GEORGE CATLIN. 



343 



better features of our civilization. His theories respecting the 

 origin of the Indians do not seem to have taken settled shape. 

 He believed that the primary race did not come here from 

 abroad, but originated here on the soil independently of other 

 races, although wanderers from other lands may have mingled 

 with it. He found reasons for supposing that there may have 

 been a Jewish element in the race, but not that the race was 

 derived from the Jews ; and he speculated upon the possible 

 derivation of the Mandans from a Welsh colony under Prince 

 Madoc in the early part of the fourteenth century. There are 

 not many scientific observations in his itineraries. His journal 

 at Fort Gibson, in 1834, contains a notice of the death of Mr. 

 Beyrich, a Prussian botanist, who had made an immense collec- 

 tion of plants, and died at Fort Gibson while engaged in chang- 

 ing and drying them. 



Mr. Catlin supported himself in his journeys by painting 

 portraits and by the sale of his books. It was his custom to 

 leave the Indian country in the fall and go in his canoe down 

 to St. Louis or New Orleans. There he would select some 

 place promising good custom and settle himself as a portrait 

 painter for the winter. His collections having become large 

 enough to form a gallery and museum, he exhibited them in 

 the chief Eastern cities from 1837 to 1839. He then offered 

 them for sale to the Government, and their purchase was advo- 

 cated in Congress by such men as Clay and Webster. But the 

 bill making the appropriation was lost, the casting vote being 

 given by Jefferson Davis, then in the House. Bitterly disap- 

 pointed at the want of appreciation of his work by his own 

 country, Mr. Catlin then took his collections to Europe, and 

 exhibited them in London and Paris. He gave his exhibi- 

 tion and lectured upon the Indians, with the aid of men and 

 boys in costume, for three years in succession, in London. 

 Then in order to help a stranded party of nine Chippewas that 

 a Canadian had been exploiting in England he associated them 

 with his exhibition for several months. A party of lowas, 

 among them being several whose portraits he had painted, 

 and still another party of Chippewas enjoyed his protection 

 under similar circumstances in London and Paris. Mr. Catlin 

 never took any Indians abroad for exhibition himself, and was 

 very indignant that any one should speculate with them in this 

 way. The support of those who came under his care fell 



