Adventures of the Ojibbeway and Ioway Indians in England, France, and Belgium; Vol. 1 (of 2): being Notes of Eight Years' Travels and Residence in Europe with his North American Indian CollectionCatlin, George
History
Adventures of the Ojibbeway and Ioway Indians in England, France, and Belgium; Vol. 1 (of 2): being Notes of Eight Years' Travels and Residence in Europe with his North American Indian Collection
Catlin, George
England -- Description and travel; France -- Description and travel; Indians of North America
Under an agreement with Mr. Rankin and the Indians to meet them at
their lodgings after the exhibition, I repaired to their rooms,
and found them just finishing their beefsteaks and their jug of
_chickabobboo_. They were all in a merry humour, talking over the
curious scenes they had witnessed in the crowd. They said they thought
the Englishwomen loved to be squeezed in a crowd, for there were a
great many there, and they seemed to be very happy and goodnatured.
They were sure that they saw several persons quite drunk in the room,
and also believed that many of the ladies there must have been drinking
_chickabobboo_. They had several hearty laughs about the poor woman
who was passed over the people's heads; and also about the "jolly fat
dame," who was lifted on to the platform by Cadotte; and they teazed
him a long time with their jokes about her, and the beautiful present
he had received from her, and which they had seen her a long time
trying to fasten on to his arm.
Their jokes, which they were thus innocently enjoying, and their
_chickabobbo_, seemed to make them cheerful and happy; and I returned
home, myself pleased, and went to bed.
My desk was now becoming loaded with communications relative to the
Ojibbeway Indians, with more inquiries about their domestic habits and
warfare than I could possibly find time to answer, and more invitations
to dinners and parties than they could attend to; and on the next
day, amongst numerous applications for private interviews, were two
notes from reverend gentlemen, wishing opportunities to converse with
them. To them I answered that I should feel much satisfaction in
affording them every opportunity and every facility in my power, and I
recommended that they should come the next day at ten o'clock, when the
Indians were, by appointment, to meet several clergymen to converse
upon the subject of religion. One of those reverend gentlemen replied
to my note, saying, that "he should prefer a different audience from
that which I had named, and should feel as if I had acted entirely up
to the professions of my first note if I would use my endeavours to
obtain it;" to which I answered that "my only reason for recommending
that occasion was, that, as they had already had several short
interviews with clergymen, and had fixed upon that morning for a final
interview, I thought it probable it would be the only opportunity he
could have of hearing them state their religious belief." I never
received any further communication from this reverend gentleman, nor
did he attend the meeting named; and if I gave him any offence, it was
done while I was giving him what I thought to be the most friendly
advice.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account