OSAGES. 45 



name of Wash-cot-sa, an hereditary chief, possessed of an amiable dis- 

 position and inquiring mind. He seemed to observe every thing 

 going on in my studio, and would endeavour to imitate any thing 

 done by me. On one occasion I had been absent for a short time, 

 and during the interim he and one of his companions sauntered in; 

 and finding themselves alone, he concluded to try his hand at painting. 

 He assumed the palette and brushes, placed his subject in a favour- 

 able position, and had made some few chalk-marks upon the canvas, 

 when I entered; he immediately discovered me, and, dropping the 

 palette and brushes and pointing to the canvas, said it was pe-shee 

 very bad. I endeavoured to induce him to return to his work, but 

 to no purpose. 



He expressed a great desire to learn English, and would endeavour 

 to repeat every thing he heard spoken, without knowing the mean- 

 ing of it : at every visit he would ask me by signs to count for him, 

 which I would do, he repeating after me; then he would count in 

 his own language for me to repeat after him in like manner. At 

 the close of the council, Mr. Ross, Principal Chief of the Cherokees, 

 induced him to remain with him to learn the English language ; he 

 however staid but a short time ; for, hearing of a skirmish between 

 his own people and the Pawnees, he immediately left for his own 

 country, regretting that he had lost so favourable an opportunity of 

 distinguishing himself as a warrior. 



6S. 



AN OSAGE SCALP-DANCE, 



(Painted 1845.) 



All tribes of wild Indians scalp their captives, save the women 

 and children, who are treated as slaves, until ransomed by the United 

 States Government. 



On returning from the scene of strife, they celebrate their victories 

 by a scalp-dance. The chiefs and warriors, after having painted 

 themselves, each after his own fancy, to give himself the most hideous 

 appearance, encircle their captives, who are all placed together. 

 Thus stationed, at a tap on their drums, they commence throwing 

 themselves into attitudes, such as each one's imagination suggests as 

 the most savage, accompanied by yells, for the purpose of striking 

 terror into the hearts of their captives. 



This picture represents the scalp-dance of the Osages around a 



