JOHN MIX STANLEY BUSHNELL 511 



The exact number of pictures in the Stanley collection at the time 

 of the fire has not been ascertained. It is quite difficult to believe 

 no changes or additions had been made between the years 1852 and 

 1865. However, it is possible the collection was maintained as a 

 unit, exactly as it was when first placed in the gallery of the Insti- 

 tution, and if this were true it is evident 146 of Stanley's paintings 

 were destroyed. 



For certain reasons five of the more important canvases had been 

 removed from the " Gallery of Art " to another part of the Smith- 

 sonian Building, and, fortunately, the section of the building in 

 which they were placed was not seriously damaged by the diasas- 

 trous fire which resulted in the destruction of the balance of the 

 collection. These now form part of the permanent collections of the 

 National Museum. 



The five paintings now belonging to the United States National 

 Museum may be considered excellent examples of the artist's work. 

 They are now described in the order in which they were painted. The 

 quotations are taken from the descriptive catalogue, prepared by 

 Stanley : 



Plate 3. "International Indian Council. This council was con- 

 vened by John Ross, at Tal-lequah, in the Cherokee Nation, in 

 the month of June, 1843, and continued in session four weeks. Dele- 

 gates from seventeen tribes were present, and the whole assemblage 

 numbered some ten thousand Indians." 



Tahlequah, where the great gathering took place, was the name 

 applied to the capital of the Cherokee Nation, in the northeastern 

 part of the Indian Territory, in 1839. It is now part of the State 

 of Oklahoma. Tahlequah became an important gathering place for 

 many tribes, and the painting of the assemblage during the early 

 summer of 1843, is one of the most valuable and important Indian 

 pictures in existence. 



Plate 4. " Ko-rak-koo-kiss. A Towoccono Warrior. This man 

 distinguished himself among his people by a daring attempt at 

 stealing horses, in the night, from Fort Milan, on the western fron- 

 tier of Texas. He succeeded in passing the sentries, and had se- 

 cured some eight or ten horses to a lariat, and was making his way 

 to the gates of the fort, when he was discovered and fired upon. The 

 night being dark, the shots were at random; he was, however, 

 severely wounded by two balls, received two sabre wounds upon his 

 arms, and narrowly escaped with his life. He is about twenty-three 

 years of age, and by this daring feat has won the name and standing 

 of a warrior among his people." 



This Tawakoni warrior may have been present at the council of 

 Talilequah, in 1843; his tribe was one of the seventeen represented 

 at that great gathering. 



