on leading engine, and second engine is to take control of them. Sec- ond engine repeats same as soon as it has control. oooooGOGGG, ctc. = Cattle (or persons) on the track. Air-whistle or Cord- pull: When the train is standing: Two blasts = Start. Three " = Back. Four " = Put on or take off brakes. Five " = Call in flagman. When the train is running: (All but the 2nd are answered by 2 blasts) Two blasts = Stop at once. Three " = Stop at next station. Four " = Reduce speed.Signaling and Indian Signs 255 Five " = Increase speed. Six " = Increase steam-heat. Seven " = Release air-brakes, or sticking brake. The engineer responds to these with two short toots, meaning "All right," except in the second, when the engineer answers in three short toots.