CHAPTER XVII.

Transcriber's Note

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corrections made.

CATLIN'S NOTES

OF

EIGHT YEARS' TRAVELS AND RESIDENCE

IN EUROPE,

WITH HIS

NORTH AMERICAN INDIAN COLLECTION.

VOLUME II.

ADVENTURES

OF THE

OJIBBEWAY AND IOWAY INDIANS

IN

ENGLAND, FRANCE, AND BELGIUM;

BEING NOTES OF

EIGHT YEARS' TRAVELS AND RESIDENCE IN EUROPE

WITH HIS

NORTH AMERICAN INDIAN COLLECTION,

BY GEO. CATLIN.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. II.

With numerous Engravings.

_THIRD EDITION._

LONDON:

PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR,

AT HIS INDIAN COLLECTION, NO. 6, WATERLOO PLACE.

1852.

CONTENTS OF VOL. II.

CHAPTER XVII.

Arrival of fourteen Ioway Indians in London--Their lodgings

in St. James's Street--The Author visits them--Their

portraits and names--Mr. Melody, their conductor--Jeffrey

Doraway, their interpreter--Landlady's alarm--Indians

visit the Author's Collection in the Egyptian

Hall--Arrangement to dance in the Collection--The

Doctor (Medicine or Mystery man) on top of the

Hall--Their first drive in a bus--Doctor's appearance

outside--Indians' first impressions of London--Lascars

sweeping the streets--Man with a big nose--The

Doctor lost, and found on the housetop--Their first

exhibition in Egyptian Hall--Eagle-dance--The Doctor's

speech--Great amusement of the ladies--His description

of the railroad from Liverpool to London--War-dance,

great applause--The "jolly fat dame"--She presents

a gold bracelet to the Doctor by mistake--Her

admiration of the _Roman-nose_--War-whoop--Description

of--Approaching-dance--Wolf-song, and description

of--Great amusement of the audience--Shaking

hands--Mistake with the bracelet Page 1

CHAPTER XVIII.

Character of the Doctor (_mystery_ or _medicine man_)--An

omnibus-drive--The Doctor's admiration of the

"jolly fat dame"--Jealousy--War-dress and war-paint

of the _Roman-nose_--His appearance--He leads the

War-dance--The Welcome-dance, and Bear-dance--Description

of--Pipe-of-peace (or Calumet) dance, and

Scalp-dance--_Chip-pe-ho-la_ (_the Author_)--Speech

of the War-chief--The "jolly fat dame"--She presents a

gold bracelet to _Roman-nose_--Jealousy and distress

of the Doctor--She converses with Daniel--Two reverend

gentlemen converse with the Indians about religion--Reply

of White-cloud and War-chief--Questions by the reverend

gentlemen--Answers by the War-chief--Indians invited to

breakfast with Mr. Disraeli, M.P., Park Lane--Indians'

toilette and dress--The Doctor and Jim (Wash-ka-mon-ya)

fasting for the occasion 27

CHAPTER XIX.

Kind reception at Mr. Disraeli's--View of Hyde Park from

the top of his house--Review of troops, and sham

fight--Breakfast-table--The Doctor missing--The Author

finds him in the bathing-room--Champagne wine--Refused

by the Indians--_Chickabobboo_: _Chippehola_ tells the

story of it--The Indians drink--Presents--The "big

looking-glass"--The Doctor smiles in it--Speech of the

War-chief--Shake of hands, and return--Exhibition-room,

Egyptian Hall--Doctor presents a string of wampum and

the "_White-feather_" to the "jolly fat dame"--Indians

talk about _chickabobboo_--The Rev. Mr. G---- calls--A

different religion (a Catholic)--Interview appointed--Two

Methodist clergymen call--Indians refuse to see them--The

giant and giantess visit the Indians--The Doctor measuring

the giantess--The talk with the Catholic clergyman Page 47

CHAPTER XX.

The Doctor and Jim visit several churches--The Indians

in St. Paul's--In Westminster Abbey--The exhibition

at the Hall--The Doctor agrees to go in the carriage

of the "jolly fat dame"--Mr. Melody objects--The

Doctor's melancholy--Indians stop the bus to talk

with Lascars--Make them presents of money--Indians

discover _chickabobboo-ags_(gin-palaces)--and

ladies lying down in their carriages reading

books--_Chim-e-gotch-ees_ (or fish)--Jim's story

of "Fish"--Experiments in mesmerism--Wash-ka-mon-ya

(Jim) mesmerized--The Doctor's opinions on

mesmerism--Ioways in Lord's Cricket-ground--Archery and

ball-playing--Encampment--Wigwams--Indians invited by

Mrs. Lawrence to Ealing Park--Their kind reception--Their

Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge--The

Princess Mary--The Duchess of Gloucester--The Hereditary

Grand Duke and Duchess, and other distinguished

guests--Amusements--Beautiful grounds--Indians dine on the

lawn--Roast beef and plum-pudding--_Chickabobboo_--Alarm

of the parrots--Doctor's superstition--_Chickabobboo_

explained--Speech of the War-chief--Taking leave--Fright

of the poor birds--Handsome presents--Conservatory--The

Doctor's ideas of it--Indians visit Surrey Zoological

Gardens--Fright of the birds and animals--Indians

sacrifice tobacco to the lion and the rattle-snakes 63

CHAPTER XXI.

Indians' remarks on the Zoological Gardens--Their pity for

the poor buffalo and other animals imprisoned--Jim's talk

with a clergyman about Hell and the hyænas--Indians'

ideas of astronomy--Jim and the Doctor hear of the hells

of London--Desire to go into them--Promised to go--Indians

counting the gin-palaces (_chickabobboo-ags_)in a

ride to Blackwall and back--The result--Exhibition in

the Egyptian Hall--A sudden excitement--The War-chief

recognises in the crowd his old friend "Bobasheela"--Their

former lives on the Mississippi and Missouri--Bobasheela

an Englishman--His travels in the "Far West" of

America--Story of their first acquaintance--The

doomed wedding-party--Lieut. Pike--Daniel Boone and

Son--Indians visit a great brewery--Kind reception by

the proprietors--Great surprise of the Indians--Immense

quantities of _chickabobboo_--War-dance in an empty

vat--Daniel commences Jim's book of the statistics of

England--Indians visit the Tunnel--Visit to the Tower--The

Horse Armoury--The Royal Regalia--Indians' ideas of the

crowns and jewels--"_Totems_"(arms) on the fronts of

noblemen's houses--Royal arms over the shops--Strange

notions of the Doctor--They see the "man with the big

nose" again--And the "great white War-chief (the Duke of

Wellington) on horseback, near his wigwam" Page 90

CHAPTER XXII.

The Ioways in Vauxhall Gardens--Surrey Theatre--Carter

in the lions' cage--Astonishment of the

Indians--Indians in the Diving Bell, at the Polytechnic

Institution--Indians riding--Shooting at target on

horseback--Ball-play--"Jolly fat dame"--Ladies converse

with the Doctor--His reasons for not marrying--Curious

questions--Plurality of wives--Amusing scene--The

Author in Indian costume--A cruel experiment--Ioways

arrive in Birmingham--The Author's arrival

there--Society of Friends--Indians all breakfast

with Mr. Joseph Sturge--Kind treatment--Conversation

after breakfast about religion and education--Reply

of the War-chief--The button-factory of Turner and

Sons--Generous presents to the Indians--_Bobasheela_

arrives--Indians dividing their buttons--Doctor found

on top of the Shakespeare Buildings--Indians' kindness

to a beggar-woman--Poorhouses--Many Friends visit the

Indians--Indians' visit to Miss Catherine Hutton--Her

great age--Her kindness--Dinner--Her presents to them

in money--Parting scene--The War-chief's speech to

her--Her letters to the Author--Indians present to the

two hospitals 370 dollars--Address read by the Presidents

to the Indians--Doctor's reply--Indians start for York--A

fox-hunt--Curious notions of Indians about it--Visit to

York Minster--Ascend the grand tower--Visit to the castle

and prison--Museum of the instruments of murder--Alarm of

the Doctor--Kindness of the governor of the castle and

his lady--Indians' ideas of imprisonment for debt, and

punishment for murder 117

CHAPTER XXIII.

Newcastle-on-Tyne--Indians' alarms about jails--Kind

visits from Friends--Mrs. A. Richardson--Advice of the

Friends--War-Chiefs reply--Liberal presents--Arrive

at Sunderland--Kindness of the Friends--All breakfast

with Mr. T. Richardson--Indians plant trees in

his garden--And the Author also--The Doctor's

superstition--Sacrifice--Feast--Illness of the Roman

Nose--Indians visit a coalpit--North Shields--A sailors'

dinner and a row--Arrive at Edinburgh--A drive--First

exhibition there--Visit to Salisbury Crag--To Arthur's

Seat--Holyrood House and Castle--The crown of Robert

Bruce--The "big gun"--"Queen Mab"--Curious modes of

building--"Flats"--Origin of--Illness of Corsair, the

little _pappoose_--The old Doctor speaks--War-chief's

speech--A feast of ducks--Indians' remarks upon the

government of Scotland--"The swapping of crowns"--The

Doctor proposes the crown of Robert Bruce for Prince

Albert--Start for Dundee--Indians' liberality--A noble

act--Arrival at Dundee--Death of little Corsair--Distress

of the Little Wolf and his wife--Curious ceremony--Young

men piercing their arms--Indians at Perth--Arrival in

Glasgow--Quartered in the Town-hall--The cemetery--The

Hunterian Museum--The Doctor's admiration of it--Daily

drives--Indians throw money to the poor--Alarm for

_Roman Nose_--Two reverend gentlemen talk with the

Indians--War-chiefs remarks--Greenock--Doctor's regret at

leaving Page 155

CHAPTER XXIV.

Arrival in Dublin--Decline of the _Roman Nose_--Exhibition

in the Rotunda--Feast of ducks--First drive--Ph[oe]nix

Park--Stags--Indians' ideas of game-laws and

taxes--Annual expenses of British government--National

debt--Daniel enters these in Jim's book--Indians

called "Irishmen"--Author's reply--Speech of the

War-chief--Jim's rapid civilization--New estimates for

his book--Daniel reads of "Murders, &c.," in Times

newspaper--Jim subscribes for the Times--Petition

of 100,000 women--Society of Friends meet the

Indians in the Rotunda--Their advice, and present

to the chiefs 40_l._--Indians invited to Zoological

Gardens--Presented with 36_l._--Indians invited to

Trinity College--Conversation with the Rev. Master on

religion--Liberal presents--They visit the Archbishop of

Dublin--Presents--All breakfast with Mr. Joseph Bewly,

a Friend--Kind treatment--Christian advice--Sickness of

_Roman Nose_--Various entertainments by the Friends--A

curious beggar--Indians' liberality to the poor--Arrival

at Liverpool--Rejoicing and feast--Council--_Roman

Nose_ placed in an hospital--Arrival in

Manchester--Exhibition in Free Trade Hall--Immense

platform--Three wigwams--Archery--Ball-play, &c.--Great

crowds--_Bobasheela_ arrives--Death of the _Roman

Nose_--Forms of burial, &c. 178

CHAPTER XXV.

The Author arrives in Paris--Victoria Hotel--Mr. Melody

and his Indians arrive--Doctor missing, and found

on the top of the hotel--Alarm of servants--First

drive in Paris--Visit to Mr. King, the American

ambassador--French _chickabobboo_--M. Vattemare--Indians

visit the Hôtel de Ville--Prêfet de Police--Magnificent

salons--The "big looking-glasses" --The Prêfet's

lady--Refreshments and _chickabobboo_--Speech of the

War-chief--Reply of the Prêfet--Salle Valentino taken

for the exhibition--Daniel arrives with the Collection

from London--Indians visit the King in the palace of the

Tuileries--Royal personages--Conversation--War-chief

presents the calumet--His speech to the

King--Eagle-dance--War-dance--Little Wolf presents his

tomahawk and whip to the King--His speech--Refreshments

and "Queen's _chickabobboo_"--Drinking the King's and

Queen's health, and health of the Count de Paris--"Vive

le Roi"--Jim's opinion of the King--An Indian's idea

of descents--Presents in money from the King--Mode

of dividing it--A drive--Ladies leading dogs with

strings--The number counted in one drive--The Indians'

surprise--An entry for Jim's book--Jim laments the loss

of the Times newspaper and _Punch_--He takes Galignani's

Messenger--Indians dine at W. Costar's--The Doctor's

compliment to a lady's fine voice--Indians visit the Royal

Academy of Sciences--Curious reception--M. Arago--Indians'

suspicions and alarms--Jim's remarkable speech--Opening

of the exhibition in Salle Valentino--Great

excitement--Speech of the War-chief--Shaking hands--Public

opinion of the Author's Collection 203

CHAPTER XXVI.

Indians at Madame Greene's party--Their ideas of

waltzing--The Doctor's admiration of the young

ladies--The King's fête, 1st of May--Indians in the

Palace--Royal Family in the balcony--Grand and sublime

scene on the river--Indians in a crowd of nobility in

the Duc d'Aumale's apartments--Messenger to Indians'

apartments with gold and silver medals--Medals to the

women and children--Consequent difficulties--Visit to

the Hospital of Invalids--Place Concorde--Column of

Luxor--The fountains--Visit to the Triumphal Arch--Jim's

description of an ugly woman--Victor Hugo--Madame Georges

Sands--Indians visit the Louvre--M. de Cailleux--Baron

de Humboldt--Illness of the wife of Little Wolf--A

phrenologist visits the Indians--The phrenologist's head

examined--Two Catholic priests visit the Indians--Indians

visit the Garden of Plants--Alarm of the birds and

animals--The "poor prisoner buffalo"--Visit to the

_Salle aux Vins_--Astonishment of the Indians--The

war-whoop--_Chickabobboo_-- Cafés explained--Indians visit

_Père la Chaise_--A great funeral--A speech over the

grave--Hired mourners--Visit the _School of Medicine_--and

"_Dupuytren's Room_"--Excitement of the Doctor--Visit

to the _Foundling Hospital_--Astonishment and pity of

the Indians--Entries in Jim's note-book, and Doctor's

remarks--Visit the _Guillotine_--Indians' ideas of

_hanging_ in England, and _beheading_ in France--Curious

debate--Visit to the _Dog Market_--Jim's purchase and

difficulty--The _Dog Hospital_--Alarm of the "petites

malades"--Retreat--_Bobasheela_ arrives from London--Great

rejoicing--Jim's comments on the Frenchwomen--The _little

foundlings_ and the _little dogs_ 232

CHAPTER XXVII.

_La Morgue_--The Catacombs--The Doctor's dream--Their great

alarm--Visit to the _Hippodrome_--Jim riding M. Franconi's

horse--Indians in the Woods of Boulogne--Fright of the

rabbits--Jim and the Doctor at the _Bal Mabille_, Champs

Elysées--At the _Masquerade_, _Grand Opera_--Their

opinions and criticisms on them--Frenchwomen at

confession in St. Roch--Doctor's ideas of it--Jim's

speech--"_Industrious fleas_"--Death of the wife of Little

Wolf--Her baptism--Husband's distress--Her funeral in the

Madeleine--Her burial in Montmartre--Council held--Indians

resolve to return to America--Preparations to depart in

a few days--_Bobasheela_ goes to London to ship their

boxes to New York--He returns, and accompanies the

Indians to Havre--Indians take leave of _Chippehola_ (the

Author)--M. Vattemare accompanies them to Havre--Kindly

treated by Mr. Winslow, an American gentleman, at Havre--A

splendid dinner, and (_Queen's_) _Chickabobboo_--Indians

embark--Taking leave of _Bobasheela_--Illness of

the Author's lady--His alarm and distress--Her

death--Obituary--Her remains embalmed and sent to New York 261

CHAPTER XXVIII.

Eleven Ojibbeway Indians arrive from London--Their

exhibitions in the Author's Collection--Portraits and

description of--Their amusements--Their pledge to

sobriety--_Chickabobboo_ explained to them--Birth of a

_Pappoose_--M. Gudin; Indians and the Author dine with

him--His kind lady--The Author breakfasts with the Royal

Family in the palace at St. Cloud--Two Kings and two

Queens at the table--The Author presented to the King

and Queen of the Belgians by Louis Philippe, in the

salon--Count de Paris--Duc de Brabant--Recollects the

Indian pipe and mocassins presented to him by the Author

in the Egyptian Hall--Duchess of Orleans--The Princess

Adelaide--The King relates anecdotes of his life in

America--Washington's farewell address--Losing his dog in

the Seneca village--Crossing Buffalo Creek--Descending the

Tioga and Susquehana rivers in an Indian canoe to Wyoming,

the Author's native valley--The King desires the Author to

arrange his whole Collection in the Louvre for the private

views of the Royal Family--He also appoints a day to see

the Ojibbeways in the Park at St. Cloud--Great rejoicing

of the Indians--A _dog-feast_--The Indians and the Author

dine a second time at M. Gudin's 278

CHAPTER XXIX.

Indians' visit to the Palace of St. Cloud--The

Park--Artificial lake--Royal Family--Prince de

Joinville--Recollected seeing the Author and Collection in

Washington--King and Queen of Belgians--The _regatta_--The

birch-bark canoe, and the Prince de Joinville's

"Whitehaller"--War-dance--Ball-play--Archery--Dinner

prepared for the Indians--M. Gudin and the Author join

them--Indians' return--Gossip at night--Their ideas of

the King and Royal Family--Messenger from the King, with

gold and silver medals and money, to the Indians--The

War-chief cures a cancer--Author's Collection in the

_Salle de Séance_, in the Louvre--The Indians and the

Author dine with M. Passy, Member of Deputies--Kind

treatment by himself and lady--King visits the Collection

in the Louvre--The Author explains his pictures--Persons

present--An hour's visit--The King retires--Second visit

of the King and Royal Family to the Collection--The

Author's four little children presented to the King--His

Majesty relates the anecdote of bleeding himself in

America, and his visit to General Washington at Mount

Vernon--His descent of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers in

a small boat, to New Orleans--Orders the Author to paint

fifteen pictures for Versailles 287

CHAPTER XXX.

The Author leaves his Collection in the Louvre, and

arrives with the Indians in Bruxelles--Indians at the

soirée of the American Minister in Bruxelles--Author's

reception by the King in the Palace--Small-pox among the

Indians--Indians unable to visit the Palace--Exhibition

closes--Seven sick with small-pox--Death of one of

them--His will--A second dies--His will--The rest

recover--Faithful attentions of Daniel--The Author

accompanies them to Antwerp, and pays their expenses to

London on a steamer--Death of the War-chief in London--His

will--The Author raises money by subscription and sends

to them--Letter from the survivors, in England, to the

Author--Drawings by the War-chief--The Author stopped in

the streets of London and invited to see the skeleton of

the War-chief!--His indignation--Subsequent deaths of

four others of this party in England--The three parties

of Indians in Europe--Their objects--Their success--Their

conduct--Their reception and treatment--Things which they

saw and learned--Estimates and statistics of civilized

life which they have carried home--Their mode of reasoning

from such premises--And the probable results 294

CHAPTER XXXI.

The Author returns to his little children in Paris--His loss

of time and money--The three Indian speculations--His

efforts to promote the interests of the Indians, and the

persons who brought them to Europe--His advice to other

persons wishing to engage in similar enterprises--The

Author retires to his atelier, and paints the fifteen

pictures for the King--The pleasure of quiet and

retirement with his four little children around

him--He offers his Indian Collection to the American

Government--And sends his memorial to Congress--Bill

reported in favour of the purchase--The Author has an

interview with the King in the Tuileries--Delivers

the fifteen pictures--Subjects of the pictures

painted--Conversations with the King--Reflections upon his

extraordinary life--The Author's thoughts, while at his

easel, upon scenes of his life gone by--And those that

were about him, as he strolled, with his little children,

through the streets and society of Paris--Distressing

and alarming illness of the Author's four little

children--Kindness of sympathizing friends--Death of

"little George"--His remains sent to New York, and

laid by the side of his mother--A father's tears and

loneliness--The Author returns with his Collection to

London 311

APPENDIX--A.

Extracts of Letters from the Ioway Mission, Upper Missouri 327

APPENDIX--B.

Experiments in Horse-taming 332

CATLIN'S NOTES IN EUROPE,

_&c. &c._

CHAPTER XVII.

Arrival of fourteen Ioway Indians in London--Their lodgings in

St. James's Street--The Author visits them--Their portraits

and names--Mr. Melody, their conductor--Jeffrey Doraway, their

interpreter--Landlady's alarm--Indians visit the Author's

Collection in the Egyptian Hall--Arrangement to dance in the

Collection--The Doctor (Medicine or Mystery man) on top of

the Hall--Their first drive in a bus--Doctor's appearance

outside--Indians' first impressions of London--Lascars

sweeping the streets--Man with a big nose--The Doctor lost,

and found on the housetop--Their first exhibition in Egyptian

Hall--Eagle-dance--The Doctor's speech--Great amusement of

the ladies--His description of the railroad from Liverpool to

London--War-dance, great applause--The "jolly fat dame"--She

presents a gold bracelet to the Doctor by mistake--Her

admiration of the _Roman-nose_--War-whoop--Description

of--Approaching-dance--Wolf-song, and description of--Great

amusement of the audience--Shaking hands--Mistake with the

bracelet.

The event which I spoke of at the close of my last chapter--the arrival

of another party of Indians--was one which called upon me at once for

a new enterprise, and I suddenly entered upon it, again deferring the

time of my return to my native land.

The "fourteen Ioway Indians," as report had said, had arrived, and were

in apartments at No. 7, St. James's Street, with their interpreter.

This party was in charge of Mr. G. H. C. Melody, who had accompanied

them from their own country, with a permission gained from the

Secretary at War to bring them to Europe, which permission was granted

in the following words:--

_War Department, Washington City, Sept. 14th, 1843._

DEAR SIR,

In answer to your application relative to Mr. Melody's making a tour

to Europe with a party of Ioway Indians, as well as to a similar

one on his behalf from the Rev. Wm. P. Cochran, of Marian County,

Missouri, I beg leave to say, that it has not been usual to grant any

permissions of the kind, and the verbal instructions to the Agents,

Superintendents, &c. have been against permitting such tours, for the

reason, I presume, that the persons having them in charge are usually

men who merely wish to make money out of them by exhibitions, without

taking any care of their habits or morals, or inducing them to profit

by what they see and hear upon their route.

In the present case, however, I do not think that the evils usually

to be apprehended will occur, from the character of Mr. Melody, and

the mode in which the Indians are proposed to be selected. This I

understand is to be done by the Chief, White Cloud, with the full

assent of the individuals thus selected, and their continuance on the

tour to be their own act.

Under all the circumstances, I suppose all the Department can do, is

to allow Mr. Melody and the Chiefs of the tribe to do as they please,

without imposing the usual or any prohibition.

I am, yours, very truly,

J. M. PORTER,

Secretary at War.

Vespasian Ellis, Esq.

_Washington City, Sept. 1843._

DEAR SIR,

Under this letter you are authorised to make any arrangement with the

Chief of the tribe of Indians that you and he may please to make;

and the War Department agrees, in consideration of your well-known

integrity of character, not to interfere with the arrangement which

you and the Chief or the Indians may make.

Your obedient Servant,

VESPASIAN ELLIS.

Mr. Melody.

Mr. Melody called upon me immediately on his arrival in London, and I

went with him to see his party, several of whom I at once recognized

as I entered their rooms. On seeing me they all rose upon their feet

and offered me their hands, saluting me by their accustomed word, "How!

how! how! _Chip-pe-ho-la!_" and evidently were prepared for great

pleasure on meeting me. _White Cloud_, the head chief of the tribe, was

of the party, and also the war-chief _Neu-mon-ya_ (the Walking Rain).

These two chiefs, whose portraits were then hanging in my collection,

had stood before me for their pictures several years previous in their

own village, and also one of the warriors now present, whose name

was _Wash-ka-mon-ya_ (the Fast Dancer). These facts being known, one

can easily imagine how anxious these good fellows had been, during a

journey of 2000 miles from their country to New York, and then during

their voyage across the ocean, to meet me in a foreign land, who had

several years before shared the hospitality of their village, and, to

their knowledge, had done so much to collect and perpetuate the history

of their race. They had come also, as I soon learned, in the full

expectation to dance in my collection, which they were now impatient to

see.

This first interview was during the evening of their arrival, and was

necessarily brief, that they might get their night's rest, and be

prepared to visit my rooms in the morning. A few pipes were smoked

out as we were all seated on the floor, in a "talk" upon the state

of affairs in their country and incidents of their long and tedious

journey, at the end of which they now required rest, and I left them.

By entering the city at night, they had created little excitement or

alarm, except with the landlady and her servants, where they had been

taken in. Their rooms had been engaged before their arrival, but the

good woman "had no idea they were going to look so savage and wild;

she was very much afraid that their red paint would destroy her beds,"

not yet knowing that they were to wash the paint all off before they

retired to rest, and that then they were to spread their buffalo robes

upon the floor and sleep by the side of, and under her beds, instead

of getting into them. These facts, when they became known, amused her

very much; and Mr. Melody's representations of the harmlessness and

honesty of the Indians, put her at rest with respect to the safety of

her person and her property about her house.

The objects of these being the same as those of the former party,

of seeing the country and making money by their exhibitions, I

entered into a similar arrangement with Mr. Melody, joining with my

collection, conducting their exhibitions, and sharing the expenses and

receipts of the same, on condition that such an arrangement should be

agreeable to the Indians.

Their first night's rest in London being finished, they were all up at

an early hour, full of curiosity to see what was around them; and their

fourteen red heads out of their front windows soon raised a crowd and

a novel excitement in St. James's. Every body knew that the "Indians

had gone," and the conjectures amongst the crowd were various and

curious as to this strange arrival. Some said it was "the wedding party

returned;" others, more sagacious, discovered the difference in their

appearance, and pronounced them "the real cannibals from New Zealand;"

and others said "their heads were too red, and they could be nothing

else than the real _red_-heads--the man-eaters--that they had read of

somewhere, but had forgotten the place."

The morning papers, however, which are the keys for all such mysteries,

soon solved the difficulty, but without diminishing the crowd, by the

announcement that a party of fourteen Ioway Indians, from the base of

the Rocky Mountains, had arrived during the night and taken up their

lodgings in St. James's Street.

After taking their breakfasts and finishing their toilets, they stepped

into carriages and paid their first visit to my collection, then open

in the Egyptian Hall. Instead of yelling and shouting as the Ojibbeways

did on first entering it, they all walked silently and slowly to the

middle of the room, with their hands over their mouths, denoting

surprise and silence. In this position, for some minutes (wrapped in

their pictured robes, which were mostly drawn over their heads or up

to their eyes), they stood and rolled their eyes about the room in all

directions, taking a general survey of what was around them, before

a word was spoken. There was an occasional "she-e" in a lengthened

whisper, and nothing more for some time, when at length a gradual

and almost imperceptible conversation commenced about portraits and

things which they recognized around the room. They had been in a moment

transferred into the midst of hundreds of their friends and their

enemies, who were gazing at them from the walls--amongst wig-wams and

thousands of Indian costumes and arms, and views of the prairies they

live in--altogether opening to their view, and to be seen at a glance,

what it would take them years to see in their own country. They met

the portraits of their chiefs and other friends, upon the walls, and

extended their hands towards them; and they gathered in groups in

front of their enemies, whom the warriors had met in battle, and now

recognized before them. They looked with great pleasure on a picture of

their own village, and examined with the closest scrutiny the arms and

weapons of their enemies. One may easily imagine how much there was in

this collection to entertain these rude people, and how much to command

their attachment to me, with whom they had already resolved to unite.

A council was held and the pipe lit under the Crow wig-wam, which

was standing in the middle of my room, when Mr. Melody explained to

the Indians that he had now got them safe across the ocean as he had

promised, and into the midst of the greatest city in the world, where

they would see many curious things, and make many good and valuable

friends, if they conducted themselves properly, which he was confident

they would do.

"You have met," said he, "your old friend _Chip-pe-ho-la_, whom you

have talked so much about on the way; you are now in his wonderful

collection, and he is by the side of you, and you will hear what he has

to say." ("_How! how! how!_")

I reminded the White-cloud of the time that I was in his village, and

lived under his father's tent, where I had been kindly treated, and

for which I should always feel grateful. That in meeting them here, I

did not meet them as strangers, but as friends. ("_How! how! how!_")

That they had come a great way, and with a view to make something to

carry home to their wives and little children; that Mr. Melody and I

had entered into an arrangement by which I was in hopes that my efforts

might aid in enabling them to do so. ("_How! how! how!_") That I was

willing to devote all my time, and do all that was in my power, but

the continuation of my exertions would depend entirely upon their own

conduct, and their efforts to gain respect, by aiding in every way they

could, and keeping themselves entirely sober, and free from the use of

spirituous liquors. ("_How! how! how!_")

Mr. Melody here remarked that they had pledged their words to him and

their Great Father (as the condition on which they were allowed to

come), that they would drink no ardent spirits while absent, and that

he was glad to say they had thus far kept their promise strictly.

("_How! how! how!_")

I told them I was glad to hear this, and I had no doubt but they would

keep their word with me on that point, for every thing depended on it.

We were amongst a people who look upon drunkenness as low and beastly,

and also as a crime; and as I had found that most white people were

of opinion that all Indians were drunkards, if they would show by

their conduct that such was not the case, they would gain many warm

and kind friends wherever they went. ("_How! how! how!_") I told them

that the Ojibbeways whom I had had with me, and who had recently gone

home, gave me a solemn promise when they arrived that they would keep

entirely sober and use no spirituous liquors,--that they kept that

promise awhile, but I had been grieved to hear that before they left

the country they had taken up the wicked habit of drinking whiskey, and

getting drunk, by which they had lost all the respect that white people

had for them when they first came over. (A great laugh, and "_How! how!

how!_")

_Neu-mon-ya_ (the war-chief) replied to me, that they were thankful

that the Great Spirit had kept them safe across the ocean and allowed

them to see me, and to smoke the pipe again with me, and to hear my

wise counsel, which they had all determined to keep ("_How! how!

how!_"). He said that they had been very foolish to learn to drink

"_fire-water_" in their country, which was very destructive to them,

and they had promised their Great Father, the President, that they

would drink none of it whilst they were abroad. He said he hoped I

would not judge them by the Ojibbeways who had been here, "for," said

he, "they are all a set of drunkards and thieves, and always keep their

promises just about as well as they kept them with you." (A laugh, and

"_How! how! how!_")[1]

[1] Some allowance will be made for the freedom with which the Ioways

occasionally speak of their predecessors, the Ojibbeways, as these

two tribes have lived in a state of constant warfare from time

immemorial.

This _talk_, which was short, was ended here, to the satisfaction of

all parties, and the Indians were again amusing themselves around the

room, leaving the wig-wam and further conversations to Mr. Melody, the

interpreter, and myself. Mr. Melody, though a stranger to me, bearing

the high recommendations contained in the letter of the Secretary at

War, already published, at once had my confidence (which I am pleased

to say his conduct has kept up) as an excellent and honest man.

Their interpreter, Jeffrey Doraway (a mulatto), and who had been one

of the first to recognize and hail me when I entered their rooms, had

been an old and attached acquaintance of mine while travelling in that

country, and that acquaintance had several times been renewed in St.

Louis, and New York, and other places where I had subsequently met him.

He had been raised from childhood in the tribe, and the chiefs and all

the party were very much attached to him, and his interest seemed to be

wholly identified with that of the tribe. He was of a most forbearing

and patient disposition, and of temperate habits, and as he was loved

by the chiefs, had great influence with them, and control over the

party.

I related to Mr. Melody and Jeffrey the difficulties that laid before

us; the prejudices raised in the public, mind by the conduct of Mr.

Rankin with his party of Ojibbeways, and the unfortunate season of the

year at which they had arrived in London. That the middle of July was

the very worst season in which to open an exhibition, and that it might

be difficult to raise a second excitement sufficiently strong to pay

the very heavy expenses we must incur; but that I had resolved to unite

my whole efforts to theirs, to bring their party into notice; which

formed so much more complete and just a representation of the modes and

appearance of the wild Indians of America than the Ojibbeways had given.

Finishing our conversation here, we found the Indians adjusting their

plumes, and their robes, and their weapons, preparing to step into

their "omnibus and four," to take their first rapid glance at the great

City of London, in "a drive," which was to pass them through some of

its principal thoroughfares for their amusement. At this moment of

excitement it was suddenly announced that one of the party (and a very

essential one), the "_Doctor_" (or _medicine man_), was missing! Search

was everywhere making for him, and when it was quite certain that he

could not have passed into the street, Jeffrey inquired of the curator

of the Hall if there was any passage that led out upon the roof? to

which the curator replied, "Yes." "Well then," said Jeffrey, "we may

be sure that he is there, for _it is 'a way that he has_:' he always

is uneasy until he gets as high as he can go, and then he will stay

there all night if you will let him alone." I went immediately to the

roof, and found him standing on one corner of the parapet, overlooking

Piccadilly,--wrapped in his buffalo robe, and still as a statue, while

thousands were assembling in the streets to look at him, and to warn

him of the danger they supposed him in.

The readers who have not had the pleasure of seeing this eccentric

character, will scarcely be able to appreciate the oddity of this freak

until they become better acquainted with the Doctor in the following

pages. I invited him down from his elevated position, which he seemed

reluctant to leave, and he joined his party, who passed into their

carriage at the door. In this moment of confusion, of escaping from

the crowd and closing the door, heads were counted, and the old Doctor

was missing again. A moment's observation showed, however, that his

_ascending_ propensity had gained him a position over their heads, as

he had seated himself by the side of the driver, with his buffalo robe

wrapped around him, the long and glistening blade of his spear passing

out from underneath it, near to his left ear, and his vermilioned face

surmounted by a huge pair of buffalo horns, rising out of a crest of

eagle's quills and ermine skins. Thus loaded, and at the crack of the

whip, and amidst the yelling multitude that had gathered around them,

did the fourteen Ioways dash into the streets, to open their eyes to

the sights and scenes of the great metropolis.

An hour or so in the streets, in a pleasant day, enabled them to see

a great deal that was unlike the green prairies where they lived; and

the "old Doctor," wrapped in his robe, and ogling the pretty girls, and

everything else that he saw that was amusing as he passed along, raised

a new excitement in the streets, and gave an extensive notification

that "the wedding party had actually got back," or that another party

of _red skins_ had arrived. They returned to their lodgings in great

glee, and amused us at least for an hour with their "first impressions"

of London; the _leading_, _striking_ feature of which, and the one that

seemed to afford them the greatest satisfaction, was the _quantity of

fresh meat_ that they saw in every street hanging up at the doors and

windows--pigs, and calves, and sheep, and deer, and prairie hens, in

such profusion that they thought "there would be little doubt of their

getting as much fresh meat as they could eat." Besides this, they had

seen many things that amused them, and others that excited their pity.

They laughed much about the "black fellows with white eyes" who were

carrying bags of coal, and "every one of them had got their hats on the

wrong side before." They had seen many people who seemed to be very

poor, and looked as if they were hungry: for they held out their hands

to people passing by, as if they were asking for something to eat.

"They had passed two _Indians_, with brooms in their hands, sweeping

the dirt in the streets!"

This occurrence had excited their greatest anxieties to know "what

Indians they could be, that would be willing to take a broom in their

hands and sweep the dirt from under white men's feet, and then hold

out their hands to white people for money to buy food to eat." They

all agreed "that _Ioways_ would not do it, that _Sioux_ would not,

that _Pawnees_ would not;" and when they were just deciding that their

enemies, the _Ojibbeways_, _might_ be _slaves_ enough to do it, and

that these were possibly a part of the Ojibbeway party that had been

flourishing in London, I explained the mystery to them, by informing

them that their conjectures were wrong--that it was true they were

Indians, but not from North America. I agreed with them that no North

American Indian would use that mode of getting his living, but that

there were Indians in different parts of the world, and that these were

from the East Indies, a country many thousands of miles from here; that

these people were Indians from that country, and were of a tribe called

_Lascars_; that many of them were employed by the captains of English

ships to help to navigate their vessels from that country to this;

and that in London they often come to want, and are glad to sweep the

streets and beg, as the means of living, instead of starving to death.

It seemed still a mystery to them, but partly solved, and they made

many further remarks among themselves about them. The good landlady at

this moment announced to Mr. Melody and Jeffrey that the dinner for the

Indians was ready, and in a moment all were seated save the Doctor; he

was missing. "That old fool," said Jeffrey, "there's no doubt but he

has found his way to the top of the house." I was conducted by one of

the servants through several unoccupied rooms and dark passages, and

at last through a narrow and almost impassable labyrinth that brought

me out upon the roof. The "Doctor" was _there_; and, wrapped in his

buffalo robe, with his red face and his buffalo horns, was standing

like a _Zealand penguin_, and smiling upon the crowds of gazers who

were gathering in the streets, and at the windows, and upon the

house-tops, in the vicinity.

For the several days succeeding this, while the Indians were lying

still, and resting from their long and tedious voyage, and I was

announcing in the usual way their arrival, and the time of the

commencement of their exhibitions, I held many curious and amusing

conversations with them about things they had already seen, and scenes

and events that were yet in anticipation and before them. These are

subjects, however, that must be passed over for events that were before

us, and fuller of interest and excitement.

They had much amusement at this time also, about a man they said

they had seen, with a remarkably big nose, which they said looked

like a large potato (or _wapsapinnakan_), and one of the women

sitting near the door of the omnibus declared "that it was actually a

_wapsapinnakan_, for she could distinctly see the little holes where

the sprouts grow out." The bus, they said, had passed on rather too

quick for all to have a fair look, but they believed they would at some

future time meet him again, and take a good look at him.

The evening for their first appearance before the public having

arrived, the Ioways were prepared in all their rouge and fine dresses,

and made their _début_ before a fashionable, but not a crowded

audience. Their very appearance, as they entered the room, was so wild

and classic, that it called forth applause from every part of the hall.

The audience was composed chiefly of my friends, and others who had

been familiar with the other group, and who were able to decide as to

the comparative interest of the two parties; and it was proclaimed

in every part of the room, that they were altogether more primitive

in their appearance and modes, and decidedly a finer body of men.

I had accompanied them on to the platform, and when they had got

seated, and were lighting their pipe, I introduced them by stating,

that in the exhibition of this party of Indians, I felt satisfied

that I was bringing before the eyes of the audience the most just and

complete illustration of the native looks and modes of the red men of

the American wilderness, that had ever been seen on this side of the

Atlantic; and that I should take great pleasure in introducing them

and their modes, as they so satisfactorily illustrated and proved what

I had been for several years labouring to show to English people, by

my numerous paintings and Indian manufactures which I had collected,

as well as by my notes of travel amongst these people, which I had

recently published:

That the _Ioway_ was one of the remote tribes, yet adhering to all

their native customs and native looks; and that this party, composed,

as it was, of the two principal men of the tribe, and several of its

most distinguished warriors, not only conveyed to the eyes of people

in this country the most accurate account of primitive modes, but was

calculated to excite the deepest interest, and to claim the respect of

the community. That the position of this tribe being upon the great

plains between the Missouri and the Rocky Mountains, 1000 miles farther

west than the country from which the Ojibbeways came, their modes and

personal appearance were very different, having as yet received no

changes from the proximity of civilization:

That I had visited this tribe several years before, during my

travels in the Indian countries, and that I had there formed my

first acquaintance with the two chiefs who were now here, and which

acquaintance, from the hospitable manner in which they had welcomed

me in their humble wig-wams, I now felt great pleasure in renewing:

("_Hear, hear," and applause_.)

That these facts being known, with others which would be incidentally

given, I felt fully assured that they would meet with a kind reception

in this country, and that the audience were prepared for the

introduction I was now to make of them and their modes.[2] (_Great

applause_.)

[2] _Names of the Indians_.

1. Mew-hew-she-kaw (the white cloud), first chief of the nation.

2. Neu-mon-ya (the walking rain), war-chief.

3. Se-non-ti-yah (the blistered feet), the medicine man (or

Doctor).

4. Wash-ka-mon-ya (the fast dancer).

5. Shon-ta-yi-ga (the little wolf).

6. No-ho-mun-ya (one who gives no attention), or Roman Nose.

7. Wa-ton-ye (the foremost man).

8. Wa-ta-we-buck-a-na (commanding general).

_Women_.

9. Ru-ton-ye-wee-ma (strutting pigeon), wife of White Cloud.

10. Ru-ton-wee-me (pigeon on the wing).

11. O-kee-wee-me (female bear that walks on the back of another).

12. Koon-za-ya-me (female war-eagle sailing).

13. Ta-pa-ta-me (wisdom), girl.

14. Corsair (pap-poose).

I then pointed out and explained to the audience, the characteristic

differences between the appearance and modes of this party and the

Ojibbeways, whom they had seen, and which will be obvious to the reader

in the annexed illustration (_Plate No_. 9). The Ioways, like three

other tribes only, in North America, all adhere to their national mode

of shaving and ornamenting their heads. This is a very curious mode,

and presents an appearance at once that distinguishes them from the

Ojibbeways and other tribes, who cultivate the hair to the greatest

length they possibly can, and pride themselves on its jet and glossy

black. Every man in the Ioway tribe adheres to the mode of cutting all

the hair as close as he can, excepting a small tuft which is left upon

the crown, and being that part which the enemy takes for the scalp,

is very properly denominated the "_scalp-lock_." He then rouges with

vermilion the whole crown of his head (and oftentimes his whole face),

and surmounts his _scalp-lock_ by a beautiful crest, made of the hair

of the deer's tail, dyed of vermilion red.

The chief man of this party, the "_White Cloud_," the son of a

distinguished chief of the same name, who died a few years since,

was 35 years of age, and hereditary chief of the tribe. By several

humane and noble acts, after he received his office of chief, he

gained the admiration and friendship of the officers of the United

States Government, as well as of his tribe, and had therefore been

countenanced by the Government (as has been shown) in the enterprise of

going abroad.

_Neu-mon-ya_ (the Walking Rain), and war-chief of the tribe, was

54 years of age, and nearly six feet and a half in height. A noble

specimen of the manly grace and dignity that belong to the American

wilderness, and also a man who had distinguished himself in the wars

that he had led against his enemies.

_Se-non-ti-yah_ (the Blistered Feet), the _Medicine_ or _Mystery Man_,

was a highly important personage of the party, and held a high and

enviable position, as physician, soothsayer, and magician, in his tribe.

These personages are found in every tribe, and so much control have

they over the superstitious minds of their people, that their influence

and power in the tribe often transcend those of the chief. In all

councils of war and peace they have a seat by the chiefs, and are as

regularly consulted by the chiefs, as soothsayers were consulted in

ancient days, and equal deference and respect is paid to their advice

or opinions, rendering them _oracles_ of the tribe in which they live.

[Illustration: N^o. 9.]

A good illustration of this was given by this magician, while on

their voyage to this country, a few weeks since, when near the land,

off the English coast. The packet ship in which the Indians were

passengers, was becalmed for several days, much to the annoyance of

the Indians and numerous other passengers, when it was decided, by the

Indian chief, that they must call upon the _Medicine Man_, to try the

efficacy of his magical powers in the endeavour to raise a wind. For

this purpose he very gradually went to work, with all due ceremony,

according to the modes of the country, and after the usual ceremony of

a mystery feast, and various invocations to the _spirit_ of the _wind_

and the _ocean_, both were conciliated by the sacrifice of many plugs

of tobacco thrown into the sea; and in a little time the wind began

to blow, the sails were filled, and the vessel soon wafted into port,

to the amusement of the passengers, and much to the gratification of

the Indians, who all believed, and ever will, that the vessel was set

in motion by the potency of the Doctor's mysterious and supernatural

powers.

Of the _Warriors_, _Shon-ta-yi-ga_ (the Little Wolf) and _Nu-ho-mun-ya_

(called the "Roman Nose") were the most distinguished, and I believe

the world will agree with me, that it would be an act of injustice on

my part, should I allow the poor fellows to carry through this country,

without giving them publication, the subjoined documents,[3] by which

it will be seen that they saved, in a humane manner, and worthy of

warriors of better _caste_, the lives of ten unarmed and unoffending

enemies.

[3] KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, That Shon-ta-yi-ga or the

_Little Wolf_, an Ioway brave, is well entitled to be called

a brave, from the fact of his having been engaged in many

expeditions against the enemies of his tribe: in all such

excursions he has, I am informed, universally behaved bravely.

But especially is he entitled to the love and confidence of

all men, whether white or red, on account of his humanity and

daring conduct in arresting from the cruel nation of which he

is a member, a party of _Omahaws_. On last Sabbath day he saved

from the tomahawk and scalping-knife ten unoffending Omahaws:

one of the party was decoyed out of sight and murdered; the

other ten consisting of the well-known and much-loved chiefs

Big Elk, Big Eyes, and Washkamonia, one squaw and six young

men. This party was on a visit of friendship, by special

invitation from the Ioways. When they arrived within ten miles

of this post, they were seen and conversed with by the son in

law of Neu-mon-ya, a chief of the Ioways, who undertook to

bring the _tobacco_ and _sticks_ to the Ioway chiefs, as is a

custom of Indians when on a begging expedition. This young man

proved treacherous, and failed to deliver his message to his

chiefs, and gave information of the approach of the Omahaws to

a man who was preparing to go on a war party. He and two-thirds

of the nation started out to murder their visitors, and were

only prevented by the timely assistance and interference of the

Little Wolf, or Shon-ta-yi-ga, and one other Ioway, whose name

is the Roman Nose.

This man (the Little Wolf) interfered, as he says, and doubtless

he tells the truth, because he considered it treacherous and

cowardly to strike a brother, after having invited them to

visit their nation. Such treachery is rare indeed among the

wildest North-American Indians, and never occurred with the

Ioways before. I met him and Jeffrey, the Ioway interpreter,

together with two other Ioways, guarding the Big Elk and his

party on to my agency, in a short time after this occurrence

took place.

I cannot close this communication without expressing my sincere

thanks to the Little Wolf and his comrade for their good

conduct; and I most respectfully beg leave to recommend them

to the kind attention of their great father, the President of

the United States, and all gentlemen to whom this paper may be

shown.

W. P. RICHARDSON.

_Great Nemahaw Sub-Agency, Oct. 23, 1843._

_Office of Indian Affairs, St. Louis, Missouri, April 10, 1844_.

SIR,

Permit me to introduce to you the bearer, No-ho-mun-ya (Roman

Nose), an Ioway brave. Roman Nose, in company with Shon-ta-yi-ga,

or Little Wolf, in October last defended and rescued from

impending death by a party of his own nation, ten Omahaw Indians,

consisting of four respected chiefs, braves, and squaws, under

circumstances highly flattering to their bravery and humanity.

I would recommend that a medal be presented to No-ho-mun-ya

(Roman Nose) as a testimonial of his meritorious conduct on the

occasion referred to. Medals from the Government are highly

esteemed by the Indians; and if bravery and humanity are merits

in the Indian, then I think Roman Nose richly merits one. His

character in every respect is good.

A notice by the Government of meritorious acts by the Indians has

a happy tendency in making a favourable impression in reference

to the act that may be the cause of the notice.

I have presented Little Wolf with a medal that was in the office.

On receiving it, he very delicately replied, that "he deserved

no credit for what he had done--that he had only done his duty,

but was gratified that his conduct had merited the approbation

of his nation and his father."

I have the honour to be, very respectfully, Sir,

Your obedient servant,

W. H. HARVEY, Sup. Ind. Aff.

To his Excellency John Tyler, President of the

United States, Washington City.

I concur with Mr. Harvey in thinking this Indian Chief entitled

for his bravery and humanity to a medal.

June 8, 1844.

J. TYLER, Presid. U. States, Washington City.

Medal delivered accordingly to Mr. Geo. H. C. Melody, for the

Chief.

June 8, 1844.

J. HARTLEY CRAWFORD.

_Okee-wee-me_ (the wife of the Little Wolf) is the mother of the infant

pappoose, called Corsair. This child is little more than three months

old, and slung in the cradle on the mother's back, according to the

general custom practised by all the American tribes, and furnishes one

of the most interesting illustrations in the group.

All tribes in America practise the same mode of carrying their infant

children for several months from their birth upon a flat board resting

upon the mother's back, as she walks or rides, suspended by a broad

strap passing over her forehead, or across her breast. By this mode

of carrying their children, the mothers, who have to perform all the

slavish duties of the camp, having the free use of their hands and

arms, are enabled to work most of the time, and, in fact, exercise and

labour nearly as well as if their children were not attached to their

persons. These cradles are often, as in the present instance, most

elaborately embroidered with porcupine quills, and loaded with little

trinkets hanging within the child's reach, that it may amuse itself

with them as it rides, with its face looking _from_ that of its mother,

while she is at work, so as not to draw upon her valuable time.

This rigid, and seemingly cruel mode of binding the child with its back

to a straight board, seems to be one peculiarly adapted to Indian life,

and, I believe, promotes straight limbs, sound lungs, and long life.

I having thus introduced the party to their first audience in England,

and left other remarks upon them for their proper place, the Indians

laid by their pipe, and commenced their evening's amusements by giving

first their favourite, the _Eagle-Dance_. The _Drum_ (and their

"_Eagle-Whistles_," with which they imitate the chattering of the

soaring eagle), with their voices, formed the music for this truly

picturesque and exciting dance. At their first pause in the dance,

the audience, who had witnessed nothing of this description in the

amusements of the Ojibbeways, being excited to the highest degree,

encouraged the strangers with rounds of applause. The song in this

dance is addressed to their favourite bird the war-eagle, and each

dancer carries a fan made of the eagle's tail, in his left hand, as he

dances, and by his attitudes endeavours to imitate the motions of the

soaring eagle. This, being a part of the war-dance, is a _boasting_

dance; and at the end of each strain in the song some one of the

warriors steps forth and, in an excited speech, describes the time and

the manner in which he has slain his enemy in battle, or captured his

horses, or performed some other achievement in war. After this the

dance proceeds with increased spirit; and several in succession having

thus excited their fellow-dancers, an indescribable thrill and effect

are often produced before they get through.

In the midst of the noise and excitement of this dance the Doctor (or

_mystery-man_) jumped forward to the edge of the platform, and making

the most tremendous flourish of his spear which he held in his right

hand, and his shield extended upon his left arm, recited the military

deeds of his life--how he had slain his enemies in battle and taken

their scalps; and with singular effect fitting the action to the word,

acting them out as he described.

The thrilling effect produced by the Doctor's boast brought him showers

of applause, which touched his vanity, and at the close of the dance

he imagined all eyes in admiration fixed upon him, and no doubt felt

himself called upon for the following brief but significant speech

which he delivered, waving his right hand over the heads of the

audience from the front of the platform where he stood, and from which

he dropped his most humble and obsequious smiles upon the groups of

ladies who were near him, and applauding at the end of every sentence:--

"My Friends,--It makes me very happy to see so many smiling faces

about me, for when people smile and laugh, I know they are not

angry--"

_Jeffrey_, the _Interpreter_, now made _his_ début; the Doctor had

beckoned him up by his side to interpret his speech to the audience,

and when he explained the above sentence, the "Doctor" received a round

of applause, and particularly from the ladies, who could not but be

pleased with the simple vanity of the speaker and the self-complacent

smiles which he always lavished upon the fair sex who were around him.

The Doctor, though advanced to the sound and efficient age of 45,

had never taken to him a wife; and, like too many of his fraternity,

had always lived upon the excessive vanity of believing that he was

the _beau idéal_ of his tribe, and admired too much by all to be a

legitimate subject of exclusive appropriation to any particular one.

And more than this (which may not have quite fallen to the happy lot

of any of his brother bachelors in the polished world), from the sort

of _charitable_ habit he had of spreading his glowing smiles upon the

crowds about him, one would almost be of opinion that, in his own

community, under the aids and charms of his profession, he in a measure

had existed upon the belief that his smiles were food and clothing for

the crowds upon whom they were bestowed.

The Doctor yet stood, the concentration of smiles and anxious looks

from every part of the room, and at length proceeded (_Plate No. 10_):--

"My Friends,--I see the ladies are pleased, and this pleases

me--because I know, that if they are pleased, they will please the

men."

It was quite impossible for the Doctor to proceed further until he

had bowed to the burst of laughter and applause from all parts of the

room, and particularly from the ladies. This several times ceased,

but suddenly burst out again, and too quick for him to resume. He had

evidently made a "hit" with the ladies, and he was braced strong in

courage to make the best use of it, although the rest of his comrades,

who were seated and passing the pipe around, were laughing at him

and endeavouring to embarrass him. One of the party, by the name of

_Wash-ka-mon-ya_, and a good deal of the _braggart_, had the cruelty

to say to him, "You old fool, you had better sit down, the white

squaws are all laughing at you." To which the Doctor, deliberately

turning round, sarcastically replied, "You badger, go into your burrow

backwards: I have said more in two sentences than you ever said in

your life." He then turned round, and calling Jeffrey nearer to his

side, proceeded--

"My Friends,"--[here was a burst of irresistible laughter from the

ladies, which the drollness of his expression and his figure excited

at the moment, and in which, having met it all in good humour, he was

taking a part, but continued]--

"My Friends,--I believe that our dance was pleasing to you, and that

our noise has not given you offence. (_Applause._)

"My Friends,--We live a great way from here, and we have come over

a great salt lake to see you, and to offer you our hands. The Great

Spirit has been kind to us; we know that our lives are always in his

hands, and we thank him for keeping us safe. (_How, how, how!_ from

the Indians, and applause, with _Hear, hear, hear!_)

"My Friends,--We have met our friend _Chip-pe-ho-la_ here, and seen

the medicine things that he has done, and which are hanging all

around us, and this makes us happy. We have found our chiefs' faces

on the walls, which the Great Spirit has allowed him to bring over

safe, and we are thankful for this. (_How, how, how!_)

"My Friends,--This is a large village, and it has many fine wig-wams;

we rode in a large carriage the other day and saw it all. (_A laugh_,

and _Hear!_) We had heard a great deal about the people on this side

of the water, but we did not think they were so rich; we believe that

the _Saganoshes_ know a great deal. (_How, how, how!_)

"My Friends,--We have come on your great _medicine road_, and it

pleased us very much. When we landed from our ship, we came on your

_medicine road_, and were told it would be very fine; but when we

started, we were all very much alarmed; we went in the dark; we all

went right down into the ground, under a high mountain; we had heard

that a part of the white people go into the ground when they die,

and some of them into the fire; we saw some fire; there was a great

hissing, and a great deal of smoke coming out of this place,[4] and

we could not get out; we were then somewhat afraid, my friends and

I began to sing our '_death-song_;' but when we had commenced, our

hearts were full of joy, we came out again in the open air, and the

country was very beautiful around us. (_How, how, how!_ and great

applause.)

"My Friends,--After we got out from under the ground, we were much

pleased all the way on the _medicine road_ until we got to this

village. There were many things to please us, and I think that before

the trees were cut down, it was a very beautiful country. My friends,

we think there were Indians and buffalos in this country then. (_How,

how, how!_)

"My Friends,--We think we saw some of the _k'nick k'neck_[5] as we

came along the _medicine road_, and some _quash-e-gon-eh-co_,[6]

but we came so fast that we were not certain; we should like to know.

My Friends, this is all I have to say." (_How, how, how!_ and great

applause.)

[4] The railway tunnel at Liverpool.

[5] The red willow, from the inner bark of which the Indians make

their substitute for tobacco.

[6] A medicinal herb, the roots of which the Indians use as a

cathartic medicine.

[Illustration: N^o. 10.]

The Doctor's speech, which would have been terminated much sooner if he

had been allowed to proceed unmolested, had a very pleasing effect upon

the audience, and had allowed abundant time for the rest of the party

to prepare for the next _dance_.

I now announced to the audience that the Indians were about to give the

_Warrior's-dance_, as performed by their tribe. I explained the meaning

of it, the circumstances under which it was given, and the respects

in which it differed from the War-dance as given by the Ojibbeways.

After which they were all upon their feet, and, with weapons in hand,

proceeded to give it the most exciting, and even _alarming_ effect.

They received great applause at the end of this dance, and also a

number of presents, which were handed and thrown on to the platform.

This created much excitement and good cheer among them, and I was not

a little surprised, nor was I less amused and gratified, to discover

at this moment, that the (so-called) "_jolly fat dame_," of Ojibbeway

notoriety, was along side of the platform, at her old stand, and, in

her wonted liberality, the first one to start the fashion of making the

poor fellows occasional presents. I regretted, however, that I should

have been the ignorant cause of her bestowing her first present upon a

person for whom she did not intend it. The finest-looking man of the

party, and one of the youngest, was _No-ho-mun-ya_ (the _Roman-nose_),

upon whom it seems this good lady's admiration had been fixed during

the evening, notwithstanding the smiles that had been lavished by the

Doctor, and the eloquence which he had poured forth in his boastings

and speeches.

The elegant limbs, Herculean frame, and graceful and terrible

movements of this six foot and a-half young man, as she had gazed

upon him in this last dance, had softened her heart into all its

former kindness and liberality, and she had at this moment, when I

first discovered her, unclasped a beautiful bracelet from one of her

arms, and was just reaching over the platform to say to me as she

did, "Wonderful! wonderful! Mr. Catlin; I think it one of the wonders

of the world! Will you hand this to that splendid fellow, with my

compliments--give him my compliments, will you--it's a bracelet for his

arm (Cadotte has got the other, you know). Oh! but he is a splendid

fellow--give him my compliments, will you. I think them a much finer

party than the other--oh, far superior! I never saw the like; hand it

to him, will you, and if he can't put it on, poor fellow, I will show

him how."

All this had been run over so rapidly that I scarcely could recollect

what she said, for several were speaking to me at the same time; and

at that unfortunate moment it was that I committed the error, for

which I was almost ready to break my own back when I found it out. I

presented it by mistake to the Doctor, who, I supposed, had of course

been winning all the laurels of the evening, and with them the good

lady's compliments, which it would have been quite awkward on her part

and mine also to have unpresented. The Doctor raised up the bracelet as

high as he could reach, and made the house ring and almost tremble with

the war-whoop, which he several times repeated.[7] What could be done?

_She_ was too gallant, and I did not yet know the mistake. The Doctor

happened to know how to put it on--it fitted to his copper-coloured arm

above his elbow--and his true politeness led him to bow and to smile

a thousand thanks upon the fair dame as he bent over her from the

platform.

[7] The frightful war-whoop is sounded at the instant when Indians

are rushing into battle, as the signal of attack. It is a

shrill sounded note, on a high key, given out with a gradual

swell, and shaken by a rapid vibration of the four fingers of

the right hand over the mouth. This note is not allowed to be

given in the Indian countries unless in battle, or in the war

or other dances, where they are privileged to give it.

The _Approaching-dance_[8] was now given, in which the Doctor took the

lead in great glee, and of course with great effect. He tilted off with

a light and elastic step, as he was "following the track of his enemy,"

and when he raised his brawny arm to beckon on his warriors to the

attack, he took great pains to display the glistening trinket which he

had accepted with such heartfelt satisfaction.

[8] The Approaching Dance is a spirited part of the _War Dance_, in

which the dancers are by their gestures exhibiting the mode of

advancing upon an enemy, by hunting out and following up the

track, discovering the enemy, and preparing for the attack,

&c., and the song for this dance runs thus:--

O-ta-pa!

I am creeping on your track,

Keep on your guard, O-ta-pa!

Or I will hop on your back,

I will hop on you, I will hop on you.

Stand back, my friends, I see them;

The enemies are here, I see them!

They are in a good place,

Don't move, I see them!

&c. &c. &c.

This dance finished, they all sat down upon the platform and passed

the pipe around, whilst I was further explaining upon their appearance

and modes, and the dance which they had just given. I asked them

what amusement they proposed next, and they announced to me, that as

the Doctor was taking all the honours and all the glory to himself

on that night (and of whom they all seemed extremely jealous), they

had decided that he should finish the amusements of the evening by

singing the "_Wolf-song_." He was so conscious of having engrossed the

principal attention of the house that he at once complied with their

request, though at other times it required a great effort to get him

to sing it. I had not myself heard this song, which seemed, from their

preparations, to promise some amusement, and which Jeffrey told me

belonged exclusively to the Doctor, he having composed it. The Doctor

was ready to commence, and wrapping his robe around him, having his

right arm out, he shook a rattle (she-she-quoin) in his right hand, as

he tilted about the platform, singing alone; at the end of a sentence

he commenced to bark and howl like a wolf, when another jumped upon

his feet and ran to him, and another, and another, and joined in the

chorus, with their heads turned up like wolves when they are howling.

He then sang another strain as he moved about the platform again, all

following him, singing, and ready to join in the deafening chorus.

This strange and comic song drew roars of laughter, and many rounds of

applause for the Doctor, and left him, sure enough, the lion of the

evening.[9]

[9] WOLF SONG.--This amusing song, which I have since learned more

of, and which I believe to be peculiar to the Ioways, seems to

come strictly under the province of the _medicine_ or _mystery_

man. I will venture to say, that this ingenious adaptation will

excite a smile, if not some degree of real amusement, as well

as applause, whenever it is fairly heard and understood by

an English audience. The occasion that calls for this song

in the Ioway country is, when a party of young men who are

preparing to start on a war excursion against their enemy

(after having fatigued the whole village for several days

with the war dance, making their boasts how they are going

to slay their enemies, &c.) have retired to rest, at a late

hour in the night, to start the next morning, at break of day,

on their intended expedition. In the dead of that night, and

after the vaunting war party have got into a sound sleep, the

serenading party, to sing this song, made up of a number of

young fellows who care at that time much less about taking

scalps than they do for a little good fun, appear back of the

wig-wams of these "_men of war_" and commence serenading them

with this curious song, which they have ingeniously taken

from the howling of a gang of wolves, and so admirably adapted

it to music as to form it into a most amusing duet, quartet,

or whatever it may be better termed; and with this song, with

its barking and howling chorus, they are sure to annoy the

party until they get up, light the fire, get out their tobacco,

and other little luxuries they may have prepared for their

excursion, which they will smoke and partake with them until

daylight, if they last so long, when they will take leave of

their morning friends who are for the "death," thanking them

for their liberality and kindness in starting, wishing them a

good night's sleep (when night comes again) and a successful

campaign against their enemies.

After he had finished his song, he traversed the platform a few times,

lavishing his self-complacent smiles upon the ladies around the room,

and then desired me to say to the audience, that on the next evening

they were going to give the _Pipe of Peace-dance, and the Scalp-dance_,

which he wished all the ladies to see, and that _now_ the chiefs and

himself were ready to shake hands with all the people in the room.

This of course brought a rush of visitors to the platform, anxious to

welcome the new comers by giving them their hands. A general shake of

the hands took place, and a conversation that occupied half an hour or

more, and much to the satisfaction of the Indians as well as to those

who came to see them.

Much curiosity was kept up yet about the Doctor. The impression that

his countenance and his wit had made upon the women had secured a knot

of them about him, from whom it was difficult to disengage him: some

complained that they were sick, and desired him to feel their pulse;

he did so, and being asked as to the nature of their disease, he

replied that "they were in love,"--and as to the remedy, he said, "Get

husbands, and in a day and a night you will be well." All this they

could have got from other quarters, but coming from an Indian, whose

naked shoulders were glistening around the room, it seemed to come with

the freshness and zest of something entirely new, and created much

merriment.

The amusements of their first night being over, the Indians were

withdrawn from the room, and the audience soon dispersed. Daniel, as

usual, had been at his post, and his report of a few moments' chat

with the "jolly fat dame" gave me the first intelligence of the awful

error I had committed in giving her bracelet to the Doctor instead of

the Roman-nose, for whom she had intended it. She had said to him,

however, that "it was no matter, and the error must not be corrected;

she would bring one on the following evening for the Roman-nose, and

begged that the Doctor might never be apprised of the mistake which had

resulted to his benefit." "They are a splendid set of men, Daniel--far

superior to the others. It is the greatest treat I ever had--I shall

be here every night. You'll think by and by that I am a pretty good

customer; ha, Daniel? That _Roman-nose_ is a magnificent fellow--he's

got no wife, has he, Daniel?" "No, Madam, he is the youngest man of the

party." "He is an _elegant_ fellow--but then his _skin_, Daniel. Their

skins are not so fine as the others--they are _too_ black, or red, or

what you call it; but Cadotte! what a beautiful colour he was, ha? But

I dare say a little _washing_ and living in a city would bring them

nearly white? These people love Mr. Catlin--he's a curious man--he's a

_wonderful_ man; these are his old acquaintance, he has boarded with

them; how they love him, don't they? Ah, well, good night, good night."

She was the last of the visitors going out of the door, and did not

know that I was so close behind her.