THE GEORGE CATLIJ? INDIAN GALLERY. 585 



we all driuk to the health of Prince Albert, who could never be neglected when Her 

 Majesty's health was drunk. This was done with enthusiasm ; and the old chief soon 

 proposed to drink Mr. Eankin's health and my health, which were attended to ; and 

 he at length thought of the fat porter in scarlet and gold lace, whom he had passed 

 at the door, and who at this moment, with several others in gold lace and powdered 

 hair, were gathering around the table to take a glass or two of chick-a-boi-ioo with 

 them. This happened at a good time and Mr. Rankin commenced the anecdote of 

 the old chief having mistaken the porter Sykes for Prince Albert just as Mr. Murray 

 and I withdrew from the room to proceed to town. 



I visited the Indians in their rooms that evening, and found them in good spirits, 

 having been' well pleased by Her Majesty's kind reception, and also delighted with 

 the chick-a-hoh-boo, and the liberal construction that had been put upon their sacred 

 engagement " not to drink spirituous liquors." Mr. Rankin gave me an amusing ac- 

 count of the old chief's second interview with the porter Sykes, and their manner of 

 takingleave when they were parting to meet no more. " Their pipes," he said, " were 

 lit when they took their omnibus to retutn, and their joyful songs aud choruses made 

 it a traveling music-box the whole way to town." 



I had come upon them at the moment when they were taking their coffee — a habit 

 they had got into as one of the last things before going to bed. When they finished 

 their coffee they lit the pipe, and there were many comments from different parts of the 

 room upon what they had seen during the day. The Queen was, of course, the engross- 

 ing theme for their thoughts and their remarks ; and though so well jjleased with her 

 kindness to them, they were evidently disappointed in her personal appearance and 

 dress. Her Majesty was attired in a simple and unadorned dress of black, and wore 

 apparently no ornaments whatever at the time of their presentation, affording the 

 poor fellows nothing either in her stature or costume to answer to the fancied figure 

 of majesty which they had naturally formed in their minds, and were convinced they 

 were going to see. They had, on first entering the room, taken the Duchess of Kent for 

 the Queen, and said they were not apprised of their error until they heard me 

 address the Queen as " Pier Majesty." 



They were advancing many curious ideas (over the pipe) as to the government of 

 the greatest and richest country in the world being in the hands of a woman, and 

 she no larger than many of the Iffdian girls at the age of twelve or thirteen years. 

 I explained to them the manner in which she was entitled to the crown, and also how 

 little a king or queen has actually to do in the government of such a country ; that 

 it is chiefly done by her ministers, who are always about her, aud men of the greatest 

 talents, and able to advise her. And the old chief, who had been listening attentively 

 to me, as he was puffing away at his pipe, said, he was inclined to think it was the 

 best thing for the country. " I am not sure," said he, "but it is the safest way ; for 

 if this country had a king instead of a queen, he might be ambitious as a great war- 

 rior, and load the country into war with other nations ; now, under her government 

 there is peace, and the country is happy." 



Many jokes were passed upon the old chief for having mistaken the porter Sykes 

 for Prince Albert, and for having brought his pipe of peace back, having been afraid 

 to present it. They had many remarks to make also upon the little girl whom Her 

 Majesty took by the hand ; they told her she turned pale, aud they were afraid she 

 would grow up a white woman. They now, for the first time, thought of the Queen's 

 little children, and wondered they had not seen them ; they thought they ought at 

 least to have seen the Prince of Wales. Daniel, they said, had long since told them 

 how old he was, and that he was to be the next King of England. Ho had also read 

 to them his long names, wbicli had pleased them very much, which they never could 

 recollect, but would have written down. 



The conversation again, and for some time, ran upon the deliciousness of Her Maj- 

 esty's cliiclc-a-bob-boo, aud also upon the presents which they had imagined would have 

 been made to them, aud which I assured them they might feel quite easy about, aa 



