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.
In the midst of my grief, with my little family around me, with my
collection still open, and my lease for the Salle Valentino not
yet expired, there suddenly arrived from London a party of eleven
_Ojibbeway Indians_, from the region of Lake Huron, in Upper Canada,
who had been brought to England by a Canadian, but had since been under
the management of a young man from the city of London. They had heard
of the great success of the Ioways in Paris, and also of their sudden
departure, and were easily prevailed upon to make a visit there. On
their arrival, I entered into the same arrangement with them that I had
with the two former parties, agreeing with the young man who had charge
of them to receive them into my collection, sharing the expenses and
receipts as I had done before; he being obligated to pay the Indians
a certain sum per month, and bound to return them to London, from
whence they came, at his own expense. As my collection was all arranged
and prepared, I thought such an arrangement calculated to promote their
interest and my own, and in a few days their arrival and exhibitions
were announced, they having been quartered in the same apartments which
had been occupied by the Ioways before them.
[Illustration: N^o. 18.]
The following are the names of the party, with their respective ages
given (see _Plate No. 18_):--
Age.
1. _Maun-gua-daus_ (a Great Hero)--Chief 41
2. _Say-say-gon_ (the Hail-Storm) 31
3. _Ke-che-us-sin_ (the Strong Rock) 27
4. _Mush-she-mong_ (the King of the Loons) 25
5. _Au-nim-muck-kwah-um_ (the Tempest Bird) 20
6. _A-wun-ne-wa-be_ (the Bird of Thunder) 19
7. _Wau-bud-dick_ (the Elk) 18
8. _U-je-jock_ (the Pelican) 10
9. _Noo-din-no-kay_ (the Furious Storm) 4
10. _Min-nis-sin-noo_ (a Brave Warrior) 3
11. _Uh-wus-sig-gee-zigh-gook-kway_ (Woman of the Upper
World)--wife of Chief 38
12. _Pappoose_--born in the Salle Valentino.
The chief of this party, _Maun-gua-daus_, was a remarkably fine man,
both in his personal appearance and intellectual faculties. He was a
half-caste, and, speaking the English language tolerably well, acted as
chief and interpreter of the party.
The War-chief, _Say-say-gon_, was also a fine and intelligent Indian,
full-blooded, and spoke no English. The several younger men were
generally good-looking, and exceedingly supple and active, giving great
life and excitement to their dances. In personal appearance the party,
taken all together, was less interesting than that of the Ioways, yet,
at the same time, their dances and other amusements were equally, if
not more spirited and beautiful than those of their predecessors.
Thus, in the midst of my sorrow, I was commencing anxieties again, and
advertised the arrival of the new party, and the commencement of their
exhibitions. They began with more limited but respectable audiences,
and seemed to please and surprise all who came, by the excitement of
their dances and their skill in shooting with the bow and arrows, in
the last of which they far surpassed the Ioways. It was impossible,
however, by all the advertising that could be done, to move the crowds
again that had been excited to see the Ioways; the public seeming to
have taken the idea that these were merely an imitation got up to take
advantage of their sudden departure. It happened quite curious, that,
although the party consisted of eleven when they arrived, about the
time of the commencement of their exhibitions the wife of the chief was
delivered of a _pappoose_, which was born in the same room where the
poor wife of the Little Wolf had died. This occurrence enabled us to
announce the party as _twelve_--the same number as the Ioways; which,
with the name somewhat similar, furnished very strong grounds for many
of the Parisians to believe that they were paying their francs to see
their own countrymen aping the Indians of America.
It seemed strange that it was so difficult to do away this impression,
which operated against them the whole time they were in Paris, though
all who saw them but a moment were satisfied and pleased. Their
amusements were much like those of the Ioways, but with national
differences in the modes of giving them, which were, to the curious,
subjects of great interest.
The same hours were adopted for their exhibitions--the same vehicles
were contracted for, for their daily exercise and sight-seeing--and
their guardian, with Daniel, took charge of all their movements on
these occasions. Their daily routine therefore was in most respects the
same as that of the Ioways, and it would be waste of valuable time here
for me to follow them through all.
We held the council, as we had done in the other cases, before
our arrangements were entered upon, and all was placed upon the
condition that they were to conduct themselves soberly, and to drink
no spirituous liquors. The temperance pledge was therefore given,
after I had explained to them that, with the two other parties, ale
in England, and _vin ordinaire_ in France, when taken to a moderate
degree, were not included in the term "_spirituous liquors_," and that
they would of course, as the other parties had been indulged, have
their regular glass at their dinners, and also after their suppers, and
before going to bed; and that they would call it, as the others had
done, _chickabobboo_. This indulgence seemed to please them very much,
and, being at a loss to know the meaning of _chickabobboo_, I took an
occasion to give them the history of the word, which they would see
was of Ojibbeway origin, and, laughing excessively at the ingenuity of
their predecessors, they all resolved to keep up their word, and to be
sure at the same time not to drop their custom, of taking the licensed
glasses of _chickabobboo_.
Amongst the kind friends whom this party made in Paris, one of the best
was M. Gudin, the celebrated marine painter, in the employment of the
King. This most excellent gentleman and his kind lady were frequent
visitors to their exhibitions, and several times invited the whole
party and myself to dine at their table, and spend the day in the
beautiful grounds around his noble mansion (the "Chateau Beaujon"),
and, in its present improved condition, little less than a palace.
Not only will the Indians feel bound for life to acknowledge their
gratitude to this kind lady and gentleman, but the writer of these
notes will feel equally and more so for the kind and unmerited
attentions they paid to him during his stay in Paris. It was
through the friendly agency of M. Gudin that the King invited my
collection to the Louvre, and myself, in company with him, to the
royal breakfast-table in the palace at St. Cloud. I take no little
satisfaction in recording here these facts, not only for myself, but
injustice to one of the most distinguished painters (and one of the
best fellows) of the age. On this occasion, the proudest one of my wild
and erratic life, we were conducted through several rooms of the palace
to the one in which the Royal Family, chiefly all assembled, with their
numerous guests, were standing and ready to be seated around a circular
table of 15 or 18 feet in diameter, at which, our seats being indicated
to us, and the bow of recognition (so far as we were able to recognise
acquaintances) having been made, all were seated. This extraordinary
occasion of my life was rendered peculiarly memorable and gratifying
to me, from the fact that there were two Kings and two Queens at the
table, and nearly every member of the Royal Family. The King and Queen
of the Belgians, who were at that time on a visit to Paris, with his
Royal Highness the little Duc de Brabant, were the unusual Royal guests
at the table on the occasion. The number of persons at the table,
consisting of the two Royal Families, the King's aides-de-camp, and
orderly officers of the palace, with the invited guests, amounted
to about 30 in all; and as Kings and Queens and royal families eat
exactly like other people, I see nothing further that need be noticed
until their Majesties arose and retired to the salon or drawing-room,
into which we all followed. I was there met as I entered, in the most
gracious and cordial manner by His Majesty, who presented me to the
King of the Belgians, who did me the honour to address me in these
words:--"I am very happy, Mr. Catlin, to meet a gentleman whose name is
familiar to us all, and who has done so much for science, and also for
the poor Indians. You know that the Queen, and myself, and the Duc de
Brabant were all subscribers to your valuable work, and we have taken
great interest in reading it."
The two heirs-apparent, the little Count de Paris and His Royal
Highness the Duc de Brabant, came to me, and, recognising me, inquired
about the Indians. The conversation with her Majesty, and also with the
Princess Adelaide, and the Duchess of Orleans, was about the Indians,
who they had heard had gone home, and in whom they all seemed to have
taken a deep interest.
The little Duc de Brabant recollected the small pipe and mocassins I
had presented him when he visited my collection in the Egyptian Hall,
under the protection of the Hon. Mr. Murray.
I had a few minutes' conversation with the King of the Belgians, and
also with the graceful and pensive Duchess of Orleans, and our ears
were then all turned to the recitals of his Majesty, around whom we had
gathered, whilst he was relating several scenes of his early life in
America, in company with his two brothers, the Duc de Montpensier and
the Count Beaujolais, which it seemed my advent with the Indians had
brought up with unusual freshness in his mind.
He commented in the most eloquent terms upon the greatness and goodness
of General Washington, and told us that he and his brothers were
lucky enough to have been present and heard his farewell address in
Philadelphia, which he had been in the habit of reflecting upon as one
of the most pleasurable and satisfactory incidents of his life.
He gave us an amusing account of his horse getting mired in crossing
Buffalo Creek, and of his paying a visit to the tribe of Seneca
Indians, near to the town of Buffalo, on Lake Erie:--
"Being conducted," said he, "to the village and to the chief's
wigwam, I shook hands with the chief, who came and stood by my
horse's head, and while some hundreds of men, women, and children
were gathering around, I told the chief that I had come to make him
a visit of a day or two, to which he replied that he was very glad
to see me, and I should be made quite welcome, and treated to the
best that he had. He said there would be one condition, however,
which was, that he should require me to give him everything I had; he
should demand my horse, from which I would dismount, and having given
him the bridle, he said, 'I now want your gun, your watch, and all
your money; these are indispensable.'
"I then, for the first time in my life, began to think that I was
completely robbed and plundered; but at the moment when he had
got all, and before I had time for more than an instant thought
of my awkward condition, he released me from all further alarm by
continuing, 'If you have anything else which you wish to be sure to
get again, I wish you to let me have it; for whatever you deliver
into my hands now you will be sure to find safe when you are about to
leave; otherwise I would not be willing to vouch for their safety;
for there are some of my people whom we cannot trust to.'
"From this moment I felt quite easy, and spent a day or two in their
village very pleasantly, and with much amusement. When I was about to
leave, my horse was brought to the chief's door and saddled, and all
the property I had left in his hands safely restored.
"I then mounted my horse, and, having taken leave, and proceeded a
short distance on my route, I discovered that I had left my favourite
dog, which I had been too much excited and amused to think of, and
did not recollect to have seen after I entered their village.
"I turned my horse and rode back to the door of the chief's wigwam,
and made inquiries for it. The chief said, 'But you did not intrust
your dog to my care, did you?' 'No, I did not think of my poor dog
at the time.' 'Well then,' said he, 'I can't answer for it. If you
had done as I told you, your dog would have been safe. However,'
said he, 'we will inquire for it.' At which moment one of his little
sons was ordered to run and open a rude pen or cage by the corner
of the wigwam, and out leaped my dog, and sprang upon my leg as I
was sitting on my horse. I offered the honest chief a reward for
his kindness; but he refused to accept it, wishing me to recollect,
whenever I was amongst Indians again, to repose confidence in an
Indian's word, and feel assured that all the property intrusted to
an Indian's care I would be sure to find safe whenever I wanted it
again."
After reciting this amusing incident, his Majesty described to me the
route which he and his brothers took from Buffalo to the falls of
Niagara, and thence on horseback to Geneva, a small town at the foot of
the Seneca Lake, where they sold their horses, and, having purchased
a small boat, rowed it 90 miles to Ithaca, at the head of the lake.
From thence they travelled on foot, with their luggage carried on their
backs, 30 miles to Tioga, on the banks of the Susquehana, where they
purchased a canoe from the Indians, and descended in it that romantic
and beautiful river, to a small town called Wilkesbarre, in the valley
of Wyoming.
From thence, with their knapsacks on their backs, they crossed the
Wilkesbarre and Pokono mountains to Easton, and from thence were
conveyed in a coach to Philadelphia.
I here surprised his Majesty a little, and his listeners, and seemed
to add a fresh interest to his narrative, by informing him that I
was a native of Wilkesbarre, in the valley of Wyoming, and that while
his Majesty was there I was an infant in my mother's arms, only a few
months old.
He related a number of pleasing recollections of his visit to my native
valley, and then gave us an account of an Indian _ball-play_ amongst
the Cherokees and Choctaws, where he saw 500 or 600 engaged, during the
whole day, before the game was decided; and he pronounced it one of the
most exciting and beautiful scenes he had ever beheld.
After an hour or so spent in amusing us with the pleasing reminiscences
of his wild life in America, he expressed a wish to see my collection,
and requested me to place it in a large hall in the Louvre, for the
private views of the Royal Family; and also appointed a day and an hour
when he would be glad to see the Ojibbeway Indians at St. Cloud, and
desired me to accompany them.
From the Palace, my friend M. Gudin, at the request of the King,
proceeded with me to Paris and to the Louvre, with his Majesty's
command to M. de Caillaux, director of the Louvre, to prepare the
Salle de Séance for the reception of my collection, which was ordered
to be arranged in it. My return from thence to the Indians, with the
information that they were to visit the King, created a pleasing
excitement amongst them, and, as the reader can easily imagine, great
joy and rejoicing.
This was an excitement and a piece of good news to the poor fellows
that could not be passed over without some signal and unusual notice,
and the result was, that a _dog-feast_ was to be the ceremony for
the next day. Consequently a dog was procured at an early hour, and,
according to the custom of their country, was roasted whole, and, when
ready, was partaken of with a due observance of all the forms used in
their own country on such occasions, it being strictly a religious
ceremony.
The same indulgence in seeing the sights of Paris, and of exercise in
the open air, was shown to them as to the other party; and the same
carriages contracted for, to give them their daily drives; in all of
which they were accompanied by their guardian, to whom the sights of
Paris were also new and equally entertaining, and they all made the
best use of their time in these amusements.
Their good friend M. Gudin appointed another day for the whole party
to dine at his house, and having a number of distinguished guests at
his table, the scene was a very brilliant and merry one. The orator
of the party was the chief _Maun-gua-daus_, though on this occasion
the War-chief, whose name was _Say-say-gon_ (the Hail-storm), arose at
the table and addressed M. Gudin and his lady in a very affectionate
manner; thanking them for their kindness to them, who were strangers in
Paris and a great way from their homes, and at the same time proposing
to give to his friend M. Gudin a new name, saying that, whenever the
Indians made a new friend whom they loved very much, they liked to call
him by a name that had some meaning to it, and he should hereafter call
him by the name of _Ken-ne-wab-a-min_ (the Sun that guides us through
the Wilderness).
There were several gentlemen of high rank and titles present, and all
seemed much entertained with the appearance and conduct of the Indians.