"Their Majesties' Servants." Annals of the English Stage (Volume 3 of 3)Doran, Dr. (John)
History
"Their Majesties' Servants." Annals of the English Stage (Volume 3 of 3)
Doran, Dr. (John)
Actors -- Great Britain; Theater -- Great Britain -- History
"Towards the close of his second visit to America, Kean made a tour
through the northern part of the State, and visited Canada; he fell
in with the Indians, with whom he became delighted, and was chosen
a chief of a tribe. Some time after, not aware of his return to
the city, I received at a late hour of the evening a call to wait
upon an Indian chief, by the name of Alantenaida, as the highly
finished card left at my house had it. Kean's ordinary card was
_Edmund Kean_, engraved; he generally wrote beneath, '_Integer vitæ
scelerisque purus._' I repaired to the hotel, and was conducted
upstairs to the folding-doors of the hall, where the servant left
me. I entered, aided by the feeble light of the room; but at the
remote end I soon perceived something like a forest of evergreens,
lighted up by many rays from floor-lamps, and surrounded by a stage
or throne; and seated in great state was the chief. I advanced, and
a more terrific warrior I never surveyed. Red Jacket or Black Hawk
was an unadorned simple personage in comparison. Full dressed, with
skins tagged loosely about his person, a broad collar of bear-skin
over his shoulders, his leggings with many stripes, garnished with
porcupine quills; his moccasins decorated with beads, his head
decked with the war-eagle's plumes, behind which flowed massive black
locks of dishevelled horse-hair, golden-coloured rings pendant from
the nose and ears, streaks of yellow paint over the face, massive
red daubings about the eyes, with various lines in streaks about the
forehead, not very artistically drawn. A broad belt surrounded his
waist, with tomahawk; his arms with shining bracelets, stretched out
with bow and arrow, as if ready for a mark. He descended his throne,
and rapidly approached me. His eye was meteoric and fearful, like
the furnace of the Cyclops. He vociferously exclaimed, ALANTENAIDA,
the vowels strong enough. I was relieved, he betrayed something of
his raucous voice in imprecation. It was Kean. An explanation took
place. He wished to know the merits of the representation. The Hurons
had honoured him by admission into their tribe, and he could not now
determine whether to seek his final earthly abode with them, for
real happiness, or return to London and add renown to his name by
performing the Son of the Forest. I never heard that he ever after
attempted in his own country the character. He was wrought up to the
highest pitch of enthusiasm at the Indian honour he had received,
and declared that even old Drury had never conferred so proud a
distinction on him as he had received from the Hurons."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account