THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 259 



I have traversed the suow-whitc shores of Peusacola's beautiful bay, aud I said to 

 myself, "Is it possible that nature has done so much in vain, or will the wisdom of 

 man lead him to add to such works the embellishments of art, and thus convert to 

 his own use and enjoyment the greatest luxuries of life?" As a traveling stranger 

 through the place, I said, "Yes; it must be so." Nature has here formed the finest 

 harbor in the world ; aud the dashing waves of the ocean haA^e thrown around its 

 shores the purest barriers of sand, as white as the drifted snow. Unlilje all other 

 Southern ports, it is surrounded by living fountains of the purest water, and its 

 shores continually fanned by the refreshing breathings of the sea. To a Northern 

 man the winters in this place appear like a continual spring time ; and the intensity 

 of a summer's sun is cooled into comfort and luxury by the ever-cheoring sea-breeze. 



This is the only place I have found in the Southern country to which Northern 

 people can repair with safety in the summer season ; and I know not of a place in 

 the world where they can go with better guarantees of good health, and a reasonable 

 share of the luxuries of life. The town of Pensacola is beautifully situated on Ihe 

 shore of the bay, and contains at present about fifteen hundred inhabitants, most of 

 them Si)anish Creoles. They live an easy and idle life, without any energy further 

 than for the mere means of living. The bay abounds in the greatest variety of fish, 

 which are easily taken, and the finest quality of oysters are found in profusion, even 

 alongside of the wharves. 



Government having fixed upon this harbor as the great naval depot for all the 

 Southern coast, the consequence will be that a vast sum of public money will always 

 be put into circulation in this place ; and the ofiScers of the Navy, together with the 

 officers of the Army stationed in the three forts built and now building at this place, 

 will constitute the most polished and desirable society in our country. 



Mr. Catlin here gives in detail the plan for a railroad from Pensacola 

 to Columbus, Ga., with the opinions of Captain Chase, and Lieuten- 

 ant Bowman, of the Army, as to its feasibility. 



Of the few remnants of Indians remaining in this part of the country, I have little 

 to say at present that could interest you. The sum total that can be learned or seen 

 of them (like all others that are half-civilized) is that they are to be pitied. 



Mr. Catlin proposed going to East Florida, but the Seminole war pre- 

 vented this. So instead he went up the Mississippi and Missouri, and 

 made his trip across the plains in 1834. 



350. Vie-w on Lake Saint Croix, Upper Mississippi. Painted in 1835. (No 



plate.) 



351. View on the Canadian; dragoons crossing. Painted in 1834, while with 



the First United States Dragoons. (No plate.) 



852. Ta-vra-que-nah, or Rocky Mountain, near the Camanchee village, Texas. 

 Painted in 1834, while with '.he First United States Dragoons. (No plate.) 



353. Camanchee (Comanche) village, and dragoons approaching it, showing 

 the hospitable manner in which they were received by the Camanchees. 

 Camanchee warriors all riding out and forming in a line, Avith a white 

 flag, to receive the dragoons. Painted in 1834. 



(Plate No. 163, page Gl, vol. 2, Catlin's Eight Years.) 

 The following description of No. 353 was written by Mr. Catlin in 

 1834. He was then on the tour with Col. Dodge, First U. S. Dragoons. 

 Ii\ the itinerary for 1834, herein, a description of this journey will be 

 found in detail. 



After many hard aud tedious days of travel, we were at last told by our C'aniau- 

 oliee guides that we were near their village , and having led us to the top of a gently- 



