Consequent troubles for Daniel in the exhibition-rooms--Daniel's
difficulty with an artist making copies--Takes his sketch-book
from him--Tableaux vivans commenced--List of the groups--Hon. Mr.
Murray attends, with His Royal Highness the Duc de Brabant--The
Author presented to Her Majesty and His Royal Highness Prince
Albert, by the Hon. Mr. Murray--Indian Collection removed to
Liverpool--Biennial exhibition of Mechanics' Institution--22,000
children admitted free to the Indian Collection in one
week--The Indian tableaux vivans in the provincial towns for
six months--Collection opened in Sheffield--In Manchester--Nine
Ojibbeway Indians arrive, in charge of Mr. Rankin--His proposal
to the author.
Poor Daniel in the exhibition-rooms! I mentioned in the preceding
chapter that our appearance at the Polish ball had greatly increased
the number of shillings, but, at the same time, it was, as he
said, doing great injury to the Collection, as people paid their
shillings expecting to see the real Indians, and then, finding their
error, revenged themselves upon poor Daniel by calling him and
the whole concern hard names, and in various ways provoking him.
Politics--Caste--Slavery--Truck-system--Poor-houses--Repeal--Oregon--and
Repudiation were the exciting topics--all of which he was able and
ready to discuss; and the kind of visitors I just now mentioned, under
their disappointment at the rooms, were prepared to annoy him on these
topics, and irritate him to such a degree that it made his duties
doubly hard to him and their visits less pleasant to themselves than
they would otherwise have been.
He had other things that annoyed him, amongst which were the constant
efforts by artists and amateurs to make copies in the room for
paintings and designs, which they somehow seemed to fancy. After
having risked my life and spent my little fortune in the wilderness
to procure such exciting and such original studies, and bring them to
England, I did not consider it fair that these gentlemen should step
into my rooms just when they had an hour of leisure, and industry
enough to use it, and copy whatever they could most easily convert into
cash.
So many of these attempts had been made, that I was obliged to post a
printed notice around the walls, that "_No copying was allowed in the
rooms._"
This had the desired effect with many, but there were some to whom
the temptation was so great, that Daniel was obliged to refer them
to the printed regulations; and one or two others for whom this was
not enough, and who seemed to think that, in my absence, Daniel's
authority was rather in imagination than any thing else; and when he
had requested them to desist, they had given him the finish to their
provocations by replying to him, that he was of no account--that if
his _master_ ordered them to stop they would do so, but not for him.
One of these customers had troubled him very much for several days,
and it was evidently affecting his spirits, and even his health, for
he was growing pale and ghastly under the excitement. He said he had
repeatedly taken the printed regulation and placed it before him, and
he was at last told to "Go to the devil with it." He told me this
man had some object in view, for he came every night, and sketched
very rapidly, and made very exact copies; and he said to me, "If you
don't see fit to come in and turn him out of the room to-night, I
shall lay hold of him, for your own interest. I hate to do it, for
he looks like a gentleman, though he don't act like one, and that's
enough; and if you don't stop him, Mr. Catlin, I will." "That's right,"
said I, "Daniel. You have charge of the rooms, and your regulations,
and of course it is your duty to stop him; and I am responsible for
any damage you may do in putting an end to it." I was at that time
occupying apartments opposite to the Egyptian Hall in Piccadilly, and
on that night observing the lamps burning at a much later hour than
usual, was induced to step in to learn the cause. As I was passing
through the Hall, and about to enter the exhibition-room, I heard a few
half-stifled and hasty words, and then something like a struggle; and
next, I heard distinctly Daniel's voice, in rather a stifled mood:--"No
you won't. If you get that leg through, the deil a bit o' good will it
do ye; for I'll be shot if you ever pass your neck any farther through
this door until you give it up!"
"Let go of my collar, then!"
"No, I'll be blathered if I do that! I've got a good hold now, and I
might not get it again. Lay down the book and I'll let you go, and not
before."
"What business is it of yours? come, I should like to know; you are
only a door-keeper." "That's what I am, you've got it right; and I'll
show you, my boy, that I can _keep_ a door, too."
I stood back during this conversation, easily understanding what the
difficulty was, as I had a partial view of them, but was unobserved, as
I was standing in the dark.
It seems that Daniel's friend the copyist had been as usual at work
most of the evening, making sketches, and Daniel had allowed him to
work, resolving to appropriate all his sketches at a haul, as he should
be leaving the room. The gentleman had been intensely engaged, and not
having been interrupted as usual, had kept at his work for half an hour
or so after all visitors had left the room, and a full blaze of gas
was burning at my expense and for his benefit. All these circumstances
ripened Daniel's taste for laying an embargo on him; and when he had
closed his book, and was about to take leave, he found Daniel standing
with his back towards the door, which was open. On endeavouring to
pass, Daniel civilly stopped him, and told him he should expect him on
that evening to leave his sketch-book with him before he passed out.
The gentleman seemed dreadfully insulted by such a suggestion, saying
that he had paid for his admission and had the same right to be in
the room or to go out that _he_ had; to which Daniel at once assented,
saying he had not the slightest objection to his going out; "but," said
he, "if that book goes out, it will be because you are a stronger man
than I am."
At this crisis the artist had made a rush for the door, and Daniel
had fastened his left hand into his cravat and shirt collar, whilst
he had a similar grip upon Daniel with one hand, and his sketch-book
in the other, when I discovered them on my approach to the rooms. How
long they had been in this amusing predicament I was not yet able to
ascertain; but as Daniel, who is of a quick and rather violent temper,
was speaking quite cool and deliberate, I presumed they must have stood
there at least long enough for his first excitement to have cooled off,
which could not possibly have been effected in a few moments.
Immediately after their last dialogue that I had heard when approaching
them, there commenced another scene of grunting, and sighing, and
shoving about, that lasted for some minutes, when all was still again.
The gentleman, however, broke silence at length, but in a very low and
placid voice: "Why, you are a very curious fellow; I don't see why this
thing should make you so wrathy. The pictures are not yours--come,
don't clinch me so tight there, if you please." "I don't hurt you--I
told you I didn't wish to hurt you; if you talk about my bein 'wrathy,'
you don't know what you are talkin about--and the pictures I know are
not mine; but my employer expects me to guard his property, and you may
be sure I'll do it. If you had taken my advice two or three days ago
it would have saved you all this fuss, and half an hour's time that we
have been standing in the door." Another scuffle and struggle ensued
here, and after much grunting, the gentleman exclaimed, "You have the
advantage of me, for you have both hands to work with and I have only
one! If it were not for the book I could upset you, damned quick!" Upon
which Daniel made a grand lunge at the book, which he snatched from his
hand, and exultingly exclaimed, "There! I'll take the book, and let
you try with both hands--and now, if you touch a finger to me again,
I'll lather you within an inch of your life. If your cloth be ever so
much better than mine, you have behaved like anything but a gentleman;
and as I told you in the beginning, if ever you carry this book out at
that door you will do it over my dead body." At that instant he turned
off the gas, giving the gentleman a good opportunity to depart in total
silence, and for me to dodge him, as he passed by, and to withdraw
myself, to enjoy Daniel's account of the affair, which was amusingly
given, as he handed me the sketch-book the next morning.
Daniel's health and spirits improved very sensibly after this affair,
and his duties were somewhat lightened about this time, though I
added much to my own labours, by closing the exhibition at night,
and giving my lectures on three evenings of the week in an adjoining
hall, illustrating them with _tableaux vivans_, produced by twenty
living figures in Indian costumes, forming groups of their ceremonies,
domestic scenes, and warfare. These were got up and presented with much
labour to myself, and gave great satisfaction; as by them I furnished
so vivid and life-like an illustration of Indian life as I had seen it
in the wilderness.
For these tableaux I had chosen my men for some striking Indian
character in their faces or figures, or action, and my women were
personated by round-faced boys, who, when the women's dresses were on
them, and long wigs of horses' hair spreading over their shoulders,
and the faces and hands of all painted to the Indian colour, made
the most complete illusion that could be conceived. I had furnished
each with his little toilet of colours, &c., and instructions how to
paint the face before a mirror, and how to arrange their dresses; and
then, with almost infinite labour, had drilled them through the Indian
mode of walking with their "toes in," of using their weapons of war
and the chase, and of giving their various dances, songs, and the
war-whoop; and I have no hesitation in saying, that when I had brought
this difficult mode to its greatest perfection, I had succeeded in
presenting the most faithful and general representation of Indian life
that was ever brought before the civilized world. Many of these scenes
were enlivened by action, and by the various instruments of music used
by the Indians, added to their songs, and the war-whoop, giving a
thrilling spirit to them, whilst they furnished scenes for the painter,
of the most picturesque character, as will be easily imagined from the
subjoined programme of them as announced at the time.
CATLIN'S LECTURES
WITH
_TABLEAUX VIVANS_ ON THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS,
AT
THE EGYPTIAN HALL, PICCADILLY, LONDON.
PROGRAMME FOR THE FIRST EVENING.
WAR SCENES.
No. 1.--_Group of Warriors and Braves, in Full Dress_, reclining
around a fire, regaling themselves with the pipe and a dish of
_pemican_. In the midst of their banquet the chief enters in full
dress; the pipe is lighted for him--he smokes it in sadness, and
breaks up the party by announcing that an enemy is at hand--that a
number of their men have been scalped whilst hunting the buffalo, and
they must prepare for war.
No. 2.--_Warriors Enlisting_, by "smoking through the reddened
stem." The chief sends "_runners_" (or _criers_) through the tribe
with a pipe, the stem of which is painted red; the crier solicits
for recruits, and every young man who consents to smoke through the
reddened stem which is extended to him, is considered a volunteer to
go to war.
No. 3.--_War Dance._ The ceremony of "_swearing in_" the warriors,
who take the most solemn oath by dancing to, and striking the
"reddened post" with their war-clubs.
No. 4.--_Foot War-Party on the March_, ("Indian file,") armed with
shields, bows, quivers, and lances--the chief of the party, as is
generally the case, going to war in full dress.
No. 5.--_War-Party encamped at Night_, asleep under their buffalo
robes, with sentinels on the watch. The _alarm in camp_ is given, and
the warriors roused to arms.
No. 6.--_War-Party in Council_, consulting with their chief as to the
best and most effective way of attacking their enemies, who are close
at hand.
No. 7.--_Skulking_, or advancing cautiously upon the enemy to take
them by surprise--a common mode and merit in war among the North
American Indians.
No. 8.--_Battle and Scalping_; showing the frightful appearance of
Indian warfare, and the mode of taking the scalp.
No. 9.--_Scalp Dance_, in celebration of a victory; the women, in the
centre of the group, holding up the scalps on little sticks, and the
warriors dancing around them, brandishing their weapons, and yelling
in the most frightful manner.
No. 10.--_Treaty of Peace._ The chiefs and warriors of the two
hostile tribes in the act of solemnizing the treaty of peace, by
smoking mutually through the calumet, or pipe of peace, which is
ornamented with eagles' quills; the calumet resting in front of the
group.
No. 11.--_Pipe-of-Peace Dance_, by the warriors, with the pipes
of peace, or calumets, in their hands, after the treaty has been
concluded. This picturesque scene will be represented by the warriors
all joining in the dance, uniting their voices with the beat of the
Indian drum, and sounding the frightful war-whoop.
PROGRAMME FOR THE SECOND EVENING.
DOMESTIC SCENES.
No. 1.--_The Blackfoot Doctor, or Mystery-man_, endeavouring to cure
his dying patient by the operation of his mysteries and songs of
incantation.
No. 2.--_Mr. Catlin at his Easel, in the Mandan Village_, painting
the portrait of _Mah-to-toh-pa_, a celebrated Mandan chief. The
costumes of the chief and the painter the same that were worn on the
occasion.
No. 3.--_An Indian Wedding._ The chief, who is father of the girl, is
seated in the middle of the group, receiving the presents which are
laid at his feet by the young man, who (when the presents accumulate
to what the father deems an equivalent) receives the consent of the
parent, and the hand of the girl, whom he leads off; and as she is
the daughter of a chief, and admired by the young men, they are
bestowing on her many presents.
No. 4.--_Pocahontas rescuing Captain John Smith, an English Officer._
"It had been decided in council, over which _Pow-ha-tan_ presided,
that Captain John Smith should be put to death, by having his head
placed on a large stone, and his brains beaten out by two warriors
armed with huge painted clubs. His executioners were standing with
their clubs raised over him, and in the very instant for giving the
fatal blow, when _Pocahontas_, the chief's favourite daughter, then
about thirteen years old, threw herself with folded arms over the
head of the captain, who was instantly ordered by the chief to be
released."
No. 5.--_Wrestling._ A favourite amusement among many of the tribes.
For these scenes, several distinguished young men are selected
on each side, and the goods bet being placed in the care of the
stakeholders, the wrestling commences at a signal given, and the
stakes go to the party who count the greatest number of men remaining
on their feet.
No. 6.--_Ball Play._ The most beautiful and exciting of all Indian
games. This game is often played by several hundreds on a side. The
group represents the players leaping into the air, and struggling to
catch the ball as it is descending, in their ball-sticks.
No. 7.--_Game of Tchung-kee._ The favourite play of the Mandans, and
used by them as their principal gambling game.
No. 8.--_The Night Dance of the Seminolees._ A ceremony peculiar to
this tribe, in which the young men assemble and dance round the fire
after the chiefs have retired to rest, gradually stamping it out with
their feet, and singing a song of thanksgiving to the Great Spirit;
after which they wrap themselves in their robes and retire to rest.
One will easily see that this opened a new field of amusement and
excitement for my old friends, who were now nightly present, with their
companions, and approving with rounds of applause. Amongst these was
my untiring friend Mr. Murray, who, among the distinguished personages
whom he introduced, made a second visit with the little Leopold, Duc
de Brabant, whom he brought in his arms from his carriage. His Royal
Highness, as the curtain rose and I stepped forward to give a brief
lecture, seemed not a little disappointed, by the speech that he
suddenly made--"Why, that is not an Indian, that is Mr. Catlin, who
gave me the Indian pipe and the mocassins." However, a few moments more
brought forth red faces, and songs and yelps that seemed more sensibly
to affect his Royal Highness's nerves, and at which Mr. Murray removed
with him to a more distant part of the room, from which point he looked
on with apparent delight.
About this time an incident of my Transatlantic life occurred, to which
I shall ever recur with great satisfaction:--there was, standing in my
exhibition-room, an elaborate model of the _Falls of Niagara_, which
I had made from an accurate survey of that grand scene some thirteen
years before; and, in compliment for the accuracy and execution of
which, a handsome silver medal had been struck, and presented to me by
the American Institute in New York, at one of its annual exhibitions,
where it had been exposed to public view. The Hon. Mr. Murray, whose
familiarity with that sublime scene had enabled him to judge of the
fidelity of the model, upon which he was often looking, with his
friends, with intense interest, by his representations to Her Majesty
and the Prince had excited in them a desire to see it; and he called
upon me one morning to inform me that Her Majesty would be pleased to
have me bring it to Windsor Castle the next day at one o'clock, at
which hour I should be received.
The reader may imagine what pleasure this unexpected and unmerited
honour gave me, and also to my dear Clara, who was in the habit of
sharing with me the pleasures of many compliments, in the forms of
which she could not join me.
I was at Windsor the next morning, with the model, and having placed
and arranged it in Her Majesty's drawing-room, I took Mr. Murray's
arm at the appointed hour of one o'clock, and, as we entered the
drawing-room, we observed Her Majesty and His Royal Highness entering
at the opposite door. We met by the side of the model--where I was
presented, and received in the most gracious and kind manner. Her
Majesty expressed a wish that I should point out and explain the
principal features of the scene; which, with the vivid descriptions
which Mr. Murray also gave, of going under the Horse-Shoe Fall, &c.,
seemed to convey a very satisfactory idea to Her Majesty and the
Prince; they asked many questions about the characters and effects of
this sublime scene, and also of the Indians, for whose rights they said
they well knew I was the advocate, and retired, thanking me for the
amusement and instruction I had afforded them.
Several months after this passed on in the usual routine of my business
and amusements (my collection open during the days and my lectures
and tableaux given at night) without incidents worth reciting, when
I received an invitation from the Mechanics' Institute at Liverpool
to unite my Indian collection to their biennial fair or exhibition,
which was to be on a scale of great magnificence. They very liberally
proposed to extend the dimensions of their buildings for the occasion,
and I consented to join them with my whole collection for two months.
My lease had expired at the Egyptian Hall, and my collection was soon
on its way to Liverpool.
I was received with great kindness in that town, and my collection for
the two months gained me great applause and some pecuniary benefit.
During its stay there I kept several men in Indian costumes constantly
in it, and twice a day gave a short lecture in the room, explaining the
costumes and many of the leading traits of the Indian character, sung
an Indian song, and gave the frightful war-whoop.
There were here, as in London, many pleasing incidents and events for
which I cannot venture a leaf in this book, with the exception of one,
which I cannot forbear to mention. During the last week of their noble
exhibition, the children from all the charitable and other schools were
admitted free, and in battalions and phalanxes they were passed through
my room, as many hundreds at a time as could stand upon the floor,
to hear the lectures (shaped to suit their infant minds), and then
the deafening war-whoop raised by my men in Indian paint and Indian
arms, which drove many of the little creatures with alarm under the
tables and benches, from which they were pulled out by their feet; and
the list that we kept showed us the number of 22,000 of these little
urchins, who, free of expense, saw my collection, and having heard me
lecture, went home, sounding the war-whoop in various parts of the town.
At the close of this exhibition I selected the necessary collection
of costumes, weapons, &c. for my lectures and tableaux, and calling
together my old disciplined troop from the City of London, I commenced
a tour to the provincial towns of the kingdom, leaving my collection
of paintings behind. My career was then rapid, and its changes sudden,
and all my industry and energies were called into action--with twenty
men on my hands, and an average expense of twelve pounds per day.
This scheme I pushed with all the energy I could, and in the space
of six months visited, with varied success, the towns of _Chester_,
_Manchester_, _Leamington_, _Rugby_, _Stratford-on-Avon_, _Cheltenham_,
_Sheffield_, _Leeds_, _York_, _Hull_, _Edinburgh_, _Glasgow_,
_Paisley_, _Greenock_, _Belfast_, and _Dublin_. In all these towns I
was received with kindness, and formed many attachments which I shall
endeavour to cherish all my days. The incidents of such a tour can
easily be imagined to have been varied and curious, and very many of
them were exceedingly entertaining, but must be omitted in this place.
On my return I was strongly urged by several friends in Manchester to
open my whole collection of paintings, &c. in that town a while before
leaving for the United States, for which I was then on the eve of
embarking. I consented to this invitation, and, a hall being prepared
for its reception, I removed it and my family there for a stay of two
or three months.
The collection was soon arranged and on exhibition, and I found
myself and my dear wife in the atmosphere (though of smoke) of kind
friends who used their best endeavours to make our stay comfortable
and pleasant. The strangers who sought our acquaintance and offered us
their genuine hospitality were many, and will have our grateful thanks
while we live.
My exhibition had been tolerably successful, and, strange and
unexpected, like most of the turning points in my life, during the very
week that I had advertised it as "positively the last in the kingdom,
previous to embarking for New York," an event suddenly occurred which
brought me back to the metropolis, to the chief towns of the kingdom,
to France and to Belgium; and eventually led me through the accidents
and incidents which are to form the rest and the most curious part of
this work, upon which the reader will now enter with me.
The first intimation of the cause which was to change the shape of my
affairs was suggested to me in the following letter:--
"Sir,--Though a stranger to you, I take the liberty of addressing
this letter to you, believing that its contents will show you a
way of promoting your own interest, or at least be the means of my
obtaining some useful advice from you.
"I have a party of nine Ojibbeway Indians, on the way, and about
at this time to be landed at Liverpool, that I am bringing over on
speculation; and, having been in London some weeks without having
made any suitable arrangements for them, I have thought best to
propose some arrangement with you that may promote our mutual
interests. If you think of anything you could do in that way, or any
advice you can give me, I shall be most happy to hear from you by
return of post.
"Several persons in London conducting exhibitions have told me that
they will do nothing unless they are under your management.
"I remain, yours, very truly,
"ARTHUR RANKIN.
"_To Geo. Catlin, Esq._"
To this letter I answered as follows:--
"Sir,--I received your letter of the 4th, this morning, and hasten
to reply. It will be directly opposite to my present arrangements
if I enter into any new engagements such as you propose, as all
my preparations are now made to embark for New York in the course
of a fortnight from this time. I have always been opposed to the
plan of bringing Indians abroad on speculation; but as they are
in the country, I shall, as the friend of the Indians under all
circumstances, feel an anxiety to promote their views and success
in any way I can. I could not, at all events, undertake to make any
arrangement with you until I see what kind of a party they are; and
at all events, as you will have to meet them at Liverpool, you had
better call on me in Manchester, when we can better understand each
other's views.
"I remain, yours, &c.
"GEO. CATLIN.
"_To A. Rankin, Esq._"
On the third day after the posting of this letter Mr. Rankin arrived
in Manchester, and called upon me in my exhibition-rooms. After a
little conversation with him, and without entering into any agreement,
I advised him to lose no time in proceeding to Liverpool to receive
them when they landed; and he took leave with the understanding that
he would bring them to Manchester as soon as they arrived. The next
evening, just after it was dark, my door-keeper, who was not yet in the
secret, came running in and announced that there was a "homnibus at the
door quite full of orrible looking folks, and ee really believed they
were hindians!" At that moment Daniel whispered to me--"The Ojibbeways
are here, and they are a pretty black-looking set of fellows: I think
they will do." I saw them a moment in the bus, and sent Daniel with
them to aid Mr. Rankin in procuring them suitable lodgings. A crowd
followed the bus as it passed off, and the cry of--"Indians! real
Indians!" was started in Manchester, which soon rung through the
kingdom, as will be related.