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 two most ambitious to profit by such adventures were "_Jim_" (as
I have before denominated him) and the "_Doctor_:" the _first_, from
a peculiar faculty he had of learning the English language (in which
he was making daily progress), and a consequent insatiable desire to
see and learn the modes, and everything he could, of white people,
excepting their religion; and the _second_, from an indomitable desire
to look in everywhere and upon everything, more for the pleasure of
gratifying a momentary curiosity, and enjoying a temporary smile, than
from any decided ambition to carry home and adopt anything, unless it
might be a vapour-bath, or something of the kind, in the way of his
profession.
In frock-coats and beaver hats, and boots, with a large stick or an
umbrella under the arm, and the paint all washed off, there was not
much in the looks of these two new-fangled gentlemen to attract the
public gaze or remark; and consequently little in the way of the sights
and treasures of London being opened to their view.
From the time that this expedient was adopted, our avocations became
more diversified and difficult; our anxieties and cares increased, and
with them our amusement: for with Melody the sights of London were as
yet prospective; and with me, whether old or new, I met them with an
equal relish with my unsophisticated brethren from the wilderness.
The amusement of "trying on" and "getting the hang" of the new dresses
made merriment enough for the party for one day; and all but these
two were quite willing to forego all the pleasures they could afford,
rather than cover their cool and naked heads with beaver hats, their
shoulders with frock-coats, and substitute for their soft and pliant
mocassins and leggings of buckskin, woollen pantaloons and high-heeled
boots. The two wiseacres, however, who had adopted them were
philosophers, and knew that they were only for certain occasions, after
which they were to be dropped off, and their limbs "at home again"
in their light and easy native dresses. They were obliged, on such
occasions (to be in keeping), to leave their long and ornamented pipes
and tomahawks behind, and (not to lose the indispensable luxury of
smoking) to carry a short and handy civilized pipe, with their tobacco,
and a box of lucifers, in their pockets.
Reader, pray don't try to imagine what a figure these two
copper-coloured "swells" cut, when they first sallied forth in their
new attire, for it will be in vain: but behold them and me, in the
future pages of this book, and when their dresses had got to work easy,
profiting by gazing upon the wonders and glories of civilization, which
we never otherwise could have beheld together.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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