560 THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 



up and to the arrival in England of the nine Chippewas, in 1844. Mr. 

 Catlin (pages 94-97, Catlin's Notes in Europe, vol. 1) writes as to this : 



I added mucli to my own labors by closing tbe exhibition at nigM and giving 

 my lectures on three evenings of the week in an adjoining hall, illustrating them with 

 tableaux vivants, produced by twenty living figures in ludian costumes, forming groujis 

 in their ceremonies, domestic scenes, and warfare. These were got up and liresented 

 with much labor to myself, and gave great satisfaction, as by them I furnished so 

 vivid and life-like an illustration of Indian life as I had seen it the wilderness. 



For these tableaux I had chosen my men for some striking Indian character in their 

 faces or figures or action, and my women were personated by round-faced boys, who, 

 when the women's dresses were on them, and long wigs of horses' hair spreading over 

 their shoulders, and the faces and hands of all painted to the Indian color, made the 

 most complete illusion that could be conceived. I had furnished each with his little 

 toilet of colors, &c., and instructions how to paint the face before a mirror, and how 

 to arrange their dresses ; and then, with almost infinite labor, had drilled them 

 through the Indian mode of walking with their " toes in," of using their weapons of 

 war and the chase, and of giving their various dances, songs, and the war-whoop ; 

 and I have no hesitation in saying that when I had brought this difficult mode to its 

 greatest perfection I had succeeded in presenting the most faithful and general rep- 

 resention of Indian life that was ever brought before the civilized world. Many of 

 these scenes were enlivened by action, and by the various instruments of music used 

 by the Indians, added to their songs, and the war-whoop, giving a thrilling spirit to 

 them, whilst they furnished scenes for the painter of the most picturesque character, 

 as will be easily imagined from the subjoined programme of them as announced at 

 the time. 



Catlin's lectures, ivith tableaux vivant^, on the North American Indians, at the Egyptian 



Hall, Piccadilli/, London. 



[Programme for the first evening.] 

 WAR SCENES. 



No^l. Group of tvarri&rs and braves in full dress, reclining around a fire, regaling 

 themselves with the pipe and a dish of pemican. In the midst of their banquet the 

 chief enters in full dress ; the pipe is lighted for him, he smokes it in sadness, and 

 breaks up the party by announcing that an enemy is at hand, that a number of their 

 men have been scalped whilst hunting the bufi"alo, and they must prepare for war. 



No. 2. JFamorseKiisitM^, by ''smoking through the reddened stem." The chief sends 

 " runners " (or criers) through the tribe with a pipe, the stem of which is painted red ; 

 the crier solicits for recruits, and every young man who consents to smoke through 

 the reddened stem which is extended to him is considered a volunteer to go to war. 



No. 3. War dance. The ceremony of " swearing in " the warriors, who take the most 

 solemn oath by dancing to and striking the "reddened post" with their war-clubs. 



No. 4. Foot war-party on the march (Indian file), armed with shields, bows, quivers, 

 aid lances, the chief of the party, as is generally the case, going to war in full dress. 



No. 5. War party encamped at night, asleep under their buffalo robes, with sentinels 

 on the watch. The alarm in camp is given, and the warriors roused to arms. 



No. 6. War party in council, consulting with their chief as to the best and most ef- 

 fective way of attacking their enemies, who are close at hand. 



No. 7. Skulking, or advancing cautiously upon the enemy to take them by surprise, 

 a common mode and merit in war among the North American Indians. 



No. 8. Battle and scalping, showing the frightful appearance of Indian warfare, and 

 the mode of taking the scalp. 



No. 9. Scalp dance, in celebration of a victory ; the women in the center of the group, 

 holding up the scalps on little sticks, and the warriors dancing around them, hrsii^d" 

 jshing their weapons 3,nd yelling ii; ttje pqost frightful ma^nrjep. 



