44 THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 



These three distinguished and ambitious young men were of the best families in 

 the Osage Nation ; and, as they explained to me, having formed a peculiar attach- 

 ment to each other, they desired me to paint all on one canvas, in which wish I in- 

 dulged them. — Geo. Catlin, 1834. 



They served as guides for the Dragoon expedition, in 1834, amongst 

 the Comanches and others. Mr. Catlin was with them. 



37. Moi-een-e shee, the Constant Walker. (No plate.) 1834. 



38. "Wa-niSsh-ee-sheek, He who takes away. ^ 



39. Wa-chesh-uk, War. > Group. 



40. Miuk-chesk, . (No plate.) ) 



Three distinguished young men, full length. Painted 1836. 



41. Tcha-to-ga, Mad Buffalo ; bow and quiver on his back. 



This man was tried and convicted for the murder of two white men, under Mr. 

 Adams's administration, and was afterwards pardoned, but is held in disgrace in his 

 tribe since, " as one whose life has been forfeited," but, as they say, not worth taking. 

 (No plate, 18.36.) 



42. 'Wash-iin-pe-shee, the Madman ; a distinguished warrior; full length. (No plate.) 



43. Pa-hli-sha, White Hair; the younger; with lance and quiver. Chief of a band, 



and rival of Cler-m6nt. (No plate.) 1834. 



44. Shin-ga-'was-sa, the Handsome Bird ; a splendid-looking fellow, 6 feet 8 inches 



high; with war club and quiver. (No plate.) 18-34. 



45. Cah-he-ga-shin-ga, the Little Chief ; full length, with bow and quiver. (No plate.) 



1834. 



MR. CATLIN'S notes ON THE OSAGE INDIANS. 



The Osages have been formerly, and until quite recently, a powerful and warlike 

 tribe, carrying their arms fearlessly through all of these realms, and ready to cope with 

 foes of any kind that they were liable to meet. At present the case is quite different ; 

 they have been repeatedly moved and jostled along from the headwaters of the White 

 River, and even from the shores of the Mississippi, to where they now are ; and re- 

 duced by every war and every move. The small-pox has taken its share of them at 

 two or three different times ; and the Konzas, as they are now called, having been 

 a part of the Osages, and receded from them, impair-ed their strength, and have at 

 last helped to lessen the number of their warriors, so that their decline has been very 

 rapid, bringing them to the mere handful that now exists of them, though still pre- 

 serving their valor as warriors, which they are continually showing off as bravely 

 and as professionally as they can with the Pawnees and the Comanches, with whom 

 they are waging incessant war, although they are the principal sufferers in those 

 scenes which they fearlessly persist in, as if they were actually bent on their self- 

 destruction. 



The Osage, or (as they call themselves) Wa-saw-see, are a tribe of about 5,200 in 

 numbers, inhabiting and hunting over the headwaters of the Arkansas, and Neosho 

 or Grand Rivers. Their present residence is about 700 miles west of the Mississippi 

 River ; in three villages, constituted of wigwams, built of barks and iiags or reeds. 

 One of these villages is within 40 miles of this fort ; another within sixty, and the third 

 about 80 miles. Their chief place of trade is with the sutlers at this post ; and there 

 are constantly more or less of them encamped about the garrison. 



The Osages may justly be said to be the tallest race of men in North America, either 

 of red or white skins ; there being very few indeed of the men, at their full growth, 



