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Illustrations of the manners, customs, & condition of the North American Indians, Vol. 2 (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. 2 (of 2): With letters and notes, written during eight years of travel and adventure among the wildest and most remarkable tribes now existing

Name: Illustrations of the manners, customs, & condition of the North American Indians, Vol. 2 (of 2): With letters and notes, written during eight years of travel and adventure among the wildest and most remarkable tribes now existing
Author: Catlin, George

Catlin, George

Indians of North America

As a work also of _national utility_, it would rank amongst the
most important in our country, and the Government might afford to
appropriate the whole sum necessary for its construction. In a period
of war, when in all probability, for a great part of the time, this
port may be in a state of blockade, such a communication with the
interior of the country, would be of incalculable benefit for the
transportation of men—of produce and munitions of war.

[Illustration: 147]

[Illustration: 148]

Of the few remnants of Indians remaining in this part of the country, I
have little to say, at present, that could interest you. The sum total
that can be learned or seen of them (like all others that are half
civilized) is, that they are to be pitied.

The direful “_trump of war_” is blowing in East Florida, where I was
“steering my course;” and I shall in a few days turn my steps in a
different direction.

Since you last heard from me, I have added on to my former Tour “down
the river,” the remainder of the Mississippi (or rather Missouri),
from St. Louis to New Orleans; and I find that, from its source to the
Balize, the distance is 4500 _miles only_! I shall be on the wing again
in a few days, for a shake of the hand with the Camanchees, Osages,
Pawnees, Kioways, Arapahoes, &c.—some hints of whom I shall certainly
give you from their different localities, provided I can keep the hair
on my head.

This Tour will lead me up the Arkansas to its source, and into the
Rocky Mountains, under the protection of the United States dragoons.
You will begin to think ere long, that I shall acquaint myself pretty
well with the manners and customs of our country—at least with the
_out-land-ish_ part of it.

I shall hail the day with pleasure, when I can again reach the free
land of the lawless savage; for far more agreeable to my ear is the
Indian yell and war-whoop, than the civilized groans and murmurs about
“_pressure_,” “_deposites_,” “_banks_,” “_boundary questions_,” &c.;
and I vanish from the country with the sincere hope that these tedious
words may become _obsolete_ before I return. Adieu.




                             LETTER—No. 37.

                   FORT GIBSON, _ARKANSAS TERRITORY_.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

History

Illustrations of the manners, customs, & condition of the North American Indians, Vol. 2 (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

As a work also of _national utility_, it would rank amongst the
most important in our country, and the Government might afford to
appropriate the whole sum necessary for its construction. In a period
of war, when in all probability, for a great part of the time, this
port may be in a state of blockade, such a communication with the
interior of the country, would be of incalculable benefit for the
transportation of men—of produce and munitions of war.

[Illustration: 147]

[Illustration: 148]

Of the few remnants of Indians remaining in this part of the country, I
have little to say, at present, that could interest you. The sum total
that can be learned or seen of them (like all others that are half
civilized) is, that they are to be pitied.

The direful “_trump of war_” is blowing in East Florida, where I was
“steering my course;” and I shall in a few days turn my steps in a
different direction.

Since you last heard from me, I have added on to my former Tour “down
the river,” the remainder of the Mississippi (or rather Missouri),
from St. Louis to New Orleans; and I find that, from its source to the
Balize, the distance is 4500 _miles only_! I shall be on the wing again
in a few days, for a shake of the hand with the Camanchees, Osages,
Pawnees, Kioways, Arapahoes, &c.—some hints of whom I shall certainly
give you from their different localities, provided I can keep the hair
on my head.

This Tour will lead me up the Arkansas to its source, and into the
Rocky Mountains, under the protection of the United States dragoons.
You will begin to think ere long, that I shall acquaint myself pretty
well with the manners and customs of our country—at least with the
_out-land-ish_ part of it.

I shall hail the day with pleasure, when I can again reach the free
land of the lawless savage; for far more agreeable to my ear is the
Indian yell and war-whoop, than the civilized groans and murmurs about
“_pressure_,” “_deposites_,” “_banks_,” “_boundary questions_,” &c.;
and I vanish from the country with the sincere hope that these tedious
words may become _obsolete_ before I return. Adieu.




                             LETTER—No. 37.

                   FORT GIBSON, _ARKANSAS TERRITORY_.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Illustrations of the manners, customs, & condition of the North American Indians, Vol. 2 (of 2): With letters and notes, written during eight years of travel and adventure among the wildest and most remarkable tribes now existing

Illustrations of the manners, customs, & condition of the North American Indians, Vol. 2 (of 2): With letters and notes, written during eight years of travel and adventure among the wildest and most remarkable tribes now existing

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