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
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
Finishing our conversation here, we found the Indians adjusting their
plumes, and their robes, and their weapons, preparing to step into
their "omnibus and four," to take their first rapid glance at the great
City of London, in "a drive," which was to pass them through some of
its principal thoroughfares for their amusement. At this moment of
excitement it was suddenly announced that one of the party (and a very
essential one), the "_Doctor_" (or _medicine man_), was missing! Search
was everywhere making for him, and when it was quite certain that he
could not have passed into the street, Jeffrey inquired of the curator
of the Hall if there was any passage that led out upon the roof? to
which the curator replied, "Yes." "Well then," said Jeffrey, "we may
be sure that he is there, for _it is 'a way that he has_:' he always
is uneasy until he gets as high as he can go, and then he will stay
there all night if you will let him alone." I went immediately to the
roof, and found him standing on one corner of the parapet, overlooking
Piccadilly,--wrapped in his buffalo robe, and still as a statue, while
thousands were assembling in the streets to look at him, and to warn
him of the danger they supposed him in.
The readers who have not had the pleasure of seeing this eccentric
character, will scarcely be able to appreciate the oddity of this freak
until they become better acquainted with the Doctor in the following
pages. I invited him down from his elevated position, which he seemed
reluctant to leave, and he joined his party, who passed into their
carriage at the door. In this moment of confusion, of escaping from
the crowd and closing the door, heads were counted, and the old Doctor
was missing again. A moment's observation showed, however, that his
_ascending_ propensity had gained him a position over their heads, as
he had seated himself by the side of the driver, with his buffalo robe
wrapped around him, the long and glistening blade of his spear passing
out from underneath it, near to his left ear, and his vermilioned face
surmounted by a huge pair of buffalo horns, rising out of a crest of
eagle's quills and ermine skins. Thus loaded, and at the crack of the
whip, and amidst the yelling multitude that had gathered around them,
did the fourteen Ioways dash into the streets, to open their eyes to
the sights and scenes of the great metropolis.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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