198 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [BULL. 77 
Frank Blackwell Mayer, born in Baltimore, Maryland, December 27, 1827; 
died in 1908. Many of his paintings represented scenes in Indian life, and in 
1886 he completed a canvas entitled The Treaty of Traverse des Siour, the 
treaty having been signed during the summer of 1851, about the time the 
sketch of Kaposia was made. 
PLATE 22 
Both @ and 6b are reproduced from engravings of paintings by Eastman, 
used by Schooleraft in Information respecting the History, Conditions, and 
Prospects of the Indian Tribes of the United States, 1851-1857. 
Seth Eastman, born in Brunswick, Maine, January 24, 1808; died in Wash- 
ington, D. C., August 31, 1875. Was appointed to the Military Academy, West 
Point, at the age of 16, and was graduated June, 1829. Served at Fort Craw- 
ford and Fort Snelling, where he had ample opportunities for studying the 
Indians who frequented the posts. In November, 1831, he was detailed for 
duty at the Academy and retired from active service December, 1863. From 
1850 to 1855 he was engaged in the preparation of the illustrations used in 
the work mentioned above, evidently under the supervision of the Commis- 
sioner of Indian Affairs. 
PLATE 23 
a. Reproduction of a drawing made by Catlin of one of his oil sketches. The 
original painting is now in the United States National Museum, Washing- 
Lone ssi: ; 
George Catlin, born in Wilkesbarre, Pennsylvania, 1796; died in Jersey City, 
New Jersey, December 23, 1872. In the year 1832 he went to the then far west, 
and during the succeeding eight years traveled among numerous native tribes, 
making many paintings portraying the life and customs of the people. He 
went to Europe, taking with him his great collection of pictures and objects ob- 
tained from the Indians among whom he had been for so long a time. One 
hundred and twenty-six of his pictures were shown at the Centennial Exposi- 
tion, Philadelphia, 1876, and now more than 500 of his works, portraits and 
scenes are preserved in the National Museum, forming a collection of in- 
estimable value and interest. 
b. Fort Pierre, after sketch by Kurz, July 4, 1851. 
Friedrich Kurz, born in Bern, Switzerland, 1818; died 1871. At the sugges- 
tion of his friend Karl Bodmer, he came to America in 1846, for the purpose of 
studying the native tribes, intending to prepare a well-illustrated account of 
his travels. He landed at New Orleans and reached St. Louis by way of the 
Mississippi. The trouble with Mexico had developed, and for that reason in- 
stead of going to the Southwest, to endeavor to accomplish among the tribes of 
that region what Bodmer had already done among the people of the Upper 
Missouri Valley, he decided to follow the route of the latter and ascend the 
Missouri to the Rocky Mountains. But although his plans were changed he 
did not become discouraged, and on October 28, 1851, entered in his journal: 
“My plan is still for the gallery ... I shall have lots of correct drawings.” 
Cholera raged along the upper Missouri in 1851, and for that reason Kurz was 
unable to remain at Fort Pierre. However, he reached Fort Berthold July 9, 
1851. Later he continued to Fort Union at the mouth of the Yellowstone, 
where he remained until April 19, 1852. Returning, he reached St. Louis May 
25, thus covering the distance from the mouth of the Yellowstone in five weeks 
and one day. He arrived in Bern during September of that year and was soon 
appointed drawing master in the schools of his native city, a position which 
he held until his death, 
