Stirring scenes in savage lands : $b An account of the manners, customs, habits and recreations, peaceful and warlike, of the uncivilised worldGreenwood, James
History
Stirring scenes in savage lands : $b An account of the manners, customs, habits and recreations, peaceful and warlike, of the uncivilised world
Greenwood, James
Anthropology
It is probable that to his passion for “picture making” Mr. Catlin is
indebted for his great success among North-American children of the
wilderness. A glance through the two big volumes published by that
gentleman shows at once that he could have little time either for
eating, drinking, or sleeping; his pencil was all in all to him. No
one would suppose it by the specimens Mr. Catlin has presented to the
public, but we have his word for it, that some of the likenesses he
painted of the chiefs were marvels of perfection--so much so, indeed,
that he was almost tomahawked as a witch in consequence. He says:
“I had trouble brewing from another source; one of the _medicines_
commenced howling and haranguing around my domicile amongst the throng
that was outside, proclaiming that all who were inside and being
painted were fools and would soon die, and very naturally affecting
thereby my popularity. I, however, sent for him, and called him in
the next morning when I was alone, having only the interpreter with
me, telling him that I had had my eye upon him for several days and
had been so well pleased with his looks that I had taken great pains
to find out his history, which had been explained by all as one of a
most extraordinary kind, and his character and standing in his tribe
as worthy of my particular notice; and that I had several days since
resolved, that as soon as I had practised my hand long enough upon the
others to get the stiffness out of it (after paddling my canoe so far
as I had) and make it to work easily and succesfully, I would begin
on his portrait, which I was then prepared to commence on that day,
and that I felt as if I could do him justice. He shook me by the hand,
giving me the Doctor’s grip, and beckoned me to sit down, which I did,
and we smoked a pipe together. After this was over he told me that
he had no inimical feelings towards me, although he had been telling
the chiefs that they were all fools and all would die who had their
portraits painted; that although he had set the old women and children
all crying, and even made some of the young warriors tremble, yet he
had no unfriendly feelings towards me, nor any fear or dread of my art.
‘I know you are a good man (said he), I know you will do no harm to any
one; your medicine is great, and you are a great medicine-man. I would
like to see myself very well, and so would all of the chiefs; but they
have all been many days in this medicine-house, and they all know me
well, and they have not asked me to come in and be _made alive_
with paints. My friend, I am glad that my people have told you who I
am; my heart is glad; I will go to my wigwam and eat, and in a little
while I will come and you may go to work.’ Another pipe was lit and
smoked, and he got up and went off. I prepared my canvass and palette,
and whistled away the time until twelve o’clock, before he made his
appearance, having employed the whole forepart of the day at his
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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