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
Howling of the grizly Bears--Alarm and excitement about
the docks--Scuffle for luggage--Scene at the Grecian
Hotel--Landing the grizly Bears--Author's journey to
London--Ibbotson's Hotel--First sally into the streets--First
impressions of London--Adventure in the fog and mud--Amusing
occurrence in the street--Beggars at the crossings of the
streets--Ingenious mode of begging--Rich shops--No pigs
in the streets--Soot and smoke of London--Author returns
to Liverpool--Daniel's trouble with the Bears--Passing
the Indian Collection and grizly Bears through the
Customs--Arrival in London with Collection and Bears--Daniel
in difficulty--Howling of Bears passing through the
Tunnel--The "King of New York," and "King Jefferson."
On nearing the docks at Liverpool, not only all the passengers of the
ship, but all the inhabitants of the hills and dales about, and the
shores, were apprised of our approach to the harbour by the bellowing
and howling of the grizlies, who were undoubtedly excited to this sort
of _Te Deum_ for their safe deliverance and approach to _terra firma_,
which they had got a sight (and probably a smell) of.
The arrival of the Roscius on that occasion was of course a conspicuous
one, and well announced; and we entered the dock amidst an unusual
uproar and crowd of spectators. After the usual manner, the passengers
were soon ashore, and our luggage examined, leaving freight and grizly
bears on board, to be removed the next morning. From the moment of
landing on the wharf to the Custom-house, and from that to the hotel
where I took lodgings, I was obliged to "fend off," almost with foot
and with fist, the ragamuffins who beset me on every side; and in
front, in the rear, and on the right and the left, assailed me with
importunities to be allowed to carry my luggage. In the medley of
voices and confusion I could scarcely tell myself to which of these
poor fellows I had committed my boxes; and no doubt this (to them)
delightful confusion and uncertainty encouraged a number of them to
keep close company with my luggage until it arrived at the Grecian
Hotel. When it was all safely landed in the hall, I asked the lad who
stood foremost and had brought my luggage in his cart, how much was to
pay for bringing it up? "Ho, Sir, hi leaves it to your generosity, Sir,
has you are a gentleman, Sir; hit's been a werry eavy load, Sir."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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