The reverend gentlemen kindly thanked the Indians for their patience, and, telling me that it would be cruel and useless, under their present circumstances, to question them longer, thanked Mr. Rankin and myself for the kind assistance we had rendered them, and retired, leaving with them as a present several very handsome Bibles. As I was leaving the room I heard the old chief complaining that talking made his lips very dry, and Mr. Rankin ordered for them a jug of _chickabobboo_.[11] [11] The minds of the Indians had been so much engrossed for several days with the subject of religion, that the inventive powers of the little _Sah-mah_ (Tobacco) had been at work; and when I called on them the next morning one of them handed me his ideas, as he had put them on paper with a lead pencil, and I give them to the reader (Plate No. 8) as near as my own hand could copy them from his original sketch now in my portfolio. If the reader can understand the lines, he will learn from it something of the state of the arts in the Indian country, as well as their native propensity to burlesque. [Illustration: N^o. 8.] CHAPTER XV. Exhibition rooms--Great crowd--The "jolly fat dame"--Her interview with Cadotte--She gives presents to all the Indians--Excitement in the crowd--Women kissing the Indians--Red paint on their faces and dresses--Old Chief's dream and feast of thanksgiving--An annual ceremony--Curious forms observed--Indians invited to the St. George's archery-ground--They shoot for a gold medal--They dine with the members of the club--The "jolly fat dame" and Cadotte--She takes him to his lodgings in her carriage--Cadotte (or the "Strong-wind") gets sick--Is in love with another!--Daniel unfolds the secret to her--Her distress--She goes to the country--The "jolly fat dame" returns--Cadotte's engagement to marry--Rankin promotes the marriage--The Author disapproves of it. The reader will easily imagine the position of the Indians at this time to have been a very pleasant and satisfactory one to themselves--all in good health; having seen and pleased the Queen; having met the public several times in the great city of London, where their Hall was crowded every night, and was likely to continue so; where everybody applauded, and many bestowed on them presents in trinkets and money; with plenty of roast beef, and withal indulged in their _chickabobboo_. The old chief had finished his talks on religion, and Cadotte was in the delightful state of incubation under the genial warmth of the wing of the jolly fat dame.