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
Mr. Melody had, with my cordial approbation, employed an omnibus
with four horses, to drive them an hour each day for the benefit of
their health; and, at the same time, to amuse and instruct them, by
showing them everything that they could see in the civilized world to
their advantage. The Doctor joined, in good spirits, in the "drive"
of that day; and, as on the day before, was wrapped in his buffalo,
and seated by the side of the driver, with the polished blade of his
lance glistening above his head, as many Londoners who read this will
forcibly recollect.
From their drive, in which they had seen many strange things, they
returned in good spirits, and received in their chambers a private
party of ladies and gentlemen, my esteemed friends, and several
editors of the leading journals of London. A long and very interesting
conversation was held with them on several subjects, and the clear and
argumentative manner in which their replies were made, and the truly
striking and primitive modes in which they were found, at once engaged
the profound attention of all, and procured for them, besides some
handsome presents at the time, the strongest recommendations from the
editors of the press, as subjects of far greater interest than the
party of Ojibbeways, whom they had before seen. Amongst these visiters
they recognized with great pleasure, and shook hands with, my kind
friend Dr. Thomas Hodgkin, at whose hospitable board they had, a few
days before, with the author, partaken of an excellent dinner prepared
for them. This was the first gentleman's table they were invited to in
the kingdom, and probably the first place where they ever tried the use
of the knife and fork in the English style.
Dr. Hodgkin being of the Society of Friends, they received much kind
and friendly advice from him, which they never forgot; and from the
unusual shape of his dress, they called him afterwards (not being able
to recollect his name) _Tchon-a-wap-pa_ (the straight coat).
At night they were in the Hall again, and around them, amidst a greatly
increased audience, had the pleasure of beholding nearly all the faces
they had seen the night before; and the Doctor, in particular, of
seeing the smiling ladies whom he had invited to see the _scalp-dance_
and the _scalps_, and, to his more identical satisfaction, of
beholding, at the end of the platform where he had taken pains to
spread his robe and seat himself, the fair dame of _gushing_ charms,
to whom he was occasionally gently turning his head on one side
and smiling, as he presented to her view his copper-coloured arm,
encompassed with the golden bracelet.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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