Illustrations of the manners, customs, & condition of the North American Indians, Vol. 1 (of 2): With letters and notes, written during eight years of travel and adventure among the wildest and most remarkable tribes now existingCatlin, George
History
Illustrations of the manners, customs, & condition of the North American Indians, Vol. 1 (of 2): With letters and notes, written during eight years of travel and adventure among the wildest and most remarkable tribes now existing
Catlin, George
Indians of North America
Besides these _distingués_ of this great and powerful tribe, I
painted in regular succession, according to their rank and standing,
Wan-ee-ton, chief of the _Susseton band_; Tah-zee-kah-da-cha (the torn
belly), a brave of the _Yancton band_; Ka-pes-ka-day (the shell), a
brave of the _O-gla-la band_; Wuk-mi-ser (corn), a warrior of the
_Nee-cow-ee-gee band_; Cha-tee-wah-nee-chee (no heart), chief of the
_Wah-nee-watch-to-nee-nah band_; Mah-to-ra-rish-nee-eeh-ee-rah (the
grizzly bear that runs without regard), a brave of the _Onc-pa-pa
band_; Mah-to-chee-ga (the little bear), a distinguished brave;
Shon-ka (the dog), chief of the _Ca-za-zhee-ta_ (bad arrow points)
_band_; Tah-teck-a-da-hair (the steep wind), a brave of the same
band; Hah-ha-ra-pah (the elk’s head), chief of the _Ee-ta-sip-shov
band_; Mah-to-een-nah-pa (the white bear that goes out), chief of the
_Blackfoot Sioux band_; Shon-ga-ton-ga-chesh-en-day (the horse dung),
chief of a band, a great conjuror and magician.
The portraits of all the above dignitaries can be always seen, as large
as life, in my very numerous Collection, provided I get them safe
home; and also the portraits of two very pretty Sioux women (+plate+
94), Wi-looh-tah-eeh-tchah-ta-mah-nee (the red thing that touches
in marching), and (+plate+ 95), Tchon-su-mons-ka (the sand bar). The
first of these women (+plate+ 94), is the daughter of the famous chief
called Black Rock, of whom I have spoken, and whose portrait has been
given (+plate+ 91). She is an unmarried girl, and much esteemed by the
whole tribe, for her modesty, as well as beauty. She was beautifully
dressed in skins, ornamented profusely with brass buttons and beads.
Her hair was plaited, her ears supported a great profusion of curious
beads—and over her other dress she wore a handsomely garnished buffalo
robe.
So highly was the Black Rock esteemed (as I have before mentioned), and
his beautiful daughter admired and respected by the Traders, that Mr.
M‘Kenzie employed me to make him copies of their two portraits, which
he has hung up in Mr. Laidlaw’s trading-house, as valued ornaments and
keepsakes.[10]
The second of these women (+plate+ 95) was very richly dressed, the
upper part of her garment being almost literally covered with brass
buttons; and her hair, which was inimitably beautiful and soft, and
glossy as silk, fell over her shoulders in great profusion, and in
beautiful waves, produced by the condition in which it is generally
kept in braids, giving to it, when combed out, a waving form, adding
much to its native appearance, which is invariably straight and
graceless.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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