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
The Doctor's troubles commenced here, for just at that moment the
"fair dame" had caught the eye of the "_Roman-nose_," and holding up
a beautiful bracelet enclosing a brilliant stone, she tempted him up,
while she clasped it upon his arm as it was extended immediately over
the Doctor's head, whose unfailing politeness induced him to bow down
his head to facilitate the operation.
When the "_Roman-nose_" had taken his seat, and the poor Doctor
had raised up his head to meet the eyes and the taunts of his
fellow-Indians, who were laughing at him, and the gaze of the visitors
from every quarter of the room, there _was_ a _smile_, but altogether
a _new_ one, and a _new word_ should be coined for the sudden and
singular distress of the dilemma he was in: it would not do to
undervalue the beautiful present that was already upon his arm, and to
save his life he could not smile as pleasantly upon the _fair hand_
that gave it as he had been smiling a few minutes before. The trinket
had instantly fallen fifty per cent. in its value--the _brilliant_
prospect that had been before him had fled, and left him in the dread,
not only that his beautiful commercial prospects were blighted, but
that he was to have an enemy in the field.
The _Roman-nose_ received his present in a respectful and thankful
manner, but it was too late to be _affectionately_ accepted, as it
was the _second_ one that was afloat, and taken by him, partly as
an evidence of a kind heart, and partly as a foil to cover the true
meaning of the first one that had been bestowed. However, he valued it
very much, and the secret respecting the mistake that had been made in
presenting the first, having been committed only to Daniel and myself,
was thought best, for the peace of all parties, not to be divulged.
The amusements of the evening being finished, there commenced a general
shake of the hands, and when it had been requested by some of the
audience that the Indians should come on to the floor, the request
was instantly complied with, which afforded the most gratifying
opportunity for the visitors to get near to them, and scan them and
their costumes and weapons more closely. There was a general outcry by
the ladies for the wife of the Little-wolf to descend from the platform
with her little pappoose slung on her back in its splendid cradle,
ornamented with porcupine's quills and ermine skins. It was a beautiful
illustration, and formed one of the most attractive features of the
exhibition, for gentlemen as well as for ladies, as thousands will
recollect.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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