Adventures of the Ojibbeway and Ioway Indians in England, France, and Belgium; Vol. 2 (of 2) being Notes of Eight Years' Travels and Residence in Europe with his North — Reading Notes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

_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

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

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

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

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

Extracts of Letters from the Ioway Mission, Upper Missouri 327

Experiments in Horse-taming 332

CATLIN'S NOTES IN EUROPE,

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._

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._

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.