The Plains people did not have a written language of words and letters.
They used pictures and symbols.
Pictures:
They wrote on rocks, cave walls, and on scraps
of buffalo hide. These pictographs told stories of their battles, heroes,
and daily life. They also acted as warnings. There is a story about a Plains
family who saw a picture sign by the side of a creek. This picture clearly
told of an enemy camp just ahead. The family could tell that the writing
was recent. There had been little wear to the message, and the weather had
been wet. They quickly turned and took another route.
Smoke Signals:
Smoke signals were another form of communication.
The plains are flat. You could see a smoke signal for miles. By changing
the puffs of smoke from short to long, they could send a message. Sometimes
the message was one of warning. Some were simple messages like, "Come on
home. It's time for supper!"
Fire Signals:
Fire signals were used at night. These were
motion signals made by running in front a fire, or running around it. Indian
scouts could read these messages easily. One of the uses for fire signals
was to tell other tribes of danger. Running around the fire meant "go away,
get out of here."
Blanket Signals:
Warriors used blankets to communicate to someone
who could see them, but might not hear them. A wildly waving blanket told
of danger. It gave the tribe a few precious extra minutes to get ready for
an attack.
Mirror Signs:
The Plains people did not invent the mirror.
The white man brought the mirror with him. The Plains people put mirrors
to good use. They traded for them with traders who might have thought
the Plains people wanted to see themselves in a mirror. Not even close.
They wanted mirrors to use to send signals in the daytime - signals
that could be seen for miles - streaks of reflected sunlight, which
could be read as easily as puffs of smoke. The mirror was instantly portable.
They could send a signal on horseback, and be miles away in no time.