574 THE GEOEGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLEEY. 



men, had been invited there to see the first effect it would have upon them. It proved 

 to be a very curious scene. As they entered the hall, the portraits of several hun- 

 dreds of the chiefs and warriors of their own tribe and of their enemies were hanging 

 on the walls and staring at them from all directions, and wigwams, and costumes 

 and weapons of all constructions arouud them. They set up the most frightful yells, 

 and made the whole neighborhood ring with their bowlings; they advanced to the 

 portraits of their friends and offered them their hands ; and at their enemies, whom 

 they occasionally recognized, they brandished their tomahawks or drew their bows 

 as they sounded the war-whoop. 



MR. CATLIN ADDRESSES THE OJIBBEWAT8. 



This scene was truly exciting, and after our distinguished visitors had left the rooms, 

 I spread some robes upon the floor, upon which we sat, and lighting an Indian pipe, 

 opened our first council by saying : 



"My friends, I am glad to see you, and to offer you my hand in friendship. You 

 see by the paintings around you, of your friends and of your enemies, that I am no 

 stranger to Indians, and that I am their friend. I am very happy to see you in my 

 room, and all well after crossing the great ocean. Your friend here, Mr. Eankin, tells 

 me you have come to this country to give your dances, &c. ; and he has proposed that 

 I should manage your exhibition, and have your dances all given in my rooms. This 

 I have agreed to do, provided it meets your approbation." 



To which they all instantly ejaculated, " How, how, how ! " which is always an af- 

 firmative, literally meaning yes. When meeting a friend, it is the first salutation, 

 meaning " How goes it ?" or " How do you do ? " and pronounced at the ends of sen- 

 tences, when any one is speaking, implies assent, or approbation, as "Hear, hear!" is 

 nsed in the English language. 



" My good friends, I have agreed to this on two conditions: the first, that it shall 

 please you ; and the second, that you will pledge your words to me that you will keep 

 yourselves all the time sober, and drink no spirituous liquors while you are in the coun- 

 try. I make this condition because I know that the Indians are generally fond of 

 strong drink, which wicked white men carry into their country and teach them to 

 use. I know that the Indians often drink it to excess, not knowing in their country 

 the sin of doing so. I know that the peoj)le in England detest drunkards, and they 

 have an idea that all Indians are drunkards ; and that if you drink and get drunk in 

 this country, it will ruin all your prospects, and you will go homo poor and despised. 

 ('How, how, how ! ') You are a good-looking and well-behaved set of men, and I have 

 no fears of any difficulties if you will keep sober. The English people are the friends 

 of the Indians, and you will make many friends if you take and keep my advice. 



"I will ask but one solemn promise of you, and that is, that you will drink no spirit- 

 uous liquors while you are in this country, and your friend Mr. Eankin will perfectly 

 justify me in this. (' How, how, how!') 



" If you will keep sober, you shall have plenty of good tobacco to smoke and roast 

 beef to eat, and there is no doubt that I will get you permission to see the Queen." 



THE OLD chief's REPLY. 



To this the old chief (Ah-quee-we-zaints, the Boy Chief) arose and replied : 



" My friend, I give you my hand. The Great Spirit has been kind to us in keeping 

 his eye upon us all in crossing the salt lake, and we are thanking him that we are all 

 here safe and in good health. We had heard much of you when in our own country, 

 where all the Indians know you, and we are now happy to meet you. ('How, how !') 



" My friend, we are here like children in this strange country, and we shall feel 

 happy and not afraid if you will be our father — the Great Spirit has put good counsel 

 into your mouth, and we will follow it. (' How, how, how !') 



"We all know the dangers of fire-water; we have all been fond of it, and have 



