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Titre: Letters and notes on the manners, customs, and condition of the North American Indians [microform] : written during eight years' travel amongst the wildest tribes of Indians in North America, in 1832, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, and 39
Auteur: Catlin, George, 1796-1872
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vX
V
LETTERS AND NOTES
.")
.T'
/
MANNERS, CUSTOMS, AND CONDITION
OF TIIK
NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS.
BY GEO. CATLIN.
WRITTEN DURING
EIOIIT YEARS'
TRAVEL AMONGST THE WILDEST TRIBES OF
INDIANS IN NORTH AMERICA,
1832,
In
3;J,
lH,
IN
TWO VOLUMES,
3.'),
and 89.
36, 37, 38,
WITH rorn iiundked illustrations, cahefully engraved from
VOL.
«
•
•
•
.
•
•
original paintings.
I.
LONDON:
.
•
his
•
•
I
'.
PimLISHEDrfrrHij.7«jJ;UOR*,.*'Ar3'He
EQYPTIAN hall, PICCADILLY
^ft€NT£I» IIY.TOSSWILL A?ID*S«ViRi{; ^i'jJlDfi'nif^
*••*;
••• •.';
'
:*.•'•:•••.
I84r.--
•
••••.
^Entered at Stutionen' Hall.]
J
4
-
•
'""•
-Tfc*««ii
-•
•
• -
1
-I
CONTENTS
OP
THE FIRST VOLUME.
Frontisi'IECe
Map
The Author painting a Chief
:
in
an Indian
Village.
nf Indian Localities embraced within the Author's Travels.
LETTER— No.
Wyoming,
— His former Profession — First cnuse of his
to
— Delegation of Indians in Philadelphia —
birth-place of the Author, p. i.
Travels to the Indian Country
the Far West, in 1832, p.
visited,
1.
First ;tart
National Gallery— Numbers of Tribes
3.— Design of forming a
— Probable extinction
— Former and present numbers of —The proper mode of approachinfj
and number of Paintings and other things collected, p. 4.
of the Indians, p. 5.
them, and estimating their character, p. 5
— 10.
Certificates of Government Officers, Indian Agents and others, as to the fidelity of the
Portraits
and other Paintings,
p. 11
— 13.
LETTER— No.
Mouth of Yellow
Missouri
Stone, p. 14, pi.
— Politeness
Indian Epicures
M
—New
and true School
LETTER— No.
3,
bluff's, p.
19, pi.
for the
Louis— Difficulties
Arts
— Fur
6.— First
—Beautiful
p.
it,
p.
14—16.
Stone.
—Pic-
prairie shores, p. 19, pi. 5.
appearance of a steamer
mouth of Yellow Stone— M'Keniie— His
of the
Company's Fort
— Beautiful Models,
Mouth of Yellow
and curious conjectures of the Indiana about
at the
St.
of Mr. Chouteau and Major Sanford
Character of Missouri River, p. 18, pi. 4.
turesque clay
2.
3.— Distance from
at the
Yellow Stone,
20.— Fur Company's Establishment
21.— Indian
table and politeness, p.
tribes in this vicinity, p. 22.
LETTER— No.
4,
Mouth
of
Yellow Stone.
Upper Missouri Indians— General character, p. 23.— Buffaloes— Description
pis. 7, 8
—Modes
Wounded
of killing
bull, p. 26, pi.
them— Buflfalo-hunt, p. 25.— Chardon's
10.— Extraordinary
feat of
of,
Leap, p. 26,
Mr. M'Kenrie,
p.
p. 24,
pi.
9.—
27.— Retnrn
from the chase, p. 28.
A 2
IV
LETTKK— No.
Aiitlior'8
iUackfuot
pis.
—
Mourn of Yellow Stone.
5,
pnintinx-room, und chiiructprs in
t'.',
cliicfH,
13.— Sculps, und
lilnckfout
(rbjects for
hows, HJiinhU, urrows
Ulackfeet, p. 'M, pU. 14,
l.'i,
—
—
— red
lllMckfoot chief,
it, ]>. 'J9.
costumeii,
tlipir
itiul
which
riikim
]i.
39, pi. 11.
womun and
Mlackl'oot
:U),
|).
— Other
M,
pi. lU.
—
30,
j).
pipe's, iind pip«-!itone (luiirry,
iind luucoa, p. oU,
|>.
I'l
1)1
31.
Suvttral distinguished
16, 17.
LETTER— No.
I'l
Ixl
child,
m
Mouth or Yellow Stone.
6,
— medicine-bnij;— origin of the word medicine, p. 3.5.^Mode of
forming the niedicine-hng, p.
— Vulue of the medicine-hag to the Indian, und mate-
Medicines or iny> leries
3(i.
rials for their construction, p. 37, pi.
of curing the sick, p. 39,
19.
pi.
—
111.
—
I
(lack foot doctor or
medicine-man
— his mode
and importance of mediciue-men,
Difl'erent offices
p. 41.
LETTER— No.
7,
Mouth of Yellow Stone.
— General character and appearance, p. — Killing and drying
— Crow lodge or wigwam, 43, 20. — Striking their tents and
45.
21. — Mode of dressing and smoking skins,
encampment moving,
44,
Crows — Heauty of
dresses — Horse-stealing or capturing — Reasons why they are
Crows and Blackfeet
meat, p. 43,
pi.
4!2.
pi.
p.
S!2.
pi.
p.
p.
their
called rogues and robbers of the
first
LETTER— No.
Further remarks on the Crnws
Crow
8,
order, &o. p;
Mouth
of
4(>.
Yellow Stone.
— Extraordinary length of
—Their modes
— Peculiarities of the
— Crow and DIackfeet women
hair, p. 49.
head, and several portraits, p. 30, pis. 14, 25, 26, 27.
— Differences between the Crow and
— Different bands— Different languages, and numbers of the
52. — Knisteneaux — Assinneboins, and Ojibbeways, p. 53. — Ass.nneboina
Blackfeet,
32.
54. — Pipe-dance,
a part of the Sioux —Their mode of boiling meat,
55,
28, 29.— His
56. — Dresses
Wi-jun-jon (a chief) and wife,
Washington,
34. — Knisteneaux (or Crees)
of women and children of the Assinneboins,
57,
character and numbers, and several
30, 31,— Ojibbeways— Chief
57,
of dressing and pair.dng, p. 51.
Blackfoot languages, p. 51.
p.
ItJ
p.
p.
pis.
visit to
pi.
p.
portraits, p.
and wife, p. 58,
pi.
p.
pis.
pis. 35, 36.
LETTER— No.
Contemplations of
9,
Mouth
West and
of Yellow Stone.
f
—
Old acquaintance,
customs, p. 59.
March and effects of civilization, p. 60. The " Far West" The Author in
p. 60.
search of it, p. 62. Meeting with " Ba'tiste," a free trapper, p. 63, 64.
the Ureat Far
its
—
LETTER— No.
A
10,
strange place— Voyage from
Commencement
— Wi-jun-jon
—
—
—
Mandan Village, Upper
Mouth of Yellow Stone down
— Leave M'Kenzie's
Fort, p.
(
Missouri.
the river to Alandans
— Assinneboins encamped on the river
—Mountain-sheep,
lecturing on the customs of white people
p.
67.
War-PRKles- GriKly
II.— Other
pi.
cliild,
30,
J).
B t|imrry,|>,
I
benrs, p.
68.— Clny
— Rud puniicH stono— A wild
bear iind
cubs— tJournfjeous attack— Cunoe
31.
—
p. 69,
(irizzly
our meats on a
bufl'alo
p.
p.
bluft's
pi.
p.
to
pi.
p.
44.— Arrival
at the
Mandan
bluft"
village, p. 79.
of
and inute-
lan^iis mode
luediciue-meo.
i
LETTER— No.
Location
— Village, p. 00,
tion of village
interior
j)l.
45.
11,
— Former
Mandan Village.
locations, fortification of their village
and mode of constructing their wigwams,
— Beds— Weapons— Family
— Fire-side
and drying
tents
71.— Eating
in
p. 7U, pis. 43,
leir
robbed, p.
sleep, p. 70.
after
pi.
ig
— Mountainefr'u
in
berries, p.
nificent
35.— Mode
stroll
— Knciunping the night — Voluptuous scene of wild flowers,
74— Magan elk — War-party discovered,
Ti. — Adventure
bush and
— Table land, 75.
scenery
the " (Jrnnd iXitour" —Stupendous clay
40, — " Orand Dome" — Prairie dogs — Village
39. — Antelope shooting,
76,
42. — Pictured
and the Three Domes,
them,
shoot
77,
Fruitless endeavours
pile of drift-wood
(Ii8tiii^ui8lit>d
lian,
" brick-kilns," volranic ipmoins,
bluffsj,
pis. 37, 3a.
fun and
groups, p. 82, 83, pi. 46.
story-telling, p.
84.
— Causes
— Descrip-
p. 131, lit'.— Description
— Indian
garrulity
of
— Jokes
of Indian taciturnity in civilized
society, p. 85.
and
ikins, p. 45.
why
LETTER— No.
they are
12,
Mandan Village.
—The "big canoe"— Medicine-lodge —
89. — llespect
— Mode of depositing the dead on
— Visiting the dead— Feeding the dead— Converse with the dead— Bones of
Bird's-eye view
of the village, p. 87, pi. 47.
strange medley, p. 88.
the (lead
to
scaflfolds, p.
the dead, p. 90, pi. 48.
iarities
ckfeet
of the
women
LETTER— No.
Crow and
the
iimbitrs
of the
AsB.nneboina
J5, pi.
66.
32.—
— Dresses
The wolf-chief
iways
Village.
—Several
portraits, p. 92, pis. .50,
Made
pi.
p.
p.
LETTER— No.
14,
Mandan
— Higli value set upon
of war-eagle's quills and ermine, p. 100,
—A Jewish custom,
gris,
p.
p. 94.
— Chief
cquaictance,
Mandan
Peculiarities
Costumes of the Mandans
10
13,
tribe, p. 92, pi. 49.
— Personal appearance —
—Complexion, 93.—"Cheveux
— Hair of the men — Hair of the women, 95, 54.— Bathing and swimming,
96.— Mode of swimming— Sudatories or vapour-baths,
71.
97-8,
51, 58, 53.
p.
or Crees)
— Head-chief of the
them
pi.
Village.
—Two horses
for a head-dress
101.— Head-dresses with
horns, p. 103.
p. 104.
Author in
LETTER— No.
Astonishment of the Mandans
Mandan Village.
instoUed medicine or medicine-man, p. 106.
UI.
IMandans
on the river
p.
15,
at the operation
67.—
see and to touch him, p. 107,
of the Author's brush, p.
— Superstitious
fears for those
—The
Objections raised to being painted,
p. 109.
Mandan
how brought
doctor, or medicine-man, and
105.—The Author
— Crowds around the Author— Curiosity
f
V
who were
to
painted, p. 108.
Author's operations opposed by a
over, p. 110, pi. 55.
———
VI
LETTER— No.
An
Indian henii or ilondy.
Ui.— A
\t.
toh-pn (thufour boars), sticond
fniitl..«s I'lidenvour
oliU'f
of
Polypnmy— Reasons and excuses
Early marriages
fuuiited in hid
115.— Pemican and marrow-fut— Maudan
pottery
p. liiO.
for
it,
— Paternal and
— Slavish
lives
Man dan
17,
Village.
118.— Marriages, how contracted— Wives
p.
aftection
filial
— Virtue and modesty of women
and occupations of the Indian women,
p.
HI.
— Pomme
in
in
12'^.
in
l'J3.
]>.
salt, p.
salt
124.
•
LETTER— No.
—"
—
for the chase
HiifTiilo
Start
Mandan
18,
dance," p. V27, p\.M.
Village.
— Discovery of buffaloes—Preparations
— A decoy — A retreat— Death and scalping,
LETTER— No.
19,
Mandan
p. 129.
Village.
Sham fight and sham scalp dance of the Mandanboys.p. 13l,pl. 57.— Game of Tcliung-kee
p.
132, pi. 59.
p. 133, pi.
— Feasting — Fasting
47.—illain makers and
" The thunder boat"
LETTER— No.
pi.
LETTER — No.
21,
Mah-to-toh-p», Cthe Four IJears)
of Mah-to-toh-pa, with
all
arrow,"
— and
p. 157.
Its
p.
value
pi. 38.
p. 110.
Mandan Village.
20,
p. 141, pi. 60.
Mandan
— Wild
—Horse-racing,
horses
Village, Upper Missouri.
— His costume and
the battles of his
22,
life
his jtortrait, p. 145, pi. 64.
painted on
it,
—The robe
p. 148, pi. 65.
Mandan Village.
156. — Three objects of the
— Mandan
creed,
—Place of holding the ceremony— Big canoe—Season of commencing
religious ceremonies
ceremony,
— White buffalo robe—
— Uain making, 135,
in council, p. 143, pi. 63.
LETTER— No.
Mandan
and sacrificing
rain stoppers, p. 131.
— The big double medicine,
Mandan archery — " Game of the
61. — Foot war-party
142,
p.
religious
p.
— Opening the medicine lodge — Sacrifices to the water,
— J3el-lohck-nah-pick,
67. — Pobk-hong (the cutting or torturing scene), p. 169,
manner, p, 158.
p. 159.
Fasting scene for four days and nights, p. 161, pi. 66.
(the bull
dance), p. 164,
pi.
pi,
lul
Local
— Dried meat— Caches — Modes of cooking, and times of eating— Attitudes
— Separation of males and females eating — the Indians moderate eaters
eating, p.
— Curing meat the sun, without smoke or — The wild
— Some exceptions,
Indian dancing
Ml
wiKwani,
blanche
Indians eat no
^A
116.
p.
LETTER— No.
bought and sold,
to puinl one, p. ll:J.— Muli-to-
tribe— The Author
tlu«
I'.ll
t
1'
p. Ill, pi. ().;.— Viands of the feast, p.
— Uobo presented,
Manimn Villaoe.
Ifi,
68.—
Oil
——
—
vii
Kli-ki'-nah-ka-nnli-pick, (the
|).
,
I
p. 177.
— Miuidau pottvry
Inst
l?.*).
race) p.
— rraditiun
of U-kee-hee-du
Location and numbers
ideaty of
pi.
ii<.).
— r.xtrnorilinary
—
(he water,
inttan
of
t>s
of tho
(.'iTtificnttis
I7(i.
\>.
Ironi these liorrilile crueltieH, with traditions,
(^the F.vil
Spirit), p. 179.
— .Muiiduns can
ho civi-
lised, p. lH:i.
L1-:TTER— No.
— Wires
Old
women
Green corn dance,
ontracted
17,1,
— Sarriticiii^ to
— Inferences drawn
Mundan ceremonies
wigwam,
tod in Inn
sulf-turture, p.
[ cruelly in
n.).— Mall-to-
chief,
— Oripn,
niack Moccasin,
1«1.— Pomnie
ting— Attitudes in
185.
p.
MiNATAUiK Vui.aok.
23,
— IVincipal
70.— N'npour baths,
— Two portraits, man and woman, pis.
villii(,'i>,
pi. 71.
pi.
p. lUti, pi. 72.
7.1,
—
71.
p. 189, pi. 75.
p.
I.
LETTER— No.
US moderate eatera
or salt— The wild
pi. 76.
Minataree Vim.aoe.
24,
('rows, in the IVIinataree village, p. 191.
—
(Iritvr
chief on horseback, in
— I'eculiarities of the Crows— Long hair— Semi-lunar faces, p.
Itats in the
Minataree village, p. 195.
of Minataree girls, p. 196
— Crossing Knife lUverin " bull
full ilress, p. 191?,
77, 78,
19;J, pis.
boat"—Swimming
— llorse-nicir -— A^ianter — Tlidinga " naked horse,"
— Cutting up and carrying in meat,
Cirand buffalo surround, p. 199, pi. 79.
p. 197.
p. 'iOl,
)e8— Preparations
LETTER— No.
An
value
p. 135, pi.
58.—
— Iliccaree
village,
— Kzpedition of Madoc,
of Tchung-kee
robe— Its
p. 209.
— Ha-wan-je-tah
w'ife, p.
812, pls.87, 88.
m
80.
— Portraits of Riccarees, 201,
—Origin of tho Mauduns— Welsh colony
hills
Moutji of Teton Riveu.
— Mississippi and Missouri Sioux,
— Puncahs, Shoo-de-go-cha (chief^ and
Pierre, pi. 85.
p. 211, pi. 86.
— Four wives taken once, p. 213, 90. —
215.
— Early marriages — Causes
at
pi.
i'ortrait
of one of
of, p.
TtroN River.
27, Moirni of
— A tedious march on
— Level
— Mirage— Looming of the
218. — Turning the toes
meadows,
219 — Arrive
assemblage of Sioux
Fort Pierr«—
of the thief— Superstitious objections— Opposed by the doctors,
the aged, p. 216.
Salt
pis. 8.1,
p.
foot, p. Stl8.
" Out of sight of land"
— Uijou —
— Paint the
63.
26,
— Fort
(chief)
LETTER— No.
Custom of exposing
64.—The robe
1.
pi.
the wives, p. 214, pi. 89.
-Horse- racing,
MihsouRi.
p. 206-7.
Sioux or (Dah-co-ta^, p. 208.
50UUI.
p.204,
LETTER— No.
3
Mandan Village, Upper
Indian offering himself for a pillow, p. 203.
81, 82,81.
le
25, Little
prairies
prairies, p.
in
CJreat
at
p.
portrait
p.
220.— Difficulty settled— Death of Ha-wan-je-tah
objects of the
(the
chieO— Mode of,
p.
221.— Por-
— Wampum, 222-3, 91,92. — iSeautiful Sioux women
Daughter of lllack llock — CImrdoii, his Indian wife,
824-5,
94, 95.
traits
of other Sioux chiefs
pis.
p.
p.
pis.
of commencing
R'ater, p.
LETTER— No.
159.
pick, (the bull
169, pi.
68.—
Arrival of the
(iist
28,
Mouth
of
Teton River.
— Indian vanity — Watching
steamer amongst the Sioux,
227. — Dog-feast,
Difficulty of painting Indian
women,
p. 226.
p.
|i.
their portraits-
22il, pl. 9»>.
VIII
LETTER— No.
Voluntnry
tortur«»,
>'iiiokin^ "
k'nick-k'neck"
Tomnliawka
,»
" looking
— Scalp* —
iiiul
gcalpiri)^
at
—
Mouth
'29,
ilm sim," p.
knives, p.
— H«li^'iouB ceremony,
—
nf
— CuliimotH or
UH).
— Dance the
— Modea of ryin^ and uaing the
p. 0S.1.
pi. !)7.
V.I'J,
I'ipoM, p. V.'H, pi.
or Tetov River.
I'll.
puiu'H,
pipi'H
iM rule (if tiikinif, un<l oliject, p. 838-'.).
p.V.'J.S
r'liefa, p. i!\7, pi.
of
'i:iS-6, ]>1. 9l>.
cui
HcnIpM, p. ttd, pi. 101.
LETTER— No.
Mouth
30,
Imlion wenponanndinHtrumuntH of music, p. Vtl,
the shield p. 241.
101 J.
— Tohncco
— Hear dunce,
pouchea
p. 2 14, pi.
lOS.
LETTER— No.
Hiaona (or buflnloeH) doacription
wallows
— Fairycirclea,
107. —
851,
arrow, p.
— Drums —
Mouth
of, p.
Hiiflalo
iiml aliifld
chase
tiance, p. 24,i,
of, p. 2111
—
hiso, p.
1
attackin)^ hulfaloes, p. 2J7-U, pla. 1 \S, 114.
U
P'
i
.•I
!?
-. t
,
S
HulU'
2.^;l,
li(,'hltnp
— Huirnlo
— Conti mplationa on
Iluntin);
pi.
10.
—
2ti4.
pi.
— Use of the
lOH, 109. —
— Morses destroyed buffalo hunting,
p. '2/14, pi.
—
of bufTuloea and Indians, p. 250,
'.il'i,
pU. 103, 104.
-Run;. ing the huffoloea.und throwinj; the
111.— Iluffalo calf Mode of catching and bringing'
Immense and wanton destruction of buffaloes 1,400 killed,
p. 26.S, pi.
— Smoking
l.ules, p.
of Teton Riveu.
?t7. — llnbita
p. '^4y, pla. lOft, !()(>.-
pi.
— (Quiver
— Uhiatlea —
ItHttles
— Ueggnra' dance — Scalp
31,
under mn8(|Ue of white wolfskins,
or Teton River.
pi. 101 J.
in
in,
p.
p. i.W,
2.')6.
pi.
112.—
— White wolves
the probable extinction
I
III.
w*i
•TKmony,
of poiUH,
'«r«i.
k
inn:
p. '2S:l.
[1.
p.?.17,
v.S.S
|)l.
_
KK).
ami Uiing the
Cit.
I
^
Hlii..|,l— Smoitiiip
'iK''H'nR— liiifrnio
'
I,
anil throwing'
tlitt
"". >0!).— Hunting
i'l
6
bulTiilo
s?'5,
'•
hunting,
pi.
iia_
— White wolves
fobuhle extinction
.'^^^
I
1
I
;^II^Wt<i
I
"i/i
'o/dUfi'
/'v/y.
7
i)rr,niri^:
'J^l!£_^i_J\^lh,.m
XchvnujtMv«ri,^.\'o
T<:f,wi/iJ:Mv«rs. .\'0
LETTERS AND NOTES
ON THE
NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS.
*
roqacnsl
fQ'
Oneida*
LETTER— No.
\
1
iTiw
Y
HK
<)
As
tbe following pages have been hastily compiled,-at the urgent request
of a number of
my
friends,
from a
series
of Letters and Notes written by
myself during several years' residence and travel amongst a number of the
\N
I
North American Indians, I have
page the beginning of my book ; dispensing
with Preface, and even with Dedication, other iwjo. that which I hereby
AC
wildest
and most remote
thought
it
best to
make
make
it,
with
my
of
If it
my
<
r.llTOrt
^
readers will understand that I
^eokoat
c
will take the pains to read
it.
had no space
in these,
my
first
volumes,
;
myself the sin of calling this one of the series of Letters of which
spoken
;
although
beginning of
(Mlalei-as
who
nor much time at r y disposal, which I could, in justice,
use for introducing myself and my works to the world.
Having commenced thus abruptly then, I will venture to take upon
away
duce myself
v!^
heart, to those
be necessary to render any apology for beginning thus unceremoniously,
to throw
"Chntles
all
tribes of the
this
I
am
writing
it
several years later,
and placing
it
I
have
at the
my book by which means I will be enabled briefly to intfomy readers (who, as yet, know little or nothing of me), and
;
to
also the subjects of the following epistles, with such explanations of the
customs described in them, as will serve for a key or glossary to the same,
&nd prepare the reader's mind for the information they contain.
Amidst the multiplicity of books which are, in this enlightened age,
flooding the world, I feel it my duty, as early as possible, to beg pardon for
making a book at all and in the next (if my readers should become so
;
much
'^^
interested in
my
narrations, as to censure
work) to take some considerable credit
upon
their time
Leaving
my
VOL.
•M
l.
X fritvm nrrmwlcK^\
Tcf;wJlS:M7er&.':::
I.
in
me
for the brevity
of the
having trespassed too long
and patience.
readers, therefore, to find out
promising them anything,
Wyoming,
for not
I
proceed to say
North America, some
what
—of
is
in
the book, without
myself, that
I
was born
in
thirty or forty years since, of parents
B
;
!
i
entered that beautiful and famed valley soon ofter the close of the
revolutionary war, and the disastrous event of the " Indian massacre."
who
The
early part of
my
life
was whiled away, apparently, somewhat
with books reluctantly held in one hand, and a
and affectionately grasped in the other.
rifle
in vain,
or fishing-pole firmly
my father, who was a practising lawyer, I was
abandon these favourite themes, and also my occasional
dabblings with the brush, which had secured already a corner in my
afTections ; and I commenced reading the law for a profession, under the
I attended the lectures Oi
direction of Reeve and Gould, of Connecticut.
was admitted to the bar and practised
these learned judges for two years
the law, as a sort of Nimrodical lawyer, in my native land, for the term of
two or three years ; when I very deliberately sold my law library and all
(save my rifle and fishing-tackle), and converting their proceeds into brushes
At
the urgent request of
prevailed upon to
—
and paint pots
;
commenced
I
—
$
"'J.
the art of painting in Philadelphia, without
teacher or adviser.
my hand
my mind was
there closely applied
I
during which time
to the labours of the art for several years;
continually reaching for some branch or
enterprise of the art, on which to devote a whole life-time of enthusiaspi
or fifteen noble and dignified-looking Indians,
from the wilds of the " Far West," suddenly arrived in the city, arrayed
and equipped in all their classic beauty,—with shield and helmet,—
with tunic and manteau, tinted and tasselled off", exactly for the painter's
when a delegation of some ten
i
—
II
palette
In silent and stoic dignity, these lords of the forest strutted about the city
for
K
.
a few days, wrapped
in their
pictured robes, with their brows
plumed with
the quills of the war-eagle, attracting the gaze and admiration of
beheld them.
was
all
who
After this, they took their leave for Washington City, and
left to reflect
and
regret,
which
I
did long and deeply, until I
I
came to
and conclusions.
Clack and blue cloth and civilization are destined, not only to veil, but to
Man, in the simplicity and
obliterate the grace and beauty of Nature.
loftiness of his nature, unrestrained and unfettered by the disguises of art,
and the country from
is surely the most beautiful model for the painter,
which he hails is unquestionably the best study or school of the arts in the
world such I am sure, from the models I have seen, is the wilderness of
North America. And the history and customs of such a people, presen'ed
by pictorial illustrations, are themes worthy the life-time of one man, and
nothing short of the loss of my life, shall prevent me from visiting their
country, and of becoming their listorian.
There was something inexpressibly delightful in the above resolve, which
was to bring me amidst such living models for my brush and at the same
time to place in my hands again, for my living and protection, the objects
of my heart above-named
which bad long been laid by to rust and decay
the following deductions
—
:
;
;
^
;
of the
:Iose
the
city,
without
tlie
remotest prospect of
rhat in vain,
amusement.
I had fully resolved
-pole firmly
got not one advocate or abettor.
lacre."
—
I
opened
my
I
views to
tried fairly
again
my
contiibuting
friends
and
and
faithfully,
to
my
but
was in
relations,
but
it
vain to reaso.i with those whose anxieties were ready to fabricate every
iwyer,
and danger that could be imagined, without being able to undermy designs, and I broke
from them all, from my wife and my aged parents, myself my only
was
I
difficulty
stand or appreciate the extent or importance of
y occasional
)rner
adviser and protector.
With
e lectures Oi
these views firmly fixed
—armed,
equipped, and supplied,
I
started
the tenn of
year 1832, and penetrated the vast and pathless wilds which are
familiarly denominated the great "Far West" of the North American
and
Continent, with a light heart, inspired with an enthusiastic hope and reliance
nd practised
r
—
—
my
in
under the
n,
}rary
all
into brushes
)hia,
without
out
in the
that
I
could meet and overcome
devoted to the production of a
all
literal
the hazards and privations of a
and graphic delineation of the
life
living
manners, customs, and character of an interesting race of people, who
everal years;
branch or
tie
city,
arrayed
helmet,—
id
thus snatching from a hasty
looks and history
what could be saved for the benefit of posterity, and perpetuating
as a fair and just monument, to the memory of a truly lofty and noble
with
enthusiaspi
(ing Indians,
the painter's
fidelity their native
plumed with
n of
I
who
all
and
City,
I
it,
race.
have spent about eight years already
in the pursuit above-named, having
most of that time immersed in the Indian country, mingling
with red men, and identifying myself with them as much as possible, in
their games and amusements; in order the hetter to familiarize myself with
their superstitions and mysteries, which are the keys to Indian life and
I
veil,
but to
mplicity
and
uises of art,
:ountry from
arts in the
e
wilderness of
e,
le
preserved
man, and
isiting
their
was during the several years of my life just mentioned, and whilst I
them in their sports and amusements, that
penned the following series of epistles; describing only such glowing or
It
I
at the
which
same
the objects
and decay
in familiar participation with
my immediate observation ; leavingand many of their traditions, language, &c. for a subsequent and much more elaborate work, for which I have procured the
materials, and which I may eventually publish.
I set out on my arduous and perilous undertaking with the determination
curious scenes and events as passed under
their early history,
of reaching, ultimately, every tribe of Indians on the Continent of North
America, and of bringing home faithful portraits of their principal personages,
both
and
solve,
for the
character.
came to
was
}
;
oblivion
been
bout the city
—
away from the face of the earth lending a hand to a
dying nation, who have no historians or biographers of their own to pourtray
are rapidly passing
men and women, from each
full
tribe,
views of their villages, games, &c.
notes on their character and history.
I d(
signedj
also,
to procure
and a complete collection of their manuft tures and weaperpetuate them in a Gallery unique^ for the use and instruction
their costumes,
pons, and to
of future ages.
I
claim whatever merit there
may
have been in
Llie
originality of
13
2
such a
design, as
was uiidoubtedly
I
tlie first
out upon sucli a
artist wlio ever set
Mountains
worii, dosigninj^ to carry his canvass to tiie Rocliy
sidorable part of the following;; Letters were written
and
;
and a con-
pid)lished in the
New
York Papers, as early as the years 18;j2 and 183,3; long before the Tours of
Washington Irving, and several others, whoso interesting narratives are
before the world.
means
have, as yet, by no
I
very great way
success than
visited all the tribes
but
have progressed a
I
more complete
expected,
I
have visited forty-eight different
I
;
the enterprise, and with far greater and
witli
of which
tribes, the greater part
I
found
speaking different languages, and containing in all 400,001) souls.
1 have
brought home safe, and in good order, 310 portraits in oil, all painted in
their native dress,
in oil,
and
in their
own wigwams
religious ceremonies
and other amusements (containing
— their
in all,
curious collection of their costumes, and
A
also 200 other paintings
wigwams their games and
and
over 3,000 full-length figures); and
the landscapes of the country they live
the size of a
;
—
— their dances — their ball plays— their buffalo hunting,
containing views of their villages
wigwam down
in,
all
as well as a very extensive
and
their other manufactures,
from
to the size of a (piill or a rattle.
considerable part of the above-named paintings, and Indian manufac-
tures, will be
found amongst the very numerous
pages; having been,
own hand,
in
illustrations in the following
every instance, faithfully copied and reduced by
my
my
and the reader of
" Catlin's North
this book who will take the pains to step in to
A.MEiiiCAN Indian Gallery," will find nearly every scene and custom
which is described in this work, as well as many others, carefully and
correctly delineated, and displayed upon the walls, and every weapon (and
every
from
for the engraver,
"Sachem" and
every
original paintings
;
"Sagamore" who has wielded them) according
to the tenor of the tales herein recited.
So much of myself and of
my
works, which
is all
that
I
wish to say at
present.
Of
the
Indians,
delineations of them,
I
have
and
much more
to say, and
and customs,
their character
further apology for requesting the attention of
The Indians
rM
and
(as
prairies of
I
I
the following
shall
make no
readers.
shall call them), the savages or red
North America, are at
and some importance
my
to
men of
the forests
time a subject of great interest
this
rendered more particularly so in
and their rapid declension from, the
civilized nations of the earth.
A numerous nation of human beings, whose
origin is beyond the reach of human investigation,
whose early history is
lost
whose term of national existence is nearly expired three-fourths of
whose country has fallen into the possession of civilized man within the short
space of 250 years
twelve millions of whose bodies have fattened the soil in
the mean time
who have fallen victims to whiskey, tlie small-pox and the
tiiis
to the civilized world
;
age, from their relative position to,
—
—
—
;
—
;
IIS
New
Tiie writer
are
ivc progressed a
who would undertake
all
a short lime
to
the whole history of sucli a
embody
their misfortunes
the race should have passed
more ooinplctc
[
to live
and calamities, must needs have niucli
more space than I hav3 allotted to this epitome; and he must needs begin
also (as I am doing) with those who are living, or he would be very apt to
dwell upon the preamble of his work, until the present living remnants of
people, with
ore the Tours of
narratives
but a meagre proportion
longer, in the certain apprehensicm of soon sharing a similar fate.
;
shed in the
this time
bayonet; leaving at
upon such a
and a con-
It
away
;
and
their existence
and customs,
like
those of figes gone bye, become subjects of doubt and incredulity to the
which
of
J souls.
all
1,
I
whom his book was preparing. Such an historian also, to do them
nmst needs correct many theories and opinions which have, either
ignorantiy or maliciously, gone forth to the world in indelible characters ;
and gatlier and arrange a vast deal which has been but imperfectly recorded,
or placed to the credit of a people who have not had the means of recording
it
tiiemselves
but have entrusted it, from necessity, to the honesty and
world
found
1
painted in
other paintinjis
3
their
for
justice,
have
games and
buffalo hunting,
;
punctuality of their enemies.
Tth figures); ami
sry extensive and
inufactures, from
In such an history should be embodied, also, a correct account of their
and a
and systematical prophecy as to the time and manner of their final
extinction, based upon the causes and the ratio of their former and present
treatment, and the causes which have led to their rapid destruction
;
plain
Indian manufac5
declension.
in the following
reduced by
id
So Herculean a
my
but
nd the reader of
atlin's
Noutii
;ene and custom
carefully and
rs,
ery weapon (and
them) according
I
task
may
my
to
fall
send forth these volumes at
lot at a future period, or
this time,
fresh
and
full
it
may
not
of their livins
deeds and customs, as a familiar and unstudied introduction (at least) to
them and their native character which I confidently hope will repay the
readers who read for information and historical facts, as well as those who
read but for amusement.
The world know generally, that the Indians of North America are coppercoloured, that their eyes and their hair are black, &c.
that they are mostly
uncivilized, and conseauontly unchristianized
that they are nevertheless
;
.
;
wish to say at
I
;
human
the following
to
shall
I
make no
nen of the forests
of great interest
particularly so in
ilension from, the
lan beings, whose
early history
)se
attened the
soil in
small-pox and the
live,
how they
and sympathies
dress,
own;
what
amusements, &c. as
how
like our
they tooi'ship,
It would be impossible at the same time, in a book of these dimensions,
to
explain all the manners and customs of these people; but as far as they are
narrated, they have been described by my pen, upon the spot, as 1
have
seen them transacted
little too
within the short
know how they
are their actions, their customs, their religion, their
they practise them in the uncivilized regions of their uninvaded couniry,
which it is the main object of this work, clearly and distinctly to set forth.
is
—three-fourths of
n
beings, with features, thoughts, reason,
but few yet
;
and
highly coloured,
that pardon which
it
is
I
if
some few of my narrations should seem a
trust the world will
customary to yield to
all
be ready to extend to me
artists whose main faults
exist in the vividness of their colouring, rather than in the
pictures; but tliere
pardon
for,
is
nothing else
in
them,
I
think,
drawing of
that
I
should
their
ii!»k
even though some of them should stagger credulity, and incur
6
for
mo
the censure of those
inercifuliy, sit at
good
home
who sometimes, unthinkingly
critics,
at their desks,
enjoying
simple narration of
cigar, over the
tlic
honest and
weather-worn
traveller (wiio sliortens his half-starved life in catering for
condemn him and
his
work
poverty and starvation
;
to oblivion,
and
and
his wife
or un-
luxury of wine and a
tlie
the world), to
his little children to
merely because he describes scenes which they have
not beheld, and which, consequently, they are unable to believe.
The Indians of North America,
with long black hair, black eyes,
than two millions in number
as
I
tall,
— were
have before
straight,
said, are copper-coloured,
and
elastic forms
originally the undisputed
—
ar§ less
owners of the
and got their title to their lands from the Great Spirit who created
them on it, were once a happy and flourishing people, enjoying all the
comforts and luxuries of life which they knew of, and consequently cared
for;
were sixteen millions in numbers, and sent that number of daily
prayers to the Almighty, and thanks for his goodness and protection.
Their
country was entered by white men, but a few hundred years since
and
thirty millions of these are now scuffling for the goods and luxuries of life,
soil,
—
—
U
;
over the bones and ashes of twelve millions of red
whom
men
;
six millions
of
and the remainder to the sword,
the bayonet, and whiskey all of which means of their death and destruction
have been introduced and visited upon them by acquisitive white men ; and
by white men, also, whose forefathers were welcomed and embraced in the
land where the poor Indian met and fed them with "ears of green corn and
with pemican."
Of the two millions remaining alive at this time, about
1,400,000, are already the miserable living victims and dupes of white man's
cupidity, degraded, discouraged, and lost in the bewildering maze that ia
and the
produced by the use of whiskey and its concomitant vices
remaining number are yet unroused and unenticed from their wild haunts
or their primitive modes, by the dread or love of white man and his
have
fallen victims to the small-pox,
;
J
;
allurements.
It has
chiefly,
been with these, mostly, that
and
I
have spent
my
their customs, that the following Letters
time,
treat.
and of
these,
Their habits
we can see them transacted, are native, and such as I
and preserve for future ages.
Of the dead, and of those who arc dying, of those who have suffered death,
and of those who are now trodden and kicked through it, I may speak more
fully in some deductions at the close of this book
or at some future time,
when I may find more leisure, and may be able to speak of these scenes
without giving offence to the world, or to any body in it.
Such a portrait then as I have set forth in the following pages (taken by
myself from the free and vivid realities of life, instead of the vague and uncertain imagery of recollection, or from the haggard deformities and distortions
of disease and death), I offer to the world for their amusement, as well as for
their information
and I trust they will pardon me, if it should be thought
(and
their's alone) as
have wished to
fix
;
;
#
,
inkingly or unthat
of wine and a
r
too
weather-worn
d
The
the world), to
little
the civilized world
—
who
ar^ less
in the
He
lumber of daily
^ears since
luxuries of
ler to the
of
sword,
h and destruction
and
white men
;
embraced
in
the
green corn and
time, about
this
es of white
man's
ng maze that is
vices; and the
their wild haunts
man and
ne,
and of
e,
his
and such as
should consider, that
I
ve suffered death,
may speak more
future time,
of these scenes
pages (taken by
vague and uncerBs
and
York,
most unfortunate and most abused
if
he has seen the savages of North America with-
who
inhabit the frontier; whose habits
— whose pride has been cut down — whose country has been
ransacked — whose wives and daughters have been shamefully abused — whose
lands have been wrested from them — whose limbs have become enervated and
— whose
— whose
naked by the excessive use of whiskey
prematurely thrown into their graves
distortions
jnt, as well as for
hould be thought
friends
and
native pride
relations have been
and dignity have at
way to the unnatural vices which civilized cupidity has engrafted
upon them, to be silently nurtured and magnified by a burning sense of injury and injustice, and ready for that cruel vengeance which often falls from
the hand that is palsied by refined abuses, and yet unrestrained by the glorious influences of refined and moral cultivation
That if he has laid up, what
he considers well-founded knowledge of these people, from books which he has
read, and from newspapers only, he should pause at least, and withhold his
sentence before he passes it upon the character of a people, who are dying at
the hands of their enemies, without the means of recording their own annals
struggling in their nakedness with their simple weapons, against guns and
gunpowder. against whiskey and steel, and disease, and mailed warriors who
are continually trampling them to the earth, and at last exultingly promulgalast given
—
—
ting from the very soil
history of his cruelties
ome
way from
New
books of Indian barbarities, of wanton butcheries and murders; and
the deadly jjrejudices which he has
—
these,
Their habits
it.
of
have been changed
life,
six millions
city
Rocky Mountains, some two or three thousand
He should forget many theories he has read
sions (in all probability) only from those
and
;
way from the
Letters the
a vast
out making such a tour, he has fixed his eyes upon and drawn his conclu-
Their
rotection.
his
me
part of the race of his fellow-man.
isequently cared
te
he must needs wend
carried from his childhood, against this
the
all
draw from these
divest himself, as far as po-jsible, of
created
enjoying
rii^iitly,u»d
miles from the Atlantic coast.
owners of the
tf
;
base and summit of the
forms
mn
over the Alleghany, and far beyond the mighty Missouri, and even to the
eve.
lirit
reader, then, to understand
children to
copper-coloured
;d
have over-ostimafcd the Indian character, or at other times desrended
into the details and niinuliin of Indian mysteries and absurdities.
information which they are intended to give, must follow
which they have
a
1
much
which they have wrested trom the poor savage, the
and
barbarities, whilst
under the very furrows which
their
So great and unfortunate are the
numbers in weapons and defences
—
his
bones are quietly resting
ploughs are turning.
—
disparities
between savage and
in enterprise, in craft,
and
civil,
in
in education,
that the former
is almost universally the sufferer either in peace or in war;
and not less so after his pipe and his tomahawk have retired to the grave wlh
him, and his character is left to be entered upon the pages of history, and
that justice done to his memory which, from necessity, he has intrusted to
his enemy.
Amongst the numerous historians, however, of these strange people, they
have had some friends who have done them justice ; yet as a part of all sys-
X
V
^^^v.
8
whenever
iL'ing oi'jiiHticc,
k
too lute, or
mctt'd to
it Ih
enemies are continually about him, and
it comes invarial.ly
and that too when his
poor Indian,
tlic
an inetfcctual distance
adniiiiiiitcred at
eli'ectually
;
applying the means of
his
destruction.
I
Some
writers,
I
iiave
been greived to see, have written
down
the character
of the North American Indian, as dark, relentless, cruel and murderous
degree
last
than that of
tiie
brutes:
—
them a high rank,
whilst others have given
as
myself authorized to do, as honourable and iiighly-intellcctual beings
and
utlu rs, l)oth friends
" anomaly
in
nature
In this place
an assertion as
I
this
to the red
foes
I
;
feel
and
man, have spoken of them as an
"
have no time or inclination to reply to so unaccountable
;
contenting myself with the belief, that the term would be
farthest from nature, than
filling
the
!
more correctly applied
far
in
with scarce a quality to stamp his existence of a higher order
;
human family who have strayed
who arc simply moving in, and
were designed by the Great Spirit who made
to that part of the
it
could be to those
the sphere for which they
them.
From what
I
have seen of these people
I
nothing very strange or unaccountable
in
authorized to say, that there
feel
charactei
their
simple one, and easy to be learned and understood,
to familiarize ourselves with
much
in
it
to
it.
Although
it
And
I
its
trust that the reader,
volumes withi:arc, will be disposed to join
North American Indian in his native state
me
is
brave, warlike, cruel, revengeful, relentless,
who
is
is
a
means be taken
dark spots
it
it
;
yet there
is
to the admiration of
looks through these
in the conclusion
:
an honest, hospitable,
that the
faithful,
— yet honourable, contemplative
religious being.
If
fair
the right
if
be applauded, and much to recommend
the enlightened world.
and
has
but that
;
such be the
cd.
I
am
sure there
is
enough
perusal of the world, and charity enough in
in it to
recommend
all civilized
it
to the
countries, in this
enlightened age, to extend a helping hand to a dying race; provided that
prejudice and fear can be removed, which have heretofore constantly held
I!'
the civilized portions in dread of the savage
and friendly embrace,
in
which alone
— and away from that familiar
his true native
character can be justly
Appreciated.
1
am
fully convinced,
from a long familiarity with these people, that the
Indian's misfortune has consisted chiefly in our ignorance of their true native
character and disposition, which has always held us at a distrustful distance
inducing us to look upon them in no other light than that of a
and worthy only of that system of continued warfare and abuse
that has been for ever waged against them.
There is no difficulty in approaching the Indian and getting acquainted
with him in his wild and unsophisticated state, and finding him an honest
and honourable man with feelings to meet feelings, if the above prejudice and
dread can be laid aside, and any one will take the pains, as I have done, to
from them
;
hostile foe,
;
9
)ine8 invariitl.ly
lit
tie
when
means of
too
go and sec him
his
his
iiis
(lo's
own
in the simplicity
of his native state, smoking his pipe under
luuiible roof, with his wife
and children around him, and
his
I'liilhfnl
—
So tue world unii/
and horses hanging aboiu liis hospitable tenement.
see him and smoke his friendly pipe, which is invariably extended to them
and share, with a hearty welcome, the best that his wigwam itHortls for the
;
n the character
lurderous in the
W
a higher order
rank,
\\
at^
a I beings
I
trampled under foot.
term would be
The very
am
ho have strayed
moving in, and
spirit
lay,
that there
it
is
word
IS
through these
savaije,
as
;
and nearly the whole
civili/ed world
expressive of the most ferocious, cruel, and
apply the
murderous
;
faithful,
contemplative
it
I
it is
The grisly bear is called savage, because he is blood-thirsty, ravenous
and cruel and so is the tiger, and they, like the poor red man, have been
feared and dreaded (from the distance at which ignorance ^uiil prejudice
have kept us from them, or from resented abuses which we have practised
when we have come in close contact with them), until Van Amburgh
shewed the world, that even these ferocious and unreasoning animals wanted
only the friendship and close embrace of their master, to resi)ect and to
that the
iimend
whom
character that can be described.
is
admiration of
,
general sense,
its
deKnition to the adjective
;
itable,
applied in
a
le
:
it is
an abuse of the word, and the people to
is
ts
sion
is
The word, in its true defniition, means no more than wUd, or wild
man; and a wild man may have been endowed by his Maker with all the
Our
humane and noble traits that inhabit the heart of a tame man.
ignorance and dread or fear of these people, therefore, have given a new
means be taken
yet there
use of the word savage, as
inclined to believe
ap|)lied.
who made
but that
he
after
they arc loo far
unaccountable
e
moment
always set out to a stranger the next
But so the mass of the world, most assuredly will tint see these people; for
off, and approachable to those only whose avarice or cupidity
alone lead them to those remote regions, and whose shame prevents iheni
rown down and
from publishing to the world the virtues which they have
feel
of thcin as an
I
is
enters.
and
;
appetite, which
to the
love him.
ounlrics, in this
constantly hehl
As evidence of the hospitality of these ignorant and benighted people,
and also of their honesty and honour, tlicre will be found recorded many
)m that familiar
er can be justly
many
provided that
;
striking instances in the following pages.
And
also, as
an
oft'set
to these,
evidences of the dark and cruel, as well as ignorant and disgusting
excesses of passions, unrestrained by the salutary influences of laws and
people, that the
Christianity.
heir true native
I
ustful distance
t
than that of a
fare
and abuse
ting acquainted
him an honest
e prejudice and
I
have done, to
have roamed about from time
to time during seven or eight
^
years,
and associating with some three or four hundred thousand of these
people, under an almost infinite variety of circumstances; and from the very
many and decided voluntary acts of their hospitality and kindness, I feel
bound to pronounce them, by nature, a kind and hospitable people. I have
been welcomed generally in their country, and treated to the best that they
could give me, without any charges made for my board
they have often
escorted me through their enemies country at some hazard to their own
lives, and aided me in passing mountains and rivers with my awkward bagvisiting
;
!
10
It
>;.»(;(«:
imtl
imdrr
ti';iv<'<l
nic,
slunk
|)i()|M'tly lliat
Tliin
am
I
miyinjj
JM
nil (>rilii'*<'
ii
nic
fiirmnshincr's of
liliiw,
it
(and
;jn'ut dcul,
favoni' of (In* viitni's of
Nlioidd
Im', tlial
that
there
attai'licH
And
lid
all
an<l
pin«'ss,
a sti^:ma to
llms in these
«onee of
systems
ipiiet,
rvrr
lir-
wnilli of
iity
Imliiiii
iiic
ii
i«liilliii^'s
liis
in
llifir
npon
loo,
if
\\w.
wlii>n
it
licad of a
(lie
ii
man
snpremu,
I
it
—
nor rsin
;
dis^rat-c wliifli
|M'o|tlr nliont
him.
the uh-
havt' often hehelil
for whieli
iim
may seem,
liis
it
mind,
for tlicfl
llictn
lliiff, Kav<< tlif
eoimunniiies, straiine as
jnrisprmlenee,
reiu;nint;
reador will bclicvn
in Itoriii; in
land to pMhiKli
rliaiartcr, in tlic tyos of
little
«tf
it
;
novcr lu'cn divnlp,rd anion|;Ht
liavt>
linniaii rotrihiilinn fall
iiroviiiu;
iIicmi- |)i-o|iIi>
no law
in
commantlincnts
tli(>
no
f\|»OHiir(',
iVniii
iiwarc of.
IIU-) in
nny
ui Htiilc
in
peace and hap-
even kinp;s and empi'rorH
have seen rinhls and virtne protected, and wrongs rcI
have seen conjnpd, lilial and paternal allection in the snnpli'
city and contcntcducss of nature. I have, miavoidahly, formed warm and enmii;ht
envy them.
dresstMl
;
and
I
(ht not winh to for^jet
attachments to somo of these men which
who have hron^ht me near to their hearts, and in onr linal separation have
embraced me in their arms, and commended me and my allairs lo the keep-
(Inrinij
iiii;
I
of the (ireat Spirit.
For the above reasons, the reader will be disposed to foru^ivc; ine for
dwt'Uip"- so lon^v and so stronp,- on the justness of tin; claims of ihest! people;
and
[*'
I
foi
my
occasional expressions of s.idness,
fate that awaits the
when my
hi
heart bleeds for the
remainder of their nidiicky race; which
is
lon^; to
be
outlived by tbe rocks, by the beasts, and even birds and reptiles of the
country they
—
set upon by their fellow-man, whose cupidity, it is
no bounds to the Indian's earthly c.daniity, short of the
live in;
feared, will lix
grave.
1
red
cannot help but repeat, before
men
dose
I
this lA'tter, that the
of North America, as a nation of
wane; that
(to use their
own
very beautiful
human
tii;ure)
tribes of the
beings, arc on their
" they are
fast travelling
to the shades of their fathers, towards the setting sun ;"
and that the traveller, who would sec these people in their native simplicity, and beauty must
needs be hastily on his way to the prairies and Hocky Mountains, or he will
see them only as they are now seen on the frontiers, as a basket of dead
(jamr,
harassed, chased, bleeding and dead w ilh their plumage and colours
despoiled, to be ga/ed amongst in vain for some system or moral, or for
some scale by which to estimate their true native character, other than that
which has too often recorded them
but a dark and unintelligible mass of
—
;
;
and barbarity.
Without further eouuncnts I close this Letter, introducing my readers at
once to the heart of the Indian country, only asking their forgiveness for
having made it so long, and their patience whilst travelling through the
cruelty
following pages (as
1
journeyed through those remote realms)
inrormaliou and rational amusement
;
iu tracing
in
search of
out the true character of
if
11
iiiliiiii
" »tra»;ir iinninnltf" of
rvcr
Itf-
i\\nt
of
my
diosolve<l or
wiiitli
<
man
('ompoiimled into
the simple rltineiilH of \\U nature, un-
in
of
llie niysteiieit
eiili|;hteiie<l
and fashionalilu
life.
Iwlicvc
Icr will
iiiiiiil, iiH it
ill
;
mil
lor
llinii
llu'l'l
nor can
;
iliw^iiKT
uhoiit
(*
ciiiiMTnrs
aiitl
wMiins
iitid
iM
IT-
liu- siinpli-
i)i
warm ami
(I
NOTi:.
ttl>-
and Imp-
ii'Ufc
n
1
liiin.
in llif
(•(•Ill,
1
wliii'li
t'li-
Af
llif fiiiKuliir
miiiire
III
I
oliiiiliirilii
Id
^infuhle unit
iill
iiiliiiiliiif;
J'or
ifjiK'teiili'il
nii'iiCK
ini/iiiiiri/
ill
me
Jur
to
llu!
kccp-
I
mill
ii/npir liie>,
fori^ivo
mc
for
bleeds for
win
/m/ic
I
lollow,
li
men
Ihffl
the ritrii-
tiiiil
mii/i «
of
rhuriirlrr ««
mil ruinf me
i/iriil,
lirrn
Iniii-
iiliiili
iiinl
he urn, Iniie Inrii
iiill
the
;
me
/mif,
in i^ienl
work;
unil miiiiiieiii srljoiih in Iha
tiprt'hy ciTtifv,
lliiil
Mr. ('mi
tliiit
llix |H)rNiiiiH wIiiiho Mi^iiiiliin'M iirc iifFixiMl (o
IN, iiro
llit'ir ii|iiiiiiiiiH
his
••xliiliiti'd liy liiiii in
i)flici>r.i
iirilio iicciiriiry
'
Imiun
lo
loiip;
is
cupidity,
(iallkiiv,
"J.
" With ro^nril to tho
1>«
it
is
wiirniiitt'il in Hiiyin^,
lt'il^(<
of
tlic
of
(l(>liiHMitiunH,
with
tribes of the
are on
pfoiitlonicii
lliiit
no
'
ii.s
liiTciii Hi'l I'orlli
rorri'ctiKms of
liki>ii*tHsii,-i, iiiiil
iiri<
lliii
;
vitiWN, Ni'.
to full iicilit,
luililli'il
I'OlN.Sr.rr, AVrifMn/
11.
whoHn
iniliviilMiil.s
of the jirrHoiis, hiihilM, coitiiiiM'N,
cliiiiiiM n|iiiii tliK
y, short
uf llm
ciTliliciilxN iimimI
llii<
in llic Mi'rvicn ofllic I'nilfil SIiiIi-m,
.•/•
It'./r,
ll',iWiiH^'(i.»."
tlie.
reptiles of tlu5
10
il
('oiiiilr'j, 1111(1 injiiiiiiliiiiity iiilh
of llu'so people;
L!
iniilrin
llu;
imgn,
IIik fnllniiiiitf
CI'IlTiriCATI'S.
"
licltiw, liy
1
of
('rrlijiciilfn
iiiiiiiiToiif
sc|iara(i()ii li«v«
•t
in
illiinliiiliiiiin,
to r()i^;(;l—
vi»li
irs
iiiimrrniiii
niiliijiirliiin
llie
//ic
mm
Ini
irni
tlif
ill
/'/'lie
lliii
Jiiiiiithfd
llie liiiliiiii
nf ih* Vounlry ut Jurlh
tiiiin»fr$
piihlin coiiliili-nctt in
iiiid
uiiil
of iIionh
liiiliiiiiM
liiiii
whom
s|iorlM
of
llii<
they
(iAi.i.Kiiv
I
I
iim fully
hiiltitr o|i|iiirtiiniti)'N ol' iiui|iiirin^
tli<< Htiili'iiu'iils
6n\ of Mr, Oam.in'h Indian
ri'^aril lo iniiiiy
colluctiun,
niininH nr<i nffixed tnonrtiliciitus h«<lnw,
havi<
Imvo
;
Iniliiin trilifs,
or
|iohh<>.sh
iiiiiki>, ri'M|ic(tlin};
anil
iimy
I
him'ii, iind
iidil
kiiow-
it
Htron^nr
the ciirrKCtniiHH
my own
tn.ttiinony,
wlio.st< likuiKi.SHeii
iirit
in thti
Hkutcl.ud with lidtdily and currt'ctiD'ss.
"('. A. IIAIIRIS, Commis$ioiiir of Iniliiin Ajjiiiri, IVnJiiniflon,"
llieir
e fast travelling
that the travel-
beauty must
iid
tains, or
lie
will
basket of dead
lage
and colours
"
I
Imve Hflon Mr.C^ATi.iN's Collection of 1'ortniit.sof Indinii.s.cnstof (ho Rocky iMoiintainH,
of which wcri< fiiiiiiliur to me, iind pnintod in my |ir(<Henc« and as far bh tliuy havo
miiiiy
:
incliidiMl biditiMS of
my
a('i|uaiiitan(M', tliu Ulieiicssrs
other than that
lli<;iblc
;
my
mass of
readers at
fomiveness for
through the
ns) in search of
ue character of
iig
ht^uriii^r thti
inoHt
Htrikin^ rbsumblaiice to ihu originals, as wet! as faithful rcpre.sentations of thoir costuiiiHS.
" VV.
moral, or for
r
aro i-asily rttco^ni/.cd,
CLARK,
SuperiiUendeut of Indinn
ytj/liir*, .S(.
I.ouin."
" I hnvo examined Mr. Catlin's Collection of the I 'ppfir Missouri Indians to the Hocky
Mountuins, all of which I am acquainted with ; und indeed most of them were ]iaiiite<t wiien
1 was present, and 1 do not hesitate to pronouncu them correct likenesses, and readily to
be recojjnized.
jireientations I
And
I
consider
tlie
costuma, us painted
l»y
him, to ho the only correct re*
have ever seen.
".lOIIN
F. A.
SANFORI),
" U. SS. Indian Agent for Mandunx, liickurces, Minntiireei,
Crows, Knisleneaax, Aasinneboin^, lilachfcet,
6jc."
12
"
Wo
SOPH
liiivo
C.mi.in's I'citriiits of
l\lr.
ol whicli uro faiiiilard) us;
iho
hlaiii'o to
ori(,'iiials,
llio
likoiicssos
us w('ll as a
oust of
liiiliiiiis
iiro
oasily
faitliful roiiri'si'iitalion
of llicii
"
Nove'iher 27(/i,
lii;!7.
Indun
Caii.in's
vidunis sut to
wero
(Jai.i.kuv,
j>aiiiliMl
from
in the costuino.f pri'iiscly i"
liiai
lifo liy
Mr.
" New York, IIW.
"
my
I
haveseon
and
ftlr.
in
]>aintt<d
(ii.o.
Mr.
iridi-
which thoy aro painted,
Cati.in's CoUoctioii of Indian Portraits,
prosonco at
tin-ir
own
viilap;es.
anu)nnst tho trihos and individuals ho
lifo
in
Cmi.in, and that the
aro
I'awnecs,
O imhaws,
iiint
Utoes.
CIAM T."
.1.
my
A)init.
I'awiioo.s,
ll(<|iii)>lican
Missourie.s, wliicli
"J. DOIMJIIKUI'V, l.A.Jor
ino,
co.stiiiiios.
luirohy certify, tlmt the rortrn'ls of tlio (iraiul I'awiioos,
\\\\
icsciii-
(iAM"!'."
.1.
I'awiioo Loiips, 'lappaf^o I'awiiGos, O'.oos, Oinalmws, and
iimiiv
a struii;;
DOl'tillKKTV, Imfkn
".I.
•'
llocky iMoiintainx,
ilio
rccof,'iii/.('il, Itoaiiiij,'
lias
I
many of which wore
familiar to
liavo spout tho ^'^('al(r part
ropresontod, and
1
of
do not hesitate to
also his sketches of their
pronounce them correct likenesses, mid easily recoijjnizod
think, aro excellent
and tho Idiidscai'e iiViiji on tho Missouri and
iiiinitiirs and custi'iiis,
;
I
;
iMississippi, are correct representations.
M'KLNZIK,
" K.
"
We
hereby certify that the Portraits of Semiiiolos and r.ucheos, in Mr. C
iiaiuti'd hy him, from the lite, at Fort Moullrio; that the Indians
M.u\ were
ill
oftLc Am. Fur Co. McuiJ/i o/Yellom Sloiie."
which they
the costumos precisely in
xii.in's (iai.-
sat or stood
aro painted, and that the likenesses are remark-
ahly good.
"
1>.
MOHHISON,
.1. i^.
i'iir(
"
IIA
1
l\J(ii((t»((',
Ilaviuf,'
kh
Cnpt.
llAWA
V,
Inft.
'.M l.ieut
II.
1st Art.
F.
WHARTON, 'M F.ieut. C.ih Inft.
WKKDON, Assistant Surgeon.
Jiin. 'Jo, llioU."
examined
the llocky Mountains,
Air.
Catmn's Collection of Po-Iraits of Indians of tho Missouri
have no hesilalion
to
them, so far as
am aeiinainted
with the individuals, to he the best I have ever seen, both as reifards (lu^ expression of
coiiiitenauce, and the exact and complete uiuimer in which tlie cosluiuo has been painted
1
I
in ])ronouiiciii<;
1
by him.
"J.
"I have been
I..
BEAN,
S.
Agent for
lii,li,iii
Afuirs."
many
years past in familiar acquaintance witli the Indian tribes of
Uocky iMouisains, and also with the landscape and other
scenes represented in Mr. Cati.in's Collection
and it -rives mo f,'reat ideasure to assure
for
the I'pper Missouri to the
;
the world, that on
be recoi^nized
^
ii
;
them over,
found tho likenesses of my old friends
sketches of Manners and Customs to he pourtrayed with
lookiii','
and his
I
easilv to
siii'Milar
truth and correctness.
".I.
"
gives
me
PILCIIEH,
.(_i,'c»t/<ir ('/.;mt
Missouri huliuus."
my name lo the list of those who
expressed their a]ipiobation of jMr. Caii.in's Collection of Indian
I'aintiugo.
His Cidlection of materials jilaco it. in his ]iower to throw much light on tlio
Indian character, and his portraits, so far as 1 have seen them, are dru>vn with gnat
ijdelilv as to character and likeness.
It
great pleasure in being enabled to add
Jiuve spontane<iusly
I
"
II.
SClIOOLCUAt'T,
hiiti^ni A'^tul
Jor Wincousin Tvr nU'ni,
.
13
miiiiy
loiiiitiiiiiM,
losciu-
strorijj;
!i
I'S,
'\
AjU'iit.
liiifidii
,
m
'•
Hnvinf^ lived and dealt with the lUack Feet Indians for five years past,
I
was enabled
the Portraits of those people, luul of the Crows also, which
Mr. Cati.in has in his Collection, from the faithful likuudSHoa they bore to the orit,'imiln.
" St. Louis, ia3.S.
" .1. K. IJKAZKAII."
to recoffnize even) one
>.f
llrtvinp spent sixteen years in the continual acquaintance with the Indians of th<!
several trihes of the Missouri, represented in Mr. Cati.in'* Gallery of Indian Paintings,
1 was enabled to judge of the correctness of the likenesses, and I instnnllif recof^nized
'
PiiwiicM's,
ibliciin
am
liicli
iml
tliiit
in
Mr.
till-
indi-
every one of them,
originals
l(l/l(ll('S, (!»(/
lu'sitate
skclclips of
I
IIONOUE I'lCOTTE."
" The Portraits, in the possession of Mr. Cati.in, of Pawnee Picts, Kiowayb, Cumarches,
Wecos, and Osdges, wore painted by him/r«m life, when on a tour to their ". mtry, with
The likenesses are good, very easily to br recogniied, and
tlie United States Dragoons.
the costumes faithfully represented.
lu
DODGE, Col. of Drag.
MASON, Major of Ditto.
Ditto.
HUNTER, Capt.
" IIKNIIY
tlic'ir
11. II.
Missouri and
llii)
looked them over, from the striking resemblance they bore to the
"
};n'alt'r |iarl ot
Im
I
OlVC!l>
liw<>r(' fiiniiliar to
du not
when
—so also, of the Landscapes on the Missouri.
D.
D.
PERKINS.
M. DUNCAN,
T.
Capt. of Drag.
Ditto.
WIIEELOCK,
U.
Lieut. Drag."
" The Landscapes, Buffalo-Hunting scenes, &c. above-mentioned, 1 have seen, and
it has been thirty years since I travelled over that country ; yet a considerable
number of them I recognized as faithful representations, and the remainder of them are
of Yellow Sloiie."
although
Mr. C\ri.iN'»
(lAi.-
so
or stood
idiaiis sat
much
fi
the peculiar character of that country as to
" The Landscape Views on the Missouri,
l,i('Ut, (>lli
I II
seem
WM. CLARK,
esses aro rriiiark-
ft.
liuffulo
entirely familiar to me.
Superintendent of Indian Affairs."
Hunts, and other scenes,
take.?
by
my
friend JMr. Catlin, are correct delineations of the scenes they profess to represent, as
staiit Sui'Kt'ou.
•\m perfectly
well acijuiiinted with the country, having passed through
it
1
more than a
And further, I know, that they were taken on the spot, from nature, as 1
was present when Mr. Catlin visited that country.
" JOHN F. A. SANFORD, U. SS. Indian AgetU."
dozen times.
Missouri to
th<>
am
I
i((
a<'(|uaiiiti>d
cxprt'ssioii
lias
" It gives me great pleasur j to be able to pronounce the Landscape Views, Views of
Hunting, and other scenes, taken on the Upper Missouri by Mr. Catlin, to be correct
of
(tainted
Iji'i'ii
delineations of the scenery thoy profess to represent
ir
liiiliiin
when they were taken
A[J\nrs."
in the field, I
was
;
and although
I
was not present
able to identify almost every one betweea St.
Louis and the grand bend of the Missouri.
Indian
tribes of
sca|ie
and other
" J. L.
"
leasure to assure
judge them, and do unhesitatingly pronounce them
good and unexaggerated representations.
" JNO. DOUGHERTY, Indian Agent for Pawnees, Omahauis, and Utces."
Iiutidiis."
of those wlio
ection of Indian
iiiiicli linlit,
on the
ilranii
with Liiiat
fcouiiii
Tf n
1 1 ii
Agent of Indian Affairs."
have examined a series of paintings by Mr. Catlin, representing Indian Buffclo
Ufa., and from an aciiuaintance of twenty-seven years with such scent.i
as are represented, 1 feel qualified to
lyed with siii-^ulur
list
S.
Hunts, Landscapes,
friends easilv to
Missouri
I
BEAN,
ni
.v
14
i
'i
LETTER— No.
2.
MOUTH OF YELLOW STONE. UPPER
MISSOURI,
1832.
I ARRIVED at this place yesterday in the steamer " Yellow Stone," after a
voyage of nearly three months from St. Louis, a distance of two thousand
miles, the greater part of which has never before been navigated by si cam ;
and tlie almost insurmountable difficulties which continually opposi' the
voyageur on this turbid stream, have been by degrees overcome by the
indefatigable zeal of Mr. Chouteau, a gentleman of gieat perseverance, and
part proprietor of the boat.
To the politeness of this gentleman I am
indebted for
my
passage from St. Louis to this place, and
I
h\A
also the
pleasure of his company, with that of Major Sanford, the government agent
for the Missouri Indians.
The American Fur Company have
erected here, for their protection against
300 ffcC* square, with bastions armed
(plate 3) and our approach to u under the continued rear of
cannon for half an hour, and the shrill yells of the half-affrighted savages
who lined the shores, presented a sc°ne of the most thrilling and picturesque
appearance.
A voyage so full of incident, and furnishing so uany novel
scenes of the picturesque and romantic, as we have passed the numerous
villages of the " astonished natives," saluting them with the pufSng of
steam and the thunder of artillery, would afford subject for many epi&tles
and I cannot deny myself the pleasure of occasionally giving you some
little sketches of scenes that I have witnessed, and am witnessing
and of
the savages, a very substantial Fort,
with ordnance
;
;
'
'
u
:
the singular feelings that are excited in the breast of the stranger travelling
through
this interesting country.
for this is truly
feasts
Interesting (as
the land of Epicures;
we
I
have
are invited
said)
and luxurious,
by the savages
qf dog's meat, as the most honourable food that can be presented to
a stranger, and glutted with the more delicious food of beavers'
buffaloes' tongues.
You will, no
startled,
when
I tell
you that
I
tails,
and
doubt, be somewhat surprised on the receipt
of a Letter from me, so far strayed into the Western
my
to
am
here in the
full
World
;
and
still
more
enthusiasm and practice of
me into this remote region, 3500
2000 of which have furnished me with
almost unlimited models, both in landscape and the human figure, exactly
suited to my feelings.
I am now in the full possession and enjoyments of
art.
That enthusiasm alone has brought
miles from
u
\-:
my
native soil; the last
>Si
;
1833.
Stone," after a
two thousand
itedby sicam;
the
oppoti'
lly
ercome by the
and
•severance,
jntleman
I
>ad
I
am
also the
y^y
rernment agent
jtection against
armed
bastions
;i
ontinued rear of
righted savages
ind picturesque
uany
so
novel
the numerous
the puffing of
many
epis-tles
you some
and of
messing
iving
;
nger travelling
and luxuriom,
the savages to
presented to
le
Lvers' tails,
and
on the receipt
and still more
id
and practice of
region, 3500
ite
lished
figuT-e,
me with
exactly
enjoyments of
'jrtiiilihfaxs
1;
those conditions, on which alone
fession
;
and
in anticipation of
I
was induced
to pursue the art as a pro-
my
admiration for the art could
which alone,
ever have been kindled into a pure flame.
I
mean
the free use of nature's
If I am here
undisguised models, with the privilege of selecting for myself.
losing the benefit of the fleeting fashions of the day, and neglecting that
elegant polish, which the world say an artist should draw from a continual
intercourse with the polite world ; yet have I this consolation, that in this
country,
I
am
entirely divested of those
dangerous steps and allurements
and have little to steal my thoughts
away from the contemplation of the beautiful models that are about me.
If, also, I have not here the benefit of that feeling of emulation, which is
yet am
the life and spur to the arts, where artists ?,re associates togethej
I surrounded by living models of such elegance and beauty, that i feel an
which beset an
artist in
fashionable
life
;
:
—
the certainty that I am
unceasing excitement of a much higher order
drawing knowledge from the true source. My enthusiastic admiration of
man in the honest and elegant simplicity of nature, has always fed the
warmest feelings of my bosom, and shut half the avenues to my heart against
the specious refinements of the accomplished world.
with the desire to study
my
art,
This feeling, together
independently of the embarrassments which
the ridiculous fashions of civilized society have thrown in
me
way, has led
its
to the wilderness for a while, as the true school of the art?
I
have
for
a long time been of opinion, that the wilderness of our
country afforded models equal to those from which the Grecian sculptors
and beauty and I am now
more confirmed in this opinion, since 1 have immersed myself in the midst of
thousands and tens of thousands of these knights of the forest whose whole
lives are lives of chivalry, and whose daily feats, with their naked limbs,
transferred to the marble such inimitable grace
;
;
might
vie
with those of the Grecian youths in the beautiful rivalry of the
Olympian games.
No
all the aids of description that can be given
can ever picture the beauty and wildness of scenes that may be daily
witnessed in this romantic country ; of hundreds of these graceful youths,
to
man's imagination, with
it,
without a care to wrinkle, or a fear to disturb the
and enjoyment that beams upon
with their horses'
tails,
their faces
—
full
expression of pleasure
their long black hair
mingling
floating in the wind, while they are flying over the
carpeted prairie.and dealing death with their spears and arrows to a band of
inmriated buffaloes
or their splendid procession in a war parade, arrayed in
gorgeous colours and trappings, moving with most exquisite grace
and manly beauty, added to that bold defiance which man carries on his front,
who acknowledges no superior on earth, and who is amenable to no laws
except the laws of God and honour.
;
all their
In addition to the knowledge of
hope
to acquire
in view,
which,
by
if it
this
human
nature and of
toilsome and expensive undertaking,
my
I
art,
which
I
have another
should not be of ecjual service to me, will be of no less
/
•
I
16
interest
and value
to
posterity.
the noble races of red
and boundless
prairies,
1
iiave, for
many
years past, contemplated
men, who are now spread over these trackless forests
melting away at the approach of civilization. Their
rights invaded, their morals corrupted, their lands wrested from them, their
customs changed, and therefore lost to the world; ai.d they at last runk
into the earth, and the ])l()u.ihsharo turning the sod over their graves,
and I have flown to thtir rescue not of their lives or of their race (for they
—
are "
doomed" and must
perish), but to the rescue of their looks
and
their
which the acquisitive world may hurl their poison and every
besom of destruction, and trample them down and crush them to death ;
yet, phoenix-like, they may rise from the " stain on a painter's palette," and
modes,
at
again upon canvass, and stand forth for centuries yet to come, the
live
monuments of a noble
living
For
race.
this purpose,
every tribe of Indians on the Continent,
visit
if
my
life
I
have designed to
should be spared
;
for
the purpose of procuring portraits of distinguished Indians, of both sexes in
each
tribe,
painted in their native costume
their villages, domestic habits,
;
accompanied with pictures of
games, mysteries, religious ceremonies, &c.
with anecdotes, traditions, and history of their respective nations.
If
I
should live to accomplish
my
doubtless be interesting to future ages
design, the result of
;
who
will
have
my
little
labours will
else left
from
judge of the original inhabitants of this noble race of beings, who
require but a few years more of the march of civilization and death, to deprive
them of all their native customs and character. I have been kindly supplied
which
if
to
by the Commander-in-Chief of the Army and the Secretary of War, with
letters to the commander of every military post, and every Indian agent on
the Western Frontier, with instructions to render
power, which will be of great service to
The opportunity
beings
fair
K
in
afforded
me by
me
i
:
ijiil
all
the facilities in their
arduous an undertaking.
familiarity with so
many
tribes of
human
the simplicity of nature, devoid of the deformities of art, of drawing
conclusions in the interesting sciences of physiognomy and phrenology,
of their manners and customs,
rites,
ceremonies, &c.; and the opportunity
of examining the geology and mineralogy of
If
me
in so
plored country, will enable
me
tliis
western, and yet unex-
occasionally to entertain you with
and interesting information, which I shall take equal pleasure
cating by an occasional Letter in my clumsy way.
in
much new
communi-
17
contcmpliitcd
•acklcss forests
zation.
Tlieir
im them, their
y at last runk
their graves,
:
race (for they
LETTER— No.
ooks and their
and every
son
lem to death
;
and
palette,"
i
designed to
be spared
for
;
both sexes in
f
pictures of
ith
eremonies, &c.
ans.
my
labours will
else left
from
beings,
who
)f
MOUTH OF YELLOW STONE.
come, the
to
re
Since the date of my former Letter, I have been so much engaged in the
amusements of the country, and the use of my biush, that I have scarcely
been able to drop you a line until the present moment.
Before I let you into the amusements and customs of this delightful
country, however (and which, as yet, are secrets to most of the world), I
must hastily travel with you over the tedious journey of 2000 miles, from St.
Louis to this place over which distance one is obliged to pass, before he
;
can reach
Kindly supplied
of War, with
idian agent on
cilities in their
n
undertaking.
ibes of
art,
human
of drawing
id
phrenology,
le
opportunity
ind yet unex^ith
much new
in
communi-
!
and lovely spot.
this wild
The Missouri
is,
iath, to deprive
'
3.
perhaps, different in appearance and character from
other rivers in the world
the
moment we
mouth of
its
Missouri,
with
and
for a canoe.
water
there
its
is
a terror in
muddy
its
manner which
is
is
all
sensibly
felt,
From
the
waters from the Mississippi.
the Yellow Stone River, which
writing, to
current;
enter
;
the place from whence
I
am now
junction with the Mississippi, a distance of 2,000 miles, the
its
in the
boiling,
ti".l-;d
waters, sweeps
whole distance there
Owing
is
off,
in
one unceasing
scarcely an eddy or resting-place
to the continual falling in of its rich alluvial banks, its
always turbid and opaque ; having, at all seasons of the year, the
colour of a cup of chocolate ov coffee, with sugar and cream stirred into it.
is
To
give a better definition of its density and opacity, I have tried a number
of simple experiments with it at this place, and at other points below, at the
results of which I was exceedingly surprised.
By placing a piece of silver
(and afterwards a piece of shell, which is a much whiter substance) in a
tumbler of this wat'^r, and looking through the side of the glass, I ascertained that those substances could not be seen through the eighth part of an
inch
this, however, is in the spring of the year, when the freshet is upon
;
the river, rendering the water, undoubtedly, much more turbid than it would
be at othei seasons ; though it is always muddy and yellow, and from its
boiling and wild character and uncommon colour, a stranger would
think
even
in its lowest state, that there was a freshet upon it.
For the distance of 1,000 miles above St. Louis, the shores of this river
(and, in many places, the whole bed of the stream) are filled with
snags and
raft, formed of trees of the largest size,
which have been undermined by the
VOL.
I.
-
]
18
falling
banks and cast into the stream
bottom of the
pointing
down
;
their roots Ijecoming fastened in tlie
with their tops floating on the surface of the water, and
the stream, forming the most frightful and discouraging
river,
(See plate 4.)
Almost every island and sand-bar is covered with huge piles of these
floating trees, mid when the river is flooded, its surface is almost literally
covered with floating raft and drift wood which bids positive defiance to
keel-boats and steamers, on their way up the river.
With what propriety this " Hell of waters" might be denominated the
" River Styx," I will not undertake to decide but nothing could be more
prospect for the adventurous voyageur.
;
;
appropriate or innocent than to call
the River
of Sticks.
The scene is not, however, all so dreary; there is a redeeming beauty in
the green and carpeted shores, which hem in this huge and terrible deformity
of waters. There is much of the way though, where the mighty forests of
stately cotton wood stand, and frown in horrid dark and coolness over the
fdthy abyss below into which they are ready to plunge headlong, when the
njud and soil in which they were germed and reared has been washed out
from underneath them, and is with the rolling current mixed, and on its way
it
;
to the ocean.
The greater part of the shores of this river, however, are without timber,
where the eye is delightfully relieved by wandering over the beautiful prairies ;
most of the way gracefully sloping down to the water's edge, carpeted with
the deepest green, and, in distance, softening into velvet of the richest hues,
if
i!
entirely beyond the reach of the artist's pencil.
Such is the character of the
upper part of the river especially ; and as one advances towards its source,
and through its upper half, it becomes more pleasing to the eye, for snags
and raft are no longer to be seen ; yet the current holds its stiff and onward,
turbid character.
It
iiifv
has been, heretofore, very erroneously reoresented to the world, that the
scenery on this river was monotonous, and wanting
in
picturesque beauty.
and that because it has been brought
perhaps, by men who are not the best judges in the world of Nature's
beautiful works
and if they were, they always pass them by, in pain or
desperate distress, in toil and trembling fear for the safety of their furs and
This intelligence
surely incorrect,
is
;
i
iiP
peltries, or for their lives,
which are at the mercy of the yelling savages who
inhabit this delightful country.
One thousand
miles or more, of the upper part of the river, was, to
eye, like fairy-land
;
and during our
my
transit through that part of our voyage,
was most of the time rivetted to the deck of the boat, indulging my eyes
and tireless pleasure of roaming over the thousand hills,
and bluffs, and dales, and ravines where the astonished herds of buffaloes,
of elks, and antelopes, and sneaking wolves, and mountain-goats, were to be
seen bounding up and down and over the green fields each one and each
tribe, band, and gang, taking their own way, and using their own means to
I
in the boundless
;
;
m
\i:
-I
and
look
It
;
;
10
fastened in
i<r
tlie
the greatest advantage possible, to leave the sight
of the water, and
;nd discouraging
of our boat; which was, for the
gc piles of these
one continued prairie
along the bank of the
of the Missouri with the din of mighty steam.
From
almost
s
literally
defiance to
siiive
The summit
in
Jias
coolness over the
when the
been washed out
ed, and on its way
been lodged and
left
Amongst
before
which
down
its
shores in
and colours imaginable
all
— some
the most picturesque
with their green sides
in the
eyes
may be
figures, of the
and behind
seen tens and hundreds of thousands of
sublime and the picturesque; in many places
is
one continued appearance,
us, of
of these clay-built ruins;
hills,
—
shedding a glory over the solitude of this wild
realize unless he travels here and
and pictured country, which no one can
looks upon it.
lerds of butFaloes,
to
and
by the thousand crystals of gypsum
which are imbedded in the clay of which they are formed (plate 6). Over and
through these groups of domes and battlements (as one is compelled to imagine them), the sun sends his long and gilding rays, at morn or in
the evening
giving life and light, by aid of shadows car* to the different glowing
colours
my
goats, were to be
ach one and each
these groups
as the sun's rays are refracted back
who
of our voyage,
heir
either side; through
—
of their furs and
own means
meadows on
—
world of Nature's
sm by, in pain or
my
debris
some ancient and boundless city in ruins ramparts,
terraces, domes, towers, citadels and castles may be seen,
cupolas, and magnificent porticoes, and here and there a solitary column and crumbling
pedestal, and even spires of clay which stand alone
and glistening in distance,
has been brought
he thousand
its
deposits have
with a horizontal surface, spreading the deepest and
for miles together, as the boat glides along, there
icturesque beauty.
indulging
its
serpentine course, alternately running from one bluff to
beautiful shapes
different forms
the world, that the
was, to
its
immense space, and sent
carrying them into the river.
and onward,
river,
this
continual overflowing of the river,
These strange and picturesque appearances have been produced by the
and frosts, which are continually changing the dimensions, and varying
the thousand shapes of these denuded hills, by washing down their sides and
eye, for snags
)art
west and the
rains
source,
elling savages
which
most lovely groups to the wnter'sedge (plate 5);
immense masses
of clay of different colours, which arrest the eye of tlie traveller, with the
most curious views in the world.
character of the
still'
and gorges,
By the
gracefully slope
dge, carpeted with
the richest hues,
J
it,
whilst others, divested of their verdure, present themselves in
[f
ie
floods
the other; which present themselves to
without timber,
its
and the streams which are falling into
growth of forest timber.
level of the great prairies stretching off to the
its
the river winds
beautiful prairies
owards
is
river, to
into the ocean.
and
le
river,
richest alluvion over the surface of its
s
,re
miles,
with the exception of a few of the bottoms formed
been evidently produced by the force of the current, which has gradually
excavated, in
forests of
mighty
2600
the falls of the Missouri, a distance of
;
an almost boundless extent, is from two to three hundred feet above the level of tne river; which has formed a bed or valley for its
This ch -.nel or valley
course, varying in width from two to twenty miles.
from the
east
terrible deformity
eadlong,
I
St. Louis to
are often covered with the most luxuriant
denominated the
iig could be more
leeming beauty
and sound of the puffing
and wild shores
time, saluting the grecu
first
-,#
It
is
amidst these wild and quiet haunts that the mountain-sheep, and the
viitclope sport and live in herds, secure from their enemies,
boundi
c 2
;
I
•20
fo wliom the sides nnd slopes of
bound) are nearly inuceessible.
H
llicso blufTs
(arnimd
wliii-h tlicy fearlessly
The {jrizzly bear also lias eliosen these places for iiis abode he sullcidy
sneaks through the (jnlphs and chasms, and ravines, and frowns away the
;
if
and antelope are boundinf:; over
hami of man and beast.
Such is a hasty sketch of the river scenes and scenery for 2,0()0 miles,
over which we tui^iicd, and puffefl, and blowed, and toiled for three months,
before we reached this place.
Since we arrived here, the steamer has returned, and left me hero to explore the country and visit the tribes in this
vicinity, and then descend the river from this place to St. Louis; which
'lour, if 1 live through it, will furnish material for many a story and curious
incident, which 1 may t?ive you in detail in future epistles, and when I have
more leisure than I have at the present moment. I will then undertake to
tell how we astonished the natives, in many an instance, which I can in
this Letter but just hint at and say at'ieu.
If anything did ever literally and
linkin;^ Indian
whilst the inountain-sheep
;
and around the
tops, safe and. free from
hill
completely " astonish (and astound) the native. ," it was the appearance of
our steamer, puffing and blowing, and paddling and rushing by their villages
which were on the banks of the river.
These poor and ignorant people,
'/
2,000 miles, had never
for the distance of
before seen or heard of a steam-boat, and in some places they seemed at a
know what to do, or how to act they could not, as the Dutch did at
Newburgh, on the Hudson River, take it to be a floating saw-mill and they
liad no name for it
so it was, like every thing else (with them), which is
mysterious and unaccountable, called medicine (mystery).
We had on board
one twelve-pound cannon and three or four eight-pound swivels, which we
were taking up to arm the Fur Company's Fort at the mouth of Yellow Stone
and at the approach to every village they vere all discharged several times
loss to
;
—
—
in rapid succession,
which threw the inhabitants
amazement— some of them threw
Great
Spirit
— some shot
their faces to the
their horses
ground, and cried to the
and dogs, and sacrificed them to appease
whom
they conceived was offended
and ran
to the
tops of the bluffs
some
places, as the boat landed
in
confusion and
into utter
the Great Spirit,
villages,
some miles
—some deserted
distant;
front of their villages,
and
their
others, in
came with
great
and peeped over the bank, of the river to see the fate of their chiefs
whose duty it was (from the nature of their office) to approach us, whether
friends or foes, and to go on board. Sometimes, in this plight, they were instantly thrown neck and heels over each other's heads and shoulders
men,
women and cnildren, and dogs — sage, sachem, old and young all in a mass,
at the frightful discharge of the steam from the escape-pipe, which the captain of the boat let loose upon them for his own fun and amusement.
There were many curious conjectures amongst their wise men, with regard
to the nature and powers of the steam-boat.
Amongst the Mandans, sonie
caution,
;
—
—
called
1
it
the
*'
big thunder canoe ;" for,
when
'Ml
in distance
below the
village,
./>;
,
tlicy fearlessly
h
(Ic
he sullenly
;
frowns away
tlie
J
bounding over
[1
beast.
2,000 miles,
for
or three months,
steamer has retribes in this
he
which
and curious
Louis;
t.
jtory
when
ind
have
I
then undertake to
J,
which
I
can
in
ever literally and
of
lie appearance
r
by
~*<i
\
^
'
^^-/-^c
<^'
XV:
their villages
N-lrV''.
\'
f
had never
they seemed at a
the Dutch did at
and they
iw-mill
them), which is
We had on board
swivels, which we
miles,
—
of Yellow Stone;
ired
several times
confusion and
;er
and cried to the
d them to appease
me
deserted their
nt
and
;
others, in
came with
great
ate or their chiefs
;
iroach us, whether
ght, they
were inmen,
d shoulders
—
ng— allin
a mass,
pe,
which the cap-
nusement.
men, with regard
he Mandans, son.e
below the
c
,
,^ c^
"7^
-or-
village,
t)
-:;:^-
II
M
91
tlipy
it
;
saw tho
lii;litnini; fli»sh
called
otiitis
it
''
tlio
from
hit;
its
sides, ancl
iiKMiiciiio
(mystery) hocause thoy coiihl not understand
said they,
|>
"
it
sees
its
own way, and
heard
it;
and
fhimdor come
llu*
canoe with eyes
it
;"
fioiii
was mcdUine
must have eyes, fur
it
takes the deep water in the middle of tho
i'liannel."
They had no idea of the hoat hciii'^ stceri-d by \\w man at the wheel,
and well they m i;ht have been astonished at its takiui; the (hiepest water.
I may (if I do not forget it) hereafter give you an account of some other
cinious incidents of this kind, which we met with in this voyage for we met
;
niany, and some of them were really laughable.
Tlie Fort in
now
occupies
it
which
;
and
I
am now
it is
residing
was
built
by Mr. M'Kcnzie, who
the largest and best-built establishment of the kind
river, being the great or principal head-(|uarters and depot of the
Fur Company's business in this region,
A vast stock of goods is kept on
hand at this place; and at certain times of the year the numerous out-posts
concentrate here with the returns of their season's trade, and refit out with
on the
a fresh supply of goods to trade with the Indians.
The site for the Fort is well selected, being a beautiful prairie on the bank
near the junction of the Missouri with the Yellow Stone rivers; and its inmates and
its stores well protected from Indian assaults.
Mr. M'Kcnzie is a kind-hearted and I.igh-minded Scotchman: and seems
to have charge of all the I'ur Companies' business in this region, and from
I
Jthis to the Rocky Mountains.
He lives in good and comfortable stylo,
(inside of the Fort, which contains some eight or ten log-houses and stores,
'and Kas generally forty or fifty men, and one hundred and fifty horses
,^
:,
about him.
He
has, with the
same
Pierre Chouteau treated
welcome
spirit
of liberality and politeness with which Mons.
me on my
passage up the river, pronounced
me
which groans under the luxuries of the country ; with
buffalo meat and tongues, with beavers' tails and marrow-fat; but sans coft'ee,
tans bread and butter. Good cheer and good living wc get at it however,
and good wine also; for a bottle of Madeira and one of excellent Port are
at his table,
set in a pail of ice every day,
and exhausted at dinner.
At the hospitable board of this gentleman I found also another, who
forms a happy companion for mine host ; and whose intellectual and
polished society has added not a little to my pleasure and amusement since
I arrived here.
The gentleman of whom I am speaking is an Englishman, by the name of
Hamilton, of the most pleasing and entertaining conversation, whose mind
seems to be a complete store-house of ancient and modern literature and art;
free and familiar acquaintance with the manners and men of his
country ^ve him the stamp of a gentleman
who has had the curiosity to
and whose
;
bring the embellishments of the enlightened world, to contrast with the rude
and the wild of these remote regions.
22
We three bons oivants form the group about the dinner-table, of which I
have before spoken, and crack our jokes and fun over the bottles of Port
and Madeira, which 1 have named and a considerable part of which, this
gentleman has brought with great and precious care from his own country.
;
This post
is
these regions,
the general rendezvous of a great
who
number of Indian
trade; sometimes coming, the whole tribe together, in a mass.
now here, and encamped about
at
work w'*h
my
tribes in
are continually concentrating here for the purpose of
brush
;
the Fort, a great many, and
we have now around us
I
am
There are
continually
the Knisteneaux, Crows,
Assinneboins and Blackfeet, and in a few days are to have large accessions.
The
before
tries:,
finest
I
;
tribes
own
I shall
make
excursions into their respective coun-
and there study their looks and peculiar
enabling me to drop you now and then an interesting Letter.
which I shall be enabled to see and study by my visit to this
to their
customs
The
specimen of Indians on the Continent are in these regions; and
leave these parts,
native fire-sides;
region, are the Ojibbeways, the Assinneboins, Knisteneaux, Blackfeet, Crows,
Shiennes, Grosventres, Mandans, and others
;
ther
^-M
•^1
^>
!/
i
and minute accounts.
whom and their customs,
due season, give you fur-
of
their history, traditions, costumes, &c., I shall in
2:3
-table, of
»art
I
of which, this
his
1
which
bottles of Port
le
)f
own
country.
Indian tribes in
or the purpose of
mass.
There are
am
continually
d
I
LETTER— No.
4.
listeneaux. Crows,
have large acceshese regions;
ir respective
MOUTH OF YELLOW STONE.
and
The several
coun-
looks and peculiar
4
and of whom
tribes of Indians inhabiting the regions of the
I
spoke
in
my
last Letter, are
Upper Missouri;
undoubtedly the
finest looking,
equipped, and most beautifully costumed of any on the Continent.
I'Thcy live ia a country well-stocked with buffaloes and wild liorses, which
is pure, which
I furnisli them an excellent and easy living ; their atmosphere
llbest
interesting Letter.
)y
,
my
visit to this
Blackfeet, Crows,
J*
md
their customs,
ion,
give you fur-
and they are the most independent and
have met with : they are all entirely in a
produces good health and long
life;
the happiest races of Indians
I
state of primitive rudeness and wildness, and consequently are picturesque
and handsome, almost beyond description. Nothing in the world, of its
kind, can possibly surpass in beauty and grace, some of their games and
amusements their gambols and parades, of which I shall speak and paint
'
—
\.
hereafter.
As far as my travels have yet led me into the Indian country, I have
more than realized my former predictions; that those Indians who could be
found most entirely in a state of nature, with the least knowledge of civilized
society, would be found to be the most cleanly in their persons, elegant in
,itheir dress and manners, and enjoying life to the greatest perfection.
Of
Buch tribes, perhaps the Crows and Blackfeet stand first; and no one would
he able to appreciate the richness and elegance (and even taste too), with
which some of these people dress, without seeing them in their own country.
1 will do uU I can, however, to make their looks as well as customs known
to the world; I will paint with my brush and scribble with my pen, and
bring tlicir plumes and plumage, dresses, weapons, &c., and every thing but
the Indian himself, to prove to the world the assertions which I have made
above.
Every one of these red sons of the
knight and a lord
—
Iiis
squaws are
forest (or rather of the prairie)
his slaves
;
is
a
the only things which he
deems worthy of his exertions are to mount his snorting steed, with his bow
and quiver slung, his arrow-shield upon his arm, and his long lance glistening
in the war parade; or, divested of all his plumes and trappings, arme(
vith
a simple
bow and
buffaloes,
deep to
and with
life's
quiver, to plunge his steed
his
amongst the
sinewy bow, which he seldom bends
fountain the whizzing arrow.
flying herds of
in vain, to drive
24
in ahnost countless numbers on these
them an abundance of meat and so much is it
preferred to all other, that the deer, l^e elk, and the antelope sport upon
the prairies in herds in the greatest security
as the Indians seldom kill
them, unless they want their skins for a dress. The buffalo (or more correctly
speaking bison) is a noble animal, that roams over the vast prairies, from
the borders of Mexico on the south, to Hudson's Bay on the north.
Their
size is somewhat above that of our common bullock, and their flesh of a
delicious flavour, resembling and equalling that of fat beef.
Their flesh,
The
bufTalo
liertls,
which graze
beautiful prairies, afford
;
;
1
1:;
Avhich
easily procured, furnishes the
is
savages of these vast regions the
means of a wholesome and good subsistence, and they live almost exclusively
upon it converting the skins, horns, hoofs and bones, to the construction
of dresses, shields, bows, &c. The buffalo bull is one of the most formidable
and frightful looking animals in the world when excited to resistance his
long shaggy mane hangs in great profusion over his neck and shoulders,
and often extends quite down to the ground (plate 7). The cow is less
—
;
in
stature,
and
less ferocious
;
though not much
and fnghtful
less wild
in
her appearance (plate 8).
The mode
I
this noble animal is spirited and thrilmust in a future epistle, give you a minute account
of it. I have almost daily accompanied parties of Indians to see the fun, and
have often shared in it myself; but much oftener ran my horse by their sides,
to see how the thing was done
to study the modes and expressions of these
splendid scenes, which I am industriously putting upon the canvass.
They are all (or nearly so) killed with arrows and the lance, while at full
speed and the reader may easily imagine, that these scenes afford the most
spirited and picturesque views of the sporting kind that can possibly be
in
which these Indians kill
ling in the extreme
h
;
and
I
—
;
seen.
At
present, I will give a
with Mr, M'Kenzie and a
little
sketch of a bit of fun
number of
his
I
joined in yesterday,
men, without the company or
aid
of Indians.
I mentioned the other day, that M'Kenzie's table from day to day groans
under the weight of buffalo tongues and beavers' tails, and other luxuries of
his western land. He has within his Fort a spacious ice-house, in which he
preserves his
when
meat
fresh for
his larder runs low,
any length of time required and sometimes,
starts out, rallying some five or six of his
best hunters (not to hunt, but to
mounted on
;
he
"go
for meat").
He
his favourite buffalo horse {i.e. the horse
leads the party,
amongst
his whole
group which is best trained to run the buffalo), trailing a light and short
gun in his hand, such an one as he can most easily reload whilst his horse
is
at full speed.
Such was the condition of the ice-house yesterday morning, which caused
these self-catering gentlemen to cast their eyes with a wishful look over the
prairies
;
and such was the plight
in
which our host took the lead, and
I,
^
numbers on
and so
these
much
is
it
upon
ndians seldom kill
(or more correctly
ritelope sport
>
vast prairies, from
he
north.
Their
.nd their flesh of
Their
beef.
vast regions the
le
!
a
flesh,
almost 'exclusively
to the construction
most formidable
the
to resistance
[
;
his
eck and shoulders,
The cow is less
d and frightful in
).
spirited
is
)u
and
thril-
a minute account
s to see
the fun, and
horse by their sides,
fexpressions of these
;he canvass.
ance, while at
full
nes afford the most
can possibly be
lat
oined in yesterday,
le
1
company
or aid
day to day groans
d other luxuries of
which he
and sometimes,
louse, in
;
five or six
of his
e leads the party,
amongst
his whole
a light and short
>ad whilst his horse
ling,
A:
^^y
,
which caused
ihful look over the
>k
the lead, and
I,
--"••••"
"
^
8
.iryfrsAC:.
i
'$
i;,i:
25
and then Mons. Chaudon, and Batiste, Defonde and Tullock (wlio is a
amongst tlie Crows, and is here at this time, with a large party of
that tribe), and there were several others whose names I do not know.
\s we were mounted and ready to start, M'Kenzie called up some four
or five of his men, and told them to start immediately on our trail, with as
many one-horse carts; which they were to harness up, to bring home the
[meat " ferry them across the river in the scow," said he, " and following our
trail through the bottom, you will find us on the plain yonder, between the
Yellow Stone and the Missouri rivers, with meat enough to load you home.
trader
,
;
.
My watch on yonder bluff has just told us by his signals, that there are cattle
aplenty on that spot, id we are going there as fast as possible." We all
crossed the river, and galloped away a couple of miles or so, whe.i we
mounted the bluff; and to be sure, as was said, there was in full view of us
;
herd of some four or five hundred buffaloes, perfectly at
•a fine
Jtheir
own
;|others
rest,
and in
and
grazing,
were lying down and sleeping; we advanced within a mile or so of
view, and came to a halt. Mons. Chardon " tossed the feather"
custom always observed, to try the course of the wind), and we commenced
Ithem
^(a
Some were
estimation (probably) perfectly secure.
in full
stripping " as
termed (i. e. every man strips himself and his horse of
and unnecessary appendage of dress, &c. that might be an
iincumbrance in running): hats are laid off, and coats and bullet pouches;
Jsleeves are rolled up, a handkerchief tied lightly around the head, and
,',i**
it is
/,|every extraneous
—
—
cartridges are prepared and placed in the waist|coat pocket, or a half dozen bullets " throwed into the mouth," &c., &c.,
Janother around the waist
%11 of which takes up some ten or fifteen minutes, and
|lr in effect,
lehase,
iire
Our leader lays
unlike a council of war.
and preliminaries
mount and
all fixed,
start for the onset.
is
not, in appearance
the whole plan of the
guns charged and ramrods
The
horses are
all
in
our hands,
trained for this busi-
much enthusiasm, and with as restless
While "stripping" and mounting, they
exhibit the most restless impatience
and when " approaching" (which is,
all of us abreast, upon a slow walk, and in a straight line towards the herd,
lintil they discover us and run), they all seem to have caught entirely the
ifjpint of the chase, for the laziest nag amongst them prances with an elastifity in his step
champing his bit— his ears erect his eyes strained out of
ibis head, and fixed upon the game before him, whilst he trembles under the
J|€ss,
i|
and seem
to enter into
spirit as their riders
it
with as
themselves.
—
;
—
—
Ajaddle of his
way we carefully and silently marched, until
when the herd discovering us, wheeled and
lid their course in a mass.
At this instant we started (and all must start,
jfor no one could check the fury of those steeds at that moment of excite(lent,) and away all sailed, and over the prairie flew, in a cloud of dust which
ms raised by their trampling hoofs. M'Kenzie was foremost in the throng
?ithin
some
rider.
In this
forty or fifty rods
;
!
|nd soo!i dashed off amidst the dust and was out of sight— he was after the
litest and the fastest.
1 had discovered a huge bull whose shoulders
;
2»)
towered above the whole band, and
get alongside of him.
head and horns.
my
,:
i!'
ii
went not
picked
I
my way
" meat," but
for
through the crowd
for a trophy
I
;
wanted
to
his
dashed along through the thrnderingmass, as they swept
I
tell whether I was on a buffalo's back or
aod hooked, and jostled about, till at length I found myself
alongside of my gaine, whta I gave him a shot, as I passed him.
I saw
guns flash in several directions about me, but I heard them not. Amidsi the
trampling throng, Mons. Chardon had wounded a stately bull, and at this
moment was passing him again with his piece levelled for another shot
they were both at full speed and I also, within the reach of the muzzle of my
gun, when the bull instantly turned and receiving the horse upon I.is horns,
and the ground received poor Chardon, who made a frog's leap of some
twenty feet or more over the bull's back (plate 9), and almost under my
horse's heels.
I wheeled my horse as soon as possible and rode back, where
lay poor Chardon, gasping to start his breath again and within a few paces of
him his huge victim, with his heels high in the air, and the horse lying across
him. I disMounted instantly, but Chardon was raising himself on his hands,
with his eyes and mouth full of dirt, and feeling for his gun, which lay about
thirty feet in advance of him. " Heaven spare you are you hurt, Chardon ?"
away over
•'
I
horse
the plain, scarcely able to
—
hit,
;
!
"
hi
—
hie
hie
no
hie-
no,
no,
Oh! this is not much, Mons.
a damned hard piece of ground
believe not-
eyes,
this is
this is
!"
arose, picked
and
the dirt
up
this
his gun, took
he, with a hie
his horse
in a few moments
which then opened its
sprang upon his feet shook off
by the
—
turned
my
bit;
and a ngh ugiik
ail upon our legs again, save the
!
— and here we were,
had been more sad than that of
I
I
—
nothing new— but
— hie —oh, hie At the poor fellow fainted, but
Cataline
here
hie
hie
hie
—
bull,
whose
fule
either.
eyes in the direction where the herd had gone, and our com-
panion.. \u pursuit,
and nothing could be seen of them, nor indication, except
At a little distance on the
left behind them.
the cloud of dust which they
right, however, I beheld my huge victim endeavouring to make as much
head-way as he possibly could, from this dangerous ground, upon three legs.
I galloped off to him, and at my approach he wheeled around
and bristled
up for battle; he oeemed to know perfectly well that he could not escape from
me, and resolved to meet his enemy and death as bravely as possible.
I found that my shot had entered him a little too far forward, break'ng one
of his shoulders, and lodging in his breast, and from his very great weiulit
it was impossible for him to make
much advance upon me. As I rodej
up within a few paces of him, he would bristle up with fury enough in
his looks alone, almost to annihilate me
(plate 10) and making one lunge
at me, would fall upon his neck and nose, so that I found the sagacity of
my horse alone enough to keep me out of reach of danger and I drew
from my pocket my sketch-book, laid my gun across my lap, and commenced
—
i
i
I
;
;
taking
his
likeness.
He
stood
stiffened
up,
and swelling with
awful
-v^
';!
irough the crowd
tropliy
;
wanted
1
to
his
mass, as they swept
;
n a buffalo's back or
iigth I found mysoll'
I saw
passed him.
em
not.
>ly
bull,
of the muzzle of
upon
lorse
md
md
my
Lis horns,
some
frog's leap of
I
.
the
this
another shot;
for
1
Amidsi
and at
almost under my
rode back, where
within a few paces
^«|jj.^^^
of
the horse lying across
himself on his hands,
gun, which lay about
?"
you hurt, Chardon
no,
is
is not much, Mons.
ard piece of ground
but in a few moments
hich then opened
its
3n his feet— shook
off
re
the bull, whose
fate
d gone, and our comTior indication, except
ittle
distance on
tliu
make as much
und, upon three legs.
ng
to
around
— and
bristled
could not escape from
as possible,
forward, break "ng one
jly
his very great weight
upon me.
As
I rode
with fury enough
in
and making one lunge
found the sagacity
of
and I drew
and commenced
danger
:
y lap,
swelling with awful
10
Myi~:iC'.;c..
n
Sur le même sujet..
world
indian
missouri
other
whose
village
these
which
indians
letter
their
country
character
those
river