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 American Indian CollectionCatlin, George
History
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 American Indian Collection
Catlin, George
England -- Description and travel; France -- Description and travel; Indians of North America
shut?" "I'll hanswer for that: hif you are ready, gentlemen, I'll show
you hup." My friend kept by my side, but knowing the gloomy fate that
awaited him if he got into the street again, he kept entirely quiet
until the little landlady was down stairs. "There," said he, "isn't she
a roarer? I could have settled the hash with her myself in a twinkling,
if she had only let me have said five words, but her tongue run so
slick that I couldn't get the half of a word in edgewise."
My new acquaintance and I talked a little more before we "turned in,"
but much more after we had got into bed. He could command words and
ideas fast enough when he was on his feet; but I found in him something
of Jim's peculiarity, that he thought much faster and stronger when
on his back; and for half an hour or so I reaped the benefit of the
improvement. How long I heard him, and how much he actually said, I
never could tell exactly; but what he said before I went to sleep I
always distinctly recollected, and a mere sentence or two of it was
as follows:--"Well, stranger, here we are: this is droll, ain't it?
'hodd,' as the landlady would call it. I'd a been in the streets
to-night as sure as catgut if it hadn't been for you. God knows I am
obliged to you. Youv'e got a sort o' way o' gettin' along ur' these
ere darned, ignorant, stupid sort o' beings. I can't do it: dod rot
'em! they put me out at every step; they are so eternally ignorant;
did you ever see the like? I suppose you are going to stop awhile in
Birmingham?" "A few days." "_I_ shall be here a week, and be bright
and early enough to get into a decenter house than this is, and be
glad to join you. I was told in London that the Ioway Indians went on
here yesterday. I'm damned anxious to meet them: you've seen them, I
suppose?" "Yes, I saw them in London." "Well, _I_ did not; I was just
too late; but I must go and look 'em up to-morrow: they know me." "Then
you have seen them'?" "Oh, dam 'em, yes: I've known 'em for several
years: they'll be at home with me at once. I've run buffaloes with
White-Cloud, the chief, many and many a time. He and I have camped out
more than once. They are a fine set of fellows. I'm going to spend some
time with them in Birmingham. I know 'em like a book. Oh yes, they'll
know me quick enough. I was all through their country. I went clean
up Lake Superior, nearly to Hudson's Bay. I saw all the Chippeways,
and the Black-feet, and the Crows, Catlin's old friends. By the way,
Catlin, I'm told, is with these Indians, or was, when they were in
London--he's all sorts of a man." "Have you seen him?" "Seen him?
why, dam it, I raised him, as the saying is: I have known him all
my life. I met him a number of times in the Prairie country; he's a
roarer." This was about the last that I distinctly recollected before
going to sleep; and the next morning my vigilant and wide-awake little
bedfellow, being about the room a little before me, where my name was
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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 American Indian Collection — 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