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 — John Shaqi
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
"During the presidency of Thomas Jefferson, who lived in the city of
Washington, two poor emigrants from the county of Cork, in my own
country, made their way to America in a vessel which landed them in
Philadelphia; they got ashore, and as they were taking their first
stroll through the streets in the 'land of liberty and equality,'
without a shilling in their pockets, they began to 'sing out' 'Huzza
for King George!' This of course excited too much opposition to last
long in the streets of a republican city, and a gentleman very kindly
stopped the poor fellows, and to their great surprise informed them
that he feared they would get into difficulty if they continued to
huzza for the king, as King George was not the king of the country they
were now in. He informed them that Mr. Jefferson was the great man in
America--that he was President of the United States, and that it would
not do for them to huzza for King George. They thanked him, and as
they proceeded on they increased the volume of their voices in huzzas
for 'King Jefferson!--huzza for King Jefferson!' This soon excited the
attention of the police, who silenced their bawling by 'putting them in
the jug!'"
CHAPTER III.
Letters of introduction--Driving a friend's horse and chaise--Amusing
accidents--English driving--"Turn to the _right_, as the law
directs"--A turn to the _left_--A fresh difficulty--Egyptian
Hall--Lease for three years--Arrangement of collection--Bears sold
and removed to Regent's Park Zoological Gardens--Their fates.
Having landed all my effects safely at the terminus in London, the
next thing was the final _locale_; and to decide on this, my letters
of introduction, or a part of them at least, should be delivered; and
for this and other dodgings about through the city for a few days,
the first gentleman to whom I delivered a letter had the kindness to
insist on my using his horse and chaise during certain portions of the
day, when he did not use them himself. This was the kindest thing that
he could have done for me, and I shall never forget the obligation he
laid me under by doing so. His footman, who accompanied me, relieved me
from all anxiety about the horse, which was a noble animal; and my long
errands through the mud were most delightfully abridged.
As the fatalities of life seem to bring us more or less trouble in
every step we take in it, I had mine, even in this new and independent
arrangement. In my first dash through the streets with all the
confidence and tact I had acquired from my boyhood in driving a
similar vehicle in my own country, I was suddenly in the midst of
fresh misfortune by "turning to the right, as the law directs" (the
regulation and custom of the United States), which brought my horse
into the most frightful collision with a pair that were driven by a
gentleman, and who had reined in the same direction under the English
custom of "turn to the left."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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