688 THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 



not included in the term spirituous liquors, aud that they "would, of course, as the 

 other parties had been indulged, have their regular glass at their dinners, and also 

 after their sux)pers, and before goLug to bed ; aud that they would call it, as the others 

 had done, chickaboh boo. The indulgen ce seemed to please them very much, and, being at 

 a loss to know the meaning of chickabohboo, I took an occasion to give them the 

 history of the word, which they would see was of Ojibbeway origin, and laughing ex- 

 cessively at the ingenuity of their predecessors, they all resolved to keep up their 

 word, and to be sure at the same time not to drop their custom of taking the licensed 

 glasses of cMcabobhoo. 



FRIENDLINESS OF M. GUDIN. 



Amongst the kind friends whom this party made in Paris one of the best was M. 

 Gudin, the celebrated marine painter, in the employment of the King. This most ex- 

 cellent gentleman and his kind lady were frequent visitors to their exhibitions, and 

 several times invited the whole party and myself to dine at their table, and spend the 

 day in the beautiful grounds around his noble mansion (the Chateau Beaujon), and, in 

 its present improved condition, little less than a palace. 



Not only will the Indians feel bound for life to acknowledge their gratitude to this 

 kind lady and gentleman, but the writer of these notes will feel equally and more so for 

 the kind and unmerited attentions they paid to him during his stay in Paris. It was 

 through the friendly agency of M. Gudin that the King invited my collection to the 

 Louvre, and myself, in company with him, to the royal breakfast-table in the palace at 

 St. Cloud. I take no little satisfaction in recording here these facts, not only for my- 

 self, but in justice to one of the most distinguished painters (and one of the best fel- 

 lows) of the age. 



MR. CATLIN BREAKFASTS AT ST. CLOUD. 



On this occasion, the proudest one of my wild and erratic life, we were conducted 

 through several rooms of the palace to the one in which the royal family, chiefly all 

 assembled, with their numerous guests, were standing and ready to be seated arouod 

 a circular table fifteen or eighteen feet in diameter, at which, our seats being indi- 

 cated to us and the bow of recognition (so far as we were able to recognize acquaint- 

 ances) having been made, all were seated. This extraordinary occasion of my life 

 was rendered peculiarly memorable and gratifying to me from the fact that there 

 were two kings and two queens at the table, and nearly every member of the royal 

 family. The King and Queen of the Belgians, who were at that time on a visit to 

 Paris, with his royal highness the little Due de Brabant, were the unusual royal 

 guests at the table on the occasion. The number of persons at the table, consisting 

 of the two royal families, the King's aids-de-camp, and orderly ofiQcers of the pal- 

 ace, with the invited guests, amounted to about thirty in all, and as kings and queens 

 and royal families eat exactly like other people, I see nothing further that need be 

 noticed until their majesties arose and retired to the salon or drawing-room, into 

 which we all followed. I was there met as I entered in the most gracious and cor- 

 dial manner by his majesty, who presented me to the King of the Belgians, who did 

 me the honor to address me in these words : 



"I am very happy, Mr. Catlin, to meet a gentleman whose name is familiar to us 

 all, and who has done so much for science, and also for the poor Indians. You know 

 that the Queen and myself and the Due de Brabant were all subscribers to your val- 

 uable work, and we have taken great interest in reading it." 



The two heirs-apparent, the little Count de Paris and his royal highness the Due 

 de Brabant, came to me, and, recognizing me, inquired about the Indians. The con- 

 versation with her majesty, and also with the Princess Adelaide and the Duchess of 

 Orleans, was about the Indians, who they had heard had gone home, and in whom 

 they all seemed to have talsen a deep interest. 



